Dear Parents,

What? Why? How?

These three questions underpin everything we do at ISY. Our new Chinthe Communities initiative provides a good example of these simple questions in action:

What? 

Chinthe Communities are groups of students and teachers from different grade levels that meet in the Elementary School on Fridays when we do not have an assembly. 

Why? 

There are many reasons why we have created Chinthe Communities. 

The main reason is to build and nurture a sense of belonging and community. Belonging is an ISY Strategic Theme, and we want all students and teachers to feel a strong sense of belonging to the whole school—not just their class or grade level. A strong sense of belonging has a very positive impact on student well-being and learning.

Other benefits of Chinthe Communities include:

• Student Leadership and Support: Younger students get to know older students, and these connections allow older students to support younger students. These connections have important benefits for both.
• Strategic Initiatives: This time can be used to promote things that are important to us. 
• Community Events and Service Learning: Throughout the year, we will organize school-wide events through our Chinthe Communities. One example is our traditional Olympiad. Students will use the Chinthe Communities’ time to plan for these events.
• Connection to the Culture, Geography, and History of Myanmar: Each Chinthe Community takes its identity from a significant Myanmar river that the students will learn about and connect with throughout the year.

How?  

Students are organized into 6 Chinthe Communities. These communities include students from the Elementary and Secondary Schools. Each community takes its identity from a significant Myanmar river (and they have also been assigned a color): 

• Thanlwin (Orange)
• Chindwin (Black)
• Irrawaddy (Yellow)
• Sittaung (Green)
• Maykha (Red)
• Malikha (Blue)

We encourage students to wear their colors on Fridays.

Discover ISY:  A Community of Compassion and Change

We are excited to share our new video showcasing our amazing school. Please tune in and discover more about our outstanding Chinthe Fund partnerships and the remarkably compassionate community at ISY. See the video below.

ISY hosted Cathy Berger Kaye this week. Cathy is an internationally recognized expert in service learning. Thank you, Cathy, for leading engaging workshops with our faculty and inspiring students to explore and make meaningful differences in our community.

REMINDERS

Please remember that during this time, we only have dedicated adult supervision on campus in the morning from 7:30 AM. Elementary School Students go directly to the steps at dismissal unless they have an after-school activity.

Warm regards,

Ms. Sandy Sheppard

We Belong Together: A Grade 1 Learning Story 

Please take a moment to read our new learning story.

ISY Featured: Service learning – A powerful vehicle for learning in Myanmar

Take a look at the ISY service learning article featured on Expat.com.

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Resilience: A Vital Life Skill

Resilience is the ability to bounce back or adapt when things don’t go as planned. It’s a crucial skill for children to develop, and it consists of three key elements: control, challenge, and commitment.

A resilient person focuses on what they can control. They view obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than signs of failure. Instead of being discouraged by setbacks, they become energized to overcome barriers and continue toward success. Finally, resilient individuals are committed. They set goals, create plans, and dedicate their time and energy to all aspects of life—whether it’s work, family, or social connections.

So, how can we nurture these qualities and skills in our children?

Control: Give your child opportunities to take risks and try new things. As parents, it’s natural to want to protect our children by ensuring their success, but sometimes this can prevent them from developing independence. By allowing them to navigate tasks on their own, they learn to identify what is within their control and what isn’t.

Challenge: Let your child see you fail. Share your everyday mistakes and demonstrate how these “mini-failures” are valuable learning experiences. Show them that failure is not the end—it’s the beginning of growth.

Commitment: Model goal-setting and perseverance for your children. Whether it’s your daily exercise routine, sleep schedule, or healthy eating habits, demonstrating dedication provides a powerful example that can influence them for years to come.

Resilient individuals tend to have a positive outlook on the future, achieve more of their goals, manage their emotions better, maintain healthy relationships, and express empathy and compassion.

If you have any questions or concerns about this or other topics, feel free to contact me, Ms. Patty, at escounselor@isyedu.org.

Warm regards, Ms. Patty