Pittsburgh Japanese School

Inspiring children to appreciate their Japanese heritage, and guiding them to become compassionate, courageous members of the global community.

c/o Shady Side Academy

Phone: 412-963-6358

E-mail: office@pittsburghjapaneseschool.org

Yokoso, and welcome to Pittsburgh Japanese School ("PJS")!

Located on the beautiful campus of Shady Side Academy, PJS is one of the three supplementary Japanese schools in Pennsylvania. We offer Japanese instruction for grades Pre-K - 12th in accordance with the guidelines and curriculum set by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan.

The primary purpose of PJS is to provide a Japanese curriculum for children of Japanese families who have relocated to the Pittsburgh area so that their children may make a smooth transition back to the rigorous Japanese educational system upon their eventual return. The secondary purpose of PJS is to provide children who are fluent or proficient in Japanese with the opportunity to receive instruction in Japanese and to participate in the cultural traditions of Japan while residing in the Pittsburgh area on a long term basis.

The Pittsburgh Japanese School is grateful to the Japanese government and the Office of the Consulate General of Japan in New York for providing us with funding, invaluable advice, textbooks, and other educational materials which allow us to deliver quality education to our students. We are equally grateful for the continued support of our warm community, our dedicated teachers and staff, and our friends and families who all generously donate their time and energy into making our school a truly unique “home away from home”.

History

In 1977, a small number of Japanese families living in Pittsburgh area organized a "Japanese Class" in the home of the Maenou family to teach their children Japanese language and the culture. With the support of dedicated individuals and local corporations, PJS outgrew the Maenou family’s living room and moved to the First Baptist Church, followed by the Rodef Shalom Congregation, and then to one of the public high schools in 1994. Since July 2006, the school has been relocated to the suburb of Pittsburgh, and the classes have been held on Sundays.

Generally, approximately 100 students from Pre-K to 12th grade are enrolled.

The Pittsburgh Japanese School was registered as a charitable organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1993. PJS is a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service.

Curriculum

PK and Kindergarten: Rhythm, Expression, Crafts, Culture
Elementary School: Japanese, Math, Social Studies (5th & 6th Grade)
Junior High School: Japanese, Math, Social Studies
High School: Japanese, Math

School Calendar

PJS follows the Japanese academic calendar, with the school year commencing in April and concluding in March. In addition to the traditional Japanese matriculation and graduation ceremonies, students celebrate and participate in a variety of cultural events such as the New Year’s rice cake making, New Year’s calligraphy, Children’s Day, Field Day, and the Star Festival.

Admissions

PJS accepts children, regardless of nationality or race, who are either proficient or fluent in Japanese. All classes are taught in Japanese, and all textbooks are written in Japanese. Prospective students will be interviewed as part of the admissions process. Please contact us at office@pittsburghjapaneseschool.org with any questions.

The Pittsburgh Japanese School admits students of any race, color, nationality, and ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin in its athletic and other school administered programs.

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