by Dennis Harter, MS Principal
dennish@isb.ac.th
ISB Middle School is excited to be able to bring back our Class Trips during the first week in February. On these trips, students travel in grade levels to different parts of Thailand to:
- connect with students and teachers in an environment outside of school
- appreciate the culture and beauty of Thailand
- experience activities that they might not otherwise try
- engage in shared experiences that help define their middle school years
Each grade has a different experience and in order for parents to learn more about these trips, we will be hosting a parent information session about each trip on Thursday, November 26th, 8:00 – 9:00 AM in the MPB (at the top of the zig zag). We will stagger the presentations of each trip according to the following schedule:
- Grade 6 – 8:00 – 8:20 AM
- Grade 7: 8:20 – 8:40 AM
- Grade 8: 8:40 – 9:00 AM
Information from the presentations will be shared with all parents via email as well. A brief description of each trip is below. After the presentations, we will also be surveying parents about whether they will provide permission for their child to participate.
Grade 6 (3 Days / 2 Nights)
Grade 6 students travel as a whole class by buses to iCamp – a self-proclaimed “North American style camp” located here in Thailand. ISB grade 6 students and teachers are the only residents of the camp during this time and they engage in team building activities, outdoor fun, and visit an elephant sanctuary nearby. Last year, our grade 6 students had a terrific experience at iCamp.
Grade 7 (3 Days / 2 Nights)
Grade 7 students will break up into smaller groups of around 23-25 students to travel to different locations around Thailand. They will engage with local communities and environments to dig into the essential question of “how does Thailand balance human and environmental needs?” Each location will have specific activities for students to have fun and learn more about the issues related to this question. There will be a trip option for students to engage with this question in Bangkok, without an overnight component (students sleep at home each night and do day trips into the city). These trips are new this year.
Grade 8 (4 Nights / 3 Days)
The Grade 8 trip is a long standing tradition in our middle school and frequently seen as a rite of passage by many of our students. All grade 8 students and teachers take the overnight train from downtown Bangkok to Chiang Mai on a Monday night, arriving in Chiang Mai on Tuesday morning. The group goes to the Traidhos Center where they are hosted in dormitories connected to the Visiting Schools Program at Prem International School. Students engage in team building and cultural activities throughout the day and spend the 2nd night at the Traidhos Center. On the Wednesday morning, students break into smaller groups (based on sign ups) and engage in activities including zip-lining, mountain biking, hiking, cultural village visits, elephant sanctuary visits, or kayaking to name a few. Depending on activities, students will then spend the night at nearby lodging (including some remaining at Traidhos Center). On Thursday, students continue activities, get cleaned up, and then board the train to return to Bangkok. Friday morning students return to ISB and have the day off of school to rest and recover.
More information will be presented at the meetings and in follow up communication regarding specifics, safety protocols, and adjustments being made related to COVID-19 measures.
We hope to see you at our presentations and if not, please expect more information next week.