Everybody is now here safe and sound! Hopefully all the new folks are settled in and ready to start classes. I also hope, for everyone, it was an enjoyable, relaxing summer holiday.

Now, it is time to start thinking about the rest of the JET year. The next main business related event for everyone is Mid-year Conference. These are separtate for ALTs and CIRs (CIRs - Mandy should be contacting you with specific information on where and when). ALTs, you will be receiving your information from me.

Please continue reading for more details.

The ALT Mid-year conference will be in held in the traditional location, the Noto-Ikoinomura Onsen Conference Center, on November 29th and 30th.

Take a peek if you like: www.noto-ikoinomura.com

If you are a prefectural ALT, your supervisor or another JTE will be accompanying you to the conference, and in many cases driving you there. If you are municipal, a teacher or several teachers from schools in your area will be attending and your contracting organizations will be arranging transport with you. Transport will also be provided for you from the conference center to the train station following the event.

This conference is MADATORY FOR ALL ALTs. NO EXCEPTIONS. Arriving late or leaving early is also not an option for this two-day conference.

I will also be addressing ways to make this conference more valuable for returning attendees. If you are not a first year, please count on me contacting you in the near future to solicate feedback and seek your help as a volunteer for seminar presentations.

I wanted to give you all a heads up about the date so you can plan accordingly, as many of us will be traveling the week after to take the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) on December 2nd and need time to cram that last bit of test information in our heads.