MS eNews – Friday, March 1, 2013
Updated MS Calendar of upcoming events:
Friday, March 8
- MS Music Assembly at 1:00pm in the Chevron Theatre
- Faculty Follies at 3:00 – 4:30pm in the Chevron Theatre
Tuesday, March 12
- Early Dismissal at 1:00pm for all students
Thursday, March 14
- Meeting for all 8th grade students at 1:15pm in Chevron regarding Grade 9 in HS
- Gr. 8 Parent Information Meeting at 6:30pm in Chevron regarding Grade 9 in HS
Friday, March 15
- MS Alternate Dress Day – Theme is “Show Your Colors”
- MS Assembly at 1:00pm in the Chevron Theatre
- MS Student Social in MPB at 3:00-5:15pm
Friday, March 22
- Last Day MS Quarter 3
MS Activities and Athletics Weekly Update
Check out some of the highlights that have happened, or will happen soon. For the most up-to-date information, click on the following link: https://inside.isb.ac.th/inthemix/https://inside.isb.ac.th/inthemix/
For all parents of 7th graders – please read this regarding recent ISA report sent home
Dear 7th grade parents,
It has come to our attention that there is an error on your child’s ISA score package that you should have received this week. The scores on the first cover sheet (the landscape sheet with all scores and percentiles side-by-side) are incorrect; the other sheets in the ISA package are all correct. The first sheet only summarizes the data in the following sheets, so please disregard the top sheet in the package. We will get a new, accurate cover sheet to you next week.
Information about upcoming MS Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Dear MS Parents,
Our Middle School Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences will be taking place during the school day, in place of classes, on Thursday and Friday, March 28 and 29, 2013. Following, you will find some information about the conferences and what to expect.
There were some problems with our conferences in October in terms of equity of access to appointments with some teachers, as many parents were unable to gain appointments (or appointments on the same day) with teachers particularly in the areas of Math, Science, and World Languages. Therefore we are going to try a new model for parents signing up for appointments, which will hopefully improve equity of access for parents to meet with teachers.
If you are attending the conferences, your child is expected to also attend (in school uniform) with you, as he/she plays the most important role in the process! Our goal is that your son or daughter plays an integral part of the conversation rather than sitting quietly as an observer.
We will use the individual family student-led conversation format as we did in the October conferences. Based upon feedback received about our October conferences, over 90% of parents found this individual conversation format “Valuable” or “Extremely Valuable” for informing them of their child(ren)’s learning and areas for continued improvement, with 98% percent of parents preferring to continue with this format. In addition to the conferences, teachers may be asking students to review their portfolio items and/or reflective pieces at home with their parents in advance of conferences.
You can sign up for conferences using our online scheduler, Pick-a-Time. We will be sending directions on how to do this via the MS eNews on Friday, March 15th. You will be able to access Pick-a-Time anytime between 5:00pm on Friday, March 15th to 12:00pm on Wednesday, March 27th.
You can sign up for conferences using our online scheduler for a 90 minute, block of time. Sign up on Pick-a-Time will be based upon your child’s Humanities teacher. You will not schedule a specific time with your child’s Humanities teacher or any other teacher; rather you will schedule a 90-minute block of time where you will drop by and conference with teachers during that block of time. Signing up by Humanities teacher will randomly spread out students over the course of the two days so that all teachers should have no more than 12 students maximum per time block.
On conference day, you can move from room to room to meet teachers as needed, so there will be an equitable opportunity to see every teacher. This should be more efficient and allow more parents to see teachers given that there is no time wasted with built-in passing times.
Humanities conferences may last up to 15 minutes given that they cover both Language Arts and Social Studies subjects. Other subject areas should target 5-7 minutes per conference.
Teachers will be sending an email invitation to parents of students who they really need to meet; however, it is at the discretion of the teacher to pre-book a specific time during the parent’s conference block of time.
If you would feel more comfortable with having a translator present during your conferences, you are encouraged to bring someone along with you to the conferences.
We are looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming MS Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences where we hope many meaningful conversations take place of not only where your child is at presently in his or her learning, but of where their learning could go next!
Greetings from the Library!
By Ms. Barclay alegriab@isb.ac.th
We wanted to let you know that over 200 new books have just arrived and are currently on display at your main library. We’re particularly excited about the newly released editions of some of the world’s most famous classics, including Jane Eyre, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Road, and many more. If you’re in need of a new book, consider picking up an old classic and revisiting (or discovering) beloved characters all over again. And if that doesn’t appeal to you, we have dozens of new releases ranging from recent award winners to thrillers to the very best in YA. Hope to see you soon!
Grade 8 HS Course Registration Parent Information Session
By Mr. Rogers philr@isb.ac.th
On Thursday 14th March at 6:30pm in the MPB the HS will be hosting a grade 8, parent information session about the on-line registration process for High School courses for next year. All grade 8 parents are welcome to attend. Earlier on the same day a similar session will be held for all grade 8 students.
Cafeteria News…Did You Know…?
That over 80% of the chicken served and consumed across campus is Antibiotic Free. Why is this important for you? Because long term exposure to antibiotics, whether taken directly or through another source, actually weaken our immune systems by taking over our body’s natural ability to fight infection and bacteria, thus leaving us much more prone to illness. Furthermore, our poultry is 100% certified Halal. In Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. Muslims are taught through the Qu’ran that all animals should be treated with respect and well cared for. Muslims believe Halal to be one of the most humane methods of animal preparation. Here’s to chicken. Enjoy!
Michelle Ihrig
Epicure Catering
Manager of Operations @ ISB
Tel. 02-963-5800 ext. 7728
M: 082-322-7531
eNewsletter Guidelines
By Tony Arnold anthonya@isb.ac.th
ISB eNewsletters provide a valuable avenue for communication within the ISB parent community. For your convenience we have provided you with our eNewsletter guidelines below.
- Submitting an announcement for publication ISB accepts announcements from ISB families for potential publication in our eNewsletters. The announcements are generally intended to highlight events that occur at ISB and/or highlight information about ISB.
- What to include in the announcement • A title for your announcement • An email contact for further information
- Where to submit your announcement
- 4publish@isb.ac.th is for announcements of interest to the entire ISB community
- tinaratr@isb.ac.th is for Elementary School announcements of interest to ES families
- maurilib@isb.ac.th is for Middle School announcements of interest to MS families
- vijitl@isb.ac.th is for High School (HS) announcements of interest to HS families
Your announcement will be submitted to the appropriate Principal and/or to our Marketing Director for review. ISB reserves the right to determine which announcements will and will not be published, and to edit announcements that are approved for publication.
- Frequency of eNewsletter mailings
- The ISB eNewsletter that is for the entire community is sent out on Thursdays. Announcements for potential publication in this newsletter must be received by noon on Thursdays.
- The ES, MS, and HS eNewsletters are sent out on Fridays. Announcements for potential publication in these newsletters must be received by noon on Fridays.