Dear ISB Middle School Community,
It has been an amazing year in the ISB Middle School! As the school year comes to a close, it is important to look back on all of the learning and personal development of our students, as well as to look forward to all of the growth opportunities to come in the future. You will note on student report cards that each student has written personal end-of-year reflection comments in his/her Learning to Learn “L2L” class, which provide a good opportunity for a student and parent discussion about this year’s challenges and celebrations.
One main purpose of our ISB Mission to “inspire students to be passionate, reflective learners” is to develop a ‘growth mindset’ in students. As opposed to a ‘fixed mindset’ in which individuals feel that their intelligence is static, individuals with a ‘growth mindset‘ have a sense that their intelligence can be developed. Thus, those individuals with a ‘growth mindset’ have a greater desire to learn, are willing to take on challenges and are persistent in the face of challenges, are open to criticism, and feel that their effort will lead to greater success.
So, as your family is looking back on this past school year and looking forward to the upcoming 2015-2016 school year, encourage your children to recognize the tremendous growth they have made this year as a student and as a person, and listen to how his/her thoughts on how they may continue to grow in the upcoming year. With a ‘growth mindset’, our children can and will do amazing things during their middle school years and beyond.
Many thanks to our parents, faculty, staff, and coaches for all of the opportunities you have provided our students to learn and grow this year. To all who are departing ISB this year, we wish you all the best in your new schools, cities, and countries, and we hope to see you again someday so please come back and visit!
On behalf of all the MS Faculty and Staff, we wish you all a safe, healthy, relaxing, and fun summer holiday, and we’ll look forward to seeing most of you again in August!
Tom Burgess Annelies Hoogland Moe Baron-Toaldo
MS Principal MS Dean of Academics MS Dean of Students