Once again welcome to the 2022-23 school year!
It’s been a great start to the new year so far! New and returning instructional assistants and faculty were together all week, returning Grades 2-5 students were on campus yesterday meeting their teachers and seeing their new classrooms, and all new families joined us in the morning for new family orientation and a quick visit to the classrooms. If you’ve not yet joined us on campus, no problem!…we’re ready to welcome you whenever you’re able to join us!
We know that students of all ages are most successful when there is a strong home and school partnership where families are able to link the learning from school to home. This is why ISB faculty and leaders provide parents with tools and strategies to allow you to link learning happening at school to home in a wide variety of ways such as next week’s PreK-Grade 1 one-on-one meetings with families, September 1 ES Open House sessions, weekly Friday ISB ES eNews updates, classroom updates to parents, student Seesaw posts, regularly scheduled “ES Parent Engage” workshops, Grade Level Curriculum Unit Overviews, and student-parent-teacher conferences.
I wish all students, families, and teachers a great start of the year where building strong classroom communities in which every student feels a sense of belonging, and launching strong home and school partnerships are of the highest priorities!
Your partner in education,
Michael Allen
michaela@isb.ac.th
ATK FORM LINK
All students, faculty, staff, and parents must complete this form each Sunday in order to access campus for the week. The form resets every Sunday and SMS reminders are sent to complete the form.
Note: The 2022-23 form link is different from the one used last school year. https://form.jotform.com/222151242582447
More details about the ISB COVID Safety Procedures can be found at the link below:
https://www.isb.ac.th/about/safety-and-security/covid-19/
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
PreK-Grade 1 Start Dates
On Wednesday, August 10 all PreK-Grade 1 families received an email invitation to meet with your child’s classroom teacher starting on Monday, August 15. Sign up for the time that is most convenient for you.
Monday, Aug 15 – Grade 1 Meet the Teacher by Appointment
Monday/Tuesday Aug 15/16 – PK & KG Meet the Teacher by Appointment
Tuesday, Aug 16 – Grade 1 First Day of School
Wednesday, Aug 17 – PK2 & KG First Day of School
Thursday/Friday Aug 18/19 – PK1 Partnership in Learning Days
Monday, Aug 22 – PK1 Regular Schedule Begins
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures & Parents on Campus
As a school, we will strive to keep you informed on a regular basis through our weekly eNews. Please ensure that you also review the ES Parent/Student Information Handbook before the start of school. It contains important information on learning, school activities, programs, and school policies.
Outlined on Page 56 of ES Parent/Student Handbook 2022-23 and copied below:
ARRIVAL PROCEDURES
The Early Childhood and Elementary School turnstiles open for students at 7:00am. Students head to the outdoor play spaces or ES Hub (for Grades 1-5) until the 7:35am bell. PreK parents are welcome to escort their children to the outside classroom door at 7:35am. Teachers submit attendance to the office electronically no later than 8:00am. If parents have not contacted teachers or the office regarding the absence the office will call the parents to report the student is not in school.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
PreK – Students in PreK are dismissed at 1:10pm. Parents pick up students from the classroom. For families picking up PreK students at 1:10PM and waiting on campus until elementary dismissal at 2:25, you are welcome to wait in common areas such as the MS/HS Cafeteria, The Grind & garden area, the ES HUB Terrace or the Panther Park (after 1:35PM). Please ensure you are actively supervising PreK students, and respecting spaces around the elementary school that are being used for learning until 2:25pm.
Bus monitors collect bus-riding students from the classroom. Bus monitors should be informed of any bus rider who has left school early or has left school by other means.
KG – Students in KG are dismissed from the Early Childhood turnstiles; not the KG quad. If you are on campus, you are welcome to wait for your KG students by the Early Childhood gazebo.
Grade 1 – Grade 1 students who are being picked up by a parent or caregiver will wait at the ES HUB Terrace. Any student who has not been picked up by 10 minutes after dismissal should be escorted to the office where parents will be contacted by phone and signed out to a parent or guardian. Please note that the Grade One quad is a learning space. Parents/guardians must wait for their children on the Hub Reading Terrace.
Grades 2-5 – Students in Grades 2-5 exit campus through the turnstile of their choice. Grades 2-5 students who are being picked up by a parent or caregiver agree where to meet at 2:25pm. Any student who has not been picked up by 10 minutes after dismissal should report to the office or classroom to seek assistance. The office will contact parents by phone and the student will be signed out to a parent or guardian.
STUDENT PICK UP/EXIT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
All ES students leaving school during the school day must go through the ES Office or Nurse’s Office, and be signed out to a parent or guardian. They are given a gate pass by the office or nurse. If a student is being taken out of school prior to 2:20, parents/guardians must report to the ES Office to sign out the student and collect a gate pass. The office staff will then call the classroom at which point the student is sent down to meet their parent/guardian. Parents who come directly to the classroom will be asked to report to the office first for the student to be signed out and receive a gate pass.
FAMILY MEMBERS ON CAMPUS
Family members with ISB ID cards are welcome on campus at any time to attend special events, purchase items from the Booster Hut or Book Store, drop into the libraries to checkout books, and/or enjoy a coffee or snack in the MS/HS cafeteria or Grind and garden area. We ask visitors on campus to respect the learning happening in learning spaces and avoid waiting in the grade level learning quads and other learning spaces.
We welcome parents to visit classrooms to participate in scheduled celebrations of learning and special events, which will be communicated by teachers through Seesaw or email. If parents are interested in meeting with a teacher to discuss their child’s learning or wellbeing, please contact the teacher first by email to schedule an appointment.
Parent messages may be delivered to students if they are received in the office by 1:45 p.m. Please visit or call the ES Office at 02 963 5800.
Welcome Back Coffee @ 8AM Monday
Date: 15th August @ 8AM, Patio Garden, Behind the HS Math Quad
Welcome back to school! Please join us in welcoming new parents to ISB. Our welcome back coffee is a great opportunity for our new families to get connected and meet fellow community members.
ES HUB News
ES Cafeteria Menu
Please find the ES Cafeteria menu for next week linked here, and here is the menu for Allergen Free.
Check your Spam
It’s possible that some communication from ISB has made its way to your spam or junk email folders. Please take a close look as some emails may get filtered out depending on your email settings. All parents have been emailed details pertaining to their child’s classroom community including the homeroom teacher contact information.
ISB Calendar 2022-2023
ISB CALENDAR 2022-2023
This year’s calendars are ready, and will be sent home with all returning students the week of August 15th through ES classroom teachers, MS advisory teachers, and HS advisory teachers. The oldest child in each family will receive a calendar for his/her family, with new students to ISB receiving their calendars during orientation. Please find the 2022-23 calendar linked HERE as we have discovered that some were printed with a random missing page. If you receive a misprinted version and would like to exchange it for one that is complete, or if you would like to purchase an additional calendar (100 THB), please swing by the Panther Den adjacent the Booster Hut anytime between 7:00am and 4:00pm daily Monday through Friday starting August 15th. Thanks & have a great school year!
After School Activities Registration
Please join us in the Chevron Theater at 8:00am on Tuesday, August 16th for a short presentation on how to use the new CCA registration platform to sign up for after school programs. Attendees should bring their own device in addition to their powerschool login details.
Anthony Giles, Director of Arts, Activities anthonyg@isb.ac.th
PANTHER DANCE 2022-23
Join us for a new exciting dance season featuring two performances on stage with costumes.
Contact Yoona: pantherdance@isb.ac.th
PANTHER DANCE 2022 HIGHLIGHTS REEL
Panther Native Language Academy registration open 2022-23
After-school native language classes are open for registration! In . . .
- Nederlands
- français
- Deutsch
- עברית
- 日本語
- 한국어
- 中文
- español
- ภาษาไทย (PreK2)
More languages, such as Bangla, may be added in Season (Session) 2!
Contact Avery Udagawa: PantherNativeLanguageAcademy@isb.ac.th
Native Language @ ISB Blog: https://inside.isb.ac.th/nativelanguage/
About the Panther Native Language Academy
Our after-school native language classes best suit students who are (a) unable to take a native language class during school, or (b) students who need extra support as determined by the teacher of the native language class in school.
A native/near native language is generally described as a language that is used on a daily basis with at least one parent. This is fundamental to ensure that the language can be supported outside of the classroom. We believe that native language learning happens best when students experience a strong home-school partnership.
In the Panther Native Language Academy, our goal is to offer meaningful learning activities in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that reflect ISB’s vision, mission, attributes and values. We aim to keep students moving forward in their native language learning and connected with their peers.
For all students in Kindergarten and up whose families pay for one Panther Native Language Academy class session per week (500 THB/one-hour session, due when the term begins), ISB funds a second session per week if there is adequate demand. PreK 2 classes meet once per week only. External language programs hosted at ISB may require different considerations.
Occasionally, ISB has “hidden multilinguals” whose native/near-native languages are not spoken at home, having developed through a prior childcare or school experience. Families of “hidden multilinguals” who might benefit from Panther Native Language Academy are encouraged to contact us.
Please kindly see more information and our concluding video from 2021-22. Here’s to a language-rich 2022-23 school year!
