High School Upcoming events (Please click):
‘Panther Pride’
Justin Alexander
Justina@isb.ac.th
Dear Parents,
Thank you to the HS parents who joined us on Thursday morning at the HS PTA meeting. Parents in attendance heard updates from our new HS PTA representative (Ginny Condra) on a variety of events happening across the school in the months ahead. This included information about the upcoming International Food Festival (IFF) on February 24th (3.30pm – 7.30pm), a Graduation committee update, Booster Hut requests for assistance over the IASAS tournament, details about an upcoming Grade level social gatherings and a reminder that the HS Principal’s Forum has been moved from February 27th to March 13th.
In addition to the PTA updates, Andy Weiser shared news from the College Counselling office, Andy Vaughan reminded parents about communication protocols during the upcoming GCW and Susan Canobie and myself explained and displayed copies of our new report cards and transcripts. We finished the meeting with a senior student panel answering questions and providing a glimpse into life as a senior at ISB. If you would like to see the presentation shared at the meeting please click here. If you wish to visit the parent portal to see your son/daughter’s report card please click on this link
Have a great weekend and best of luck to all of our IASAS teams that are traveling next week and a big reminder to you all to come to school on Thursday/Friday and Saturday to support and cheer on our Basketball teams as we host the IASAS basketball tournament.
Regards
Justin Alexander
High School Principal
GCW Update
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
The High School Global Citizenship Week is fast approaching, with our first groups scheduled to depart from ISB in two weeks! This enews repeats much of what was in last week’s newsletter along with a few more reminders and important links for our HS trips.
Visa’s & Passports
By now all visa’s required for overseas trips should be completed. If this has not happened yet, please ensure this is finished in the week ahead. If there are any queries on whether a visa is required for your specific country, please feel free to contact Khun Jurairat in the HS office or the teacher sponsor for your trip.
Please also double check that your child’s passport has more than 6 months validity on it for any trip travelling internationally. We have checked passports, but we ask that you take this additional step to ensure the smooth travel of your child.
Medication & Health Information
If your child is taking routine medication they will be required to turn in a ‘Field Trip Medication Consent Form’ which is found at this link. These forms need to be turned into the ISB Medical Clinic by next Friday at the latest.
For some trips there are recommended vaccinations that are required, these will have been communicated by the trip leader, however for a detailed summary of recommended health considerations that are specific to each trip, please refer to this document.
Special Clothing and Equipment.
If your child is attending a trip that has a cooler environment or that requires special equipment, please ensure these are purchased in the next two weeks so that they can check these if necessary in their final GCW meeting on February 6.
GCW Information Website & Communication
Your GCW lead teacher should have emailed you with more information specific to your child’s trip. Please also find the GCW information site that is shared with parents and students at this link.
Communication while on GCW
Most GCW trips have norms which require students on the trip to be without technology or to have limited access to technology. We are encouraging students to disconnect during this week so that they can better connect with each other and the environments they are interacting with.
As trips depart and arrive in their location you will receive an email from ISB to confirm that groups have arrived safely. During the week there will be limited communication from trip chaperones.
If a family emergency arises and there is a need to contact your child, please direct these requests direct to Andy Vaughan (0875149550) who will coordinate this communication.
Any other questions?
If you have any further questions regarding your child’s course, please first contact the sponsor of your child’s course.
We look forward to this amazing weeks and the many experiences our students will encounter in their course!
Andy Vaughan
High School Dean of Students
M: +668 7514 9550
AP Exam Sign-up
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
Over the next two weeks student sign-up for Advance Placement (AP) exams which take place this coming May.
If students are currently taking the IB Math SL2/AP Calculus course at ISB they are expected to sign up and take the AP Calculus AB exam. For students in IB Math HL2, they have been prepared for the AP Calculus AB exam and they have been partially prepared for the majority of the AP Calculus BC exam, and with a little extra individual work on their part, can be fully prepared for this BC exam. Please note, the CollegeBoard stipulates that students cannot take both the Calculus AB and BC exams in the same year. Any students in other ISB Math classes are not prepared by ISB and we recommend they do not take the AP math exams.
Students should collect an AP exam form and information from Ms. Canobie’s secretary, Khun Arintra. They must then see their counselor to discuss the workload implications of taking these exams.
Registration for AP exams must be handed into the Dean of Academics office no later than Friday 2nd February.
IB Mock Exam Schedule
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
Students who are registered to take IB exams this May will sit Mock Exams on March 8-15. The individual student schedule are now available on PowerSchool.
Grade 10 ISA Testing
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
On the mornings of Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th February all Grade 10 students will be completing the International Schools Assessment (ISA) in Mathematical Literacy, Reading and Writing. This assessment is conducted in grades 3, 5, 7 and 10 at ISB and the results are used to provide patterns in learning and assist in charting future direction. Students are expected to bring a pencil, black pen, eraser, ruler, sharpener and calculator to the test. EAL students may also bring a translating dictionary for the Mathematics. Please ensure encourage your children to be at the MPB by 7:15am on Monday morning.
IB Predicted Grades
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
IB students who are registered for an IB Course and Exam this May will be given a Predicted Grade. The Predicted Grade is the subject teacher’s ‘best guess’ of the students’ final IB result and is based on evidence of achievement so far in the subject. They are used to give students an indication of their achievement so they can evaluate where they are at. They are also used by some colleges and universities for admission purposes. A January Predicted Grade report is now available for students and parents on PowerSchool. If you would like to discuss this grade please do so with the subject teacher, the counselor or myself. A final IB Predicted Grade will additionally occur in March.
High School Counseling eNews
Andrew Weiser
andreww@isb.ac.th
College Counselors
Monthly College Coffees – Two weeks ago, our monthly college parent coffee focused on US Higher Education. A copy of the presentation can be found at the following link. The next coffee is on February 19 from 12:30 – 2:00 and is targeted for our Japanese parent community. Our Japanese liaison will be available serve as a translator.
It’s Time To Schedule The Student Led Junior Conference – During the month of February and March, 11th grade students and their parents will be meeting with college counselors to start planning for life after graduation. Parents or students can schedule this meeting for approximately 1 hour. We prefer that both parents attend this meeting. The Junior Assignment (University Research, Resume, and Parent Perspectives) needs to be completed before this meeting can be scheduled.
University Visits– for a full list of who is coming, please subscribe to the Google Calendar at this link.
School Counselors
Kevin Davy
kevind@isb.ac.th
Grade 9
From time to time students are going to need extra help or clarification in a subject. Students are encouraged first to see their teacher after school. Flex time is 2:25 – 3:20 and nearly all teachers are in their rooms readily available to assist students with their questions. Please encourage your son / daughter to take advantage of this time if they are having difficulties in a subject. In addition, we have a peer-tutoring program where students might be able to get individualized assistance from a peer who has volunteered their services. Students should drop by to see Mr. Callahan in the counseling office if they are interested in either getting help or helping others. Lastly, we do have a list of outside tutors, which is vetted, through our administrative office. If a student needs tutorial beyond the above fore mentioned then our HS front office can be contacted for the most up to date version of tutors offering their services.
Grade 10
It’s been a fast-moving three weeks and the 10th graders seem to be all settled in their second – semester classes. Soon, on February 5th, they will be asked to think carefully about their course selections for the coming school year. We will take time to explain the IB Diploma Program, a program with IB Certificates, and graduation requirements, to help students get a good idea of what their schedules and programs will look like in their junior and senior years. The students will then make a draft of their possible choices; the counselors will keep one copy and the students will have one to bring home to show you. Take a look with them; it will be a draft schedule – they will still have over a month before they will actually register for their 11th grade classes. Hopefully with some careful thought and discussion, your sons and daughters will have the perfect fit of classes for their final two years at ISB.
Grade 11
A copy of the Junior College Night presentation can be accessed here. If you still do not have access to Naviance, please contact your student’s counselor.
Junior Conferences start next week! This is a meeting with the student, their counselor, and both of their parents to start outlining the college application process based on the individual needs of students and their families. Students should schedule these during their free period. Please speak to your Junior about scheduling these sooner rather than later.
Finally, if you haven’t turned in your Parent Perspectives, we’d appreciate your doing so as soon as possible.
Grade 12
As graduation nears, we wanted to remind you of a few resources we have in our counseling library as your student transitions to their next stage of life.
- The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transition by Tina Quick
- The iConnected Parent by Barbara Hofer
- Emotional Resilience and the Ex-Pat Child by Julia Simens
- Letting Go by Karen Coburn
You are welcome to stop by and check out any one of these books (and more).
Two weeks ago we hosted an alumni fair. Nine ISB graduates returned to share their wisdom and experience with students. It was definitely an enlightening and fun conversation for those in attendance.
IASAS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS at ISB!
Derrick Quinet
derrickq@isb.ac.th
ISB plays host to the 2018 IASAS Basketball Championship, Feb. 1-3, and this is one tournament you won’t want to miss! Catch all the excitement, action, spirit, and drama as the tournament plays out over a roller coaster three days. The entire school will be out in support of our Panthers, with Rajendra rocking, and all the sounds, food, and festivities of an international event.
Show your Panther Pride, and plan on joining the fun at IASAS Basketball 2018!
IASAS TOURNAMENTS & LIVE STREAMING
Derrick Quinet
derrickq@isb.ac.th
The Mighty ISB Panthers spread out across southeast Asia next week for the climactic IASAS Championships. The rugby and touch teams travel to Taipei, the swim teams to Jakarta, and the tennis teams to Manila, while the basketball teams welcome the five other visiting IASAS schools to ISB.
You can follow all of the results, photos, and watch the games on live streaming via each school’s website. All of the websites plus additionally information are accessible via: iasas.asia
We hope you tune in online and show your support for ISB!
BISAC TOURNAMENTS – This Weekend!
Derrick Quinet
derrickq@isb.ac.th
Good luck to our varsity teams playing across the city this Saturday. This is the final tune up before IASAS. Be sure to come down to ISB to catch the varsity touch and boys basketball teams in action. Go Panthers!
BISAC Boys & Girls Tennis Championships at BPS
BISAC Touch Championships at ISB
BISAC Boys Basketball Cup Championships at ISB
BISAC Girls Basketball Plate Championship at ASB
Go Panthers!
Derrick Quinet
Athletics Director
IASAS Visual Art
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Congratulations to the artists whose works were selected to represent ISB at the IASAS Cultural Convention 2018, hosted by International School Manila. These works will travel to ISM and be part of a massive, international gallery along with works selected by the other five IASAS schools. This year, we had an overwhelming number of submissions. We would like to thank everyone who participated by creating artwork to be considered for inclusion. The quality of all the pieces was of a very high standard and is testament to the time and effort put in by the applicants. We are very excited to have been chosen to host Cultural Convention 2019 at ISB! We expect that all of our high school artists will play a large role in welcoming, creating and assisting with the event next year.
For 2018 our delegates are: Inez Vuthimedhi, Cheryl Loke, Jens Hauggaard, Peang-Au (Mae) Honark, Proud Taranat
In addition, artists who have had work selected for travel are: Am Silruk, Saekyung Kim, Issie O’Connor, Harshit Saini, Trisha Sutivong, Anne Chomtin, Arisa Matsuo, Kasidej (Prince) Thitacharoenwong, Phurin (Mail) Faaroon, Natcha (Prim) Akkarawittayapoom, Ashleigh Kennedy, Yoon-A Park and Sasipim (Ginnie) Na-Eak.
Raising Multilinguals Parent Workshop: Unlocking the World with a Family Language Plan
Avery Udagawa
averyu@isb.ac.th
On February 1, 2018, from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. in MPB 1 at the top of the Zigzag, ISB EAL and Native Language faculty will offer a workshop for parents from all divisions (ES, MS, HS) about maintaining students’ native languages while they also study in English at ISB. This will be an extended version of the Raising Multilinguals workshop offered in the ES in past years.
At this workshop faculty will:
- Present reasons to maintain native language, based on research
- Describe native language classes and resources available at ISB
- Discuss the importance of making a family language plan
Faculty will also lead small group discussions of how to nurture particular languages, how to support native language development at home, and how to make a language plan work.
Please join us! Parents of students in PreK through Grade 12 are welcome. For further information, please write to nativelanguage@isb.ac.th.
eNewsletter 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.
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.