CGK’s First Alumni Reunion: A Place to Come Back to, Even After Graduation

In May 2026, the parents of CGK International School’s very first cohort, who enrolled in April 2016, kindly organized an alumni reunion.

The reunion was held at the Bashamichi Campus, the place where the children spent their early childhood years and one of CGK’s original campuses from the time of its founding.

On the day of the reunion, 19 families joined us, including families whose children had transferred before graduation and those who had joined CGK partway through their preschool years. From CGK, four staff members who had been involved with the school since its early days also attended, including the founder.

Among the staff members who attended were those who began their careers on the front line as childcare staff or English Teachers, and who now serve as Head of Operations / Parent Support Coordinator, Services and Community Coordinator, and Community Coordinator. Having watched the children grow over many years, they have each continued to build their careers while remaining part of CGK. This is one of the special characteristics of our school.

Some of the students had continued to attend CGK through Afterschool or the Elementary and Middle School programs after graduating from Preschool, but for many of the children, this was their first time seeing each other in a long while.

As they entered the campus, the children looked at the small benches and low sinks and said, “Were they really this small?” It was a moment that helped them realize just how much they had grown. When they reunited with old friends, many of the children, especially the girls, were full of excitement, calling out, “It’s been so long!” as they joyfully celebrated seeing one another again.

One scene that truly showed how much they had grown was when they immediately took out their smartphones and began exchanging contact details, saying, “Let’s connect on LINE!” It was a future we could never have imagined when they were little, and it filled us with both surprise and joy.

During the reunion, one of the parents prepared a wonderful slideshow. It included not only current photos, but also many nostalgic photos from the children’s time at CGK. The children and parents who attended shared memories from those days as they looked back together.

For the staff as well, it was a deeply moving time, as we were able to hear parents’ thoughts and stories about the children that we had not known at the time.

At first, some of the children seemed a little shy, but once they began playing, they laughed and became absorbed in play just as they had when they were younger. Although they are now in Grade 7, the innocent expressions they showed in small moments were still so endearing, and all of the staff felt a warm sense of nostalgia.

At CGK, we hope that not only the children, but also their parents, can truly enjoy their school life. Of course, the children are at the center of school life, but this time is also an irreplaceable and precious part of the parents’ lives.

The parents of CGK’s first cohort built deep connections with one another during their children’s time at school, and those relationships have continued even after graduation. At the reunion, we heard many comments such as, “Even though we joined partway through, we were warmly welcomed,” and “I’m so happy that we can still stay connected even after graduation.”

We are truly happy to know that joining CGK has enriched not only the children’s lives, but also the lives of their parents.

This reunion was also a very special time for the staff members who have been with CGK since its early days. As educators, we once again felt how fortunate we are to have graduates and parents who cherish CGK and return to it as a place filled with memories.

CGK will continue to nurture the school with care, so that it remains a place not only for current students, but also for graduates — a place they can always come back to.