Weekly Message from Dr. Michael Allen
Thursday and Friday’s Virtual Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences were a great success! Thank you goes to everyone who was able to participate in the conferences as we came together to celebrate the growth and learning of each child. Students are reaping the many benefits of Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences thanks to your partnership and support including:
- accountability for their learning
- ownership of the learning process
- increased commitment to school work
- increased interaction between child and parents
- increased independence
- ability to self-assess
- increased confidence and self-esteem
- development of leadership skills
- fostering of organizational, communication and critical thinking skills
- and so much more :)
Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences are one of many ways we communicate student learning. Our system of communicating student learning provides a framework of communication and collaboration that fosters passionate, reflective thinking and behaviors so that all students reach their full learning potential. Our system of communicating student learning is outlined in the ES Parent/Student Handbook on page 61.
All of your child’s teachers are eager to partner with you at any time, please continue to let us know how we can best help and support you and your child!
Your partner in education,
Michael Allen
michaela@isb.ac.th
Early Dismissal – Wednesday November 24, 2021
All ISB students will be dismissed at 1:10pm on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. On Early Dismissal Days, school buses will leave ISB at 1:25 p.m. Early Dismissal Days allow faculty members and administrators to collaborate and further their professional development.
In the Media: Squid Game
A recent Netflix show, “Squid Game,” has received a lot of attention around the world. The Korean series has been one of the most popular programs globally on Netflix. You may have heard your child(ren) talking about it.
At times parents may not know much about what their children are watching, so we wanted to share with you that we do not recommend that elementary nor middle school aged students watch this program. The show is quite violent and presents dangerous games that have the potential to “catch on” with adolescents who look to engage in risky behavior. Squid Game is rated 18+ on Netflix.
For practical parental information regarding this show, we direct you to Common Sense Media, a US-based media watchdog that provides feedback on the appropriateness of media.
Upcoming Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessment
Starting next week 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 Debi Caskey, ISB’s Deputy Head of School for Learning (debic@isb.ac.th).
Save the Date: Nov 29- Dec 3
ISB Spirit Week begins on Monday, November 29th. All students are invited to share their ISB spirit throughout the week!
Mon (29th November) – PJ Day
Tues (30th November) – Dress like a teacher
Wed (1st December) – Jersey Day ***this is senior class photo, seniors wear blue
Thurs (2nd December) – Intercultural Day
Fri (3rd December) – Black & Gold
Check and Update Your Details in Powerschool Parent Portal
Many people move houses over the summer, details change (phone numbers etc). We are in the process of updating phone numbers, addresses and emergency contacts. Please take the time to login to Powerschool Parent Portal and check the details that ISB has on record. Please update if necessary. It is really important this information is accurate, as we use this in emergency situations.
Instructions
Step 1. Login to Powerschool
- If you are new, you should have received an email with your login details, if not please contact help@isb.ac.th
- If you have forgotten your password please contact cholthis@isb.ac.th
Step 2. At the bottom of the left hand menu click “Contact Update”. This information will then take a day or two to update (we manually check for accuracy).
If you have any questions or queries, contact cholthis@isb.ac.th
On Campus Student Absences
When students who attend classes on campus are absent, they will be marked absent in PowerSchool and may be expected to complete missed work when they return to campus. Should a student be required to quarantine due to COVID exposure, they will complete virtual learning tasks and have check-ins with our Virtual Learning Teacher, Ms. Shannon Brown. On campus students who miss school due to travel will be marked absent and will not participate in virtual learning. Please contact ES Principal Michael Allen at MichaelA@isb.ac.th if planning an extended absence.
Parent Workshop: December 1, 2021 with Ken O’Connor-Assessment and Grading for Learning
As part of ISB’s Parent Education series, we will be offering a workshop in December with Ken O’Connor. Our topic is Assessment and Grading for Learning.
Please see the flyer below for more information and you can register here using this link. You will receive a Zoom link for the session once you register.
Looking forward to seeing you on December 1, 2021 with Ken O’Connor!
ATK Testing Information
The next ATK must be administered on Sunday, November 21 between 4:00pm and 8:00pm – with results uploaded on the ATK Form within that same timeframe. If you need assistance with the ATK Form, please write to help@isb.ac.th
ES Cafeteria Menu
Please find the KG – G5 ES Cafeteria menu for next week linked here, and here is the menu for Pre-Kindergarten.
New Session: Now through December 16th.
Missed the registration deadline for Panther Activities? Please contact the coordinators for art, baseball & softball, basketball, dance, golf, gymnastics, music, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball directly at the addresses below
PantherArts@isb.ac.th, PantherBasketball@isb.ac.th, PantherBoyScouts@isb.ac.th, PantherBaseballandSoftball@isb.ac.th, panthercubscouts@isb.ac.th, PantherDance@isb.ac.th, PantherGirlScouts@isb.ac.th, PantherGolf@isb.ac.th, PantherGymnastics@isb.ac.th, PantherMusic@isb.ac.th, PantherNativeLanguageAcademy@isb.ac.th, PantherSoccer@isb.ac.th, PantherSwim@isb.ac.th, PantherTennis@isb.ac.th, and PantherVoleyball@isb.ac.th.
Or, for general questions reach out to Lucas or Anthony at PantherActivities@isb.ac.th.