MS Schedule next week
We’ve had two good weeks to start the semester. Please see the rest of the eNews articles for important events and auditions that are coming up. Next week, we have regular school days throughout the 5 days:
- Monday, January 23 – Day 3
- Tuesday, January 24 – Day 4
- Wednesday, January 25 – Day 5
- Thursday, January 26 – Day 6
- Friday, January 27 – Day 7
Grade 6 parents received an invite for a Zoom webinar on Monday regarding our upcoming Wellness unit. See your email for the registration invitation.
Grade 8 parents are reminded about the Parent Information webinar on Tuesday regarding our upcoming trip to Chiang Mai.
We will be communicating soon about an upcoming presentation regarding the Grade 7 trips that take place in March once we have a date.
Special Recognition for Innovation
We are very proud to share that one of our ISB Middle School students was recognized in a ceremony hosted by the Thailand Ministry of Education celebrating achievement by Thai students in international competitions, bring pride and recognition to Thailand.
We hope our community joins us in congratulating Shayne Pitakteeratham for this awesome recognition. In the ceremony, attended also by Thailand’s Prime Minister, students were recognized and appreciated for proudly representing Thailand in international events.
Shayne was recognized for his accomplishments at an Innovation Competition in Korea where he showcased 2 innovative products addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6 – Clean Water and Sanitation. Shayne’s project included a water tank for homes to provide clean water and a specialized water bottle that helped deliver nutrients along with hydration. His submission earned Bronze among 500+ participants and received a special award of recognition from one of the judges.
Congratulations to Shayne. Not only did he proudly represent Thailand … he has made us Panther Proud as well!
Community Help with Translation for the Classroom
Hello Families,
ISB thrives because of its diversity. Our community comes from all over the world, speaks many, many languages, and yet, we all found our way together here. That alone is amazing and deserves celebration.
Currently, ISB teachers are looking for more ways to celebrate our diverse community and that also includes visual representations within our classrooms. Many ISB teachers would like to better their learning spaces by including multilingual signage. With the help of our world language team this work has already begun, but we’d like to grow this effort and make it more inclusive.
Our Request: If you’re a family member interested in this effort, we could benefit from your expertise. Each year, faculty could submit a request to have certain classroom signage translated. Examples of these could be book genre labels like “fantasy” or “historical fiction” for classroom shelves or art terms like “shade” or “texture” for subject word walls. We would do the initial Google Translate, but would ask for your insight to either verify the translation or provide the correct translation. Any translated terms will then be stored in our Translanguaging shared drive for future use. We hope to provide translation into many languages and annually teachers can select what ones would benefit their current students most.
If you’re interested in partnering with us, please complete this short Google Form survey and we will be in contact with you soon.
Thank you for your support, both at school and home. Together we can improve our learning spaces by better representing the vast diversity that we embody.
-Dan Allbery
MS English teacher
High School Course Registrations for the 2022-2023 Academic Year
Although it is only the beginning of Semester 2 of this year, it is never too early to start thinking about the next academic year. We would like to invite parents of current Grade 8 students to our Course Information session about our High School program:
31 January 2023
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GR8 Course Information Session for rising Gr9 Students @ 6:30 in the Chevron – this is open to parents of current Gr8 students. We will provide an overview of course choices along with key things to think about as you help your child make choices about their subjects for Gr9. A separate session is being offered to students, during the school day.
For information about subjects on offer and other opportunities, please refer to our Program of Studies, which is available on our website.
MS Athletics News
Season 3 Registration is open! Sign up from now until 6pm on January 25th. The season begins the week of February 6th.
Season 3 U12/14 starts on Tuesday, February 7th for 6th & 7th graders. Grade 8s will try out after February break. The options for season 3 are:
- U12/14 Track & Field
- U12/14 Soccer
- U12 Tennis
Remember you can only sign up for 1 U12/14 sport and you need to commit to both practice sessions. If we have more than an A & B team for soccer, we will offer an Black & Gold session later in the evening on Tues/Thurs.
Arts & Activities @ ISB
January
18-20 Ajay Govind, Alumni Guest Film Director
20 & 23 MS Spring 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
28 HS Model United Nations @ BPS
February
1-5 AMIS MS Honor Choir @ Lincoln School Nepal
3-4 First Lego League Robotics Competition @ NCC
11-12 HS Model United Nations @ ICS
12 Applications Due for Kinnari Music Festival
21-23 HS IASAS Showcases for DDT, FAD and Music
22-26 AMIS MS Honor Band @ American School of Bombay
Auditions for Charlie Brown Musical
The Middle School Drama Dept. is happy to announce that our spring production in May features the classic musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!”, and all Middle Schoolers are invited to join in. We are looking for students interested as Cast (acting/singing in major or minor roles) and/or Crew (Backstage support with props & set making, costume & makeup, and lights & sound tech.)
The musical brings the world-famous characters of the Peanuts comics to life, as Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang battle with kites, school, baseball and misunderstandings before finally coming to realize what makes them truly happy. It’s a charming revue of vignettes and songs as only the joyful, yet strangely cynical, innocence of the Peanuts characters can tell
MS Drama would like to welcome ALL interested Middle Schoolers (grade 6 – 8) to try out to be a part. The first step is to come to one of the two Audition & Sign Up Meetings that are happening Friday (Jan 20) & Monday (Jan 23), afterschool from 2:45 to 4:15. Students can find all the information on this Google doc with links in Good Morning Middle School.
We are anticipating a great production and are including all safety protocols to ensure everyone can have fun, be safe, and revive a favorite legacy for middle school productions!
Calling all MS Dancers
MS Dance Team will have a new crew in the new year! Come and try out for this creative team of dynamic dancers. Anyone interested (girls or guys) please join the auditions MON, JAN 23 in 8-204. Questions? Contact Ms. Price – jaleeap@isb.ac.th or MSdancecoach@isb.ac.th
See the print poster or web poster links.
Panther Dance 2023
Registration open for session 3-4!
Featuring two performances on stage with costumes.
Limited spots available.
Contact Yoona: pantherdance@isb.ac.th
A glimpse of MS/HS dance classes session 1-2.
Repeat Annoucement: MS Guidelines and Expectations
by Dennis Harter
MS Principal
dennish@isb.ac.th
Happy New Year and welcome to semester 2 of the 2022-23 school year. We are excited also to welcome 13 new students to the middle school this term, along with their families to our ISB community.
The start of a new semester is a good time to review school guidelines, expectations, and procedures – both to refresh returning families’ memories after the long break and to provide information to our new families. We couldn’t cover everything during our short orientation on Monday, so this is a opportunity to share some details.
There is a lot of text / information below. Hopefully the headings will allow you to sort through topics quickly. Most importantly, please remember that you can always ask for help from anyone in the MS Office (msoffice@isb.ac.th). Our team can always point you in the right direction.
We share the guidelines and expectations below in the spirit of clear communication and understanding between school and home.
Attendance Matters
Like any school, we firmly believe that students learn best in our classrooms with their teachers and classmates engaged in learning activities. Of course, some absences are unavoidable. If students are unwell, they should stay home and rest and recover (also to prevent further transmission). Passport renewals, doctors’ appointments, visa runs, etc. are all realities of day to day life. We hope that families can minimize the times students miss class, but we understand these things happen.
With that in mind, and knowing that being at school is best for learning, we strongly encourage that parents time vacations and trips using the scheduled school breaks and not missing school days. Teachers make the most of the learning days, knowing that breaks are happening, so when students miss long stretches of learning time for travel or family trips, there is no doubt that this impacts their child’s learning.
Our attendance policy, found in the MS Handbook (seen below), reflects this in how we determine “excused” and “unexcused” absences. In all cases, we assess student work, but the distinction in reasons for absences is important to note.
From MS Handbook, page 7
Attendance records for your child can be viewed in PowerSchool.
To communicate with ISB about your child’s attendance, please contact Khun Aor (walairaw@isb.ac.th).
Arriving On Time (and tardies)
In the same spirit of valuing time in class, we believe it is important that students arrive to class on time. Valuing punctuality is both an important skill for students to develop in their Self-Management and an indication of respect and engagement for their learning. “Tardies” (being late for class) are recorded in PowerSchool in each class period. Sometimes a student may be late and this is noted, but when records indicate high frequency or repeated lateness, then we have follow up in place with detention during lunch blocks (students still have a chance to eat). We provide a warning to students when we see tardy numbers creeping up. We hope that this serves as a deterrent for students, if they start showing up late to class regularly. Students always have sufficient time between classes to move from one class to the next, including stopping at their locker.
Uniforms
ISB, like all schools in Thailand, has a school uniform. Our’s is relatively comfortable and simple. MS students must wear the green or white ISB collared shirt. For PE, there is a designated PE uniform shirt. Students may only wear that for PE and should change back into the collared shirt for other classes. Students can arrive to school in their PE shirt if they have PE first class and may leave school in their PE shirt when they have PE last class, but otherwise should always be changing back into the collared shirt. Particularly, at this age group, this is also good for hygiene and body-odor issues.
For the lower half of the body, in MS, students may wear the ISB PE shorts throughout the day or black or khaki shorts/skirts/pants that are from our school bookstore (or similar). Random sports shorts, tights, or jeans are not allowed.
Every Friday is also Panther Spirit day and students can wear other ISB team or activity shirts instead of their collared uniform shirt.
Throughout the year we have Alternate Dress Days (often called Free Dress days by students) and/or themed spirit days. On these days students can be “out of uniform” within dress code guidelines and the guidelines of the theme is there is one. As always, students can still wear school uniform on these days (and many do).
More details regarding uniform and dress code can be found in the MS Handbook, pages 10-12.
Technology Use
MS students are provided with a school-issued laptop. Students are required to use this laptop at school and should bring it charged fully each morning. Students may have some classes that do not (or rarely) use the laptop, like PE or music. For these class periods, students can leave their laptop in their locker for safety during the day.
In the MS, we do not want students on their personal phones throughout the day. As such, we require that students leave their phones in their lockers (along with their school bag – see next topic) throughout the school day, including lunch. We value face to face student interaction and also want to prevent and avoid social media posts, drama, and messaging throughout the day. If parents need to reach their child, we ask that they call the MS office. We can always reach a student very quickly and connect them with their parents. When students need to contact their parents, they can come to the office and we can make that call for them (or they can ask permission to use their cell phone with us).
Lockers
In the MS, we require that students use their assigned lockers. Student ID cards open their unique locker. Only the office staff can open the locker otherwise. Students leave their school bag and all materials other than what is needed for the class they are going to / attending in their locker. Students may have a smaller bag for PE materials.
These guidelines are in place to ensure phones are not being carried around through the day (as a temptation to use during class) and to ensure valuables are safe. While ISB is a safe campus, in general, leaving bags and valuables on the ground, on benches, or in the cafeteria is risky and can lead to lost items. The locker is provided so that students’ valuables are safe. Students do not bring bags to class or leave them in the hallways.
Lockers are also provided in the PE changing rooms.
ID Cards
ID cards are an essential part of a student’s school day. The ID cards are required for students to enter campus at the turnstiles, open their lockers (which are required to use), check out library books, and purchase food and items at the bookstore. On occasions when a student forgets their ID card, we do have systems in place using their ID number to access campus or their Campus Card accounts for purchases, but it definitely impacts efficiency and freedom of movement for the student. Additionally, our secretaries can open their lockers for them, but this involves waiting between each period for someone to help the student.
Please help your child come up with a system or spot to leave their ID card so that they remember to bring it to school each day.
In the event that they’ve lost their ID card, students can inform K. Aor or K. Nan in the MS Office and they will arrange for a new ID card to be printed out at a charge of 200 baht to the card’s account. Once a new ID is made, the old ID card no longer works and cannot be used, if found. Only one ID card per student may be active at any time.
MS Students and Golf Carts
Middle School students are not permitted to drive golf carts (or motorcycle) on to campus. In fact, we discourage allowing MS students to operate golf carts without adult supervision, at all. Our experience is that MS students do not pay attention to pedestrians, cyclists and other traffic dangers. While people often feel that our neighborhood have safe roads, operating a golf cart still requires a license by government regulations. It is important to consider the implications of a MS student causing damage or hurting someone while operating a golf cart unlicensed. While we recognize that parents make their own decisions for their children off campus, if / when we become aware of MS students operating golf carts, we may reach out to parents to share our concerns and the inherent risks.