High School Upcoming events (Please click):
Friday February 8th 2019
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
‘GCW’
Gross Combined Weight?
Greeting Card Writer?
Great Cat Walk?
Global Citizenship Week
Dear Parents,
In the days ahead, we will see a steady stream of ISB students heading off on their GCW trips mostly within Thailand, but with a few groups travelling overseas. This is an exciting time for our students and is also a great opportunity for HS parents to have some time to themselves.
As you wish your children a farewell, please do remind them to keep their eyes, ears and hearts open to fully experience what each trip has to offer. Whilst many students may have their phones with them next week we are asking them to disconnect and to enjoy and savour the moments in person. You can assist with this by not sending text, whats app or line messages to them each day asking what is happening etc. Instead, plan some time on their return to sit down together and go over their experiences in person.
A special thanks to our Dean of Students, Andy Vaughan and to our HS office staff (Khun Pat in particular) 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
HS PTA meeting overview
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
A small but enthusiastic crowd joined the HS Admin team on Wednesday night for the February HS PTA meeting. Parents in attendance were able to find out ‘Why Arts and Activities matter’ with one of our MUN and debate students Sajid Farook speaking passionately about how the Arts, MUN and debate has shaped him as a person and inspired him in so many ways. We also watched a short video clip of Maggie Chao and Tana Martin perform their “Welcome to my World’ Poetry Slam which highlights/questions our dependence on phones and connectivity. I hope you take three minutes to watch their clip by clicking HERE.
In addition to these students, we heard from Jackie Valenzuela speak about the recent Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Andy Vaughan share some statistics and perspectives on alcohol and drug use amongst High Schoolers here and in the US. You can see those stats and details and more from the meeting by clicking on HS PTA Presentation. The next HS parent gathering is the HS Principal’s forum on Wednesday March 6th at 9.30am.
Regards
Justin Alexander
Presentation from Amy Smith on Adolescents and Wellness:
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
Adolescents and Wellness: Strategies to Support Your Teen
Wellness is a hot topic in schools across the world and personal wellness is a key factor in ensuring our students are prepared for their future. Research supports the need for strong wellness programs in schools across all grades. The presentation held on Tuesday, February 5th helped attendees understand some of the health and wellness needs of adolescents and how parents can support teenagers at home. You see the full presentation by clicking HERE
Amy Smith teaches Middle School Health at the Hong Kong International School and has a passion for curriculum that is current, relevant, and adaptable. She has presented at conferences in Asia as well as SXSWedu and the SHAPE America National Conventions, and serves as the Education Editor for Choices, Scholastic’s health magazine for teens. You can find her online at thehealthteacher.com and on twitter: @teaching_health.
Wrestling Success in Dubai
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
Congratulations to the Bangkok Panthers Wrestling Team!
The Bangkok Panthers Wrestling Club celebrated an incredibly successful tournament over the weekend at the MESAC (Middle East Schools Athletic Conference) Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Dubai, UAE. Coaches Chris Perry and Jon Fisher accompanied six wrestlers to the tournament, along with a small but enthusiastic group of supporting parents. One team member, Jaden Cilliers, was unable to complete the tournament due to an injury. However, the remaining five wrestlers all earned medals!
Luca Riva –108 pounds Gold Medal
Mateo Medina – 132 pounds Gold Medal
Khunsig Redmon – 146 pounds Silver Medal
Adam Scherrer – 169 pounds Gold Medal
Solomon Carey – 189 pounds Bronze Medal
Great accomplishments for the wrestlers and their coaches! Many thanks to Coach LaZich back in Bangkok who cheered on the team. Thanks to all the other wrestlers on the Bangkok Panthers Wrestling Club team who showed up and practiced hard during the season, boys and girls alike.
We will be posting more information on the Panther Wrestling Club for open mat sessions throughout the remaining school year. Join us at the gym next to the 50-meter pool. 6th – 12th-grade boys and girls both welcome!
For more details please visit the ISB CAO website or click on this link
GCW is off!
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. Our students are off to wonderful experiences and will return with stories, memories, and a we hope will develop a new outlook on friends, themselves, and the world.
We have also asked our chaperones and students to disconnect from their phones (although some will use them as a camera). Some trips will be away from wife or mobile coverage so will also have extended periods of time with no contact.
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. Students will not be issued gate passes unless they have a documented medical appointment.
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:
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.
College Counselor News
Stephan Golas
stephang@isb.ac.th
G11 Families: Now is the time to schedule your Junior Conferences with your College Counselor. Students, please speak with your parents about possible dates and times through the end of March that might work for them to meet, then log-in to Cialfo to see your College Counselor’s availability and make an appointment.
For students interested in studying tourism and hospitality:
On Saturday, February 16th, from 12:00-16:00 at the Embassy of Switzerland, the Study Swiss Fair is taking place with most of the country’s top hotel, tourism, and hospitality schools available to meet with interested students and their parents. To register, please follow the instructions here: https://nregister.nationgroup.com/KTSSF/register.php
High School Counselors News
Jackie Valenzuela
jackiev@isb.ac.th
Grade 10 to 11 Course Selection
The transition from Grade 10 to 11 is the time when students have the greatest selection of courses to choose from. You will find the Class of 2021 Course Selection and Registration Timeline below for your reference:
Class of 2021 Course Selection & Registration Timeline
Parents are encouraged to join the blue events.
January 24
Pathways Career Fair
January 31
Career Interest Profiler (Advisory)
February 7
G10 & G12 Student Mixer (Advisory)
February 25
Course Selection Mtg w/ Dean of Academics (Panther Block)
February 26
IB Basics For Parents (Evening) 6.30pm
February 26-29
Teachers discuss G11/12 course options (In Classes)
March 4
G10 Course Information Session & Department Fair (Evening) 6.30pm
March 8
HS Parent Teacher Conferences (Daytime)
March 11 & 12
College counselors meet with their assigned G10 students
Vaping
Last week we included FCD Vaping Articles 1 and 2. This eNews includes Articles 3 and 4. Here is the link:
Wishing all of our students a fun and relaxing GCW experience!
IFF 2019 Needs Your Help!
Marla Groves
pta-iff@isb.ac.th
IFF 2019 needs your help! Attached please find the volunteer sign up for IFF 2019(click), parents and HS students are asked to please sign up for a shift to help the most fun event of the school year to be a big success. Come volunteer and be part of all the great fun! For further information or questions please contact Marla Groves at PTA-IFF@isb.ac.th
ISB Steel Panthers win the Battle of Bangkok!
Shelley BRAGG
Two ISB Steel Panthers Teams got to the finals of the Battle in Bangkok VEX Robotics Competition. This means some of our Panthers are off to Kentucky for the World Championship!
Grade 12 Exam Schedules, Mock exams and for May 2018 (Repeat)
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
Important information
Grade 12 students will be undertaking Mock exams from Wednesday 6th March to Thursday 14th March, with the Arts students having a working session at specific times in the schedule. The Mock exam schedule for students will be available on PowerSchool this coming week. Please note, morning exams begin at 7:30am and afternoon exams begin at 12:00pm, with the exception for Wednesday March 6, where the session will begin at 8:00am.
Grade 12 students will all finish formal classes on Friday 26th April and start study leave the following week. The official IB exams for ISB start onFriday 3rd May and go through to Thursday 23rd 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.
Grade 10 ISA Testing (Repeat)
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
On the mornings of Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st 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 tothe test. EAL students may also bring a translating dictionary for the Mathematics.
IB Basics for Parents (Repeat)
Susan Canobie
susanca@isb.ac.th
An information session on the basics of the IB Diploma dated for Tuesday February 26th will at 6:30-7:30pm in MPB1. Please come and learn the basics of the IB Diploma Program and its assessment.
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.