MS Games Night a big success
This past Thursday, the Middle School hosted our first “Games Night” – a fun social event for middle schoolers to hang out with friends, play board games, engage in fun goofy games, and play with their friends.
Over 70 students attended the event from 6-8 PM and had a wonderful time. We will continue to host events like this that allow students to relax, have fun, be silly, and spend time socially with each other. The vibe was wonderful throughout the evening. Please keep your eye out for future events for your MS child to join!
MAP testing results + Standardized testing at ISB
Dear Parents of Students in Grades 3-8 and Grade 10,
Earlier this year, students in grades 3 through 8 took the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. MAP is one of multiple assessment pieces that our teachers use to monitor student growth and determine next steps in learning. 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).
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 along side a variety of classroom work samples and other assessments over a period of time.
Your child’s MAP assessment results are now available on PowerSchool. When you log in, you should see a link in the upper right corner where you can Download MAP Results.
We will have a parent meeting on Monday, November 5 at 1:30 to talk about standardized testing at ISB. This will include information about MAP (given to students in grades 3-8) and the ISA (given to students in grades 3 5, 7, and 10). We will meet in MPB 3. Your involvement in your child’s education is crucial. We look forward to seeing you on Nov. 5!
No School – Oct 15 & Oct 22-26
After a long run of school since August, we have a few days coming up without school.
Please note that Monday, October 15th, there will be no school in recognition of the date of the passing of the Late King His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Also, please note that ISB will take it’s October break from October 22 to October 26. During this time, students will also not have school.
Reminder Announcement: Parent Coffee Session – Keeping teens safe
As parents of middle school students, we find ourselves in the complicated social years of development during which we see our children often value social time with their friends more than with their parents. As these our children become older, parents often allow for more independence, while also becoming more fearful of the dangers or difficult choices that might present themselves.
Some of the structures we put in place as parents during these tween and early teen years can have very positive effects (or a lack thereof, conversely negative) on choices, motivations, and behaviors of our children as older teens.
On Wednesday, October 17th, at 9:00 AM in MPB 3, Middle School Counselors will host a session on Keeping your MS child safe in Bangkok. They will share strategies for being clear with your child about your expectations, how to encourage open dialogue, and ways to help your child make good choices.
To help with the session, we ask that MS parents complete a short anonymous survey to give us actual ISB parent data to share about the “freedom” or “control” that parents afford their children. At times our children say things like “everyone is going to … ” or “no one else’s parent calls … “. Please fill out this short survey to help us share what the reality is for our students. We will share the data with you at the session.
Call for Middle School Questions and Concerns
The first MS Principal Forum will take place Tuesday, November 6 at 9 am in MPR 3. This is an opportunity to voice your questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, and for Mr. Harter and the middle school administration to respond to them.
We are currently accepting written comments, questions and concerns that will be summarized by the MS parent counsel and then put forward to the middle school administration. MS parents who would like to submit comments should email them to mscoord@isb.ac.th before the deadline of Friday, October 12. They will then be summarized and presented to the administration for response on November 6.
Please note that comments not related to middle school will be forwarded to the related department and/or discussed in the PTA board meeting. All questions and comments will be anonymous in the report.
Submitted by Middle School Coordinators
Kelly Kabat and Ferda Seyhan
mscoord@isb.ac.th
Sign up for these great parent events with Artist-in-Residence, Jeff Ross
Jeff Ross (screen printing, painting, collage) is here during the month of October! Check out Jeff’s own work and the grade 5 skateboard collaborations in the CAO/Photography Room corridor.
In addition to working with student artists in class the following community events are on offer.
Community Events
Artist Talk in the Literary Lounge, Main Library – Wednesday, 17 October 10:30-11:00 *snacks provided
Screen printing workshop for parents – Monday, 29 October 10:00-2:00 *registration required and spaces are limited. Register here.
Screen printing workshop for parents – Wednesday, 31 October 8:00-12:00 *registration required and spaces are limited. Register here.
Parent and Toddler social at Bangkok Funarium
PTA Welcome Wai would like to invite ISB parents with toddlers to a very special downtown event. On Thursday 8th November we will be sponsoring a trip to Bangkok Funarium. This event will provide ISB parents and their toddlers with an opportunity to come together, network and play in an environment which ensures lots of fun for the smallest members of the family. There is no charge for this excursion – buses, entrance tickets and refreshments will be provided by the PTA and ISB. Please note that places are limited to 20 parents and 20 toddlers.
The Funarium play session will run from 9.30 – 11.00am. Free mini buses will leave ISB at 8.15am and downtown parents will have the option of either meeting at Funarium or using a bus that will be provided from Emporium.
If you would like to sign up for this free parent and toddler session, please follow the link to the google doc and complete all the fields by 28th October 2018 . Please note that this is an ISB parent event so all adults must be a parent of a child already at ISB. All children must be accompanied by a parent.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkwOyXoY4-NA8PDh1juZnVF_LIoIC4CRFIPdJsmQzPg/edit#gid=0
ISB MS Drama Presents: TheatreSports 2018 – Just Roll With It
New date, same amazing event! Please join us at 4:00pm in the CCT on Tuesday, October 16 (changed from Thursday the 18th) for this year’s annual TheatreSports extravaganza, Just Roll With It. Laugh, cry, cheer, and shout as students take on improvisation challenges in front of you, the live audience. The best part of the experience? You never know what’s coming next, and neither do they! Tickets are 50THB with proceeds going to support ISB’s work with Street Boys. Hope to see you there!!!
BBSA – Baseball and softball registration now open for 2018-19 Season
Bangkok Baseball Softball Association (BBSA) has organized baseball/softball play for the past 58 years in Bangkok. There are leagues for boys and girls ages 4 yrs – 18 yrs. Please note registration is open from now until November 2nd. Current fees per player are THB 3,600. Registration fees will increase to THB 4,100 on November 2nd (if there is space in our program) so be sure to register before that date.
You can make your payment at the Community Activity Office (CAO) or pay by Thai bank wire transfer. Cash, credit cards and Thai baht checks are accepted for payment at the CAO office. The CAO Office is open Monday – Friday, 7:00AM to 11:00AM and 12:00PM to 3:00PM.
Player assessment will be held on Sunday November 4th at the ISB fields. All players are strongly encouraged to attend their assessment sessions to allow the coaches to create fair and balanced teams. See the attached assessment schedule.
Opening Day for baseball/softball is on Saturday, Nov 17th. All games are played on Friday evenings and Saturdays at ISB. Games will continue every weekend until the league championships the weekend of February 22nd/23rd. There will be no games during the winter break at ISB but we will continue play on Saturday, January 5th 2019. The game schedule will be published approximately one week before the season begins.
Practices will begin the week of Nov 5th. All teams will practice once per week during the season as a weekly practice is important to skills development and to learn the fundamentals of teamwork, etc. We have arranged a downtown Bangkok location for an optionalSunday practice at NIST. Parents will have to pay THB 1,000 for the season for this practice because NIST charges for field usage.
On the registration form you will also have an opportunity to volunteer to be a coach, assistant coach or team parent. Please consider help out with your child’s team in some way. The kids really love having their parents helping out with their team and you will have a great time. No previous baseball experience is necessary.
BBSA has purchased a limited number of fielding gloves for players who need them. These will be sold on our assessment day.
Please go to www.isb.ac.th/community-baseball for more information and the registration link. Please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/217724271623929/. If you have any questions, please contact Phil Walther at info@bangkokbaseball.org
Please see assessment schedule here.
