A Well-deserved Break
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
Happy Songkran to our ISB MS Community! It has been a long push for our students and teachers since January when we started this semester. The students and teachers have been working hard and everyone is ready for this break to recharge and come back to school re-energized for the final months of learning.
Our students and teachers celebrated with a wonderful Songkran Assembly on Friday. Students acknowledged and thanked our leaving teachers with the Rod Nam ceremony of pouring water over the hands of elders. Elm (8) played saxophone and got students and teachers up and dancing. It was a terrific celebration of our wonderful host country and the warmth and joy of the Thai people.
We wish everyone a safe, restful, and happy holiday. We will see you all back on April 20th!
Principal’s Forum Video
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
This past Tuesday, we hosted our final MS Principal’s Forum for the year. Thank you to those parents who attended and to all parents who submitted concerns. We continue to appreciate the feedback. We hope that parents see how we use these concerns to inform school improvement and better communication.
A special thank you to Rosalina who served as the MS PTA Coordinator along with Karen. Rosalina leaves ISB at the end of this school year. Rosalina has been dedicated to helping the school improve and to involving parents in our wonderful community. Thanks, Rosalina!
The video of the session is below (it’s a long one).
Parent Workshop – What does it mean to be an inclusive school?
What Does It Mean to be an Inclusive School?
PreK-12 Parent Workshop
20 April 7:45-9:15 am
ES MPR
ISB has been working for a number of years to expand our ability to serve students with diverse learning needs. How might this impact your child and their learning? How can you support your child in understanding and appreciating the diversity that s/he encounters at school and in the wider community?
Join us to explore these questions and learn practical skills in this parent workshop.
Reminder – Outdoor Education Parent Presentation April 19th
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.
Spring MAP testing information
By Cindy Plantecoste, MS Dean of Academics
Our Spring session of MAP testing will begin when students return from Songkran vacation. The testing window for this second round of MAP test will take place between April 18-May 4, including the make-up sessions.
Graeme Scott, our Deputy Head of School for Learning, recently shared this information about the MAP tests:
In the coming weeks, children in grades 3-8 will participate in MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) testing. MAP is an assessment produced by Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) and is the largest standardized assessment of its type in the US. It is done on a computer and each test adapts to the student’s previous answers, so if they answer a question correctly, a more challenging question is presented. If they answer incorrectly, a simpler question follows.
MAP is a standardized test and is only one of many different types of assessment that we use to determine student learning progress. Children do not all learn in the same way, so any standardized assessment needs to be viewed only in conjunction with a range of other learning data. We get the most accurate picture of a student’s progress by using a variety of learning evidence including everyday ongoing assessments, learning conversations with students, ongoing formative assessment (assessment that helps us design more appropriate subsequent learning experiences) and short quizzes.
MAP also measures your child’s achievement level compared to other students who have taken this test, and measures academic growth over time in the areas of mathematics and reading. However, the student sample is drawn from US public and private schools, not international schools. The test does not cover all academic skills, nor does it cover such areas as physical, artistic, or interpersonal skills. Parents will gain a more complete picture of student performance by looking at this test alongside a variety of classroom work samples and other assessments over a period of time.
For further information, please visit the website www.nwea.org
The ISB mother tongue blog
เรียน ผู้ปกครองที่เคารพ
โรงเรียนสถานศึกษานานาชาติ ISB ได้ทำการสร้าง blog ขึ้นมาเพื่อแชร์เรื่องราวที่น่าสนใจ รวมทั้งบทความ และงานวิจัย ในหัวข้อต่างๆ ที่เกียวข้องกับประโยชน์ของการเรียนรู้สองภาษา การใช้ภาษาแม่ที่บ้าน และการเลี้ยงดูเด็กสามภาษา อีกทั้งยังมีหัวข้อเกี่ยวกับงานวิจัยล่าสุด และบทความที่น่าสนใจต่างๆ มากมาย
นอกจากนี้แล้ว ทางโรงเรียนยังมีหมวดหัวข้อที่เกียวกับ ญาติผู้ใหญ่ เช่น ปู่ ย่า ตา ยาย กับพัฒนาการทางด้านภาษาของเด็กสามภาษา
ถ้าผู้ปกครองท่านใดสนใจ สามารถแจ้งความจำนงได้ใน blog ทางเราจะส่งข้อความเตือนเมื่อมีหัวข้อใหม่ๆ อัพเดทใน blog
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
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Dear Parents
ISB has a blog that shares stories, articles, and research on issues about the benefits of bilingualism; maintaining a mother tongue at home; raising trilingual children; current research; and more.
We also have a section where a grandmother documents the language growth of her trilingual granddaughter.
Please sign up if you would like reminders when new posts are made.
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
Paul Dufficy
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Liebe Eltern,
ISB bietet einen Blog mit Geschichten, Artikeln und Recherchen über die Vorteile der Zweisprachigkeit sowie eine Muttersprache zu Hause unterstützen, Kinder dreisprachig erziehen, aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse und mehr.
Wir haben auch eine Sektion, in der eine Großmutter die Sprachentwicklung ihrer dreisprachig aufwachsenden Enkeltochter dokumentiert.
Falls Sie eine Benachrichtigung bei neuen Einträgen wünschen, so melden Sie sich bitte an:
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
Paul Dufficy
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SBの保護者の皆様へ
ISBには、「Mother Tongue（母国語）」 に関するブログがあります。このブログでは、バイリンガルの利点、家庭で母国語を維持する方法、トライリンガルの子育てについて等、様々な記事や研究結果を掲載しております。また、トライリンガルである自分の孫の、言語の成長を追った、元ISBの教員・オルガさんのコラムもあります。
このブログの新しいポストの通知がご希望の方は、是非、下記のページでサインアップしてください。
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
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Kære forældre,
ISB har en blog, der deler fortællinger, artikler, og forskning om fordelene ved tosprogethed, at bevare modersmål i hjemmet, opdrage tresprogede børn og aktuelle undersøgelser m.m.
Vi har også en sektion, hvor en bedstemor dokumenterer hendes tresprogede barnebarns sproglige udvikling.
Venligst skriv dig op, hvis du gerne vil have en påmindelse, når nye meddelelser bliver slået op på bloggen.
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
Paul Dufficy
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尊敬的家长：
ISB 建了一个博客，分享了一些关于学习双语的好处，保持在家使用母语交流，提高儿童运用第三语言的能力，语言研究现状等方面的故事、文章和学术性文献。
在博客中还有一个专题，提到了一个祖母记录她的孙女学习第三语言的过程。
如果您愿意通过我们的博客了解更多的相关信息，请点击下面的链接进行注册
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
Paul Dufficy
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Estimados padres,
La escuela ISB tiene un blog donde se comparte historias, artículos e investigaciones de temas sobre los beneficios del bilingüismo: el mantenimiento de la lengua materna en el hogar, la educación de hijos trilingües, las investigaciones más corrientes y mucho más.
También hay una sección donde una abuela documenta el desarrollo de su nieta trilingüe.
Por favor inscríbase si desea recordatorios cuando hay nuevas publicaciones (posts).
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
Paul Dufficy
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안녕하세요 학부모님!
저희 ISB 블로그에는 이중언어의 장점에 관한 스토리, 기사, 이슈가 되고 있는 현황 등을 공유 하고 있습니다: 가정에서 모국어를 사용하거나, 3개국어를 사용하고 있는 자녀들, 현재 공부를 하고 있거나, 기타 등등
저희는 또한 할머니가 손녀와 생활하며 3개국어를 구사하고 있는 부분도 공유하고 있습니다.
새로운 게시물이 등재될 때 알림을 원하신다면 저희 블로그로 등록해 주시기 바랍니다.
감사합니다.
https://inside.isb.ac.th/mothertongue/
PTA TOUCHSTONE
Touchstone, ISB PTA’s magazine, is on its way to your homes. Touchstone will also be available online in Powerschool for all to enjoy.
Delivery was organized as is as follows:
- If you have an Elementary school student Touchstone will come home with your oldest elementary student. Do check their school bags.
2. If you only have High School or Middle School students and live within Nichada, Touchstone has been hand delivered to your mailbox by volunteers
- If you only have High School or Middle School students and live outside Nichada, Touchstone has been mailed to you.
If you do not receive your copy please let us know or you may take a copy from the admissions. Company addresses are not included on our mailing list.
If you have any questions or feedback please contact touchstone@isb.ac.th