January 17th
Blog Post
Dear Parents,
See you all tomorrow at International Day, we are so excited for this event!
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Join Us for International Day at ISY
When: Saturday, January 18th 2025
Join us in celebrating internationalism and community at ISY’s International Day! Here are some key reminders to help you get ready for this exciting event.
Event Highlights
| Time | Event |
| 3:30 PM | Students should arrive at the Gym at this time to prepare for the parade. |
| 4:00 PM | Parade of Nations: The parade begins! Watch as students walk behind their country’s flag around the field. There will be clear areas around the field for parents to have a good vantage spot to watch the parade. |
| 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM | Country Booths: Visit the country booths and learn more about the countries represented at ISY. |
| 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM | Cultural Show: Enjoy a stunning lineup of cultural performances. The evening ends with the traditional Grade 12 dance – a must-see! |
International Day Raffle
The Parent Association (PA) is excited to offer a fantastic selection of raffle prizes, for which the PA is truly grateful:
- Raffle tickets are 5,000 kyat and can be purchased at the event.
- Already bought your raffle tickets? Don’t forget to bring them along!
- You will need your raffle tickets to collect any prizes you win. Prizes must be collected on the day. Unclaimed prizes by the end of January will be distributed as a lucky draw at a staff event.
- Grand prizes will be drawn during the Cultural Show – so don’t miss out!
Other Details to Note
- Stay Sustainable: Please bring a reusable water bottle for our water stations.
- Keep ISY Clean: Please use the trash cans provided to help us maintain a clean environment.
- Lost Property: There will be a table of lost property – please check; items not collected will be donated.
Visit the ISY Gala Booth at the ISY International Day!
Tomorrow, Saturday, January 18, at the International Day event, ISY will have a Gala booth near the covered court area. At the booth, you can either purchase your Gala tickets or discuss sponsorship opportunities in more detail.
Early Bird Special Ticket Price:
USD 55 per person
USD 530 for a table of 10 people
IB VIDEO
Check out the new IB Video here
UPCOMING TEACHER EVENT
On the 23rd of January, ISY will host our annual Teachers, Teaching, Teachers event with the theme of ‘Growing Lifelong Learners’. ISY will host participants from four other Yangon schools at this event. This year we have a record number of more than 300 participants. It is a wonderful opportunity for ISY to support learning within Myanmar.
A keynote address along with professional development presentations will take place, with presenters from the various schools, including ISY. This is a wonderful opportunity for our faculty to receive professional development locally.
This day will be a half day for students, with school finishing at 11:30 for KG – Grade 12 and 11:00 for Chinthe Cubs.
LEGACY PAGE
This dedicated page showcases our rich history, key milestones, and the incredible stories that make ISY the vibrant community it is today. Please take a moment to explore the page and join us in celebrating our legacy, starting with the official kick-off at tomorrow’s Family Fun Fair.
Let’s honor our past, celebrate the present, and look forward to a bright future together! Visit the ISY Legacy page here.
Warm regards,
Ms. Sandy Sheppard
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
After School Activities (ASAs) – Session 2 ASAs will start on January 27th and end on April 11.
Sign-up on PowerSchool will start next week on Monday, January 20th, at 7 PM, where you can choose two activities. On Tuesday, January 21st, beginning at 7 P,M you can sign up for your remaining activities.
Registration will close completely on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 7 PM. Here is a step-by-step guide if you need help.
Here are the offerings for this session:
Child Protection at ISY
ISY takes great pride in being a leader in the educational community when it comes to child safety, placing the well-being of our students at the forefront of our mission. Our child protection policy, in place since 2016 and updated annually, adheres to best practices and incorporates progressive strategies to ensure a safe learning environment. This comprehensive policy includes regular training for all employees, thorough background checks and reference screenings, a personal safety curriculum for students, clear reporting procedures, and a robust code of conduct. Each component of the policy is designed with a student-centered approach, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to child protection. This year, ISY is partnering with a respected child protection community leader to review and enhance our policy, further affirming our dedication to providing the highest standard of care and safeguarding for our students. The complete policy can be found here and on our website in both English and Myanmar.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact the ISY counselors, Patty Amundson-Geisel at escounselor@isyedu.org or Mick Amundson-Geisel at mamundson@isyedu.org.
Celebrate ISY’s 70 Years at the 6th Annual Fundraising Gala!
Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 6:00PM | Melia Hotel Yangon
Join us for an evening of timeless traditions, community, and global impact. Proceeds from this event will support the Chinthe Fund and its community initiatives.
Ticket Information
Stay tuned for the Early Bird Special Ticket Sales, opening January 15, 2025.
To reserve tickets in advance, please contact our Advancement Associate – May Su Yadanar Bo at +95-9-880-441-040 or mbo@isyedu.org.
Don’t miss this special evening.
Visit the ISY Gala page for details.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Note: This event is for guests aged 18+; student attendance is limited to approved performers.
Dates to Remember
18th January – International Day – 3:30 start
20th January – d’arcy Lunn – professional development and student learning visitor to campus
23rd January – Half Day for Students – 11:30 finish – Teachers have a professional learning event in the afternoon.
24th January – Reports are available
27th January – Round 2 of ASA’s begin
29th January – Chinese New Year Holiday
7th February – Elementary Movie Night – 6:00 PM
12th February – Union Day Holiday
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Upstanders at ISY
“Do your little bit of good where you are: it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Here at ISY, we work hard to develop the values of service and community. This is seen throughout our curriculum, classrooms, and play spaces. In the coming weeks, Life Skills will be focused on personal safety. A key element of this unit across all grades is the concept of being an upstander. An upstander is a person who, when witnessing unkindness, takes action or “stands up” to stop the unkindness and to support those being hurt. Although there are many ways a student can be an upstander, we often describe four strategies.
Be a Buddy: Unkindness often targets those who seem isolated or alone. Simply stepping up to be a friend can make a significant difference. Unkindness is much harder to continue when someone is there to offer support and connection.
Interrupt: When students witness unkindness, a small interruption—such as a distraction or a light-hearted joke—can shift the dynamic and create an opportunity for the interaction to take a more positive turn.
Speak Out: This strategy is often the most difficult and takes some courage, as it requires students to confront the unkindness directly. We teach students to identify unkindness and tell it to stop, reinforcing that such behavior has no place in our community.
Tell Someone: If unkindness persists, students are encouraged to report it to a trusted adult. We teach them that seeking help for repeated unkindness is important and is not the same as tattling.
Please speak with your child about these strategies and practice them. Students who are prepared are much more confident upstanders. If you have any questions about these strategies or need support for your child or your family, please reach out to me, Ms. Patty, at escounselor@isyedu.org.
Thank you for partnering with us.
The International School Yangon
20 Shwe Taungyar Street
Bahan Township
Yangon, Myanmar
+95 (0) 9 880 441 040