Middle School

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Friday Bulletin Weekly Publication for Middle School Parents

ISSUE # 01 WEEK OF AUGUST 10 TO 14, 2009

From the Middle School Office Dear Parents: Welcome to school year 2009 – 2010! After a busy orientation period and hours of preparing the classrooms, we are delighted to have the children back in school. The first day of school went smoothly and we thank everyone for contributing to a successful start. The enthusiasm on the students’ faces as they greeted one another in the halls, made new friends, and attended classes renewed life on campus. We are thrilled to have all of our students from Grade 5 to Grade 8 livening up the halls and rooms of ISM. Together with the teachers, we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead. As the school year commences, please take note of the following points:

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Since after school clubs and activities have not yet started, students are expected to be off campus by 3:00 P.M. Please make the necessary transportation arrangements so that your child is picked up promptly at dismissal time.

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Student planners have been distributed during Homebase. Please spend some time with your child reviewing the student handbook portion of the planner. Important information regarding grades, homework, discipline and other policies is contained in the handbook. It is expected that all students be familiar with and adhere to established policies and procedures. At the back of the planner is an acknowledgement letter that we ask all parents to sign and return to school.

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It is vital that the office has the most current contact information for each family in the event of an emergency or school closure. Please call the office to update your landline and/or cell phone number.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s education here at ISM, please contact the Middle School Office at 840-8550. We look forward to working with you and your child throughout the year. Sincerely, Danielle Fredericks Middle School Principal

Clarissa Sayson Middle School Assistant Principal

Upcoming Events August

14

Student Council Event

17-26

Student Council Representatives’ Campaign

17

Grade 5 Assembly (2:20 PM, LT)

18

Grade 6 Assembly (2:20 PM, LT)

19

Grade 7 Assembly (2:20 PM, LT)

20

Grade 8 Assembly (2:20 PM, LT)

PowerSchool Grade Update Aug. 20 - Grade Update Sept. 04 - MS Progress Reports

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From the Superintendent’s Office Dear Parents:

Welcome everyone to the School Year 2009/10. I shall be sending to you all a more comprehensive message through our News Bulletin, but in the meantime, I did want to take an early opportunity to address a problem that is much on everyone’s mind: Swine Flu or A H1N1.

As one would expect in these times of global travel, cases of swine flu can be found in every corner of the world and the Philippines is no exception. There have already been deaths here due to this virus. As every day passes, there are more statements and more warnings and more advice and much of this is contradictory.

I want to tell you how we plan to deal with this matter, since there will certainly be more cases of infection in Manila and very likely within our own school community. But before I start, I must add that we shall review constantly our response in order to meet the needs of what will certainly be a changing situation.

It is highly unlikely that there will be an effective vaccine available to all before December. The proposition that we close the school every time there is a flu case within the community might well mean that we have no classes until after Christmas. That is obviously unacceptable. Meanwhile, we all know that, even if we did suspend classes, parents and children - and teachers for that matter - would still go to shopping malls, would still go to cinemas, would still attend churches, and would certainly take local and international plane flights - all places where they would be just as likely to catch the virus as they are here in school.

Here then are the rules that we would like all community members to abide by: 1. Children with flu-like symptoms and/or a temperature of 38C or more, must NOT come to school. Parents should check their children’s temperatures EVERY DAY. 2. If one member of the family has flu or flu-like symptoms, please keep all students AT HOME; this particular type of flu is extremely contagious and may have been passed on before symptoms have developed. 3. Students should not return to school until they are completely symptom-free. 4. Notify the school if your child is off school due to flu-like symptoms. 5. Notify the school of any confirmed case of H1N1 within the family.

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6. Take these everyday steps to protect your health, as advised by the CDC: •

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

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Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcoholbased hand cleaners are also effective.

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Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

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Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

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Stay home if you are sick for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.

7. Anyone presenting at school with fever and/or flu-like symptoms will be quarantined and sent home. Parents should aim to pick up their children as quickly as possible. 8. ES classrooms will have hand sanitizers available in each classroom. 9. MS and HS students should bring a small supply of hand sanitizer to school for personal use. 10. Use of masks during the school day is a personal choice.

In school, we shall have a program of continual cleaning and disinfection of high contact areas and a daily full disinfection of the clinic area. Canteen and food concession staff will be checked every day for symptoms and sent home if there any doubts about their health. In the meantime, our IT coordinators are preparing for the online delivery of our educational service to help us maintain our program of study for individuals or small groups who are sick or, in a worst-case scenario, for when the entire school is obliged to close.

A H1N1 is no more virulent or dangerous than regular seasonal influenza – and tens of thousands of people every year die from the flu virus. That said, we have to recognize the widespread anxiety that exists in our community. We shall view and review our practices with robust common sense and a healthy prescription of caution.

David Toze

We’re on the web! www.ismanila.org

CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGES? Please inform the Middle School Office if you recently changed your contact information (i.e. Home Address, Home/Office Telephone Numbers, Mobile Numbers and Email Addresses). You may contact us through 840-8550 or 840-8553

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From the Security Office Car stickers The car stickers for school year 2009/10 are available from the security office. For vehicles already displaying an exiting sticker, parents should submit a completed renewal form with a copy of a current LTO official receipt. For new vehicles, parents are reminded that a copy of the vehicle’s certificate of registration and a current official receipt need to be submitted with the application. Applications for vehicles registered with companies or other institutions should be supported by a letter of assignment. Each ISM family will be issued one vehicle sticker free of charge. Any additional stickers will be issued following payment of Php100.00 to the cashier’s office. In order to facilitate the easy recognition of authorized cars at the gates, the stickers should be affixed to the top right corner of the windshield. Further to this, old ISM stickers issued in previous years should be removed. Vehicles not displaying this year’s car sticker will not be allowed access from August 30. ID Cards Parent IDs Parent IDs issued for the school year 2008-2009 will continue to be valid for the new school year 2009-2010. Parents who require replacement school IDs due to loss or damage can acquire these from the Security Office upon payment of Php100.00 to the Cashier. School Passes School passes issued to parents’ employees and representatives need to be replaced for this school year. As of August 31, 2009, the blue bordered passes issued for the school year 2008/2009 will be invalid. Each family will be given two free school passes. Additional school passes may be obtained after paying a processing fee of Php100.00 each to the Cashier’s Office. Visitor’s Passes All visitors must secure a pass from the guardhouse at Gate 3. Before entry will be allowed, a telephone check will be made with the relevant office to confirm the visitor’s business within the school.

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From the Security Office Drivers, Helpers and Bodyguards Drivers, helpers and bodyguards should not wait on campus for students throughout the school day. After dropping off students, they should exit the school grounds and not return more than 30 minutes before dismissal time. Those who repeatedly fail to comply with this regulation may have their access privilege suspended. Only those vehicles carrying parents or other people with business within the school will be allowed to return to the campus before 1:45 p.m. There are designated areas for drivers, yayas, helpers and security escorts to wait for parents and students. Unless specifically authorized, they may not enter any other area. In the interests of security, and to prevent congestion at the pedestrian entrances to the covered parking area, parents are requested to emphasize to their employees the importance of cooperating with the security staff and remaining in the appropriate areas. Firearms All members of the ISM community are reminded that it is strictly forbidden for firearms to be brought onto the campus. This includes concealed weapons carried by bodyguards for close protection. Any person arriving at the school with a firearm should inform the gate guard and arrangements will be made for the weapon to be safely and securely stored during the visitor’s stay. Security Staff directions Our security team is endeavoring to make the school as safe and secure an environment as possible for all members of our community. We ask that everybody cooperates with us in this important task. In particular, all those entering our campus are requested to comply with any directions given to them by members of our guard force. In the event that anyone is unclear as to the purpose of such instructions they can seek clarification from the security office. Please note that it is the parents’ responsibility to advise their staff accordingly. Thank you for your cooperation. We are looking forward to another successful year at International School Manila. Regards, Mike Flynn Director Operations & Security

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From the Athletics & Activities Office

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