MIDDLE SCHOOL

Middle School
Weekly Publication for Middle School Parents ISSUE # 16
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30

From the Middle School Office

TO DECEMBER 04, 2009

Dear Parent/s:

On Thursday, December 3 is the MS Parent Coffee from 7:45 to 9:00 A.M. in the Little Theater. The
topic of discussion, facilitated by the Guidance Counselors, will focus on positive relationships and
empowering students. Please join us.

With only two and a half weeks remaining in the first semester, conversations have begun drifting
toward people’s plans for the upcoming break, but activities inside and outside the classrooms
continue to fill our days. Please encourage your child to stay focused on assignments as the last two
weeks may bring end of semester tests and projects. The Student Council has busily been preparing
for Spirit Week, which will occur from December 7 – 11, and the MS Party on December 11. Then on
Tuesday, December 15 the PE Department has organized a Sports Day. Each student has been
assigned to a house – Aklan, Baguio, Cebu, or Davao – and will have opportunities to participate in
events throughout the day. All parents are invited to attend Sports Day and cheer on their child.

Enjoy the 4-day weekend!

Sincerely,

Danielle Fredericks Clarissa Sayson

Middle School Principal Middle School Assistant Principal

Upcoming Events PowerSchool Grade Update

December 02 to 04 MS Musical Auditions Dec. 11 - MS Progress Reports

03 MS Parent Coffee (7:45 A.M., LT) Jan. 05 - PowerSchool closes
03 MS/HS Beginning Groups Concert (5:30 P.M., AMR) Jan. 15 - PowerSchool opens
05 Service Learning: CCV Jan. 18 - First Semester
10 MS Concert (5:30 P.M., FAT) Reports Distribution
11 MS Party - Grade 5 to 8 (5:00 P.M.)
15 MS Sports Day
 M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 2

New Grade Six Blog!

The grade six team is pleased to announce the
grand opening of their own grade level blog. The
site is designed to be an entryway for students
and parents to have easy access to resources
and news.

Students can gain quick access to teacher sites,

see the latest grade level videos, view pictures
from outings and activities, and quickly connect
to any required school resource.

Parents can view the latest updates about what is happening in grade six. They also have access to
the same videos, pictures, links, teacher sites and resources as students. Recent posts include
teacher bios and an article about how grade six students are reaching out to the less fortunate mem-
bers of our community.

The Grade Six Blog will now take the place of the grade six quarterly newsletters.

Top 5 reasons why the Grade Six Blog is better than the newsletter:
1. Parents will be able to access information more quickly. Parents can even subscribe to the
blog RSS feed and get notified immediately when there is a new posting.
2. The blog can showcase more kind of information than the newsletter: slideshows, videos,
student work samples…
3. Certain parts of the blog will allow students and parents to comment, thus improving the dia-
logue about learning.
4. The blog also has space to put resources and news for the students.
5. It’s a way to encourage students (and teachers and parents) to improve their technology
skills.

Grade six would like to extend a huge thank-you to our I.T. Integration Teacher, Darren Sturgeon, for
helping set up their blog.

You can check out the Grade Six Blog at: http://grade6.ism-online.org/
 M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 3

From the Art Department

COLLABORATIVE MURAL ALMOST FINISHED!!!

The Grade Five and Six art classes have been working hard for five weeks on an Australian Aboriginal Art Unit.
The students researched the style of the Australian Aboriginals and discussed their use of the elements of art
and principles of design. They then told a story of their lives using ten important events and symbols to repre-
sent each one. Their composition (thumbnail sketch) includes all ten symbols and added pattern, in the style of
the Australian aboriginals. The students then painted these on pre-cut square boards.

When the boards are put together, there is also a student generated image that connects all of the pieces as it
connects all of our lives. This is an image, represented with chosen student symbols, of the Tropical Storm On-
doy and the way that our community came together to help out during this tragic time.

This collaborative structure will be placed outside of the middle school hallway. It
can serve as a reminder of how we all are connected and how although each per-
son is unique and separate, only united, can we bring about such positive change.

Please enjoy updated photos on the art website www.easysite.com/artitude.

Hopefully the mural can be put on the wall before Christmas break!

The Age of Stupid Screening

On December 1st (next week) Gr7 and 8 Students and HS students will be watching a film called the ‘The Age
of Stupid’. This film focuses on climate change and encourages student empowerment, instilling hope for the
future. There is a strong message that we really do have a chance to make a difference, and we have to start
now.

In preparation for the screening of the film, Grade 7 and 8 students will discuss the issue of climate change and
what we can do about it in Science classes before seeing the film. They will then carry out reflections and dis-
cussion in the lesson after. The discussions are aimed at viewing the issue objectively and looking at various
opinions surrounding the issue. This film is more age appropriate for Grade 7 and 8 and as a result, in Grade 5
and 6 students will be discussing and learning about these issues as they arise within the context of their units
but will not be seeing the film.

From Dec 7th – 16th world leaders will be meeting for the UN framework Convention on Climate Change summit
in Copenhagen. The goal after showing The Age of Stupid is to give Middle School students the opportunity
if they wish to, to add their voice to the global petitions which will be presented as part of the summit in Copen-
hagen.

The film will be shown from 1:15 – 2:45 P.M. in the FAT and there will be a second showing for High School
students from 3:00 P.M. This is also open to parents, so if you wish to join your child or come to the later view-
ing please do.

Let us start the discussion now so we don’t need to ask the question later ‘Why didn’t we stop climate change
when we had the chance?’

To find out more about the film: www.ageofstupid.net and this campaign is directly linked to campaigning for
Copenhagen petition http://tcktcktck-asia.org/
 M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 4

After School Activities

Please be advised that the MS AFAC Dance and Music classes will end on December 11, 2009. Students who wish to
continue with their activity for the Second Semester MUST register again. Registration period is on December 2 until De-
cember 16.

Schedule of Season 3 activities is now available. Activities that will be taking place during the third season are: Basketball,
Badminton, MS Mixed Touch, Recreational Gymnastics, Aquatics (learn to swim), Tennis and Circus Skills. If you
are interested in any of the activities please go and register at the ES AFAC office based in the ES main office.

Thanks .

Dave Allen
Middle School Activities Coordinator
(632) 840 8485
allend@ismanila.org
M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 5

Middle School Sports Day

 M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 6

MIDDLE SCHOOL PHOTO

Orders can still be placed to purchase copies of your child’s photo taken
last October.

Photo envelopes are available in the Middle School Office.

Service Learning Announcements

PCF, TRASHEBOLSAS and INVISIBLE will be selling their recycled products in school this week.

Sales (and demos) will take place on:

• Tuesday, December 1, outside FAT from 11:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (PCF, TRASHEBOLSAS)
• Wednesday to Friday, December 2 to 4, outside the canteen from 11:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. (INVISIBLE, PCF, TRASHE-
BOLSAS)

This is a wonderful opportunity to not only support these sustainable livelihood projects, but to get some Christmas shop-
ping done too!

For further information about these organisations (and links to their websites), please check out www.ism-
online.org/gogreen.

Thank you for supporting this event.

***
CCV FIELD TRIP will be on December 5. Grab a permission slip from Ms. Vergel.

From the Security Office

M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 7

From the Fine and Performing Arts Office

From the Wellness Department

M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 8

Upcoming Events
M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 9

Upcoming Events
M I D D LE S C H O O L F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 10

From PTA Office

ISM PTA General Assembly

Paskong Pinoy – a Filipino Christmas Celebration

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 from 7:30 – 9:00am (Little Theater)
Featuring Ballet Manila in “Kutitap” (Sparkle) under the choreography of Osias Barroso.
A traditional Filipino Advent breakfast follows!

From Admissions Office

Update your contact information!
Please get in touch with the Admissions Office or Middle School Office if there has
been any change in your home address and other contact information.
We want to keep you updated with what is happening in school.

IF YOU HAVEN’T LOGGED ON TO POWERSCHOOL…

We’re on the web! please call the Guidance Office at 840-8555 or
www.ismanila.org email msguidance@ismanila.org
in order to obtain your username and password.