MS Open House Thursday, September 8th
This coming week ISB hosts MS Open House on the evening of September 8th, 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM. The event provides parents an opportunity to meet their child’s teachers, hear about the learning program, and see the learning spaces their child spends their time in.
Schedule
Parents should arrive around 5:45 PM to sign in and collect their personalized schedule(s) for the night. We will start with a welcome and technology presentation in the Chevron Theater at 6:00 PM for all parents. Then parents will follow a timed schedule with 10 minute “classes” of Advisory and each of the 8 class periods. There will be 5 minutes to move between classrooms.
It is important to note that while MS Open House provides a time to meet your child’s teachers, there is not time to discuss individual students. Parents may set up an appointment if this is needed.
Please leave children at home
Also, please note that rooms will be tight with multiple parents per family often in the rooms. Students and children should NOT come to this event unless they are serving as a translator for parents. In the event that parents have no other option than to bring children, we will have a classroom supervised by HS IHS students where students must remain during the entire evening. Playgrounds, gyms, and fields are NOT open for children during this evening.
Food and refreshments will be made available for parents outside the MS Office and Library, but this has not been set up to provide meals for children.
Please note the following:
- Masks will need to worn in all indoor spaces (theater, classrooms, etc.)
- For the opening session in the Chevron (20 minutes), we will seat parents using all of the seats, without spacing deliberately between seats. If parents do not wish to attend this session, they may wait until the class schedule starts up at 6:30 PM.
- Classrooms may be crowded with multiple parents per child in attendance. Please expect some tight classes, depending on how many show up.
- Parents will need to use stairs to navigate between classrooms.
- To ensure the evening goes smoothly and teachers have their full 10 minutes, we will be keeping a tight eye on the time and announcing the starts and finishes to class periods.
- Teachers will not have the time to talk about individual students.
- Nearly all the meeting spaces on the evening will be in the Middle School area or nearby MPB. Only the Invention Center and Chevron will be used beyond this.
We look forward to seeing parents on campus on September 8th!
Fall MAP testing dates – 2022
MS students will take the NWEA Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test in Math and Reading on September 5 and 6, 2022.
As you may have read in the All-School eNews, MAP assessments are computer-based tests that assess students with a baseline question and then adjust subsequent questions to appropriately challenge each student. The testing data provides a snapshot of what the student can do at a specific time of the year. This information is useful to our teachers as they decide how to differentiate the learning experience for their students.
Your child does not need to prepare for the MAP tests, nor should they worry or be anxious about taking this test. We do recommend that all students get a good night’s sleep before the tests and that they eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school. All students will need their laptops for the testing sessions. Students should have a book to read in case they finish their test early.
Keeping track of your child’s progress in the middle school
In an effort to keep you informed about the progress of your child, our teachers regularly update PowerSchool. They provide information related to achievement as well as your child’s habits and attitudes towards learning.
The definitions below will help you understand our reporting terminology.
Achievement of Learning Goals:
The ISB Middle School reports on student progress towards subject-specific standards based on expected performance at the time of assessment. The middle school uses the following descriptors to report on achievement, Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Advanced. Achievement may also be described as falling between levels, such as Beginning-Approaching (BA), Approaching-Meeting (AM), Meeting-Advanced (MA)
Here is a visual to help you better understand our reporting descriptors for achievement.
Habits and Attitudes for Learning (HAL):
Our ISB Middle School HAL is a set of behaviors and dispositions that support students’ progress towards achieving our Mission. Students who approach their learning with these habits and attitudes develop a growth mindset and become independent, life‐long learners. The middle school uses the following descriptors to report on achievement, Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Advanced.
Here is a HAL visual to help you better understand our reporting descriptors for habits and attitudes for learning.
Our first HAL update for this year will be available in PowerSchool this afternoon. This would be a perfect time for you and your child to go into PowerSchool together, look at the feedback, and discuss the kinds of healthy routines, behaviors, and dispositions that will contribute to a successful learning experience throughout the year.
Please follow these steps to log into PowerSchool to see your child’s HAL.
Our first achievement update for this school year will be on the afternoon of Thursday, September 15th.
You should always feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher and/or counselor if you have any questions or concerns related to your child’s progress.
Coffee Corner Opening on Monday 5 September
Starting next Monday the new Coffee Corner will be open from 1:30am to 5:00pm. The Coffee Corner is conveniently located on the terras next to the ES Cafeteria so students and parents can enjoy drinks and bakery items near the playgrounds and athletics facilities.
The MS/HS cafeteria has re-introduced its Thai and Western a la carte breakfast service available to students and parents from 7:00am onwards. The menu includes a live cooking station and a wide selection of Thai and continental options.
Food service on campus is available at the following times:
MS/HS Cafeteria 7:00am – 1:00pm
The Grind 7:00am – 5:00pm
Upper Grind 7:00am – 3:00pm
Coffee Corner 1:30pm – 5:00pm
Invoice and Cashier Update
Please be informed that Invoice and Cashier will be moving back to the business office starting from September 5th, 2022 onwards.
Any questions, please contact me via email at atcharao@isb.ac.th, invoice
Atchara Ounsri (Amm)
Invoice Officer
Ext.1122
MS Athletics News
It’s GO time for Panther Athletics! Next week, we have our first games of the season for our Middle School athletes! We have a lot of fun and exciting events coming up so please make sure to check our Athletics Website so you don’t miss out on the fun!
Upcoming Events
Thursday, September 8th– HOME
- U12 Basketball Boys A Team vs Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
- U12 Basketball Girls A Team vs Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
- U12 Basketball Boys B Team vs Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
Thursday, September 8th- AWAY
- U14 Basketball Boys A Team @ Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
- U14 Basketball Boys B Team @ Shrewsberry @ 3:3pm
- U14 Basketball Girls A Team @ Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
- U14 Basketball Girls B Team @ Shrewsberry @ 3:30pm
Saturday, September 10th
- Panther Run #2
- Join us on the field at 7:00am for a 7:30am start! What better way to start your day than with a 3k or 5k
- U14 Boys & Girls Tennis Doubles Tournament @ BPS
Friday, September 16th
- Spirit Night
- Come show your Panther Spirit at Spirit Night! There will be soccer and volleyball games all evening and plenty of food and fun for everyone!
Panther Run #2
Join us on the field at 7:00 am for a 7:30 am start! What better way to start your day than with a 3k or 5k walk/run?
A minimum donation of 100B to enter the Panther Fun Run. All proceeds go directly to the iCare Foundation.
iCare Thailand Foundation is a charitable organization committed to meaningful community development that helps the underprivileged. They need our help to provide food and supplies to those in need.
iCare needs our help. A food supply bag costs 450 baht if you want to provide more. Every little baht counts towards helping our communities in need. Consider making a larger contribution to the Panther Fun Run.
The iCare donation box will be located at the turnstiles and at the start of the run.
Upcoming Spirit Week
Looking ahead a few weeks, Spirit Week is coming! Building up to Spirit Night on Friday, September 16th, the whole school will have themed dress up days from Monday to Thursday. Encourage your children to join the community fun by having clothes ready for school for the week of Sept 12-16.
- Monday, Sept 12 – Sports Jersey Day (support your favorite team, hometown team, or ISB)
- Tuesday, Sept 13 – Songkran Day (wear bright colored, flowery shirts in the spirit of Songkran)
- Wednesday, Sept 14 – Pajama Day (Name says it all … get comf. Please ensure school appropriate attire)
- Thursday, Sept 15 – Black and Gold Day (Show your Panther Spirit)
- Friday, Sept 16 – No School, but come to Spirit Night in the evening and wear your Panther Gear!
PANTHER XTREME PARENT MEETING 6:00pm Monday, September 5th in MPB1
Please join us at 6:00pm on Monday, September 5th in MPB1 at the top of the ISB Zig Zag for an informational meeting about local skating venues and to learn more about Panther Xtreme at ISB. Following last year’s successful surfskate classes, we are expanding to informal park visits, exhibitions and boarding events this year, starting with a no-host skate at Dreg SkatePark in Nonthaburi on Saturday, September 17th from 10:00am-12:00pm! Note that transportation will not be provided for this first outing and that all students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to skate. In addition, participants will need their own skate equipment including a helmet (required). Knee pads and elbow pads are also recommended.
Questions? Write to us at PantherXtreme@isb.ac.th.
Invention Center After School Program & Invention Center Saturdays
Want to learn how to convert a soda can into a sign or a piece of art? Come to the Invention Center on Saturday, September 3rd from 10am-12pm and learn basic metal embossing and punching techniques using different implements. This project is free and open to any Middle or High school students, or ISB parents. Contact Travis Dynes at travisd@isb.ac.th to sign up. We will have time and space for the first 10 participants that sign up. A reminder that the Invention Center is open to students and parents every day after school until 6pm and on Saturdays from 8am-2pm (elementary students need to have a parent present for supervision).