Message from HS Principal
Dear Parents,
We just enjoyed a great week of celebration and learning and some cooler weather as well. The Romeo and Juliet play took center stage this week and despite the play ending in tragedy as we all knew it would, it was a great play with some wonderful performances by our thespians. Huge thanks to our audiences who came out to enjoy the play this week.
Today is the end of intercultural week and a number of activities and events throughout the school celebrating the differences and similarities of the many cultures that exist at ISB. Colorful national costumes sprinkled with a smattering of jeans and t-shirts ensured that our week ended on a high. Next week we turn our attention to IASAS MUN, where the ISB delegates will be participating in the IASAS MUN conference virtually. We wish them all the best with their motions, debates, and discussions about real-world issues and problems. Additionally, our IASAS Art and Film delegates will be participating in their Cultural Conventions in conjunction with our IASAS friends. We look forward to seeing the output of our creative students at the conclusion of their conferences.
All the best
Regards
Justin Alexander
High School Principal
News from HS Counselors
Kevin Callahan
kevinc@isb.ac.th
As we near the end of the first semester (now six weeks away) the stress on students is at a high level. They get it from school obligations, from friends (it’s a collaborative environment at ISB but students can’t help but compare grades, performance, etc. with each other), parents (expectations from home are often higher than what is realistic), and from themselves, having internalized parental and societal expectations of what “success” means. More and more, we are seeing that these definitions of success don’t coincide with happiness and fulfillment, and it makes students sad and gives them a sense that they are letting their parents and others down, even when they are doing the best that they can.
It’s harder than ever to be a young person in this day and age of electronic media. Please work with your student to keep their stress at a reasonable level. Here is a good article that can help you reflect on how to help your student keep things in proper perspective, and to understand your role in keeping your child healthy and their self-esteem intact. It applies to young people of all ages, but for high schoolers, look closely at numbers 1,3,5,6, and 7.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/7-tips-for-helping-your-child-manage-stress/
In the end, we all want the same things for our children – that they are happy, productive and successful. If your student is experiencing an amount of stress that you feel is affecting their well-being, please don’t hesitate to contact their counselor for a chat about how we can help.
News from the College Office
Sonya Ohlsson
sonyao@isb.ac.th
Seniors:
Reminder: November 18 is the deadline for Transcript Requests for all applications that are due by February 15. The request form is on the ISB college website.
Also, just a note about Mid-Year grades. Most universities in the US require them and it may be something that a school portal says is missing, which, at this point, is true because these are first semester grades and first semester is not over yet. They will automatically be sent once they are available in late January, once all the first semester grades are in and confirmed by the Academic Office and the transcripts are created and uploaded. Students do not need to request that we send them.
December 1 is the UCAS deadline. Students need to submit their completed UCAS by this date. It is submitted to your college counselor who reviews it, sends it back to you if there are any issues, then submits it to UCAS so the UK universities can access it.
Juniors:
The next Junior College Seminar is Tuesday, Nov. 17th. Each junior will be grouped with their college counselor to begin some deeper discussions about what you need to know about yourself before you can really search for colleges that are good fits. All the College Seminars this semester will lead to the Junior-led College Conferences with their counselor and their parents. This is when we have individualized discussions about each student’s journey.
SAT:
We have been informed by the College Board that there was a glitch in their system that briefly let students who missed the registration deadline for the December 5 test sign up for Stand-by status. The College Board had corrected their glitch and is sticking to their earlier decision to not allow any Stand-by or Waitlists for international test-takers. Those who may have signed up for ore received a notice that they were on Stand-by were removed from the December test roster by the College Board and will not be allowed to test on December 5.
The next SAT after December will be March 13, 2021 and the registration deadline is February 12, 2021.
ISB Virtual University Visits Next Week:
Nov. 16 University of Toronto 11:00am
Nov. 18 Art Schools Galore! CCA, CCS, MICA, SAIC 11:00am
Nov. 20 CityU Hong Kong 11:00am
For more information on all virtual visits (how to register and join in on a call) as well as links to other resources, please look here: tinyurl.com/isbcollege
News from The Main Library
Chris Bell
chrisb@isb.ac.th
This week we focus on changes. We aired the live election results for the United States in the library and it created quite a bit of a scene in between classes and for those students who were on their off periods. It was good to see how interested students were in politics and concerned about the future. Hopefully, things in America will change for the better.
Yet many people fearsome changes. They can be resistant and often do not want to see the ‘old way’ go away. It must be said that not all changes are for the better. It is most often trust or a lack of trust that seems to play a role in the response. I think as a librarian, I have to embrace change. Libraries are everything to everyone. We have become so much more than just a place to check out books. We offer places to study, Podcasting rooms, video rooms, VR rooms, meeting places, display places, basically anything our community asks for we try to make happen. To that end, let us know if there is something you would like to see happen in the Library.
At the same time this week, we hosted the entire Grade 7 class for a VR Experience, which served as a large-scale test for implementations in the High School. Students came to the library in classes and went through a brief UN Created experience called, ‘Clouds Over Sidra’ which is an 11-year-old Syrian girl, Sidra, explaining her daily life in a refugee camp. It is a powerful experience for the students. We have things lined up for High School students to begin soon and we hope to offer parent events in the future.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Shiver (Series) ~ by Maggie Stiefvater
Paranormal books are fun, exciting, and offer something out of the ordinary. The Shiver series is an award-winning book that has a different look at werewolves. This time the wolves change based on seasons and they aren’t a bad group. Our lead character meets her wolves in an attack. Yet she is drawn to them for some reason. We learn to like wolves and care for them. This book has all the high school drama, with the wolves having their own issues. This is definitely a face-paced book.
TECH RECOMMENDATION
Lucidcharts is one of my favorite apps. It has something very close. Linked here is a template, and there are many more, that you can use just like sticky notes in a virtual setting. You can put all your ideas and thoughts on each ‘sticky note’ then organize them so they are grouped by an idea, by set, or some other measure. For more cool ideas go to your Google Apps and find LucidCharts. Then look at the themes. There are great brainstorming ideas, ways to organize thinking, and flowcharts.
Warmest Regards,
Christopher Bell
High School Technology Coordinator and Librarian
christob@isb.ac.th +66 963-58900 ext 1193
News from The Athletic
Chris Mott
chrism@isb.ac.th
ISB Bangkok Invitational – 27th/28th of November
Varsity Swimming, Tennis, Basketball, Varsity Touch and Varsity Rugby will be participating in the ISB Bangkok Invitational on Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th of November.
All ISB parents of participating athletes will be invited to attend the tournament. More information in relation to events will be shared in the near future, inclusive of schedules and logistics.
The Athletics Office is excited to have another great event happening here at ISB.
Season One U13-U15 Sports Celebration (16 November)
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
Upcoming events
27-28 November – ISB Bangkok Invitational
28 November – U15 Soccer tournament at BKKP
12 December – U13-U15 Badminton tournament at ISB
For the latest information on games, please visit www.isbathletics.com
Intercultural Assembly
Peter Assimakopolous
petera@isb.ac.th
The many cultures that represent our community came together for an assembly this week in the high school. Click the link to enjoy the many wonderful performances, celebration of cultures, and videos shared in this week’s Intercultural Assembly.
Artist Talk on Monday, 16 November at 10:50-11:20 CCT
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Join us to hear about the artistic practice and work of Ralph Kiggell (ISB Artist in Residence 16-21 November) at his Artist Talk on Monday, 16 November at 10:50-11:20 in the CC Theatre. Ralph is a woodblock printing artist who studied traditional and contemporary woodblock printing techniques in Japan for several years. He has established his studio in Thailand and from there creates a variety of print works, large and small, in books and via installations, infused with his observations and interpretations. Visiting Artist Ralph Kiggell 16-21 November
Ralph will be working with ISB’s IASAS Cultural Convention Visual Arts delegates for the week.
ISB Film Festival – 4:00pm Monday, November 23 CCT
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Filmmakers of ISB have come together to organise a unique ISB film festival experience! On November 23rd, we will be showcasing IASAS delegate films, the films created during IASAS weekend and films made by independent ISB filmmakers. Doors open at 3:30PM in the CCT foyer and the showing will run from 4 to 5pm! 80 baht tickets go on sale starting from now to the 23rd (100 baht at the door), and all proceeds will go directly to Operation Smile. We’ll also have photo booths and photographers! Come out to have a good time and celebrate the achievements of ISB’s talented filmmakers. Order your tickets HERE.
P.S. If you have your own films you’d like to show, it’s not too late to submit (LINK FOR SUBMISSION).
Sports Science & Technology at Mahidol University – December 7
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Ever want to combine your love of science with sports / dance? Then join a Field Trip to MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY’s world-class SPORTS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY laboratories! You’ll see the latest technology and clinical testing behind the human machine and elite performance capabilities. MONDAY, DEC 7 (no school) from 9:00 – 13:00. Click the link HERE if you’re interested.
ISB BANGKOK ATHLETICS SHIRT ORDERS FOR SEASON 2
Booster Club – President
booster-president@isb.ac.th
Come place your orders with the Booster Club!
You can pay cash or use your ID card when you order.
Short sleeves 400 baht – Long sleeves 500 baht
Date: Wednesday, November 18th & Thursday, November 19th
Time: 2:30 to 5pm
Location: Breezway outside the Rajendra Hall OR Booster Hut 10-12 on Thursday morning during lunch
Raising Multilinguals HOW?
Avery Udagawa
averyu@isb.ac.th
Raising Multilinguals How? Unlocking the World Through Language-Rich Experiences
How can parents nurture native language besides speaking it with their children and enrolling them in classes?
Find out by joining us on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, from 8:15-9:45 a.m., for the workshop Raising Multilinguals How? Unlocking the World Through Language-Rich Experiences.
In this workshop, a followup to Raising Multilinguals, we will explore how families can promote literacy (reading and writing) and rich conversation, in support of the family language plan.
Parents of students in PreK through Grade 12 are welcome! Please sign up here if you plan to attend. The workshop will be held in the MS/HS Library’s Literary Lounge, unless sign-ups require a larger room to meet physical distancing guidelines. If you have any questions, please write: nativelanguage@isb.ac.th
HS Parent Workshop: Assessment and Pathways (Mathematics, World Language, Science) (REPEAT)
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
On Wednesday 18th November, we will be running a workshop for HS parents. This workshop will be split into two parts:
Part A – Focused on Assessment in the HS
Time: 12:30 – 1:15 PM
Part B – Focused on pathways in World Languages, Science and Mathematics in the HS
Time: 1:30 – 2:15 PM
Both workshops will be held in MPB 1.
These workshops provide an opportunity to address some of the questions that have been raised through the Principal’s Forum, including more in depth focus on Assessment and Grading in the HS and how our pathways in science, world languages and mathematics align with the IB Diploma.
You are welcome to come to one or the other, or both workshops. We will have a short coffee break in between each session.
IB Roundtable for HS Parents (REPEAT)
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
During the recent HS Principal’s Forum, it was clear that there is a lot of interest in learning more about the IB Diploma, with many parent questions surrounding university recognition, assessment in the IB, subject choices and how we prepare and support students through the program at ISB.
If you are interested in learning more about the IB and would like to have specific questions answered about the IB program, you are welcome to attend our IB roundtable discussion. This will take place on Thursday 26th November at 9:30 AM, in MPB 1.
Please note, this is not a presentation where we will go over the basics of the IB Diploma. This is more of an opportunity to engage in conversation about the IB at ISB and questions that came up at the Principal’s Forum.
There will be an IB Basics Night offered on January 21st, 2021 at 6:30 PM (save the date). This will be a presentation about the IB aimed at parents new to the program offering a thorough overview of the IB Diploma.
BBSA Opening Day Ceremony – 10:30am November 14 Reinsch Field
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Please join us at 10:30am on Saturday, November 14th for the BBSA Opening Day Ceremony to kick off Bangkok Baseball and Softball Association’s 70th annual season where we will dedicate the newly refurbished Reinsch Field in loving memory of Bill Reinsch and his decades long relationship with baseball and softball in Bangkok as well as ISB. Come early to catch the first games at 8:30am, or stay after for the later matches scheduled at 10:30am.