Keeping Backpacks lighter
by Dennis Harter, MS Principal
dennish@isb.ac.th
As we have shared in earlier communication, this year we have not been able to start the school year with use of the lockers in the middle school. Our normal practice is to insist on using lockers, having students only carry the materials they need for one class at a time.
Students have their bags with them more than before
Unfortunately, due to physical distancing requirements and the natural clustering that would happen around our lockers, we have had to ask students to carry their own bags from class to class throughout the day. We understand that this isn’t ideal.
Students are only carry their bags to school and between classes, the latter of which is about 15-30 minutes total, spread out throughout the day. We leave the bags in classrooms at lunch. However, we also know that before and after school, some students walk or bike and have their bags on their backs for much longer (which lockers alone don’t help with).
While we remain hopeful that we can open up locker use soon, we want to support students by minimizing what they are carrying each day. We could use some partnership at home to help with this.
They don’t need so much stuff
The middle school schedule has alternating days. Students either have odd period classes (1,3,5,7) or even period classes (2,4,6,8) on a given day, but not both. As such, each evening, students can pack their bags with only the materials needed for half their classes. They need the laptop each day, but can bring only notebooks or materials for the classes that meet that day and we really don’t have many “textbooks.”
For example, they don’t need the writing journals or books they are reading for English to be in their bag every day – just on the day they have English.
Help your child ease the load
We know that MS students can often struggle with organization or just not want to bother pull items from their bags and add them each night. This is where parents can help their child develop a system at home. Create a consistent space where they keep their class materials. Each evening or morning when they pack their bag, they can take everything out from the day before, and transfer in all the items they need for the coming school day. After doing homework, students can put those materials in that same spot.
By keeping the materials they’ve just removed in that same location, the switch for the next day is easy and quick.
Students may also want to write the period number on the front of notebooks or materials or even just and O or E for odd and even, again making it easier to spot what needs to go into the bag depending on the day.
Developing self-management and organization skills is essential learning at this age group. Students need our help. In this case, these skills can also help their bags from being overweight.
We will continue to work with students on these ideas at school and appreciate your support in helping your children develop a system at home.
MAP Testing: 2020-21
All MS students will take the NWEA Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test in Math and Reading on the mornings of August 27 and 28, 2020.
Dear Parents,
In the coming weeks, learners in grades 2-8 will be taking the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test. MAP testing is done on a computer and each test adapts to the student’s previous answers, so if they answer a question correctly, the test gets progressively more challenging. If a student answers a question incorrectly, the test adapts to become easier.
MAP is a standardized test and is only one part of ISB’s overall assessment plan. MAP testing is given twice a year, in the fall and in the spring. MAP provides a standardized measure of student growth in Reading and Mathematics based on our content standards. A true picture of a child’s academic progress must include a variety of opportunities to demonstrate learning such as ongoing formative assessments given regularly in class; evidence of understanding such as writing samples, projects, and presentations; and teacher designed assessments. Teachers collect a range of learning data to help them determine where students are in their learning and where they are ready to go next. MAP is a single piece of your child’s learning picture.
MAP measures your child’s achievement level compared to other students who have taken this test. 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.
As with any standardized assessment, students can become anxious about how they will perform. You can support your child by ensuring that s/he gets a good night’s sleep, has a healthy breakfast, and comes to school knowing that this is important, and they can do it!
If you have any questions, you can look at the NWEA website or contact me (debic@isb.ac.th).
Results will be shared with parents and an informational meeting scheduled after the testing is completed.
Your partner in learning,
Debi Caskey
Deputy Head of School for Learning
NOTE: For those students who are learning virtually during the testing window, we are working on setting up the testing to be administered remotely (in their current location) during the same timeframe. We will be in touch with these families soon.
Flex Classes
MS students will be selecting classes for a flex mini-session on Tuesday, August 25th during Advisory.
What is flex? Flex is an opportunity for your child to have some fun, to find some balance, and it offers students a chance to try something new! Our first session this year will be a mini-session that will take place throughout September. Flex takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of advisory. Please encourage your child to check the Good Morning Middle School bulletin to access the list of flex courses on offer.
THEATRESPORTS is coming!
If you have not done anything like this before, you will be opening up whole new worlds of creativity for yourself! TheatreSports means improvisation games, and improvisation in theatre is “to make a piece of theatre up, on the spot.” Every scene is fun, fresh, and funny, and teams of improv players play games to compete to win over the audience.
Join in the THEATRESPORTS fun by joining the AUDITION PROCESS after school Aug 31 – Sept 2, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. (You must come to all three days.) Come with a 4-person team OR come by yourself/with others and find a team on those days. Auditions in the CC Theatre, 3:00pm – 4:30pm. For more information, see Mr Wall in Room 8-202 or email at dannyw@isb.ac.th
Important update from ISB Athletics
By Mark Jaspers, Associate Athletic Director
With this being an unusual year, we decided to make a few exceptions in our policies that hopefully benefit our student-athletes and teams.
1. Playing on multiple teams (U15 and JV)
We will allow grade 8 and 9 student-Athletes to practice on multiple teams this year for U15/JV. With most likely no BISAC League, this will not create too many conflicts. (e.g. Students can do both U15 Touch and JV Soccer)
Students will have to identify their “main sport” and when there is a conflict, they should always pick that sport as their first priority for practices and games.
(e.g. On Wednesday I practice with JV soccer and I will also play in that tournament at the end of the season if it conflicts with my other sport)
This will help everyone in their planning for the season.
2. Inviting 7th-grade students for U15 Touch and Rugby
We are still building these programs and in order to support the development, we decided to allow grade 7 students to join our U15 Touch and Rugby program this year starting next week. For Rugby, it will be training only for the moment.
Students who wish to do this should contact the coaches directly and can come to training on Monday at 3:55
U15 TOUCH: Mr. Bates – chadb@isb.ac.th U15 RUGBY: Mr. McRobbie – amcrobbie63@gmail.com
PTA – Welcome Back Coffee
Let’s enjoy a coffee together with our community members!!
It’s a great opportunity to meet the new families who has arrived and to say hello returning friends!!
Date Wednesday 2nd September 2020
Time 1:30-2:30pm
Location MPB1-3
Repeat Announcement:MS musical instruments guidelines
As part of our safety protocols, we want to be sure that no one besides your child has touched their musical instrument. As such, middle school students who bring their instruments to school in the morning should take them directly to their band or orchestra classroom at the start of the day. They can be stored in the room until used and picked up at the end of the day from the music rooms.
Please help your child by allowing enough time in the morning at arrival so that they can still make it to class on time. At the end of the day, students have plenty of time before buses leave to collect their instruments as well.
We will not be providing a trolley to transport the instruments any longer.
We also don’t want the students carrying their instruments from class to class, which adds to their carrying load and adds to the likelihood of damaging the instrument.
Repeat Announcement: How to Subscribe/Resubscribe to receive the Good Morning ISB Middle School – Daily Student Announcements…
Dear New/Returning ISB Middle School Parents,
If you would like to start receiving in your email each day, the Good Morning ISB Middle School – Daily Student Announcements, please complete and submit this subscription form to do so.
If you were already on our list last year, please note this parent database is rebuilt from scratch at the start of each school year so you will need to resubscribe if you would like to continue receiving the announcements this year.