MS eNews – Friday, April 1st, 2016
No Classes Next Wednesday, April 6
Next Wednesday, April 6th is Chakri Day. There will be no school for students and classified staff. It will be a professional day for teachers and administrators.
Leaving ISB at the End of the Semester?
If your child is not returning to ISB next school year, please complete the Notice of Withdrawal from ISB Form and email it to Khun Natt at natthapc@isb.ac.th in the MS Office as soon as possible so she can process your child’s school records for their next school.
MS PTA Meeting on Child Safety in the Smart Phone era, Thursday, April 7
by Dennis Harter
On Thursday, April 7th, we have a scheduled MS PTA meeting, 9:30-10:30 AM, in MPB 2. The main focus will be on Safety Online (and offline) for our students in the age of the Smart Phone. We will share some of the global concerns on this as well as share strategies parents can use to help their child stay safe.
Recently, our counselors wrote about young people and sexting. We offered some strategies for parents to help their children make good choices around this.
As a school, we play a role in helping students understand the long-term impact digital behaviors can have on themselves and others. Middle school aged students need the support of adults to scaffold their decision-making and choices. Their own brains are wired to prefer social, immediate gratification over long-term benefits. Without careful attention at school and home, current technology is a dangerous combination with adolescent brain wiring. And these online behaviors affect their face to face social world too.
So let’s talk about what we can do together to help our young people.
We hope you can join us for this important shared conversation.
Computers and Back Pain
How is using your computer affecting your child’s back? As we are using computers a lot more in schools and at home, there has been an increase in teenagers developing back pain. The pain can be both upper and lower back and there can be changes in the back muscles due to poor posturing whilst using computers.
Some recommendations for your child:
- Place the computer on a table with the screen close to eye level
- Use a desk chair with lumbar support. May be leaned back slightly if unable to get screen at eye level
- Don’t slouch…. try and keep your back straight
- If possible use a separate keyboard and mouse. Have it positioned such that the elbows are at a right angle
- Prop the feet up so your knees are level with your hips
- Do NOT use the computer whilst sitting on the ground, couch or floor
- Take a break every 30 minutes
- Limit screen time
- Encourage regular exercise (at least 1 hour a day)
Remember to protect your back as well be following the above recommendations….hopefully your children will follow your example!
This short video helps explain the correct posturing.
Earth Week Plastic Photo Challenge
Dear Parents and Students,
Your mission, should you decide to accept the challenge is to capture the best photo of plastic in the environment.
Theme: “Our Plastic World”.
We will pick up to 20 photos to have enlarged and displayed. People vote for the winner. As protectors of the Earth, we encourage all our ISB community members (students, parents, teachers, staff, etc) to take part, to notice ‘Our Plastic World’ and submit a photograph.
Submission Date: You can start sending your submissions now. All submissions must be received by Monday, April 18, which is the first day back from Songkran. This is so we can have them displayed during Earth Week April 18-22.
Photo Submissions: Please email submissions to – louises@isb.ac.th
Your submission needs: Name, a title, and where the photo was taken.
Winner will be determined on International Earth Day, April 22.
(Repeat Announcement) ISB Summer School Program
Will you be here in Bangkok in June or July? Looking for something for your child(ren) to do? Then check out ISB’s exciting and enriching Summer School Program! Once again students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 will be learning in an environment that is nurturing, academically challenging, and socially engaging. ISB’s highly qualified summer school teachers are inspired professionals dedicated to creating the best possible learning experiences. New ideas, new curriculum and new friends await each student.
Each year, a number of enrichment camps are offered to students. Typically, these offer learning and exploration around a core learning area. This year, ISB is offering some old favorites as well as many new courses, including:
- Two week Computer Science for All (previously known as Coding & Robotics) and is open to students going into grades 4 – 9
- A one-week Panther Musical Theatre Camp open to students in grades 4 – 8.
- Two week camps in Mandarin and Spanish open to students who will be in grades 1 – 5 in 2016/17, and three week camps in Thai open to students who will be in grades 1 – 8 next year.
- A two-week camp in drama improvisation (Devising Theatre) open to students who will be in grades 4 – 8.
- One-to-four week camps, called Physical Fun, for students who will be in grades 2 – 9 in 2016/17.
For complete information on our website about our ISB Summer Program, please click here. Registration is now open with an Early Bird special expiring on Friday, April 29th.
For any questions, please email sumdir16@isb.ac.th
Best Regards,
Maurilio Baron-Toaldo
Summer School Director
International School Bangkok
(Repeat Announcement) eNewsletter Guidelines
by: Tony Arnold
anthonya@isb.ac.th
ISB eNewsletters provide a valuable avenue for communication within the ISB parent community. Please see our eNewsletter guidelines below.
Submitting an announcement for publication
ISB accepts announcements from ISB families and ISB staff 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
• An image or photo (optional)
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.