Director & Staff

Neil Boykas has been an educator of young, multilingual learners at international schools in Japan since 2007. He has a Master's in Education with a focus on teaching multilingual learners from Moreland University and holds a teacher preperation certificate for Pre-K-Grade 3.  For the majority of his career, he has held the role of lead Kindergarten teacher with the exception of 3 years, where he held a dual role of principal and lead teacher of an international school that he assisted in opening in Tokyo. Aside from being an educator, Neil is also a proud husband and father of 2 children. He joined the OIST Child Development Center in 2014 as the lead kindergarten class English teacher. From 2014-2021 he helped create and strengthen bonds between the CDC and OIST community by working closely with UCS scetions, including the SAP. In 2021 Neil took on the role of SAP Director to play an even larger role in the lives of the children and families of OIST, and is proud to provide the highest quality after-school childcare and services to the families of the OIST community.

Certifications:

• Masters Degree in Education (Focusing on Teaching Multilingual Learners)
• Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Development
• Teacher Preparation Certification (Pre-K - Grade 3)
• TESOL Certification (Level 4)

Rei-Sensei

Rei-sensei joined the School-Aged Program in 2020. She studied International Environment and Development in Norway, and has previously worked as a cram school teacher and volunteered at holiday kids camps before. At SAP, she hosts an art club every Monday.

Jenny-Sensei

Jenny-Sensei joined the School-Aged Program in 2021. She attended Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea where she studied Law. Jenny-Sensei has been living in the OIST community for slightly over 14 years, and even worked at the CDC for a short time as an assistant teacher.  Before Okinawa, she lived in various states in America, including Philadelphia, New York, and Seattle, where she studied and worked in the fashion industry.

Changuna-Sensei

Changuna-Sensei joined the School-Aged Program in 2021. She was born and raised in Basavakalyan, Karnataka, India, and has been a part of the OIST community since 2017. Before moving to Okinawa, she worked as a preschool teacher for 3 years. In her free time, Changuna enjoys learning new languages, cooking, playing sports, and exploring Okinawa with her family.