Elementary Principal’s Blog

October 11th
Blog Post

Sandy Sheppard, Elementary School Principal

Dear Parents,

We had a wonderful Chinthe Communities event today. The Grade 2-5 students and the secondary school participated in well-being activities. Everyone had fun, and a wonderful sense of community was the highlight of the day.  I wish you all a very happy and safe Thidingyut holiday we will see you on the 21st of October.

Reminder: Timings after the Holiday:

All elementary students will begin classes at 8:30 a.m. Classes end at 2:50 p.m. for all students except Kindergarten students, who finish at 2:15 p.m., and Chinthe Cubs students, who finish at 1:30 p.m.
There is no scheduled supervision for elementary students until 8:00 am.

MAP

Measures of academic progress (MAP) testing is an internationally recognized standardized assessment tool that provides teachers with data to help support student learning. MAP data shows student growth and allows our teachers to plan and implement lessons to continue challenging and growing students through rigorous units of study. 

ISY has completed our first round of MAP testing, which highlights strong growth across the school in math, reading, and language usage. As in previous years, ISY continues to perform well above the average for international schools, including those in South East Asia. An analysis of the data further indicates that students who have been at ISY over several years substantially outperform same age students on the international averages.

Birthday Reminders:

Reminder: Birthday celebrations happen at the end of the school day in collaboration with the classroom teacher. We encourage healthy food sharing. In keeping with our no-single-use plastics policy, we ask parents to use reusable plates and utensils and avoid candy and soft drinks. Birthday gift bags are not allowed.

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. The video can be found here.

Discover the Chinthe Cubs at ISY

We are thrilled to share a special video showcasing the Chinthe Cubs, a Reggio Emilia-inspired program.

Warm regards,

Ms. Sandy Sheppard

PARENT ASSOCIATION REQUEST

The Parent Association will collect candy donations to distribute to ALL our students after a costume parade during Spirit Week, which will occur from the 28th to the 1st of November. They would like candy donations that can be used for this. There will be a basket on the steps after the Thingyut break where you can leave your donations.
Thank you in advance for your support.

SPIRIT WEEK

Monday: Pajama Day
Tuesday: Celebrity Day
Wed: NO SCHOOL – Parent/Teacher interviews
Thursday: Chinthe Colors
Friday: Costume Day
There will be a costume parade at 2PM on the 1st of November. The Parent Association will be handing out candy for the students.

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.

Early Childhood Parent Evening 

23rd October 

Chinghe Cubs and Kindergarten Parents join us at ISY to connect with teachers and learn about our Reggio-inspired program. Please RSVP to the Elementary Office

We’d love to see you there!

MOVIE NIGHT

FUN

 

Dates to Remember

21st October – School starts at 8:30 AM

21st – 30th – Drop candy donations in the basket on the front steps

25th October – Progress Reports go home/Movie Night for ES

Week of the 28th – Spirit Week

30th October – Parent/Teacher Conferences – No school for students

1st November – Costume Parade

8th November – Diwali Celebration

CHINTHE COMMUNITIES EVENT

The students had fun participating in a variety of activities today.

 

ISY Elementary Volleyball Training Camp & Tournament: October 28th – 30th

We are excited to announce the upcoming ISY Elementary Volleyball Training Camp and Tournament, which will be held from October 28th to 30th, 2024, right here on the ISY Main Campus!

This event is designed for our G3-G5 students and will provide a fantastic opportunity to develop volleyball skills while also focusing on teamwork, sportsmanship, and building a strong community.

Event Highlights:

Who: Open to all ISY G3-G5 students

When: October 28th – 30th, during school break times

Where: ISY Main Campus

The camp will be supervised by Mr. Albert, with help from our Community Sports Team and members of ISY’s HS Volleyball Team, who will assist with refereeing and managing games.

The information will be shared with students in their classes and they will be able to sign up themselves at school.

PROMOTING

READING

AT ISY

Ensure your child has a book in their bag for dismissal time.

Then waiting time can become reading time!

 

When to Keep Your Child Home

 

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Setting Expectations with Your Child

Children thrive when they understand the expectations placed on them. Clear and consistent boundaries create a safe environment where they can learn, grow, and develop emotionally. When boundaries are well-established, children tend to manage their emotions better, regulate their behavior, and experience less anxiety. So, how do we effectively establish expectations within our family?

  • Be clear: Use language your child can easily understand, and be specific. For example, instead of saying, “Please clean up,” which can be too vague, try “Please put all the blocks back in the box” to provide clear direction.
  • Be consistent: Children will often test boundaries to understand whether they are firm or flexible. By maintaining consistency, you help your child feel secure and reinforce what is expected.
  • Pair limits with logical consequences: The consequences of behavior should be fair, proportional, and directly related to the action. This helps children understand the relationship between their behavior and its outcomes.
  • Apply boundaries with love: Communicate that these limits are set because you care for your child and want to keep them safe. Boundaries are an expression of love and concern for their well-being.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding setting boundaries for your child, please feel free to reach out to me, Patty Amundson-Geisel at escounselor@isyedu.org

Warm regards, Ms. Patty