Early Dismissal – Tuesday April 25, 2017
All ISB students will be dismissed at 1:10pm on Tuesday, April 25th. On Early Release Days, school buses leave ISB campus at 1:20 p.m. Early Dismissal Days allow faculty members and administrators to collaborate and further their professional development.
May 1, 2017 is a School Day for Teachers and Students
Please be informed that Monday, May 1, 2017 is NOT a holiday for students and teachers. School in session. It will be an ‘E’ day.
May 5 Coronation Day Holiday
Friday May 5 is Coronation Day. It is a school holiday. Classes resume on Monday May 8. It will be a ‘C’ day.
MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)
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
Team Taught Classrooms in Elementary School Next Year
We have had several models of team teaching occur throughout the elementary school over past years. Team teaching is when a team of teachers work with a group of students, and share responsibility for their overall learning growth. One of our team teaching models is when 2 homeroom teachers share a group of students. The physical structure is typically two full-sized classrooms with part of a separating wall removed for greater flexibility and student movement.
Team teaching provides the same high quality learning, exposure to the same curriculum, access to resources, and individualized attention given to other students in the grade level. We have found that among other positive results, team teaching can support a greater variety of structures to enable more targeted learning instruction at all levels. It has been a model that educators have successfully used for many years in schools, and is considered a researched-based “best practice” when implemented well. Additionally, it reflects current configurations in many international and national classrooms across the globe.
This year we have gathered survey data from teachers, parents, and students in the homeroom team taught classroom, and the data has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Next school year, we will expand our successful models to have a few more of the team taught classrooms throughout the elementary school.
The class placement process will not change as a result of having more team taught classrooms. A group of counselors, teachers, and admin will work together to carefully place each child in a “best fit” situation, and all classrooms will continue to have outstanding teachers and exceptional environments for learning.
ES Music Concert, “Beauty in the World”
Please join us for our ES Music Concert on Wednesday, May 3rd at 6:30 pm in the Chevron Theatre. The concert will feature our ES Panther Choir and ES Orchestra. It will be an evening of music celebrating the beauty we see or can create in the world.
The ISB ES Book Celebration and Dress up Days are back!
Who: ISB ES Students
What: A chance for students to celebrate books that highlight our ISB Values by dressing up as a book character who demonstrates one or more of these values.
When: KG, 2nd, and 4th can dress up on Thursday, May 11.
PreK, 1st, 3rd and 5th can dress up on Friday, May 12.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL
THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL is coming to the Chevron Theatre April 22nd, 24th and 25th! Get your tickets online, in the drama/dance office located in the CC building from 7:00-3:00, or at the door 1 hour before each show. You won’t want to miss this original show about love, family, honesty and growing up.
Please note, elementary students must have adult supervision to attend.
ES Explore Program (After School Activities)
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ES Explore classes will have two more sessions. Thursday and Friday classes are still in session.
Please note that Tuesday, April 25th is an early release day so all ASA will take place one hour earlier from 1:20pm – 2:20pm.
Regards,
Livnat Ziskinder
ES Explore Coordinator
esactivities@isb.ac.th
Selling Band Instruments
By Kentaro Udagawa
Contact Email: kentarou@isb.ac.th
Dear ISB Bands families,
Next year’s grade 6 band students will soon be hoping to purchase instruments for next year. Some will be looking for second-hand instruments to purchase.
If you have band instruments in good condition that you wish to sell (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, alto/tenor/baritone saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium/baritone, tuba and/or percussion kit), please contact <kentarou@isb.ac.th> and bring your instruments to the MS band rooms (#119 or 107, first floor in the Cultural Center) before Thursday, May 4 for us to evaluate and give an estimated price. We will then send a list of available instruments to parents who are interested in purchasing second-hand instruments.
Please be advised that we are not able to guarantee that all instruments will be sold due to the condition or interested buyers.
If you have further questions, please feel free to write to <kentarou@isb.ac.th>.
Kentaro Udagawa and Brent Poling, MS Band
Summer School at ISB Update…
Registration for summer school is going well. One class is full already and others are getting close! Reminder to register by Friday, April 28th to receive the Early Bird tuition rate!
If you are only around the first couple weeks of our summer break, reminder, we do have three special enrichment camps available:
ES/MS Computer Science For All – “Arduinos, Drones, and Robots – More Than Just Fun” class on June 12 – 23
ES/MS Panther Musical Theater class on June 12 – 16 (this year’s production will be Wicked – The Untold Story of The Witches of Oz)
ES/MS Science and Technology class on June 12 – 16
You can go to the ISB website, or click here, to access all information about summer school dates, programs, and fees, or visit Khun Fon in our Summer School Office (located through door on the right side of the ISB Bookstore).
For any questions, please email sumdir17@isb.ac.th
Best Regards,
Mr. Maurilio Baron-Toaldo
Summer School Director
International School Bangkok
(Repeat) The 5th Grade Book Sale (Thursday/Friday April 27/28)
We’re back again! The 5th grade book sale is a yearly sale put on by the 5th graders with the help of the teachers, IAs, and parents. We are collecting books now through April for the sale.
The Funds raised from this charity go to the Mercy Centre in Klong Toey. It helps pay for the education for many underprivileged kids who cannot afford school supplies, tuition and uniforms. Last year we raised more than 100,000 baht, so of course this year we would like to beat that amount! Please start sending books and magazines to school with your child, or you may drop them off in the boxes outside of the ES Office.
Books to Donate
Children’s books
Young Adult books Fiction and Non Fiction
Adult Fiction and Non Fiction
Appropriate magazines
Please Do Not Donate
Text Books
Manuals
Inappropriate Books or Magazines
Books with missing pages or covers
Thank you for your assistance.
(Repeat) Parent Workshop Transitions – A Family Affair
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 8:30-10:00 am (MPB1)
Are you relocating (again)? Are you moving from Thailand at the end of this school year? Are you returning to your passport country or heading somewhere new? Join Doug Williamson and Ryan Haynes for an interactive parent workshop with you in mind. Discover how to ease the transition for yourself and your family. This workshop is open to all departing parents PK- Gr. 11.
(Repeat) The ES Music Shares Are Back!
At the end of the year, ES Music will host a “Music Share,” a time for students to perform music, drama, or dance and share with an audience of parents and their peers. Students are invited to perform a 2-3 minute piece that they have prepared outside of music class to share with their peers. Parents are welcome to join us for this event, which will be held in the music room 4-115. The schedule and sign-up form for this year’s Music Share can be found here.
(Repeat) Beginning Band Drive on Saturday, April 22
Date: Saturday, April 22
Time: 9:30 to 11:45 a.m.
Location: MS Band Room (4-107) on the first floor of the Cultural Center (CC)
On Saturday, April 22, ISB will hold its annual Beginning Band Drive for current grade 5 students who have signed up for band next year, and current grade 4 students who wish to take private lessons next year on a band instrument. During the Beginning Band Drive, students can try out many different band instruments with the help of experts, to find out which instruments they may enjoy and which instruments suit them. Band instruments include: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion (drums and mallets). Click here for complete info.
(Repeat) ES P.E. Swimming
Our swimming unit in PE is just around the corner. We have a total of three sessions of swimming times for Elementary School. Please see the below schedule for all swimming sessions.
All pertinent information will be posted on our PE blog. You can access our blog on your child’s classroom blog or by going to this link:
http://inside.isb.ac.th/perrype/
Second Session: March 29 – May 8
Grade 5: Armitage, Murray
Grade 4: Burnett, Merritt
Grade 3: Goodison, Macky
Grade 2: Archard, Eide/Madden (BLACK)
Grade 1: Hevland
KG: Bell
Pre-K: Patty Vidayanakorn, Zoe Trodden
Third Session: May 9 – June 8
Grade 5: Ekstran, Hunter
Grade 4: Ward, Day
Grade 3: Garrett, Haynes, Bailey
Grade 2: Hagen, Giles
Grade 1: Zammuto, Scranton
KG: Brickerd, Pool
(Repeat) If You Know you are Leaving ISB
Families who are leaving ISB at the end of the school year are asked to inform the school as soon as possible using the official Notice of Withdrawal Form. This helps us prepare school records for your child and with planning for next year. Completed forms can be dropped off at the ES Office.
eNews Guidelines
Shelley Bragg
shelleyb@isb.ac.th
ISB eNewsletters provide a valuable avenue for communication within the ISB parent community. For your convenience we have provided you with our eNewsletter guidelines below.
Submitting an announcement for publication
ISB accepts announcements from ISB families 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
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.
phremjiz@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 Director of Marketing and Communications 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.
Calendar of Events
April/May 2017
| Apr. 25 | 1:10 pm Early Dismissal |
| Apr. 26 | PK-Grade 11 Parent Transition Meeting 8:30 am (MPB 1) |
| Apr. 26 | MS Welcome Evening for Gr. 5 Parents and Students 6:30 pm (Chevron) |
| Apr. 27-28 | Gr. 5 Book Sale |
| May 1 | May Day School in Session – ‘E’ Day (Holiday for Classified Staff) |
| May 3 | ES Music Concert 6:30 pm (Chevron) |
| Meet the BOT Candidates Night 6:30 pm (ES MPR) | |
| May 5 | Coronation Day (No School) |
