Celebrating Diversity at ISB
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
This past Tuesday, several of our middle school clubs hosted our MS Diversity Assembly. The assembly was a wonderful example of our students sharing their voice in developing the warm, open-hearted and -minded community that we value at ISB.
During the assembly, students gave speeches sharing their stories and how we can treat everyone with respect and how our diversity – our differences – make us a stronger and more interesting community.
Students spoke about: why diversity matters and the dangers of ethnic stereotyping. They shared data from students about gender discrimination and presented their school-made video on All of the Things We Share – celebrating our common humanity and interests, despite all of our differences. Students talked about our continued support of organizations that advocate for human rights. Importantly, different groups spoke to their peers about how our language can be unintentionally hurtful. Using words like “retarded” or “gay” to mean “stupid” or “uncool” is not only misplaced and incorrect, but they are also personally offensive to so many.
We were also moved by a combined performance of choir, orchestra, and dance students, singing “I Can’t Keep Quiet.”
We are so thankful that we share a community celebrating diversity as a source of strength. Too often the middle school years can be a difficult time for young people, overly focused on conformity and “not being different.” We are proud of our ISB students for recognizing and celebrating all the unique differences that make us who we are. For this celebration, I thank all the students who participated, those who listened with an open heart and open mind, and the teacher-leaders, who continue to inspire students to advocate for the world they want to live in – one of diversity and acceptance.
“We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.”
— Max de Pree
While a video never captures the feeling in the room or the true wonder of an event, we do want to share the wonderful words, performances, and courage of our students. If you have the time (about an hour), I hope you watch the assembly video below. We continue to be inspired by our own students every day for their courage, their empathy, and their respect for all the special differences that make us unique and human.
Celebrating Diversity – Understanding Autism
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
Our ISB community respects and celebrates diversity. A big part of crating that community is celebrating diversity is first to build empathy and understanding. At our Diversity Assembly earlier this week, our Best Buddies Club students described their campaign to “#EndtheR word”. Casual and social use of the word “retarded” by young people is typically uninformed and insensitive to those who think and process differently and their family members. Our students shared stories of their experiences with this.
The Best Buddies are encouraging students to take the pledge to stop using “the R-word” and selling 60 baht bracelets to help spread the message. Also, today, March 31st, students were encouraged to wear blue to school in recognition of Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd).
Starting in 2017-18, ISB will open it’s first Intensive Needs Classroom, which will serve students with intellectual and developmental differences that prevent them to accessing our academic curriculum. Our own Lori Boll will be running this class, which will start with young elementary aged students. The Best Buddies club is helping our community better understand differences like autism, so that we can be the most welcoming and understanding community we can be.
For parents interested in learning more about autism, Lori will be presenting on the topic on Monday, April 3, 7:45 to 8:45 AM in MPB 3 in a session called, Autism – Ask and Tell. We hope you can join the session, if you are interested in learning more.
Principal’s Forum Topics for April 4
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
On Tuesday, April 4th, 9:00-10:30 AM, in MPB 3, we will host our second MS Principal’s Forum. Thank you to those parents who submitted question and/or topics for review and discussion. With the help of MS PTA representatives, Rosalina and Karen, the topics have been collated and several main ideas surfaced.
We will address the following topics on April 4th:
- Learning communication to parents
- PowerSchool updates
- Teacher delays in providing feedback
- Communicating missing assignments (and what happens as a result?)
- Grade calculation
- Class Trips & new Outdoor Education program
- MS student participation in athletics
- Following up on Student behavior issues
- Learning Program
- Course offerings
- Clubs
- Flex time
- Substitute teachers
Other topics that arose seem to apply to a larger school-wide context and the questions will be passed along to the Head of School or appropriate area of the school to best answer the concern. Examples include: nurse’s office procedures, cafeteria food, school use of plastic, and the school’s air-quality response for outdoor activities.
New Bus Procedure
By Tico Oms, Dean of Students
ISB and Montri have been working together to improve our bus transport safety standards. Each bus is equipped with an RFID system that allows us to track which students are on and off the bus. ISB student cards now contain a chip that allows them to tap on and top off when they get on and off the bus; they no longer have to carry a separate Montri Bus Card. This system allows us to know who is on the bus, and when and where they mount and disembark.
It is now a requirement for all students to use this system. Therefore please remind your child to use their student ID card to tap on and tap off the bus.
Driving Golf Carts
By Tico Oms, Dean of Students
It has recently been brought to our attention that middle school students are frequently seen throughout Nichada Thani driving golf carts.
According to the driving rules published in an issue of the Nichada Thani Talk newsletter, “parents, teachers, and Nichada Thani employees have the responsibility to report violations to the appropriate school administrator and the Nichada Thani Customer Relations Office.” It states that golf cart drivers must be over 15 years old. Our MiddleSchool student handbook also states, “Only students with a valid Thai driver’s license may drive any motorised vehicle.” This means that no middle school student should be driving in the proximity, onto, or within the school campus, any motorised vehicle, including scooters.
We therefore ask that you not allow children without a driver’s license or less than 15 years old to drive golf carts.
We follow “good neighbor” guidelines here at the school where we do inform parents of incidents/concerns brought to our attention, not only here in Nichada, but also from other parts of the city.
Outdoor Education – experiential learning in the MS starting 2017-18
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
I am very excited to share with you the impending launch of ISB’s own Outdoor Education Department, the ‘Wild Panthers.’
Led by our Outdoor Education Director, Mr. Elliott Bowyer, this department is dedicated to providing high quality Experiential Outdoor Education programs to all middle school students as part of their curricular studies. This will be a fundamental part of our learning experience over each of the three years of middle school. Next year’s middle school students will be the first to experience this.
Throughout this year, we have been planning the learning program to suit the kids’ needs and take advantage of the opportunities for outdoor experiences in Thailand. The final stages of planning will be completed before June 2017 and the Wild Panthers program will be launched in August 2017, with all middle school grades.
Each grade level will participate in a 3-day, 2-night expedition at our new ISB Environmental Wilderness Campus, located in Phu Sai, Nong Ya Plong, Petchaburi Province, about 2.5 hours from ISB. Students will attend these expeditions in groups of approximately 20 students made up from the combination of 2 advisory groups.
We have hired certified outdoor ed-specialist certified teachers who will deliver lessons to students first at ISB, preparing them for the adventures that lie ahead. These teachers will ensure the students have the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in the 3-day expedition. All of the required equipment will be of the highest standard and provided on site. These same ISB instructors will supervise the students on site, where lodging is comfortable and safe.
Research has time and again demonstrated the benefits of outdoor education for student learning and well-being. We are very excited to have our own wilderness campus and to be able to launch this program.
Looking ahead, please save Wednesday, 19th April at 6.30pm for our introductory information evening for MS parents with students in 7th & 8th grades starting August 2017. (We will address it separately at the grade 5 to grade 6 transition session for parents.)
We look forward to sharing with you the goals and vision of this terrific program. We hope you can make the session to share in the excitement and to learn more about this transformative learning experience.
Improving our transition process from ES to MS
by Cindy Plantecoste, MS Dean of Academics
Recently MS and ES teachers have been visiting each others’ classes to see what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like during a day in the life of an ES student in grade 5 or MS student in grade 6. We’ve encouraged these cross-divisional visitations, supported by a ‘look for’ protocol, so that as teaching teams in ES and MS, we can have a better understanding of where the kids are coming from in ES, and where they are headed in MS. Our hope is to identify areas where there may be gaps in expectations related to student independence, for example, so that we can be proactive in putting measures into place that will provide the scaffolds, supports, or training for a better transition between ES and MS. Later this year, teachers will also be looking at student work samples between the two schools to ensure that we have tight alignment of our assessment expectations as students move from ES into MS.
We’re excited about this on-going process and the benefits it will provide to our students!
18th Colgate Kids Triathlon registration is now open
don’t miss out!
By Kevin Sypolt
Registration for the 18th Colgate Kids Triathlon is now open. We are limited to 200 participants so please delay your registration if you are interested.
Wednesday, May 10th (Visaka Bucha – School Holiday) – 7:30am
- The Colgate Kids Triathlon has been held for 17 years at ISB and Nichada
- It is a great opportunity for kids to have a real triathlon experience (including using timing chips)
- Participants do NOT have to be ISB students. We have many students from Patana, NIST and Shrewsbury who participate.
- Kids from age 5 – 18 can participate
- There is a 500 baht fee to participate
- All registrations must provide one volunteer to help on race day or pay a THB 2,000 (no volunteer fee). The Organizing Committee will use this money to hire High School students or others to help out on the day.
- Please note that all kids must have their own bike and must use a helmet during the biking portion of the triathlon.
NEW RACES & FORMAT THIS YEAR!
We are looking forward to two great races at the heart of our day along with two side events for those interested. This year, the races are as follows:
The Main Events
- Try-a-Tri:(designed for 8 years old & under) / Swim – Bike – Run
Students will start with a 50-meter swim (25-meter pool), followed by an 800m bike ride in the ISB parking lot and a 500m run around the track. Participants will not be timed, and all will receive a participation medal.
- Triathlon:(designed for 8 or 9 and older) / Swim – Bike – Run
A 200 meter swim (50-meter pool), 5 km bike ride and 1 km run will allow all students a nice, healthy challenge. Everyone will start and race together but with the help of “chip timing” results, ribbons will be awarded for First-Second-Third place finishers in three divisions: U11, U14, & U19 (Girls & Boys). Participation medals will also be awarded.
On The Side
- “Do the Double”:Designed specifically for established athletes who have been exercising regularly for a long period of time, this event doubles each of the regular triathlon distances, 400m Swim (50-meter pool), 10 km Bike, 2 km Run. If you’ve been swimming, biking and running regularly, feel free to take on the challenge. Everyone will start and race together but with the help of “chip timing” results, ribbons will be awarded for First-Second-Third place finishers in three divisions: U11, U14, & U19 (Girls & Boys). Participation medals will also be awarded.
- Duathlon: (Any age group/division may enter) / Run – Bike – Run
Want the challenge without the swim? Then consider a new Run-Bike-Run event! Athletes will run 1 km, then bike 5 km, then run the same run distance, 1 km a second time. Ribbons will be awarded for First-Second-Third place finishers in three divisions: U11, U14, & U19 (Girls & Boys). Participation medals will also be awarded.
*** NOTE: There will not be any relays this year.
Additional helpful information, course maps and a link to register can be found on the CAO – Kids Triathlon website link: