International Women’s Day

At ISY, students thrive in a community that embraces their individuality. ISY raises awareness of diversity to create an inclusive environment for all.

Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. This is a day to inspire inclusion and belonging. When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion and contribution, we create a better world. 

Last Friday, award-winning Myanmar businesswoman, Ms. Win Win Tint, spoke to our Secondary School students. 

At ISY, we are developing lifelong learners who will be a force for positive change in the world. We want our students to be able to adapt to an unknown or uncertain future. We want them to drive their own learning, control their own lives and positively influence the lives of others. Ms. Win Win Tint is a fine example of all that we are striving to develop in our students. 

SEASAC Model United Nations (MUN)

Last weekend, 20 ISY students participated in the SEASAC Model United Nations conference at NIST School in Bangkok. Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is a student-led educational model of the United Nations used for simulations in which students learn about diplomacy and international relations. It was a very successful conference for our students. For many of students, it was their first time at an international MUN conference. Our more experienced students had roles of responsibility in chairing committees. One of our Chairs was recognized as ‘Best Chair.’ This is a significant acheivement given the calibre of students attending. A first time participant received an honorable mention which is also something to be very proud of.

Middle School Learning & Wellbeing

Last Friday, our Middle School students came together with their teachers to reflect on their recent Chinthe Expeditions. Among other things, students reflected on having very limited access to their phones.

Students were asked to identify some challenges they faced in not always having their phones. They also identified how this was a positive experience for them.

Here is a collection of some of their thoughts:

It was always our intention after Chinthe Expeditions to have the students think about their phone use and the time they spend on social media apps such as Discord, Tik Tok, and Snapchat. Many of their thoughts matched the thoughts and research upon which many of last year’s Middle School Impact service learning projects were based. These projects sought to address issues around unhealthy phone and social media behaviors that impact our mental health. Here are a few photos of these projects:

Given our students’ awareness of the benefits of reducing the amount of time spent on phones and social media, we are supporting their learning and wellbeing at school in the following ways:

1. Upon entering class, Middle School students must turn their phones off and put them in their bags or in the basket provided. This prevents unnecessary distractions from phone notifications. It takes us a long time to refocus on a task even if we just hear or feel our phone buzz. We remove these distractions so our students are focused and able to fully concentrate on their learning.
2. Social media apps such as Discord, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and some gaming sites are not available to Middle School students on our ISY network.

It is important to note and we have made it clear to our students that restricting phone and social media use is a learning and wellbeing issue. The learning and wellbeing of our students are our priorities and, in consultation with our students, we are very happy to support our students’ learning and wellbeing in this way. 

Grade 10 Parent & Student IB Diploma Information

Click here for the slides that were used last night to present on our Grade 11 and 12 IB Diploma Program and how it relates to our ISY High School Diploma. 

Last night was a great opportunity to talk to teachers about their courses in deciding about what courses to select.

The students know how to make their course selections in Powerschool. We ask them to do this by 4pm, this Monday, March 11. This will allow us to start building their schedules. Students will then be able to review their course selections again in May and then again in August. 

If you have any questions about anything in these slides, please do not hesitate to contact our IB Diploma Coordinator, Mr Lapoujade or High School Counselor, Mr. A-G. You are also welcome to contact me.

Grade 12 IB Exams Alternative Venue Survey 

To Grade 12 students and parents:

As we prepare for the IB Diploma final exams beginning on April 24, we want to check in with you about your plans for taking the exams.

It may be that some of you are considering taking your exams outside of Myanmar (e.g. Thailand). For planning purposes, could you please fill out this IB Diploma Exams Alternative Venue Survey. You only need to fill out this form if you are considering taking your exams outside of Myanmar.

Please fill in the form by 4pm, Friday, March 15.

Heat and Sun Protection 

It is starting to get very hot again. We remind our Secondary School students to drink plenty of water and protect themselves from the sun. We strongly encourage our Secondary School students to wear hats when outside and wear sunscreen. This is especially important during PE classes.

High School Counseling Corner

High School Counselor Newsletter: Every week, our High School counselor, Mr. A-G provides a newsletter for our High School students that includes information about university admissions.

University Admissions – Navigating Entry Requirements for the Netherlands and France

On Wednesday, March 18, at 6:00 pm in the Multi-Purpose room (MPR), our ISY High School Counselor will present on decoding the admission processes for international students in the Netherlands and France, providing valuable insights into application requirements, visa procedures, and strategies for successful enrollment.

Upcoming University Admissions Information Sessions:

March 27: Hungary, Czech Republic, and Poland

April 3: Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong

April 24: Australia and New Zealand

May 1: Securing University Scholarships Worldwide

FUNDRAISING GALA

The 5th Annual ISY Fundraising Gala is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 30, 2024, at the PARKROYAL Hotel Yangon and will be in their Yadanar Ballroom starting from 6:00 pm. The theme will be The Garden of Hope. The Gala supports and links to ISY’s strategic theme of Sustainability. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the event, please see this linked sponsorship document with the sponsorship packages and form. Any questions regarding sponsorship should be directed towards our Advancement Associate, May Su Yadana Bo (mbo@isyedu.org) or +95 9 880 441 040, +95 9 964 210 248. You can also see further details about ticket purchases for the event on our ISY Gala webpage and Facebook Event page.

Activities & Athletics

Here is a link to Mr. O’Sullivan’s Athletics and Activities Blog for up-to-date information regarding Activities and Athletics at ISY.

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