MS Schedule Next Week
It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the final week of the first semester. To wrap up the term, Middle School will have MS Olympic Week, culminating in the MS Olympics taking place on Thursday, December 15th, all day on campus.
Through the week are additional Olympics events. On Tuesday, we have the combo swimming and running event, the Biathlon, in the morning. On Wednesday, we have the mile run and full school Color Run in the afternoon.
The MS Olympics take place all day on Thursday.
Finally, on Friday, school is dismissed at 11:30 AM. Students will visit their Day 8 classes on this day, Advisory, and join the whole MS community for a final assembly of the term.
Here’s the schedule for the whole week:
- Monday, Dec 12th – Day 5
- Tuesday, Dec 13th – Day 6, MS Olympics Biathlon: 7:40-8:40 AM
- Wednesday, Dec 14th – Day 7, MS Mile Run / Color Run: 1:40-2:45 PM
- Thursday, Dec 15th – MS Olympics All Day
- Friday, Dec 16th – Day 8, Half Day of school, Students are dismissed at 11:30 AM
PowerSchool closed this week
As we end the term, teachers are entering final grades into PowerSchool. During this time, PowerSchool is blocked from student and parent access. PowerSchool access will open again on Friday, December 16th, at 2:00 PM, at which time Semester 1 report cards will be available.
Musical Celebrations
Over the past two weeks we have been treated to terrific performances from our Middle School music program (other divisions too). Two weeks ago, we enjoyed the MS Concert and Symphonic Bands’ “Take Me Home Country Roads” concert. This past week, we had our full school Strings Bash and MS/HS Choir Holiday concerts along with a special celebration of learning for parents by our Beginning Band students in the CCT.
Seeing these MS students showcase their talent, hard work, and dedication to improving their musicianship has been awesome to see and hear. It was a visible and audible celebration of music and learning. We hope that you were able to catch these terrific concerts. We are so thankful for the hard work of Lindsay Fuson, Brent Poling, Emily Stewart, and Kenataro Udagawa, along with their support team of Khun Best, Khun Miao Rong, and Khun Non.
Celebrating Incredible Contributions
On Friday, the Middle School celebrated the long service of two members of our MS family. We hosted an inclusive event during lunch time for students and teachers to recognize the amazing contributions these two have made over so many years of service. Students, faculty and staff came out to join the celebration of their amazing contributions.
Marissa Alcasid has served as our Science lab technician for 30 years, basically the entire history of ISB on this campus. Her attention to detail, science knowledge, and kindness have provided consistency, professionalism, and care to our science team and students throughout three decades of service. Mr. Huttner shared words from past colleagues recognizing the many contributions of Marissa’s work. Marissa retires this month from ISB after 30 years of service.
Khun Malai is a member of ISB’s cleaning staff and has led the team in the Middle School for many years. So many of our students know Khun Malai – she’s helped them find lost items, brought them notes in class, kept our MS spaces looking great and mostly just looked after us all. Khun Malai is at the heart of who we are in the middle school and we are having a hard time imagining our lives without her. Khun Malai truly cares about the middle school students and teachers. She believes in our mission of care and learning and she embodies that even through her work. Truly, Khun Malai is a role model for us all through the care and attentiveness with which she approaches any job and through the pride she takes in any work in which she engages. Khun Malai retires this month from ISB after 28 years of service.
We wish both Marissa and Khun Malai our best wishes as they transition into this well-earned retirement. They will always be part of our ISB MS family and we hope they visit in the years to come. If you find yourself on campus next week and have a chance to see them, please feel free to share your well wishes.
Visiting Artist, Aura Cherrybag, Art Exhibition
ES Library 8-13 December
Whimsical collage creations from ES-MS-HS artists fill the learning lab in the ES Library. You are invited to enjoy the artworks created by students with visiting artist, Aura Cherrybag, from now until Tuesday, 13 December.
About the visiting artist:
My name is Aura. I am a mixed media illustrator based in Bangkok. My work is currently focused on representing the memorable moments of human character, food, and nature that appear within life. I attempt to capture and portray the positive energy of cheerfulness and happiness. I use a combination of different paper collage techniques and acrylic coloring to create my artwork.
https://www.instagram.com/auracherrybag/
Leaving ISB?
Parents of students who are not returning to ISB in January need to notify the MS Office, Khun Namwan (sariyam@isb.ac.th) as soon as possible to enable us to process school records for their next school. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
2-D Art Trips to the Bangkok Art Biennale
Art helps us make meaning of our lives and our world.
Chaos-Calm is the theme of this year’s Bangkok Art Biennale and middle school 2-D art students enjoyed seeing how artists from around the world worked within this overarching idea when they visited the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre recently.
Here is some of what they had to say about their experience:
“My thinking has changed, if it was before my thinking about art before the field trip was like a small box, small and limited, but after the field trip I feel like my thinking about art is like the vast ocean, big and wide.”
“The Eye of the Storm in the QSNCC was very similar to the world because I think the red string was holding the paper together like how people are trying to fix the world.”
“I noticed that all the artists were from various different places and were in many different languages. I also noticed that many of them contrasted the difference between chaos and calm and all of them talked about bigger social or environmental issues in the world— maybe because the pandemic has made us more aware of them.”
“Now I feel as though effective art can be made through different forms of media. It taught me to experiment more with my artwork and to take risks with the form of media I use to elevate my art.”
“Before the art trip, I thought lightly color makes better more than dark color. But now, dark colors make feelings more sadness and alone.”
“I really like the curator’s choices in the first exhibition, it is all very easy to connect with, having deep meanings and expressions and there are different types and materials of art.”
“Chaos and calm can be everywhere and we just need to open our eyes and observe more.”
Arts & Activities @ ISB
December
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
January
12-15 VEX Robotics Competition @ ASIJapan
16 MS Drama Production Workshop
20 & 23 MS Drama Production Auditions
20 Lego Robotics Tournament (3-4:30pm) Chevron Theater
20-22 IASAS Music Retreat @ EWC
27-28 “Cinderella” an ISB Panto Benefit Event CC Theater
On Now
ES Art ‘Cardboardia (through Dec 12) Chevron Gallery
ES Aura Cherrybag Art Exhibition (through Dec. 16)
IASAS Art Exhibition (through Dec 16) Main Library
MS/HS BKK Art Biennale Visual Arts Field Trips (through Dec 7)
Artists under the STARS
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.
Invention Center After School & Saturday Programs
Come to the Invention Center on Saturday, December 10th from 9:30am to 11:00am and make a glowing necklace (or alternatively a pendant, or earrings, or an ornament). Makes a great hand-made gift! Learn how to use the laser cutter to cut out your design as well as simple soldering to power an LED light. This is a free project available to any middle school or high school aged students, parents, or staff. We will have material for the first 10 participants that sign up. Contact Travis Dynes at travisd@isb.ac.th to sign up.
A reminder that the Invention Center is open to students, parents, and staff every day after school until 6pm and on Saturdays from 8am-2pm (elementary students need to have a parent present for supervision).
Annual ES Festival of Lights Concert
On Monday, December 12th, join us for an evening of story, song and dance as our ES Panther Choir, Orff Ensemble and String Ensemble bring us together with music and movement from various cultures. The concert will take place in Chevron Theatre at 6:30 p.m. and is free of charge.
Boy Scout Troop 701 Flower Sales
Boy Scouts Troop 701 is offering pre-orders for flower bouquets and single roses for your upcoming musical performance events. Flower sales are one of our major fundraising events that support scouting activities and service projects. The bouquets and single roses can be picked up at the front gate near Chevron Theatre half an hour before the performance begins.
Please click here for the Google order form.
ISB Presents: CINDERELLA, a Panto Production
Our family friendly panto performance of Cinderella is coming soon to ISB! Performances will take place on January 27th and 28th with two shows for sure and a third show a likely possibility (depending on ticket sales). Pre-book your Cinderella tickets HERE.
Panther Extreme Pass Card Available in January!!!
Panther Xtreme at ISB provides a unique opportunity for our students to safely try a variety of board sports, from wakeboarding to skateboarding and beyond, through lessons on campus* and in facilities all around Bangkok. Sign up HERE to receive your Panther Xtreme Pass Card good for special discounts exclusive to ISB families on products & services at Baan Preduce in Khlong Toei and ESC Park in Rangsit starting in January.
Questions? Write to us at PantherXtreme@isb.ac.th.
*As a reminder, skating on campus is permitted in designated areas only.
All Activities Canceled for Friday, December 16th
Due to the early release day on Friday, December 16th, all after school programs have been canceled.