ISB’s Together Assembly (for students): Many Languages, One Voice
By: Anthony Giles, Arts & Activities Director
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
ISB’s Together Assembly: Many Languages, One Voice will be held on Thursday, September 21. Through the mediums of dance, music, film, drama, visual art, and storytelling this year’s PK-12 gathering, as the title suggests, will celebrate the many native languages spoken at ISB. Due to limited space in Rajendra Hall this event is not open to the public however photos and video of the assembly will be available to all ISB parents the following week. Thursday, September 21 is a free dress day for all divisions with students, staff, and faculty encouraged to wear bright colors to celebrate both our differences, and our unity as a learning community – “Together, We Can Change the World!”
IRONKIDS Thailand at ISB
On the 10th of September, ISB hosted the first IRONKIDS in Bangkok. Over 200 young triathletes competed in this challenging competition, pushing their limits at every turn. We are incredibly proud of all of the participants, all of whom can now call themselves, IRONKIDS. Watch the highlights here.
South African Gumboot Dancers and CNN Hero, Thulani Madondo, at ISB – 21st September
By: Shelley Bragg, Director of Marketing and Communications
shelleyb@isb.ac.th
We are very excited to welcome the KYP Gumboot Dancers and the Director of their program, Thulani Madondo, to ISB on the 21st of September.
The Kliptown Youth Program (KYP) is a non-profit in Soweto, South Africa, that offer education and performance art programs to the youth in the Kliptown community. Thulani Madondo, the Director of the program, was recognized for his work with a CNN Hero Award and a Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2012 and has been listed as a 21Icon in South Africa, alongside the likes of Nelson Mandela.
They are here on a dance tour and will be working with students and performing.
Come and watch the group’s outstanding show and hear Thulani speak at the following times:
Thulani Madondo – Service Lunch: 10:45 – 11:30 in the Literary Lounge
Come and enjoy a light lunch and listen to Thulani tell his inspiring story about his life and the work he does in the community
To help us cater appropriately, please RSVP here.
KYP Performance – 2:30pm in the MS/HS Cafeteria Pit
Don’t miss this fantastic show of traditional South African Gumboot Dancing
ISB School Board Meeting, September 19, 2017 (Tuesday)
By: Walairat Wattanaungkoon, Secretaries to the Head/Deputy Heads
walairaw@isb.ac.th
The next School Board regular meeting will be on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, 6:00 pm at the MPB 3. All ISA members are welcome to attend.
Calendar Date Changes: ISB Graduation and other May/June Events
By: Justin Alexander, High School Principal
justina@isb.ac.th
Dear ISB Community,
Please note that after seeking feedback and suggestions from parents and students from the class of 2018, the Graduation date and ceremony has now been moved to Saturday May 26th at 1pm. There was strong support for this change with 89% of parents and 73% of students surveyed last week preferring the earlier graduation date instead of the originally planned last day of school in June.
The date change for Graduation means that a number of other ISB events scheduled in May and June 2018 now need to move in order to avoid conflicts with dates and facilities. We have received great support from our Building and Grounds team and our Athletics and Arts Programs in order to move some of their events around. The changes listed below will be made on the ISB online calendar in the days ahead. In the near future we will produce a PDF version of the updated months of May and June for parents to print out and add to their ISB hard copy calendar.
Regards
Justin Alexander
High School Principal
Updated ISB events in May/June 2018
- MS Spring Production: May 8-10th
- After School Dance performances: May 18-19th (HS performances will not take place on Saturday evening)
- HS Prom: May 19th (same date)
- Volleyball 4×4 tournament: May 21st
- Legs 4 Legs: May 22nd
- MS Band Concert: May 22nd
- HS Awards night: May 23rd
- GRADUATION: Saturday May 26th 1pm
- Panther Swim team Year-End Party: May 30th
- Last day of school: Friday June 8th 11.30am
Health Clinic: Mosquitoes and Disease
By: ISB Health Clinic
nurse@isb.ac.th
Mosquitoes and Disease
Mosquitoes bites can be annoying due to local itchiness and swelling. We also need to think about diseases that are spread to us through mosquito bites. In Thailand there are several diseases that can be spread by mosquitoes. We have recently heard of cases of both Dengue Fever and Japanese Encephalitis so want to encourage everyone to be aware of mosquito avoidance measures.
Dengue Fever
- Spread by Aedes
- 4 different subtypes of virus cause it so you can get the disease more than once (and tends to be worse each time you get it).
- Symptoms include fevers, headache, muscle aches and pains, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea, rash, bleeding from gums and nose.
- Can develop Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever as you get better where you bleed excessively and this can be fatal.
- Can not be spread directly human to human. Spread by human to mosquito to human.
- Diagnosed by symptoms and can be detected on a blood test.
- Treatment is for symptom relief only. There are no antiviral medications that are effective.
- Dengue fever illness tends to be more severe each time you get exposed to a strain of the virus so if you have had it in the past you must take extra precautions to prevent getting it again.
- Prevention is by mosquito avoidance (see below). A vaccine is now available which is a 3 dose course over 12 months. This vaccine has variable immune response to the different subtypes of the Dengue virus. A new vaccine is being developed which looks more promising but is not available at the moment. Discuss with your health provider whether you should receive the current vaccine (especially if you have had Dengue Fever in the past).
Zika
- Spread by the Aedes
- Caused by a virus.
- Cases have occurred in Thailand since 2012. There has been a recent increase in the number of cases but this may be due to increased testing due to public awareness of the virus. There have been on average 20 new cases a week according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health.
- Spread through mosquitos and can also be sexually transmitted.
- Symptoms are usually mild and include low grade fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue and headaches.
- It has now been found to be associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (where the immune system attacks the nerves) and birth abnormalities in babies born to women who were infected whilst pregnant (microcephaly or small heads). None of these complications have been reported in Thailand however extra precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitos should be taken by women (and their partners) who are pregnant or trying to conceive and their partners (see below). If a pregnant woman is concerned she has Zika she should contact her doctor for further advice.
- Treatment is for symptom relief only. There are no antiviral medications that are effective.
- Prevention is by mosquito avoidance (see below) and safe sexual practices following infection (for 6 months for a male and 8 weeks for a female). There is no vaccine available.
Chikungunya
- Spread by Aedes
- Caused by a virus.
- Can not be spread directly human to human. Spread by human to mosquito to human.
- Symptoms include high fever, joint pain and swelling, muscle pain, rash, headache, fatigue and nausea.
- Treatment is for symptom relief only. There are no antiviral medications that are effective.
- Prevention is by mosquito avoidance (see below)
Japanese Encephalitis
- Spread by the Culex
- Caused by a virus.
- Most people will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms which include fever and headaches. 1 in 250 will get severe disease with inflammation of the brain which may cause permanent brain damage and/or death.
- Treatment is for symptom relief only. There are no antiviral medications that are effective.
- Prevention is by mosquito avoidance (see below). Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis is recommended for people living in an endemic area (which includes Thailand).
Malaria
- Spread by the Anopheles
- Caused by a parasite called Plasmodium (5 different species).
- Symptoms include fevers (which may go up and down), profuse sweating, chills, malaise, muscle aches, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and cough.
- Treatable infection if diagnosed early and treated with appropriate antimalarial medications.
- Prevention is by mosquito avoidance (see below) and by taking antimalarial prophylaxis if travelling to a high risk area. Bangkok is considered a low risk area for malaria and mosquito avoidance is the recommended preventative measure whilst living here.
Mosquito Avoidance
As outlined above there are many diseases that can be spread by mosquitoes and mosquito avoidance is one of the main preventative measures that should be employed. This avoidance should be all day and night not just in the dusk and dawn period as some of the species carrying disease are active during the day and others at night.
Mosquito avoidance measures include:
- Wearing loose light coloured clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
- Using mosquito nets to sleep under (including daytime naps)
- Prevent mosquitoes entering the house with screens on door and windows and keeping doors closed.
- Use of insect repellant which contains DEET, IR3535 or icaridin.
- Eliminate stagnant water in which mosquitoes can breed from around the house.
- Consider the use of mosquito coils/fans outside doors that are frequently opened.
- Discuss with landlord use of insecticide sprays in the compound you live in.
ISB is committed to your child’s overall development, both educationally and health related. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact your healthcare provider or the ISB Health Clinic (nurse@isb.ac.th).
IMP Music Program: Drums, flute and trumpet lessons still available
By: Angela Kohl
angelak@isb.ac.th)
There are still a few vacancies in drums, flute and trumpet lessons. For more info please contact the coordinator Angela Kohl (angelak@isb.ac.th)
Bangkok All-Stars Tournament Baseball Teams – Tryouts: 17th September!
By: Andy Minckler
andy@mincklermail.com
The Bangkok All-Stars are travel and tournament baseball teams, with 4 age groups: U10s, U12s, U14s and U18s. Teams are very competitive and kids from all over Bangkok are eligible. Tryouts are mandatory and will be held on Sunday 17th September at ISB fields. See the schedule below and the attached flyer for the age cut-off dates and information about the program. Players selected for this team will be required to participate in local and overseas tournaments, as well as attending mandatory practices each week. Registration in the BBSA is also required, but the commitment to play on these teams is over and above participation in the BBSA. Not all teams may travel overseas this year, so please consult the Head Coach for details.
| Bangkok All-Stars Tryout Schedule | |||
| Date | Time | Field | Team |
| Sunday, 17 Sep | 9:00am to 10:30am | B Field | U10 |
| Sunday, 17 Sep | 11:00am to 12:30pm | B Field | U12 |
| Sunday, 17 Sep | 1:30pm to 3:00pm | C Field (Reinsch) | U14 |
| Sunday, 17 Sep | 3:30pm to 5:00pm | C Field (Reinsch) | U18 |
At the tryout, make sure your son wears proper attire and brings their own baseball glove. Bats and all other equipment will be provided. Cleats are recommended, but please also bring a pair of sneakers / trainers in case of rain – we will use indoor facilities if it rains, and cleats are not allowed indoors. Having your own water bottle is also recommended, though water will be provided at the fields.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please email the appropriate Head Coach contact as provided in the flyer.
See you on the diamond!
Andy Minckler
Bangkok All-Stars
3 Weekends of Yoga 3 Different Styles
By: Kelly Poret,
kellyporet@yahoo.com
3 weekends of yoga 3 different styles at ISB. Donation based classes for Bumble Bee Free Library. All proceeds go to the library. Come and give it a try. No yoga experience necessary. Saturday September 16th, September 30th, and October 7th in the Sports Complex Building, 2nd floor 8:00 – 9:00 am. Please bring a yoga mat, water, and a towel.
Write your article for the next PTA “Touchstone” Issue – Deadline: September 20th
By: Gunjan Mullick
touchstone@isb.ac.th
A kind reminder that the deadline for submissions for the next TouchStone issue is September 20th. Please consider submitting an article in line with one of the topics below. We look forward to receiving entry!
Lost something? All Lost Property Items are on display this week
By: Natalie Lollback
lostandfound@isb.ac.th
Lost Property will be holding our first display for the new school year this Friday, 15th September @ HS/MS cafeteria from 8.30am until 1.30pm.
Please remind your children to come and look! There’s a lot there!
A reminder that everything coming to school should have a name on it. All updates and information about Lost Property are on our Facebook page which can be found at ISB Lost & Found – please ‘like’ the page.
New volunteers always welcome!
ISB eNews Guidelines
By: Shelley Bragg, Director of Marketing and Communications
shelleyb@isb.ac.th
The ISB eNews provides a valuable avenue for communication within the ISB parent community. For your convenience we have provided you with our eNews 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
- A contact person and email address for further information
- Important details such as dates, location, prices, etc
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.
pta-communications@isb.ac.th is for PTA announcements of interest to all ISB parents.
Your announcement will be submitted for review. Please note: 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 All-School eNews is for the entire community is sent out on Thursdays (or Fridays when necessary). Announcements for potential publication in this newsletter must be received by noon on Thursdays.
The ES, MS, and HS eNews are sent out on Fridays. Announcements for potential publication in these newsletters must be received by noon on Fridays.
The PTA eNews are sent out on Tuesdays. Announcements for potential publication in these newsletters must be received by noon on Mondays.