Message from HS Principal
Justin Alexander
justina@isb.ac.th
Dear Parents,
Just one week of school before DELVE kicks off, and then our winter break beckons. Before we make it to our break, we still have a few concerts to enjoy, students will have some final assessments and assignments to complete and we will hold our final assembly for the calendar year on Friday, December 9th. Please mark your calendars for the Strings concert on Tuesday night at 6.30 pm in the Chevron and our Choir concert on Thursday evening also at 6.30 pm in the Chevron.
In the midst of the busy week, we will be recognizing and celebrating the mid-year graduation of three ISB students on Thursday, December 8th (Rina, Yuika, and Satang) from 11.30-12 noon in MPB1. Mid-year graduation is not common in schools, but we are fortunate that ISB can provide this opportunity for students who have good reason to graduate in December. Generally speaking, the mid-year graduates are students who are looking to commence their University Studies in Japan in March. If you wish to attend the mid-year graduation, you are very welcome.
Have a great long weekend
Regards
Justin Alexander
High School Principal
Important Links
Have a question and don’t know who to ask? – click on HS QUESTION LINK
Click on HS Parent Meetings to see the full list of parent meetings for this year.
ISB Panther page for Varsity and Junior Varsity game schedules etc
DELVE Handbook link – for information about DELVE
FCD Parent Presentation
Andy Vaughan
andyv@isb.ac.th
Many thanks to all parents who were able to attend the FCD presentation that was held on Wednesday night in the Chevron. The powerpoint presentation from Morgan Jones is shared here.
Please find the link to the video from Wednesday night here.
One of the main messages from Morgan’s talk on Wednesday is that we are doing a great job in the community and that our alcohol and drug use is at or below US norms and norms from other SE Asian schools. A key finding from our survey that students took was as follows:
“One of the most striking findings is the extent to which students misperceive the behaviors and attitudes of their schoolmates. And, if students are doing so, one must wonder whether the adults in the community are likewise overestimating use, and underestimating healthy attitudes and behaviors. Such mistaken normative beliefs can be a significant factor in increasing use and promoting the idea that a “culture of use” exists at a school.”
For parents who wish to learn more about the presentation we invite you to watch the recording above.
Advanced Placement (AP) Information Meeting
Justyna McMillan
justynam@isb.ac.th
Thank you to those parents who were able to attend our AP Information meeting on Thursday December 1st. This was a focused session where we shared information about the Advanced Placement courses at ISB and how AP courses can be combined with other ISB courses as part of a student’s academic program. We also discussed insights into how AP courses are viewed by US college admissions as part of a student transcript, as well as how they might benefit students applying for higher education in other countries.
If you were not able to attend, we are sharing the slide presentation from the meeting HERE.
Enjoy your long weekend!
iCare Thailand Foundation – please give
Peter Assimakopoulos
petera@isb.ac.th
Through their advisories, students are working on collecting gifts for children and families for iCare. Please ask your son/daughter about what they can bring to support our iCare families. For additional information, please see the presentation linked.
News from the University Counselors
Debbie McDowell
debbiem@isb.ac.th
Seniors met in Senior Seminar #6 on Monday for the last class before winter break. Those applying to the University of California and Cal State Universities have submitted their applications. Now, the focus on the final week of school before DELVE will be on completing all applications with due dates on or before 1 February. It is very important that seniors continue to meet with their counselor to review applications and essays before submitting them. Please help your child organize their time so that they can get all of their applications submitted before the holiday begins. They all deserve a break from school and applications so they can rest and rejuvenate before semester 2 begins. Reminder: University Counselors will be available until 6 pm on Monday through Thursday of DELVE week to meet with students on local trips. Then, just like everyone else, counselors will depart for holiday at the close of school on Friday, 16 December, and will not be available over the holiday.
Seniors with application deadlines 15 February and later, should set an appointment with their university counselor to formalize a plan and calendar for the applications. Please remember that all Transcript Request Forms must be completed three weeks before the university deadline for applications.
Application results are starting to be released. It’s great to see the absolute joy and relief in the student’s faces when they come to tell their counselor about being admitted. Congratulations to all of those who have already heard positive news from their applications! Please remind your senior to come share that information with his/her counselor; we want to celebrate with them.
In the next few weeks, Early Decision results will be released. Remember that an Early Decision acceptance is a binding admission. Each university will give a unique deadline by which the student must send their deposit to confirm enrollment. If a student is deferred in the ED round, their application will be read at a later date with the regular decision applications. If your child has any questions about the ED/EA results, please encourage them to meet with their counselor.
The last Junior Seminar of the semester will be on Friday, 9 December. Students should have already completed their Mission Statement and University Priority and Preferences Assignment by now. Please take time to have a conversation with your child about the university research and selection process. This should be focused on what makes a university a good fit rather than just talking about specific universities at this point.
Parents of Grade 11, mark your calendars. Junior Family University Night will be on Thursday, 19 January at 6:30 pm in the Chevron Theater. We look forward to seeing you there!
SAT Tomorrow: Saturday, 5 December
The final paper and pencil version of the SAT will be administered at ISB on Saturday, 5 December. Check-in will begin at 7:30 AM outside the MPB and the test is scheduled to start at 8:00AM. 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. Students are allowed to have a clear water bottle with them during testing but no food can be consumed in the testing room. Students may only bring pencils, erasers and acceptable calculators into the test room. All phones must be turned off and placed on a holding table during the test. If you have any questions about the SAT, please reach out to Ms Shrestha in the HS Counseling Office.
SAT Update
Beginning in March, the SAT will go digital. All tests will be taken on the student’s own laptop. Registration is now open for test dates during semester two. Students can register here. Please remind your child to follow the instructions found on the ISB University Counseling website in order to be able to sign up for the test at ISB.
Digital SAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines |
||||||||
To find out more about the digital tests: Webinar for Students and Their Parents Students and their parents/guardians may watch this webinar (passcode: &DWat$XjM0) and learn all the updates about the digital SAT. You can also hear what other students had to say about their digital SAT experience. |
Grade 10 students will be assigned their university counselor in January. Students and parents will be able to find the name of the university counselor in PowerSchool.
Upcoming University Visits @ ISB
There are no scheduled university visits for the remainder of the semester.
There are many virtual and off campus university events taking place which our students are invited to attend. Check the Virtual and Off Campus University Events spreadsheet frequently to know what’s available. Please note that pre-registration is needed for some events.
Please check the ISB University/College Counseling website for loads of information. You will find university research tools, transition resources for students and parents, recordings and slide shows from Parent Coffees and family presentations, virtual and off campus university visits, information about testing and how to sign up for the SAT at ISB, a list of summer programs about which the counselors have been informed, and the ISB School Profile.
Kindly,
Debbie
News from School Counselors
Shannon Leoni
shannonl@isb.ac.th
We have finished the last full week of school before December break! All of us are very much looking forward to our DELVE trips, and then a much-needed break and rest.
A highlight from this week have been the sessions with our FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) representative in Grade 9 and 10 health classes, as well as sessions with Grade 11 students. The FCD representative has been working with health teachers, administrators, and counselors to discuss prevention strategies, and have honest conversations with one another about our attitudes toward using substances. There was also a parent session, which was highly successful in ensuring that the conversations around substance use are taking place with students at home.
The counselors have facilitated conversations with our Grade 12 students in Advisory, focusing on transitions and how students can navigate all of the big changes they’re going through and facing. We love the opportunity to have open dialogue with students around such time-sensitive topics.
We are still happy to have you join the counselors for a parent book club if you haven’t had the chance to do so yet. We are reading Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. Our next meeting is next Wednesday, December 7 at 9am in MPB3. To this point we have read through Chapter 6. At our next meeting we will have read through Chapter 9. However, it does not matter if you have not had a chance to read the book yet. The conversations have been lively and meaningful and we would love your company.
Please let us know if you would like us to support your child in any way, we are always happy to hear from parents.
News from HS Library
Christopher Bell
christob@isb.ac.th
Please click News from HS Library
MS Used Book Sale
Melinda KEHE
melindak@isb.ac.th
When: Tuesday 6th December to Wednesday 14th December
Where: MS/HS Library
Artists under the STARS
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
Join us on Friday, December 9th at the Panther Commons for the HS Arts Council’s annual Artists Under The Stars event. Club booths and Alice’s Pizza open at 5:45pm with performances on the outdoor stage starting at 6:30pm.
Arts & Activities @ ISB
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
December
1 Jazz Night 1 (6:30pm) CC Theater (moved from the 6th)
3 VEX Robotics Scrimmage @ St. Andrews
6 Strings Bash (6:30pm) Chevron Theater (moved from the 1st)
8 MS/HS Choir Concert (6:30pm) Chevron Theater
9 HS Artsco’s ‘Artists Under the Stars’ (6:00pm) Outdoor Stage
10 IASAS Chess @ SAS (virtual)
12 ES Festival of Lights (6:30pm) Chevron Theater
On Now
ES Art ‘Cardboardia’ (through Dec 12) Chevron Gallery
MS ‘This=That’ Exhibition (through Dec 7) Main Library
Aura Cherrybag, Guest Visual Artist (through Dec. 7)
IASAS Art Exhibition (through Dec 16) Main Library
MS/HS BKK Art Biennale Visual Arts Field Trips (through Dec 7)
STRINGS BASH (Repeat)
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
6 December, 2022
6:30PM Chevron Theater
The 2022 ISB Strings Bash showcases student musicians from all three divisions, including the ES Panther Strings Ensemble, MS Beginning Orchestra, MS Concert Orchestra, and HS String Orchestra. This year’s bash is the perfect way to celebrate the season with a program that includes holiday favorites from around the globe and an Irish fiddle circle that’s not to be missed!
COMMUNITY CHOIR CONCERT (Repeat)
Anthony Giles
anthonyg@isb.ac.th
6:30pm
Chevron Theater
December 8th, 2022
Come join Middle School, High School and the Adult Community Choir on December 8th for a lively and spirited performance of choir songs from all over the world! We will be celebrating live music, a semester of singing without masks and being together during this holiday season! 6:30 pm in the Chevron Theater. Tickets are free. Questions can be emailed to lindsayf@isb.ac.th.
Poster made by: Katja Nugroho, Grade 11.