High School Upcoming events (Please click):
‘Disconnect in order to Connect’
Justin Alexander
Justina@isb.ac.th
Dear Parents,
The excitement is certainly in the air this week with GCW now upon us. In fact one of the GCW trips has already started their trip this morning and over the next few days all of the other trips will also leave. I have been excited to read about the many different trips and opportunities that our students are offered during this coming week and I look forward to hearing of their experiences when they all safely return. GCW is undoubtedly a highlight for many, most or even all of the HS students and I encourage them to make the most of this opportunity by slowing down, disconnecting from their phones, social media apps and be ready to enjoy and savour the moments that they will share with their fellow classmates and teachers over the course of the week.
A special thanks to our Dean of Students, Andy Vaughan and to our HS office staff for their tireless efforts in the logistical work in ensuring that each trip is well planned, risk assessments have taken place, airline, bus and hotel bookings are all in hand and for managing the sign up process in the first instance. The trip leaders deserve special advance thanks in looking after the safety and wellbeing of the students in their care, particularly faculty leading overnight trips. Enjoy a week at home without your high schooler being around and remember it is completely ok for them to switch off their phones and disconnect so that they can connect with the environment and others around them this week.
Regards
Justin Alexander
High School Principal
GCW Is Underway!
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
As our first students depart for their Global Citizenship Week today, please know that our sponsors will do their best to look after them, ensure their safety, and provide a fun learning environment. Part of that learning relies on the students taking on some independence and responsibility away from home, while in safe settings.
For this reason, we ask that you let them go a little this week so they can fully immerse themselves in a new culture, habitat, and overall experience. In cases of emergency, please contact me (at any hour) and I will reach the group. They are off to wonderful experiences and will return with stories, memories, and a new outlook on friends, themselves, and the world.
We have also asked all students to have a maximum of one hour a day on social media. Some trips will be away from wife or mobile coverage so will also have extended periods of time with no social media. We recently shared this great YouTube on disconnecting from technology in advisory to challenge our students to embrace this week, we hope you enjoy it also.
For those students in local (non-overnight) courses, please note that when students are back to school they will not be able to leave campus until 2.25pm as per a normal school day. Please also note that late buses will not be running during GCW.
Finally, as a reminder, please find here the link to the GCW Website Pages that guide you to each trips itinerary and information.
In the case of any family emergency in which you need to inform your child of any sensitive news, please find below my contact information below so we can coordinate and support this process if it were to occur:
Andy Vaughan
Email andyv@isb.ac.th
Mobile: +668 7514 9550
Work: + 662 963 5800 ext.3304
We look forward to the stories from each of our trips and the many great memories that our students will carry with them.
IB Basics for Parents
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
An information session on the basics of the IB Diploma will be held on Monday, February 26th at 6:30-7:30pm in the MPB. Please come and learn the basics of the Diploma Program and its assessment.
Grade 10 Course Selection Evening – Tuesday 6th March 6:30pm Chevron & MPB
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
Please save the evening to come along with your grade 10 child to speak with grade 11 course teachers about the different options available in grade 11.
The transition from grade 10 to 11 is the time when students have the most choice available about what courses they can study. It can prove to be hard to make these choices and we hope that having the opportunity to talk to teachers will help that decision to be an informed one. Please find a calendar of the process for students and families HERE.
Please come along!
Grade 8-11 Course Selection for 2018/19 Academic Year
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
More information will be coming out over the coming weeks leading up to online course registration opening on Wednesday March 14th.
Grade 12 Exam Schedules both Mock exams and for May 2018 – Important information
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
Grade 12 students will be undertaking Mock exams from Thursday 8th March to Thursday 15th March, with the Arts students having a working session on Tuesday March 20th from 1:30pm. The Mock exam schedule for students is available on PowerSchool. Please note, morning exams begin at 7:30am and afternoon exams begin at 12:00pm, with the exception for Friday March 14, where the exam will begin at 1:00pm.
Grade 12 students will all finish formal classes on Monday 23rd April and start study leave the following day. The official IB exams for ISB start on Friday 27th April and go through to Friday 18th May. There are IB exams on Thai holidays during this period.
All exams are in MPB with AM (mornings) starting at 7:30am and PM (afternoon) starting at 12noon.
High School Counseling eNews
Andrew Weiser
andreww@isb.ac.th
Monthly College Coffees – The next parent coffee focusing on college 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.
High School Counselor
Jackie Valenzuela
jackiev@isb.ac.th
Grade 10 Course Selection
The transition from grade 10 to 11 is the time when students have the most choice of subjects available to them. Families have a lot of support so that students can make the most informed choices. See below to get a better idea of what leads up to students making their course choices for 11th grade. Both students and parents are encouraged to attend the course selection evening on March 6th at 6:30pm.
We wish all students a safe, happy, and productive Global Citizenship Week. We’ll look forward to hearing about the students’ adventures upon their return!
Jackie Valenzuela
High School Counselor
Click here to schedule an appointment
IASAS Forensics and Debate CC Showcase – February 19 & 20 (3:00pm MPB1)
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Please join the Debate Teams in MPB1 on Monday, February 19 as they hash out the finer points behind the morality of school uniforms. What’s your opinion on the matter? Are you for or against the wearing of school uniforms? Can you be swayed perhaps? We are expecting a fun filled event with a chance for you, the audience, to participate and and cast judgement to help decide a winner. Then join members of the award winning Forensics Team, also in MPB1, on Tuesday, February 20 as they present their speeches in the categories of Oral Interpretation, Original Oratory, Impromptu, and Extemporaneous.
IASAS MUSIC CC Showcase – Feb. 21 & 22 (3:00pm HS Choir Room)
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
The annual IASAS Music Cultural Convention Showcase performances will take place on Wednesday, February 21 and Thursday, February 22. Selected delegates from the high school vocal, piano, strings and band areas will be performing their individual solos and ensemble selections on these two days, beginning at 3:00 pm in the HS Choir Room. These performances give our delegates a chance to perform for an ISB audience, and also serves as a warmup to their adjudicated performances that will happen at Taipei in early March. Audience members may come and go between performers as necessary, and a program will be provided as to what day and order delegates will be performing. Come enjoy the incredible talent and skill of our ISB Music Delegates, who have all been working for several months on high quality music preparing for these performances!
IASAS CC ART, DANCE, DRAMA, FILM, and TECH Showcase – February 26 (3:30pm and 5:30pm CCT)
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
3:30pm – Art / Film / Dance / Tech & 5:30pm – Drama / Art / Film / Dance / Tech
ART – 25 original artworks, 5 selected delegates to represent ISB at 1 unforgettable Cultural Convention weekend in Manila. Look, but don’t touch – this means you!
DANCE – An original choreography created by the CC Dance ensemble, “Waking Hour”, delves into the surreality of dreams and time. The creativity will rain down … literally.
DRAMA – presents DNA by Dennis Kelly – A group of teenagers and a cover up makes for an intense 45 minutes. A poignant and sometimes funny tale with a very dark heart, DNA is a play you don’t quickly forget
(ADVISORY WARNING: Due to the dark subject matter and coarse language, this performance is only suitable for HS students and above.)
FILM – The 3rd annual IASAS Film Festival kicks off with ISB’s selection from internal submissions. This year’s entries were challenged to make a 3-minute short film using the prompt: A Blinking Red Light
TECH – Our two ninja delegates cue and operate all technical for Drama & Dance (lights, sound, set). If all the world’s a stage, doesn’t that make the techies gods?
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.