ISSUE # 15

MIDDLE SCHOOL
WEEK OF:
DECEMBER 2 to 6

SY 2013 2014

Friday Bulletin
Inside this issue:
Operations & Security

Weekly Publication for Middle School Parents

Dear Parents: Next week begins the season of giving and in the Middle School we will be promoting random acts of kindness. The Student Ambassadors have organized a number of activities throughout the week during break and lunch times aimed at showing gratitude and kindness toward one another. We hope by engaging in these activities that the students will think about and reflect on what they appreciate in life and in their community. Over the next few weeks your child may be working on performance tasks in class and we encourage you to talk with your child about how they are managing their time and their activities. In the lead up to the December holiday, we often see students getting tired, anxious, ill or short-tempered. It's been a long semester and we realize that many students are ready for a long break. At home, please continue to support your child and make sure that they are getting enough rest. We would also ask that you remind your children to keep their belongings secure by using their lockers or keeping their bags with them. This is to prevent any loss or disappointment when items go missing. If there are any concerns, please contact your child's advisor or counselor as we are here to offer support. We would like to see everyone remain in good health and spirits. Looking ahead... The Middle School Art exhibit opens on Monday, December 9 at 3:00 P.M. in the FAT lobby. The grade 7-8 Music concert is scheduled for Wednesday, December 11 at 5:30 P.M. followed by the grade 5-6 concert on Friday, December 13 at 5:00 P.M. Have a restful weekend! Yours in Education, Simon Gillespie Middle School Principal Clarissa Sayson Middle School Assistant Principal
12/14

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HS Guidance Office Music Department Athletics & Activities PTA Admissions & Advancement ISM Upcoming Events

Events & Activities:

DECEMBER

913 917 11 13 17

Spirit Week Art Exhibit G 7/8 Music Concert G 5/6 Music Concert Sports Day

Saturday Service Dates:

12/7 Love 2 Learn Rotary Ready Club Tzu Chi Foundation

Hello Bearcat Parents, I hope all is well. As you may or may not know, every JANUARY we have a career-focused week at International School Manila called Bearcat Career Exploration Week. It is a week dedicated to helping our high school students learn more about themselves and the vast array of careers that exist and continue to be created in our world. Click here if you would like more information on the week: http://bearcat-careers.ismonline.org/career-explore/ This year the Bearcat Career Exploration week is January 20-24, 2014. There are a number of special activities going on this week, but some of the more popular ones are the Career Talks that are given by various professionals from the ISM community. I was hoping some of you Bearcat parents might be interested in giving a short (20 minutes to 30 minutes) talk about your career area to some of our high school students during that week. If you are interested in giving a career-focused talk during that week, please click the link below and fill out the Google form. I will then be in touch shortly to confirm your participation. https://docs.google.com/a/ismanila.org/forms/d/13nLVKq50zS8gXqGTGyq_eODA33-Ul4jFYoB41XKesU/viewform In the meantime, if you have questions about the week, please feel free to email me anytime at mcqueend@ismanila.org. Best regards, Doug McQueen HS Grade 9/10 Guidance Counselor
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UPDATE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS THROUGH THE ISM PARENT PORTAL

Dear Parents, We are pleased to inform you that your childs PowerSchool account may be accessed through the ISM Parent Portal. Aside from being a gateway to PowerSchool, the Parent Portal also provides information on school events, useful links, as well as child-specific academic blogs and student portfolios. Should you need to make any changes to your contact information, visit the Parent Portal and follow the steps below:

Leaving ISM?
For those students that will be withdrawing from International School Manila this school year (SY 13 -14), the following procedure applies: Parents are obliged to officially inform the Admissions Office in writing through a Withdrawal Notification Form at least fifteen (15) days prior to your childs last day of school.

For those leaving at the end of the school year, you MUST submit a Withdrawal Notification Form on or before May 09, 2014.
Failure to do so will lead to a deduction of US$1,000 from the Facilities Upgrade Deposit (FUD) in compensation for having held a space for the child and thus preventing the School from offering that space to another child prior to the summer holiday break. The Withdrawal Notification Form can be obtained from the Admissions Office or downloaded from the ISM website here. We hope that your child has had an enriching stay at ISM and wish you and your family the very best in the future.
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