International School Manila
ES PARENT BULLETIN
Volume 19
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
MAY
28 Last day of After School Activities
JUN
1 ES 2nd Semester Report Card Distribution
Wednesday Morning Student Late Start @
2 break either in the Philippines or wherever your travels
8.30am
Distribution of Section Cards, Accounting
Office
Grade 4 Moving-On Ceremony @ 9am, Fine
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Arts Theatre
Early Student Release @ 12pm
End of 2nd Semester
AUG
5 Start of School
One-Page School Calendar
for Next School Year
(SY 2010-2011)
is now available on page 5 and in the
ISM Website. Please visit
www.ismanila.org and click on News &
Calendar to download the file or you
may type this url in your web browser:
http://www.ismanila.org/_Rainbow/
images/default/
CALENDAR_10_11_as19MAY2010.pdf
28 May 2010
From the ES Administration
Dear Elementary School Parents,
As we come to our final week of the school year, we
would like to thank all of our students and parents for
another successful school year. We are so fortunate to
have such a supportive school community, and for this
we also thank you. We wish you all a safe and relaxing
may take you. For those families who will be leaving us,
we wish you all the very best on your new
adventures. For returning families, we will see you at
the start of the new school year on August
5! Sectioning cards with information on next year’s
classes will be available on Thursday, June 3rd after you
have completed the re-enrollment process, and a letter
will be sent out the week before school begins to
welcome you to the 2010-2011 school year.
This week you will receive our annual yearbook, Alaala
as well as a copy of Bamboo Shoots, our ES magazine.
We hope these will keep the memories from this school
year alive! A highlight of next week is our Grade Four
Moving on Ceremony on June 3rd. We wish all of our
Grade Four students the very best as they transition to
a new phase of their lives in Middle School. We look
forward to hearing about all your new experiences in a
different part of our school.
It has been great to be a part of your child’s learning
process and growth this year.
Yours in Education,
Simon Gillespie Michael Rourke
ES Principal ES Assistant Principal
Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From the Art Department

ART Grades 2,3,4

Second, Third and Fourth Grade Artists will be given their art port folio during their last art class. The last
cycle of art classes starts this Friday. Please take the time to allow your child to share this work with you.
Inside the folder you will find a course description which briefs all they have done this year, for your interest.
You will also find a fun quiz. The point of this is for your child to play the quiz with you. It is hoped it will act as a
springboard to a few things they have learned this year. We do not expect them to remember everything! But
hopefully parts of the quiz will lead to an interesting discussion between you and your child. Obviously three
dimensional work is not included in this folder. Students should have already received this work to take home,
earlier in the year. If you do not remember such a thing coming home, please encourage your child to come and
ask us about it, as often there is work here which children forget to take home. Second Grade should have two
clay pieces – a fish wall tile and a shoe. Third Grade should have a model of some kind, made from paper mache.
Fourth Grade should have a mask and some tribal wear.

Mrs Domingo and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with your children in art this year. It is always such a
pleasure. It is with some sadness that I must say good bye as I move on in my teaching experience. However you
and the children will be seeing me around at ISM in
August – teaching in the High School Art Department,
which in turn is an exciting venture for me. From the Communications
Ms Jones, Mrs Domingo, Mr Gari and I all wish you a & Marketing Office
wonderful and restful holiday and look forward to
seeing familiar faces in August. We also wish all the
best to those students moving on to new schools and
new countries.

From the Clinic

In preparation for the summer break, we would like to
wish everyone a wonderful, healthy and happy
holiday. Many people will be returning to their home
country to visit family and friends. People often use
this time also to visit their family doctors and catch up
with their children’s vaccinations. The following
website is a link to vaccination schedules used in
America but is similar to most programs in developed
countries.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/
default.htm

Please check that your child’s vaccinations are up to

date in order to keep your child safe from serious
illness. We look forward to welcoming you all back to
school in August, fit, well and rested. For those of
you who are leaving us, we wish you great happiness
in your new homes.

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From the PE Department

School holidays are less than one week away.

Some children will be bringing home a swimming certificate in their school reports for achieving a swimming level
in the Australian based Swim and Survive program. The aim of the program is not to pass the children for their
awards but to develop their standard and proficiency at swimming. The swim level certificates come as a bonus if
deserved. It should be noted that children need to consistently complete skills required in the certificates and do
not gain a pass based on a one time only performance. Also some children may make the required distances but
do not yet meet the requirements for stroke proficiency. I hope this information helps.

Thank-you for all your support this year for the ES Physical Education program. It is a delight to track the progress
that students make in physical education classes in terms of physical skills, movement vocabulary, understanding of
movement concepts and especially sportsmanship. We often see many ‘firsts’ in elementary physical education.
This refers when to a child successfully completes a new physical challenge for the very first time. Remember those
first steps! Some of the ‘firsts’ I have witnessed this year include bouncing a ball, diving into a swimming pool,
completing one full lap of the 25m pool, jumping a rope, punting a ball, juggling, riding a unicycle (including
myself!) and a backward roll. Our Music teacher Marnie Hurst just completed her first marathon! There are
countless others…. The sense of achievement and smile on a child’s face when they finally master a new motor
skill is what makes our jobs as physical educators so rewarding. Building a repertoire of physical skills greatly
increases the chances of children leading a health enhancing active lifestyle. I hope your children have shared
some of their achievements in physical education this year with you.

Thanks,

Amanda Pekin, Matthew O’Farrell, Noli Reloj, Bill Blankenship

ES Physical Education

From the ATAC Office

ATAC Summer Camps:

Please sign up and register for the summer camps program. Information has been posted via notice boards and weekly
bulletins since late February regards the summer camps programs. If you are interested in securing a place submit the
form to the ATAC office asap thank you. See flyers and registration information in the parent bulletins.

BEARCAT DEN:

To all students and parents that have supported the Bearcat Den in its operations this year we say a big thank you and
wish all ISM families a safe and enjoyable summer break.

If you would like to stock up on ISM merchandise as gifts to take home over the coming break please
get in quick to get your last minute items before the Den goes into summer hibernation.

The final day of operation for the Den this school year will be Monday May 31st. Our trusty and
hardworking group of Den volunteers will be having a well deserved rest and will be hibernating in
preparation for the reopening of the Den on Aug 9th.

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From the Business Office

Dear ISM Community,

The end of the school year is fast approaching, and I would like to keep everyone abreast of the changes
that will take place in the canteen for school year 2010-2011.

After a lengthy bidding process of the canteen concessionaires that was vetted by a canteen committee
comprising students, parents, faculty and administrators, it was determined that the four current back
concessionaires (Allegro, Piadina, Deli-France and Red Kimono) would continue to provide their
services. It was also felt that Urban Chef, which services the main canteen, would also continue but with
only half of their present space.

At the beginning of the school year, feedback from students, faculty and staff about the current canteen
services, indicated a strong interest in having more vegetarian/healthy options. After careful
consideration, we have offered a canteen contract to Yogi Chef, which will offer a range of vegetarian and
vegan alternatives thus providing options to canteen users that have never been available in the past.
Yogi Chef will be located in the section of the cafeteria that currently houses the pasta bar, sandwich bar
and fruit smoothie area. For those parents with ES children, they will have the option to select Yogi Chef
as the lunch provider for their children but at this time it will be pre-packed food rather than a buffet set-
up. Please note that lunch sign-ups start at the end of July.

One other change in Elementary food services is that, due to low numbers, the student morning snack
service for children will no longer be available. This means that parents who want their children to have
a morning snack will need to pack this for them on a daily basis.

For any future concerns regarding the canteen services please email me directly at
mapuam@ismanila.org.

Thank You

Michelle Mapua
HR Director

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From the Admission Office

IMPORTANT information regarding Re-Enrollment
for School Year 2010-2011

Dear Parents,

It is RE-Enrolment time!!!

You have two choices for getting the Re-Enrollment forms this year:
1. DOWNLOAD the forms from the ISM website (under Admission go to the Re-Enrolment & Withdrawal link)
2. PICK-UP the forms at the Admission Office (by parent or child or if you would like a helper to do this, please supply them
with a letter of authorization.)

Please follow the instructions on the Re-Enrollment Clearance Form and return the following completed documents:
• Parent and School Shared Agreements form – to the Admission Office
• ISM Drug Policy Form – to the Admission Office for students re-enrolling for Grade 7 and Grade 9 only
• Board (proxy form) is an optional form that can be submitted to the Admission Office
• Health Clinic Form – to the Clinic
- Updating Form (front side) must be completed for all children
- Physical Examination Form (back side) must also be completed for children entering Grades 1, 5, 9 along with the
Tuberculosis Screening Form

IMPORTANT – KEEP THE RE-ENROLLMENT

CLEARANCE FORM to fulfill the re-enrollment
requirements. Bring and show this form to the respective
school office to obtain the Class Schedule for HS or MS
students or to the Cashier to obtain the Section Card for ES
Students.
Please note that a Re-Enrollment DEPOSIT PAYMENT
is not required to reserve a space at the School for SY2010-
11. However, parents are obliged to inform the School in
writing, on or before 15th May, if their children will
withdraw at the end of the academic year. There is a
WITHDRAWAL NOTIFICATION FORM for such purpose;
this must be submitted to the Admissions Office on or before
15th May of each school year. Failure to do so will lead to a
deduction of US$1,000 from the Facilities Upgrade Deposit
(FUD), in compensation for having held a space for the child
and thus preventing the School from offering that space to
another child prior to the summer holiday break.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate
to contact either of us.
Regards,
Gary W. Jerome
Director of Admission
From the Superintendent
CHANGE IN PROCEDURE
Dear Parents:
Every year we have to deal with the administrative burden of
trying to collect from parents the $1000 Re-enrollment Deposit.
This is difficult for many parents, especially those whose fees are
paid by the sponsoring company, and more difficult still for the
school trying to collect from parents, especially those who are not
sure of their circumstances.
This year we shall try something different. There will be no re-
enrollment deposit. Instead, we shall expect all departing
families to complete the WITHDRAWAL NOTIFICATION
FORM on or before May 15th. Failure to do so will lead to a
deduction of $1,000.00 from the Facilities Upgrade Deposit.
As I am sure you understand, we at school face considerable
pressure from families applying to enter their children into ISM.
We have to establish the May 15th deadline in order for us to be
fair to those families on our waitlist. The earlier you can tell us
that you are leaving school, the sooner we can provide clear
answers to incoming families.
Sincerely Yours,

Margie Endelman David Toze

Deputy Director of Admission
Superintendent
E-mail: admission@ismanila.org
Admission Office: 840-8488
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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From the Security Office

5 May 2010

A MESSAGE FROM
THE OPERATIONS AND SECURITY DEPARTMENT

I. IDs for the New School Year

Parent IDs

Current parent IDs will continue to be valid for the new school year 2010-2011.

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.

Student IDs

All students will be issued with new ID cards at the beginning of the new school year. This year there will be
no need for returning students to visit the Security Office as we will be utilizing the photographs taken for the
yearbooks.

School Passes

School passes issued to parent’s employees and representatives need to be replaced for next school year.
As of August 31, 2010 the burgundy bordered passes will be invalid.

The security office is now accepting applications for new school passes, however the cards will not be
available for collection before July 1, 2010.

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.

2, Car Stickers for the New School Year

The car stickers for school year 2010/2011 will be available from the security office beginning July 1, 2010.

For vehicles already displaying an existing 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 P100 to the cashier’s office.

I would like to thank all members of the ISM community for their cooperation across this school year
in helping us maintain ISM as a safe and secure environment for our children.

M I KE FLYNN
Director of Operations and Security

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

From Student Council, Service Learning & ECo

Help Support PCF and INVISIBLE

From pop can tab

to purse!

From magazine
to jewelry!

From plastic bag

to purse!

From drink
holder to bag!

Your children can bring plastic bags, magazines, ring pulls from soda cans and tetra paks to
school. We are helping PCF and Invisible by collecting these items and they use them for
making things and sending their children to school. For more information go to: http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlOZXdDn3h4

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

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Elementary School Parent Bulletin 28 May 2010

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