High School Upcoming events (Please click):
A Robotics Course into HS
Philip Bradley
philipb@isb.ac.th
In August 2012 ISB introduced a robotics course into HS, in addition to regular classroom learning we have competitive robotic teams. The following account from Mr. Young provides some insight into their activities.
The ISB Steel Panthers Robotics team recently returned victorious from the VEX Formosa Toss-Up Competition held at Taipei American School. Twenty two teams were competing for a number of awards and a chance to qualify for the VEX world championships competition in Anaheim next April. In addition to the head to head competition, teams also show off their programming, engineering and driving skills in an effort to score qualifying points.
At the end of the first day round robin matches, ISB Steel Panthers 1 emerged as the 3rd seed behind two TAS teams. In the Toss-Up game, teams of two robots compete against each other and the seeding paired ISB with the TAS team Argo. Together with Argo, Steel Panthers 1 proceeded through the elimination rounds to meet the Haxxor alliance in the final. The best of three series went to four matches after an unexpected 40-40 tie in the 3rd match. The Steel Panthers and Argo went on to crush their opponents in the decider and were crowned tournament champions.
The icing on the cake came during the awards ceremony with Steel Panthers 1 also winning the prestigious Innovate award. Well done to all.
Last Day of the semester
Peter Roback
peterro@isb.ac.th
December 20th is the last day of the semester. The school day ends at 11:30 on that day. It is an alternate dress day for HS students.
December Examinations
Philip Rogers
philr@isb.ac.th
December Examinations – All students should have received their exam schedules. If you have not seen it, please ask your son or daughter.
- December 2013 exams run from Wednesday 11th December to Wednesday 18th December. The full exam schedule can be found on the Parent Portal through this link.
- There are 3 exam sessions each day which have 7:20, 10:10 and 1:00 start times, except for students with accommodations, who have separate schedules. Students should arrive at their exam venues 10 minute early. Students will not be permitted to leave an exam early.
- Student are expected to bring pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, ISB ID card, calculator (if required) and a clear water bottle to each exam.
- Students who do not have an exam on a day may stay at home to study or use our Library for private study.
- Students can leave school early after an exam by completing an exam early departure form which will be posted on the Parent and Student Portals or hard copies available from the HS Office. Students will need to have a parent-signed, completed form for each instance they wish to leave campus.
- Students are expected to take each exam as scheduled. Students who are sick for an exam must contact the HS office immediately. Medical certificates MUST be provided.
- Thursday 19th December and Friday 20th December are exam feedback days where normal attendance is expected. Teachers will look at group and individual feedback, review markschemes and success criteria, look at exemplary answers and develop future goals. School will still finish at 11:30am on the Friday following the HS end of year assembly.
PowerSchool will be closed to student and parent access from 7am on Wednesday 11th December until after the exam period.
Counseling News
Kevin Callahan
kevinc@isb.ac.th
Final Exams are here!:
All the build-up is over and it’s time to sit down and be counted! Best of luck on your semester exams. Hopefully you are well prepared to do your best. When you’ve finished the grueling week and gotten feedback on your performance next Thursday and Friday, take a well-deserved break and re-charge your batteries by taking great care of yourself!
A special thank you to Charlotte Hallengren, Cheryl Martin, and Helen Weir for your help in the Counseling Office on Constitution Day this past Tuesday. We appreciate your giving up your time to help us out and we would have had a very rough day without you!
Seniors:
You are about to start the home stretch of your high school careers, congratulations! Finish submitting your applications with your counselors (all applications that are due February 1st or earlier). Get some rest over the break and enjoy your family time. Important note and good news to seniors: you don’t need to request that we send an updated transcript with first semester grades on, to the colleges to which you have applied. It’s automatic! We send the updated transcript and what’s called a “Mid-Year Report” to every school for every Senior. One less thing for you to worry about!
Juniors:
Good luck on your exams, and don’t forget to finish the Junior Packet that you received at Junior Seminar. It is due at the end of January, but get it done over the break, it will be less stressful for you. And, the PSAT has arrived and was handed back after the second exam Thursday, with an explanation of scores and how to use it. If you weren’t there, just go see your counselor. He or she will have yours.
Sophomores – have a safe and restful break. The ACT Plan will arrive at ISB early next semester and we will go over the results and information with you to look a little more at your career preferences and options – look for the announcement.
Freshmen – Good luck on your first semester exams of high school, freshmen! You have learned a lot this semester and hopefully you are becoming proficient at showing your teachers your knowledge. Even though it’s difficult to stay focused after your exams and before the break, pay attention on Thursday and Friday to teacher feedback on your performance, and how you can improve for next time the semester exams roll around!
News Flash! ISB counselor again receives the Peggy Templeton Strong Award from the Council of International Schools (CIS). For the second year in a row, an ISB counselor was awarded the CIS Peggy Templeton Strong award “for significant and lasting contribution to the field of international school guidance and counseling”. This year Debbie McDowell was the recipient of the award. Congratulations Debbie, a well deserved recognition!
Are you leaving Thailand and ISB at the end of this semester??
If you will be leaving ISB at the end of this semester, please contact the Registrar, Khun Namwan, as well as your son/daughter’s counselor.
Cultural Convention 2014
Kerri Fitzgerald
kerrif@isb.ac.th
Delegates names are being finalized for Music, Art, Dance, Drama, Forensics and Debate. The lists will be publicized as soon as possible. Intensive training and rehearsals have already started for some areas. This year we are hosting Music March 6- 8th. Please note that there will be two amazing Festival concerts featuring these top young musicians: Friday 7th March at 6:30 in the Chevron ,and Saturday March 8th 4 pm again in the Chevron. Both these concerts are very popular in our community. Put them in your diary
Christmas Bazaar, Saturday Dec.14that 9-16
Martin Brekke, President ISB Kids Action for Kids HS Club
13024@students.isb.ac.th
This Saturday Dec. 12th the ISB Kids Action for Kids’ High School Club and the Scandinavian ladies’ group with international friends arranges a Christmas Bazaar at the New Nichada Plaza. The Christmas Bazaar will be on from 9am to 4pm and is filled with a fun program for the whole family. We will have competitions and games for younger and older kids, a quick lottery, face painting, a big raffle with great prizes, golf cart wash, Jul Cafe with foods and drinks, and Christmas sale of hand/homemade Christmas decorations and gift items. For Christmas photos, Santa Claus is visiting at 12.00-14.00.
All proceeds go to Kids Action for Kids (KAFK), which spends 100% of all funds raised to finance surgeries for Thai kids with facial deformities, cleft lips and cleft palates. The organization works in close cooperation with dtac, which matches all funds KAFK raise, and with Operation Smile.
Don’t miss the Christmas Bazaar, please come and help us create more smiles!
www.kidsactionforkids.org
Cafeteria News…Did You Know…?
Michelle Ihrig
cafeteria@isb.ac.th
Every holiday and special occasion has a foundation built on traditions. The majority of these traditions are centered around food. Especially when we think of a New Years Eve Celebration, many traditions around the world include food which symbolize luck, prosperity, health and good fortune. Items to be found on such a Menu may be: Pork- it brings good luck and favorable fortune. If you are not a meat eater, so will any other treat in the shape of a pig do the same thing; Fish Scales or any dish with fish which symbolizes silver, hence precious metals of fine fortune; Bread or Cakes with trinkets baked inside, those who are lucky enough to end up with the trinket are the recipient of good fortune and luck;Eating 12 Grapes at the stroke of midnight, a good luck forecast grape for each month; Eating long, uncut noodles at 12 o’clock for an equally long life. From all of us at Epicure Catering, we hope you have a fantastic New Years Celebration which will bring you into the New Year with all the Well Wishes you desire, whatever your Menu may be. Enjoy.
eNewsletter Guidelines
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 (ES) announcements of interest to ES families.
maurilib@isb.ac.th is for Middle School (MS) 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.