Regional Support System Objectives

In July 2010, the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education introduced the Ken Regional Support System for Ken (High School ALTs in Okinawa. The Ken Regional Support System was designed to provide more support in work and ALT-related matters, as well as increase participation in BOE and JET-related events and functions.

The Support System has since evolved to partly include Muni ALTs and CIRs. Ken Regional Support Representatives continue to help the Ken PA provide information and support in work and general matters. At the same time, Specialist Support Representatives include Ken and Muni JETs and each member focuses on different topics.

Support System Representatives are here to provide detailed information on specific topics and issues, and can be contacted regardless of their base location.

*All Support Support System members are volunteers. While members are willing and ready to help/give advice via email or over the phone, practical assistance (such as devoting weekends or driving out to meet people) is not obligatory. 

2022/23 Committee Members

Chief Consultants General Education Section Chief
JET Teachers Consultant
Support System Leader Ken Prefectural Advisor
Muni/CIR Prefectural Advisor
Special Advisor Japanese PA
English Teacher Consultant
Regional Representatives 4 Ken/Muni ALTs
Hokubu/Chubu: Samuel Brown
Chubu/Naha: Andrea Hartman
Naha/Nanbu: Erin Ng
Outer Islands: Jeffrey Chen
Special Support 7 Ken/Muni ALTs
Daily Life Advisor: Braden Bennight
Special Needs Support: John Wilkening
Partnered and/or Parenting JETs: Monica Aguilar-Scion
Women’s Issues: Nadine Lindskog
LGBTQIA: Sam Cuddy
Webmaster: Ben Rainbow

Regional Representative Duties

Regional Representatives have been designated by the Ken PA to help to provide information and support for daily life and work for Ken ALTs. Each representative have been chosen so that a knowledge pool is created that ALTs can access if they have questions or issues related to a certain topic. However, any work or personal issues and problems should be directed to the Ken PA or the Municipal PA.

ALTs may approach anyone on the support system for minor (non-confidential) problems or questions but if the representative feels that they do not have the means to provide support or feels that it is an issue that should be dealt with the PA, the ALT will be referred to the Ken PA (or the Muni PA if necessary) but their issue will be kept confidential.

Involvement in Prefectural BOE Events

There is also a concern that only a small group of ALTs have been involved in assisting the Prefectural BoE, High School English Teachers’ Association and other groups in terms of events and activities related to English language learning and the JET Programme in Okinawa.

We would like to have as many ALTs involved as possible and not just a small cluster of the same people. ALTs can gain more experience and become more involved with the BoE and a more fair distribution of assignments can be given to the ALTs. With the number of ALTs and the number of events throughout the JET year, it is not unreasonable to have all or most of the ALTs be involved in these events.