MS eNews – Thursday, September 18, 2014
Updated MS Calendar of upcoming events for the next four weeks:
Friday, September 19
- ISB Holiday (No school for all)
September 19 – 21
- ISB Activity Free Weekend
Thursday, September 25
- MS PTA Parent Meeting at 11:00am, location to be announced
Friday, September 26
- MAP Testing Window Closes
Thursday-Friday, October 2-3
- MS Parent Teacher Conferences (During School Day)
Tuesday, October 7
- Early Dismissal at 1:00pm
Friday-Saturday, October 10-11
- MS Bangkok International Choral Festival
- MS KS 3 Strings Festival
Saturday, October 11
- BISAC U11-17 Cross-Country at ISB
- BISAC U13 Tennis Singles, Boys at BPS, Girls at HIS
Upcoming MS Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Our Middle School Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences will be taking place during the school day, in place of classes, on Thursday and Friday, October 2 and 3, 2014. Following, you will find some general information.
Format of Conferences:
Scheduled Appointment Required – You will be able to schedule these appointments online via an online scheduler we use.
- Humanities, Math, and Science Teachers: You will be able to schedule a 30-minute block of time to conference with your child’s Humanities, Math, and Science teachers during that time.
- EAL Teachers: If your child is enrolled in one of our EAL support classes, you will be able to schedule 20 minutes to speak individually with your child’s teacher.
- Learning Support Teachers: If your child is enrolled in one of our Intensive Studies (IS) or Academic Lab support classes, you will be able to schedule 15 minutes to speak individually with your child’s teacher.
No Appointment Required (Drop-In Basis) – The following teachers will be available during our two conference days with no appointment needed; simply drop by and see them before/after you’ve met with your child’s teachers from number 1 above.
- PE Teachers
- Performing/Visual Arts Teachers
- World Language Teachers
Note – For elective classes taught by one of our Humanities, Math, or Science teachers, the teachers will not be available to discuss student progress in those elective classes as the teachers will be conferencing with parents about student progress in Humanities, Math, and Science. If an elective teacher needs to speak with you regarding your child’s progress in that elective class, they will contact you. If you would like more information on your child’s progress in their elective class, please contact the teacher directly.
Expectations:
- If you are attending the conferences, your child is expected to attend the conferences with you (in school uniform). Our goal is that your child plays an integral part of the conversation rather than sitting quietly as an observer.
- If a family does not attend conferences or does not meet with every teacher at conferences, teachers are still expecting students to review their portfolio items and/or reflective pieces at home with parents prior to the conferences. Time in class is being used for students to reflect on their learning, add to their portfolios of work, and/or to create SMART goals. The information posted on Powerschool and HAIKU is also very helpful for understanding student learning progress.
- If you would feel more comfortable with having a translator present during your conferences, you are encouraged to bring someone along with you.
When and how to schedule your conference appointment(s) online:
A special MS eNews will be sent out late afternoon of Wednesday, September 24th with information of how to log into the scheduler and how to schedule your appointment(s) once inside the scheduler. Parents will be able to schedule their appointment(s) online via the online scheduler anytime between 7:00am on Thursday, September 25th to 2:00pm on Wednesday, October 1st.
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/her learning, but of where their learning could go next!
Middle School PTA Meeting, September 25th at 11am
You are invited! The Middle School PTA meeting is coming up on September 25th at 11am in MPB1. Please come to hear information from Mr. Burgess and MS Administration about the new MS Principal Forum, BISAC and Athletics, Clubs, Activities, Socials and the upcoming Parenting Teens Seminar.
Hope to see you all!
Nisha Westerman / Andrea Puck
MS PTA Coordinators
Note from the Middle School Counselors:
Thank you for your interest in our upcoming Active Parenting of Teens workshop. Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, all spots in the workshop have been filled. We hope to offer this workshop again in the second semester and will keep parents updated on details through the MS eNews.
Repeat Announcement: Connected MS Parents – Tech Info Sessions
Answer your questions about school recourses, connectivity, communication, laptops, parent controls, etc.
Time: 2:30 – 3:30pm
Dates: Wed, Sep 24th and Wed, Oct 8th
Place: Main Library – Greene Room
Please bring your child’s school laptop along with you to the session
Repeat Announcement: What: Parkour Activity
When: Start Tuesday 23rd Sept. 3:20-4:20pm (ends 25th November)
Where: ES gym
Cost: 3500 baht payable at CAO
For Middle school students, however, places are limited to 12. First 12 to register, pay, and bring in the signed permission slip.
Please go to this link to register. Please go to this link to print the permission form.
Parkour is an art of movement, a discipline that enables the practitioner to travel freely through and over any terrain they may encounter. Parkour focuses on developing the fundamental attributes required for movement, including balance, strength, dynamism, endurance, precision, spatial awareness and creative vision.
Beyond this simple explanation, however, Parkour is a discipline of self-improvement on all levels, an art that reveals to the practitioner his or her own physical and mental limits and simultaneously offers a method to surpass them.
Parkour training benefits include: Increase in motor skills, coordination and fitness and functional strength. Increase in agility, balance and in safety through improved physical control from a young age. Increase in social skills, teamwork and leadership abilities. Playful and communal interaction with peers and improved physical and mental confidence through challenge and managed risk. Great fun for all!