Social Media and the MS Student
When we come across some useful articles, we like to share them with our community.
Parenting adolescents has always been difficult enough, but doing it in 2019 has been made all the more challenging with smart phones and social media. Teens’ constant connection and fear of missing out often adds stress and anxiety for young people.
In an article in Psychology Today from March 2017, Victoria L. Dunckley M.D. contends that social media and middle school aged students are not a good combination.
“Because the midbrain is reorganizing itself and risk-taking is high and impulse control is low, I can’t imagine a worse time in a child’s life to have access to social media than middle school.”
image by Flickr user – Blogtrepreneur
I encourage our MS Parent community to read the article linked above. It’s a good read that shares some of the brain development conflicts between adolescents and social media. Hopefully, it might give you some context for delay or further conversation with your middle school child.
MS Semester 1 Report Cards
by Cindy Plantecoste, MS Dean of Academics
If you have not yet had a chance to read your child’s report card, please log into PowerSchool and download the report card for semester one. This is a great opportunity for you to engage in a discussion with your child around areas of strength, areas for further growth and her/his approaches to learning.
MS Leadership Seminar – January 26th
On January 26th , 9-11 AM, the Middle School Leadership Seminar focuses on resolving conflicts through collaboration. Students will define conflict and will examine the different causes of conflict. They will also be introduced to different conflict resolution styles and protocols and will practice applying these skills through a series of hands on, interactive activities.
This is a great opportunity for your child to develop and refine her conflict resolution skills while getting to know other middle school students across all three grades. If your child would like to attend this seminar, you can sign up on this document.
Repeat Announcement: Home Laptop Agreement
The beginning of the year is a good time to reflect on how we can improve our lives and change habits. If screen time and the use of technology are issues you would like to revisit, please use the linked ISB home agreements. The questions in the form help establish guidelines for the use of the ISB laptop at home. The same questions can also be used to have conversations with your child about the use of mobile phones as well.
Repeat Announcement: GYMNASTICS REGISTRATION
It is never too late to start gymnastics. The ISB Panther Gymnastics is still accepting registrations for all MS boys and girls for semester 2 – 2018-2019. Any ISB MS student interested in learning gymnastics skills for fitness, recreational or competition reasons are welcome to join. Gymnastics is a great foundation for all sports, develop strength, flexibility, agility and coordination. It is a year round sport at ISB and offer a great combination with other sport and activities. Three programmes for our MS Students; Tumbling Classes, Artistics Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics
Artistics Gymnastics for MS students all level:
Tuesday & Thursday: 16h40-18h40
Wednesday: 15h40-17h40 or 17h40-19h40
Friday: 16h40-18h40
Saturday: 09h00-11h00
Please consult the schedule per age and level, the fees and the registration link here.
Tumbling gymnastics: Learn to fall learn to fly:
We still offer special training for students that love parkour, jumping everywhere, enjoy dance street, etc… Every MS student can learn to fall…and fly in a secure environment. Limited space available:
Wednesday: 15h40-17h40
Friday: 16h40-17h40
Please consult the schedule per age and level, the fees and the registration link here.
Rhythmic Gymnastics:
Every Sunday from 09h00 to 11h00, we are offering Rhytmic Gymnastics. Students learn routines choreographed to music, involving gymnastics (tumbling) and dance, combined with the handling of small equipment including a ball, rope, ribbon, hoop, and clubs. The choreography includes a balanced choice of jumps, leaps, pivots, balances and flexibility movements. For more details, please contact us directly at cao.gymnastics@isb.ac.th
If you have any questions about these 3 programmes, please contact us at cao.gymnastics@isb.ac.th
Repeat Announcement: ArtSS: Art Studio Saturday – 26 January!
Art Studio Saturdays are designed to enrich the ISB community through the intellectual and creative thoughts and actions of its participants.
The format of Art Studio Saturday is structured so that participants are involved in one of four focus workshops in which they will learn specific skills, have the opportunity for individual exploration, and participate in creative challenges. As the day progresses, participants will be invited to visit other workshops and to engage in collaborative works.
All participants, regardless of workshop, will explore image making with a focus on mark making, texture, and contrast in a variety of media, including; paint, print, ink, clay, charcoal, oil pastel. Participants will be working towards a collaborative piece as well as individual works. These explorations will be both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional.
Saturday, 26 January 2019
10:00-2:00
Art Quad
Art Studio Saturday is free and includes a light lunch.
It is open to students (grade 4 and up), parents, staff and teachers at ISB.
Spaces are limited and will be based on a diversity of ages and experiences.
Please register here by Thursday, 17 January.
Confirmation emails will be sent on Monday, 21 January.
This studio session is hosted by the ISB Visual Art Department with support from the ISB PTA & Boosters.
For more information please email: kylieh@isb.ac.th, johannan@isb.ac.th, tristam@isb.ac.th, basilt@isb.ac.th, or pauld@isb.ac.th.
Repeat Announcement: Raising Multilinguals Parent Workshop
On Thursday, January 24, 2019, from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. in MPB 1, 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 similar to the Raising Multilinguals workshop offered last year, and is especially useful for new families.
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 email: nativelanguage@isb.ac.th
Repeat Announcement: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
(This is a reminder of a post shared in December.)
Dear Parent/Guardian,
At ISB we care deeply about the well-being of our students. To help us meet our mission to support them in leading healthy, active and balanced lives, we will pilot the administration of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to all Middle and High School students in January.
Why is the questionnaire being administered?
The purpose of this questionnaire is to:
- Identify students who require immediate support
- Identify students who are struggling with social/emotional/behavioral issues in order to provide appropriate early intervention/prevention support
- Obtain an overview of the social/emotional/behavioral needs at our school to ensure that we are providing optimal support for our students
How and when will the questionnaire be administered?
The survey will be administered on Monday, January 28 to Middle School students. The online questionnaire will be administered during an Advisory class period and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your child’s participation is voluntary. The survey items are available for you to review here.
How will the results be used?
- The data collected will be managed, analyzed, and reported by a team including the school counselors, school psychologists and the Director of Student Services in accordance with the ISB Confidentiality Policy.
- Individual student responses to the questionnaire are confidential. Any concerns raised through the survey administration process will be shared only with school personnel involved in supporting that student.
- The questionnaire administration process has been designed to identify specific students who need additional support. The survey will be conducted electronically and students’ names will be captured along with their responses. ISB counselors will meet with any student whose responses indicate a need for follow up and parents will be notified.
- School counselors, school psychologists and administrators will analyze overall trends to help improve student support at ISB.
- In completing this questionnaire your child will have an opportunity to privately reflect on his/her current social emotional health and wellness. Some parents may choose to use the questionnaire as an opportunity to create dialogue related to social emotional wellbeing topics with their child following completion of the survey.
- Key findings will be shared with teachers and parents.
Does my child have to complete the questionnaire?
No. As a parent or guardian, you can opt out of having your child complete this questionnaire. Students will be informed that they may choose to skip any questions that they do not feel comfortable answering.
Parents/Guardians who do not want their child to take the survey should let their child’s school counselor know by phone or in writing no later than January 14. ISB will assume parent/guardian consent to their child participating unless the school counselor has been notified. Parents do not have to do anything unless they do not want their child to participate.
Thank you so much for your support with this important project.
The ISB Counseling Team
Middle School Counselors:
Karen Kinsella (karenk@isb.ac.th)
Colleen Coady (colleenc@isb.ac.th)
High School Counselors:
Jackie Valenzuela (jackiev@isb.ac.th)
Kevin Callahan (kevinc@isb.ac.th)
Kevin Davy (kevind@isb.ac.th)
MS and HS School Psychologist:
Ryan Ruhl (ryanr@isb.ac.th)
Director of Student Services:
Cindy Warner-Dobrowski (cindyw@isb.ac.th)