文化行事
When considering the "Bilingual" aspect of JBBP, Japanese language instruction is implicitly expected. The "Bicultural" side of JBBP encompasses both daily activities and special events & activities that set JBBP apart.
JBBPの「バイリンガル」というと、日本語教育を示唆します。「バイカルチャル」文化教育面は、毎日の活動から、スペシャルイベントやアクティビティーを通して行われるのがJBBPの特性です。
Rajio Taiso ラジオ体操
Morning Exercise
Literally translated as "Radio Calisthenics", it’s a tradition of morning stretching and exercise that’s almost 100 years old in Japan. Two days a week the whole school participates in Rajio Taiso.
Parents at the yard can (and do!) join in.
Otsukimi お月見
Autumn Moon Festival
Otsukimi is a seasonal festival to enjoy the Autumn Moon. In Japan, people decorate with silver grasses and offer rice dumplings to the moon.
K-5 celebrate Otsukimi in the classroom.
Keiro No Hi 敬老の日
Honoring Elders Day
Students K-5 write letters to elders in their family.
Students honor the holiday in the classroom.
Undokai 運動会
Sports Day
Sports Day In September students participate in a field day with activities like running races, tug of war, ball toss.
Parents and family members are encouraged to come and cheer the red and white teams!
Speech Taikai スピーチ大会
Japanese Speech Competition
Students in 2nd through 5th grade present speeches in Japanese each fall.
Parents and family members are welcome to the event.
Gakugeikai 学芸会
Performing Arts Showcase
All students K-5th perform songs, dances and skits on an evening in December.
Parents and family are welcome to attend this community favorite event.
Oshogatsu お正月
New Year’s Celebration
Students do new year’s activities like eating mochi, inari sushi and ozoni soup, and playing karuta, sugoroku, fukuwarai, otedama, ohajiki, kendama and koma.
Students celebrate the holiday in the classroom.
Day of Remembrance
Commemoration of Japanese American Internment
We acknowledge and remember the Incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Upper grade students sometimes participate in activities in nearby Japantown.
Photo: Children pledging allegiance to the American flag at San Francisco’s Raphael Weill Elementary School (now Rosa Parks Elementary) in 1942. Those whose families were of Japanese ancestry were sent to internment camps.
Photo Credit: Dorothea Lange
Students honor this important day in the classroom.
Hina Matsuri ひな祭り
Doll’s Festival
Hinamatsuri is celebrated on March 3rd to wish girls good health and growth. We decorate Hina Dolls and celebrate with hina-arare and Sakura mochi.
Students celebrate this day in the classroom.
Sakura Matsuri 桜祭り
Cherry Blossom Festival & Parade
Each April we sell our famous Sakura Popcorn at the Cherry Blossom Festival booths. Parents, staff and students all march together, children dressed in the special JBBP Happi coats.
Making the popcorn that we sell in our booth is a community tradition with Rosa Parks JBBP families. Each year families come together in the weeks before the event to make all of the popcorn that is such a big hit at the festival!
The Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the most prominent celebrations of Asian American Heritage in America, and we are fortunate that our school is interwoven with the Japantown community, just one block away- often our school yard is used for parking for the parade! Rosa Parks JBBP has a special connection with Japantown that we are proud to highlight at the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the Cherry Blossom activities.
Kodomo No Hi 子供の日
Children’s Day
Families display carp banners (koi-nobori 鯉のぼり) or helmet (boshi 兜). Carp banners 鯉のぼり and helmets 兜 are famous symbols used to celebrate Children’s Day in hopes that our children will grow up with courage and wisdom.
Students decorate helmets (boshi 兜) and eat Kashiwamochi in classroom.
Owakareshiki お別れ式
Japanese style Graduation Ceremony
Students K-4 celebrate the promotion of the 5th graders. K-4 students give farewell speeches and sing songs to 5th graders. 5th graders give speeches and sing songs.
Parents and family members are invited to this special event.