‘Welcome Back’
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
Dear Parents,
It was just fantastic to have so many of our students back on campus this week and to see their smiling faces (under masks) as they entered the campus starting on Wednesday. It might be the first time I have seen HS students lining up at 7.00 am to walk through the turnstiles when they might otherwise be trying to catch a few more minutes of sleep.
Thank you to all our parents who have been following the instructions about ATK testing and filling out self-declaration forms at the right time and making sure that your child was able to access campus this week. On Wednesday just under 80% of our Gr 11 and 12 students joined us on campus and on Friday 84% of all Gr 9 and 10 students walked through our turnstiles. That means we had a large number of ATK’s being taken and a lot of forms being filled out correctly. Well done and please remember to continue taking these tests and submitting the form on Sundays and Tuesdays between 4-8 pm.
Speaking of safety precautions and keeping everyone safe at these times we are excited to confirm that we will have about 220 ISB HS students who will receive their first Pfizer vaccination on Wednesday, October 6th at the Medpark hospital. Mr. Vaughan has an article later in the Enews that gives more details about how we will handle attendance etc on that day.
Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing Gr 9 and 10 again on Monday and Grade 11 and 12 on Tuesday.
Regards
Justin Alexander
HS Principal
Attendance for Medpark Vaccinations -6 October
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
On Wednesday, 6 October, roughly 220 High School Students will be getting Pfizer vaccinations at Medpark Hospital. These appointments are spread throughout the day, however the High School will still be running classes throughout the day; both live for Grade 11 & 12 and virtual for Grade 9 & 10.
If your child has an appointment for this round of vaccinations, please do not email or call Khun Gade to release your child from school or to inform of your child’s absence for this vaccination.
If your appointment is later in the day, please arrange directly with your child what time you will pick them up from school and ask your child to come to the HS office to get a gate pass in order to leave campus. We have a record of all appointments and will release your child to meet you at the front of school. If you have an early morning appointment, your child can come to school after their appointment and enter campus with their ID card as normal.
All students who have an appointment will have the attendance code ‘SPC’ (Special Event) on PowerSchool for all their classes for this day. Please note that this code is an indicator for teachers if your child is not in class and does not count towards absences in any class.
Uniforms and Dress Code Reminders
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
It has been great to have students back on campus this week and for the most part, students were dressed appropriately in school uniform. The one area that needs some attention are school pants, which tended to be an issue more for our Grade 9 and 10 students.
The summary shared in last week’s Enews is below, however specifically for pants is the need to have plain pants, they should be free of any logos and should be of appropriate length. PE shorts are not part of the High School uniform.
Our dress code policy can be found in the online student handbook under ‘Uniform and Dress Code’.
For a quick summary please note the following:
- School pants can be purchased from the bookstore, but we do allow non-bookstore pants, so long as they are in the same design limitations. Pants must be appropriate length (defined as 1/3 of the hip to knee). Tighter pants are allowed however, spandex and ‘branded’ sports pants are not allowed.
- Hoodies and sweaters must be purchased from the Booster Hut. All other team hoodies are not to be worn on Monday to Thursday.
- Every Friday students will have a specific focused alternative dress day in which they will be able to wear ISB Team-wear, class shirts, ISB club wear or themed dress as per the planned schedule for that week. Our Student Council will be sharing these dress days with students directly.
- Footwear should be comfortable, practical and safe. Open toe shoes are not allowed such as slippers and flip flop sandals.
Please note that in the first two weeks of school back on campus, we understand that some students will still be purchasing new uniforms if they have not been able to get to campus prior to this time. It would be appreciated if parents can check uniforms as your child gets back into practice. After October break, any student not in uniform will be required to purchase the right uniform from the ISB Bookstore.
ID Cards for students
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
All students will require their ID card to enter campus when we return. Please see below some key reminders about ensuring your child is prepared to enter campus without any issues:
- ID Cards from last year are all activated to work for all students, including students moving up from middle school
- New Students in school have received their ID cards. If you are still to arrive at ISB this will be issued on your first day at school.
- If a student has lost their ID card they can pay for a new ID card in the Chevron Foyer through October break.
- Grade 9 returning students are having new cards made on Friday 1 October and Monday 4 October. New cards will be available for collection on the morning of Thursday 7 October.
Day Rotation & Schedule for this coming week
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
Please note that this coming week’s schedule is not as is printed on the ISB school calendar as we have had to decouple from the Day Calendar Rotation printed on the school calendar. If you would like to see the current day calendar, please subscribe to this Google Calendar.
Please note that we are not running Student Parent Teacher Conferences at the end of this week.
A graphic for this week’s schedule can be found linked to this picture:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x0gmGSz2LsAGWUOu-znlOFPMfSs6NJnz/view?usp=sharing
HAL Reflection as part of our Advisory Program
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
During the last few advisory sessions, HS students have been working on a self-assessment of their Habits and Attitudes towards learning (HAL). Students looked over their HAL performance given by teachers, and using the same lens were asked to self-assess their areas of strength and areas of growth. Self-assessment and self-reflection is a powerful way to enhance a student’s learning experience. It plays an important role in teaching students not just what to learn, but also how they learn and what they can do to improve their learning habits and attitudes.
Following a guided reflective session in consultation with their Advisor, students either wrote a self reflection or produced a short video reflecting on their learning.
By the end of Friday 8th October, parents should receive an email from their child, sharing their reflections.
Please be on the lookout for this email from your child and be sure to have a conversation at home about the process. Hopefully all students found this to be a meaningful experience and have been able to learn something more about themselves as learners.
HAL Progress and Grade Up Date
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
We have updated our Habits and Attitudes to Learning progress along with a Grade-Up-Date as a Pass / Fail, as explained in last week’s E News. Both grades are now visible for students and parents on PowerSchool.
Please note that students taking a Global Online Academy course or a Pamoja online course, will not have grades input at this time.
To access please see the following guide to help you: –
To view current grade and HAL progress:
- Log to PowerSchool Parent Portal.
- Select ‘Grades and Attendance’
- To view current grades, select ‘Grades and Attendance’ tab
- To view current HAL performance, select ‘Standards Grades’
If you have any questions about your child’s academic performance, please reach out to the subject teacher or the student’s counselor. the admin team can also help, if you have any overall questions.
Advanced Placement Exams – Information for 2022
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
Dear Students and Parents,
Between September and November 2021, we will be registering students for AP exams for the May 2022 Session.
If you are interested in sitting an AP exam at ISB please read the AP Registration Form and look over the following information.
Please note, unless a student is taking the IB Maths SL 2 / AP Calculus or the AP Statistics course at ISB, all other AP exams must be discussed with the student’s counselor. At ISB, AP exams are open to students in Grades 10 and above.
AP Courses and Exams (Also linked in the form) – https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/course-index-page
AP Exams Schedule HERE
AP Exam Registration Form HERE
News from the College Counselors
Debbie McDowell
debbiem@isb.ac.th
The University Counselors were very excited to welcome grade 11 and 12 students on campus this week!
Senior Seminar was on Thursday and it was great to be able to speak to the students directly about their university application process. Topics discussed in class included: reminder about deadlines, etiquette for visiting universities online, submission of SAT or ACT scores, IB Predicted Grades (8 Oct), and Thai university applications. The last half of the class was workshop time for students to work on transcript request forms, application completion, essay writing and for asking questions. Please ask your child what they accomplished in Senior Seminar this week. Next week the University Counselors will have Virtual Office Hours on Friday from 11:20 to 12:40 for students to join their counselor’s zoom room to ask questions and receive support.
This week was the last week for scheduling Senior Family Conferences. All families should have had a session with their child’s university counselor to discuss post secondary plans and their university application process. If your family has not had a meeting, please reach out to your child’s counselor to schedule one right away!
SAT Test: ISB will be administering the SAT on Saturday, 2 October. Check-in will begin at 7:30AM and the test is scheduled to start at 8:00AM. Students will take the test in MPB 1/2/3 where students can be seated more than 2 meters apart. Students must properly wear their masks at all times. Each student that is scheduled to take the test on 2 October must take a COVID ATK test on Friday evening and the results must be loaded in the system between 4 and 8 PM on Friday, 1 October. A replacement test kit can be obtained by the student on Monday, 4 October by going by the ISB nurse’s office and indicating they were an SAT test taker. Any student who does not follow the strict COVID guidelines will not be allowed to sit the test. In addition, all students must bring the following items with them to be admitted to campus and the test rooms: School ID, National ID (passport or Thai national ID card), printed admissions ticket.
Updated info for Parent Coffee: Due to the large number of High School Students being vaccinated on Tuesday, the next Parent Coffee will be moved from Wednesday until Thursday, 7 October at 9:00-10:00 AM. The topic will be Standardized Testing: What should you know! Please join us for the webinar by clicking on this link.
PSAT for Grade 11: All grade 11 ISB students will be scheduled to take the PSAT at no cost to the student/family on the morning of Tuesday, 26 October. Students received a PSAT booklet in their Advisory class on Thursday so that they can familiarize themselves with the test. A practice test is also included in the booklet. On the day of the test the students will report directly to Rajendra Hall at 7:50 AM. The test will take approximately 3 hours after completing the registration information. Juniors who will not need further standardized testing may opt out of taking the PSAT by speaking to their University Counselor and completing the Opt Out form (with parent signature) which will be distributed with the practice book. The Opt Out form must be completed by Tuesday, 19 October.
Ms. Debbie McDowell (she, her, hers)
Head of University Counseling
News from School Counselors
Shannon Leoni
shannonl@isb.ac.th
What a wonderful week it was, having students back on campus! There was great energy and enthusiasm on Wednesday when we welcomed our Grade 11 and 12 students back, and seeing Grades 9 and 10 students jump back into learning in-person on Friday has been really positive. A school without students in it is just not the same, so it has been a welcome sight to see learning taking place on ISB’s campus.
We are hopeful that all students, regardless if they are back on campus or learning virtually, are finding the balance between school work and self-care. Transitions of any kind can be tiring, both emotionally and physically, and we encourage everyone to focus on the basics: a good sleep routine, healthy food, time outdoors, no screen time, exercise, and staying in touch with friends, whether that is in person or virtual. As always, we are here to help support in these areas should you or your child need assistance.
One discussion item to look forward to is the student sharing of Habits and Attitudes for Learning (HAL) grades. Students have been invited to examine their progress in these HAL areas, and to share their reflections with their parents. There have been rich discussions about their HAL progress in their advisories, and we invite students to consider these discussions as jumping off points on how to be even more responsible, engaged and collaborative.
Please get in touch with your child’s counselor if you have any questions, concerns or comments. We are so happy to be back at school!
Thank you,
Shannon
R4K
Peter Assimakopoulos
petera@isb.ac.th
“To provide an opportunity to knowledge is the greatest gift of all.”
R4K (Robotics for Kids) is a new ISB High School service club that aims to provide equal opportunities of robotics and programming learning to schools in Thailand. With the rapidly-developing technological society we live in, knowledge of robotics and programming has never been more necessary. R4K provides this essential knowledge to children in our 3-4 partnered schools.
(for more information, please check out our website at www.r4kclub.com).
YOU can help donate money for the purchase of vital robotics learning equipment here:
Donation Form: https://forms.gle/XyHn6UwZXCoVJZuc9.
*Note: Donation for education is eligible for Thailand tax-deductible.
ISB’s Got Talent
Peter Assimakopoulos
petera@isb.ac.th
ISB’s Talent Show Committee is proud to announce this year’s concept as a stand-alone show. This year’s ISB’s Got Talent is open to all students in ISB. If you have a talent or passion you would like to showcase, ISB’s Got Talent is for you! ISB’s Got Talent is open to both solo and group performances. There will be certificates provided to all students that join and prizes will be awarded to three winners. Audience members will get to vote on their favourite performance. ISB’s Talent Show Committee is cooperating with iCare where all money raised will go towards the iCare organization. Please fill out the application below to sign up! The form will close on Saturday, October 2nd. Good luck! Can’t wait to see you!
Sign up form: https://forms.gle/uN8T36DknrUoHoJT7
Video for more info: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ysItdwP7B5tW99L9IByFwdod_yRA-4sW/view?usp=sharing
Help Needed – iCare + ISB= WeCare
Peter Assimakopoulos
petera@isb.ac.th
iCare Thailand Foundation is a charitable organisation that is committed to meaningful community development that helps the underprivileged. With the COVID pandemic at a record high in Thailand, they need our help to provide food and supplies to those in home isolation in 7 different slums. Due to the order locking down construction camps, iCare also provides food to 7 different construction camps in need.
A food supply bag costs 450 baht and a fresh produce bag costs 115 baht. Every little bit counts towards helping our communities in need. Consider making a small contribution this weekend by scanning the QRC below. Thank you.
News from HS Library
Christopher Bell
christob@isb.ac.th
Please click News from HS Library
Free Dance Workshop
Jaleea Price
jaleeap@isb.ac.th
FREE DANCE WORKSHOP with Contemporary artist, PATRICE LEROY Join on Zoom for a chance to join a unique dance project, One Minute. Workshop / audition is Monday, Oct. 4 @ 3:30 – 5pm. Join Ms. Price’s Zoom or email for any info.
Panther Pride – Walk, Run, Ride
Chris Mott
chrism@isb.ac.th
Upcoming Events
2nd & 3rd October: Panther Pride – Run, Ride and Walk
6th October: Last day of HS virtual practices
Driving to school -Golf Carts and Motorbikes (repeat)
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
Only students with a valid Thai driver’s license may drive/park a car on campus. Students who are 15 years or older may drive/park a motor scooter on campus provided:
- Student has a Thai driver’s license for his/her age group
- Student obtains a parking permit sticker from the HS Office
- The motorbike is 110cc or under if the student is under 18 years of age
- Always wears an appropriate/strapped motorcycle helmet (and only carries passengers with helmets) on and off campus
Golf carts must also be operated safely and be affixed with a parking pass from the security office. Only students with an approved drivers license will be permitted to park a golf cart on campus and such students must obtain an approval from the High School Office. Drivers licenses from other countries are applicable certification for students driving golf carts to school.
Bicycle and Motor Scooter Helmets
For personal safety considerations, appropriate bike helmets must be worn (and properly strapped) by both students and adults entering campus. Administrators and security guards will periodically monitor the front gate and offer reminders and encouragement. Thank you for helping to support and model a safe environment at ISB!