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Summary of MS Principal’s Forum

by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th

This past Tuesday, we hosted our MS Principal’s Forum. This meeting is our chance to answer parent concerns and questions. Thank you to our MS PTA Coordinators who helped collect, organize and support the anonymous parent submissions.

Below we share the slideshow of the presentation with key talking points for the issues covered, however, the slides alone do not provide the full details that were presented. If you have any questions regarding any of the points, please feel free to contact me.

We also shared that we have passed along the concerns around cafeteria wait time and better limitation controls to our cafeteria and ed-tech staff. We also appreciate the recommendation to ensure drinking water in the supplementary tent. We’ve now put this in place.

One further question asked about how our teacher evaluation process worked, which we presented extensively on during the last PTA meeting. School administration have extensive ways with which we observe, provide feedback, support growth, and engage with teachers. If parents have specific questions, they can contact the teacher directly, or reach out to Cindy or myself. 
 

Helping our kids (and ourselves) take control of our phone use 

Last Friday, MS admin and counselors hosted a parent discussion group around the Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma.” We looked at society’s ever growing use and dependence on social media and in particular the mental health implications of this development.

We recommend our parent community to watch this film and think it’s particularly useful to watch it with your children. It’s useful for us all to understand the intentions of the technology and how the artificial intelligence (AI) works to keep us viewing, scrolling, and clicking. Social media has of course served us in many positive ways, connecting us with friends and family, keeping us informed, and improving our lives in many ways. However, there are also impacts on our social skills, attention, and time spent with loved ones or in nature.

One of the big takeaways and recommendations for both young people and adults was to take more control of our device viewing habits, starting with knowing more about our own use. Instead of letting the media call to us and dictate our attention, we can create an environment in which we use social media on our own terms, once we understand how we use our phones and how notifications grab our attention unnecessarily (my computer literally just chimed as I was typing this!).

At the session, I demonstrated how we can look at our screentime data and understand how notifications and pick-ups might be connected for us. HS Dean of Students, Andy Vaughan, shared this video taking you through how you can view and change these settings. Parents and students alike should shut off notifications other than for necessary reminders, remove those pesky badge numbers that compel us to open apps to clear the number, and take control of when you access the apps, instead of letting your phone tell you when you should look. 

These are important conversations to be having with your children. View and share your screentime and app use with each other and discuss what might be healthier and more positive for each of you. Students will appreciate understanding how you feel about this tech and you will like knowing that your child is taking more control over how their phone is used.

 

Friday, November 13th – Intercultural Day

On Friday, November 13th, ISB will be celebrating the many diverse cultures of our school community by recognizing Intercultural Day. 

We encourage students and teachers to celebrate their own culture or one with which they feel connected (maybe having lived there for many years) by wearing national dress or other clothing that celebrates that culture.

Often parents can help their child connect with their home culture or share experiences or ideas about how to celebrate. We look forward to the wonderful day showcasing our diverse community.

 

 

Visa Renewal Reminder

By John Leiner, Director of Admissions

A friendly reminder that we are six weeks away from winter break. Please check your passports to see when your visa expires and contact Khun Tang in the admissions office to renew your paperwork before December 11th. Limited resources are available after December 18, and five working days are needed to process documents. The school is closed from December 25-January 3. Happy Holidays!

 

The Grade Eight’s GUIDE TO IDENTITY

A resource for ISB students, faculty, and families on key ideas so that we can better understand ourselves and each other. 

sites.google.com/isb.ac.th/identity/home 

 

Season One U13-U15 Sports Celebration (16 November)

By Chris Mott, Athletic Director

The season One U13-U15 Sports celebration will be held on Monday 16 November. 

Due to COVID-19 Restrictions, only coaches and athletes can attend this year.

Dress code: Smart Casual

4:30 – 5:00 -Team rooms 

5:00 – 6:00 – Awards presentation in Chevron (streamed for parents)

6:15 Downtown bus will leave from the Panther

Season One Athletes and parents will receive further information via email. 

 

High School Fall Production – “Romeo and Juliet”

Shakespeare’s classic love story, Romeo and Juliet, tells the tale of two young lovers from warring families who fall in love against the wishes of their parents. Hope that this union can unite the two sides for good is overshadowed by the hatred and bloodshed that follows, and the world’s most famous tragedy reminds us, particularly in these turbulent modern times, that we should focus on the things that unite us, rather than our differences. 

BBSA Opening Day Ceremony – 10:30am Saturday, November 14 at Reinsch Field

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