User:Jetenglishteacher/sandbox

Rigorous Academics Course
In this course, students have supplementary classes every morning before school and two times a week after school in addition to their regular classes. The focus in these classes is on studying. Students in this course aim to enter prestigious national or public universities.

Science Course
In this course, the focus is on the sciences and the curiculum includes many math classes. Students have math classes twice a day on some days. Students in this course aim to enter science or engineering departments of national or public universities.

Literary Course I
In this course, students study all subjects including math and science. Students in this course aim to enter national or public universities.

Literary Course II
In this course, there is less emphasis on math and science. Students take classes in art, music, calligraphy or dress design. Students in this course hope to enter a private university, vocational college or find a job.

School Clubs
As in most Japanese high school, the school clubs at Hamana are mandatory. Students join only one club and generally continue it throughout high school. Students have one opportunity after their first year to change their club provived their is a valid reason. Students finish their club activity requirement after the first semester of their final year to concentrate on studying, the exception being some athletic clubs.

Athletic Clubs
Athletic clubs meet almost every day to practice. Students often practice after school, during holidays and school vacations. Hamana has a strong soccer team which has competed at the national level multiple times in the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. Some of the members go on to become professional soccer players and coaches after graduation. Hamana's baseball team also attended at a national event, competing in the 75th Japanese High School Baseball Championship as one of 3 teams representing the Tōkai region in 2003. The baseball team has also participated in the Shizuoka Prefectural Baseball Tournament.
 * Soccer
 * Baseball
 * Other athletic clubs, many of which also compete at the prefectural or national level, include volleyball, softball, swimming, track and field, basketball (boys and girls), soft tennis (boys and girls), badminton (boys and girls), and kendo.

Cultural Clubs
There are many cultural clubs at Hamana. These clubs usually meet just one hour a week on Fridays, with the exception being the dance club which meets more often to practice.

List of cultural clubs

 * English
 * Math
 * Dance
 * Art
 * Computer
 * Photography
 * Handmade
 * Japanese chess (shogi and go)
 * Japanese calligraphy
 * Drama
 * Tea Ceremony
 * Flower arrangment
 * Natural Science
 * History
 * Brass band

Calendar of School Events
The Japanese school year begins near the beginning of April and ends in mid-March, with 5-6 weeks of summer vacation from the last week of July to the end of August and about 2 weeks of winter vacation around the New Year's holiday.
 * April- Entrance Ceremony
 * June- School Festival
 * September- Disaster drill, Cultural field trip to watch a play or musical, Sports Festival, School Trip
 * October- Field trip or school trip
 * November- Disaster drill, Health Lecture, Traffic Safety Lecture
 * January- School Marathon
 * March- Graduation ceremony

School Festival
It is held on a Friday and Saturday around the beginning of June. In-school performances are held on Friday with the whole school in attendance. On the Friday morning, there is a dance club performance, a drama club performance and a concert by the school brass band. In the afternoon there are several guest performers for example musicians or comedians. On the Saturday morning, the student bands play. The festival is open to the public from mid-morning on Saturday. There are classroom exhibitions from the cultural clubs, including photo and flower arrangements. The dance club and drama club have performances and the English club often performs puppet shows in English. The tea ceremony club offers the experience to try the tea ceremony for a small fee. Visitors can enjoy games created by the computer club members. There are also classroom exhibitions by the second and third grade home rooms which include games and activities for visitors to enjoy.

Alumni

 * Takahiro Mazuka
 * Kisho Yano
 * Masaaki Yanagishita
 * Takumi Wada
 * Takuya Matsuura
 * Masaya Sato

Aknowledgement
Most of the information contained within was translated from the school's informational handbook by the Hamana High School English Club students and teachers. Much of the information can also be found on the school's official website.