MIDDLE SCHOOL

Friday Bulletin ISSUE # 25

Weekly Publication for Middle School Parents WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23 - 27, 2009

From the Middle School Office

Dear Parents:

Today all the Middle School students return from their Classroom Without Walls (CWW) trips and bring with
them a bank of memories. We are confident that the Grade 6 students discovered more about the
Philippines as they explored the WOW! Philippines theme, and we hope they have a sense of deep
satisfaction having contributed to building a GK777 community. Engaged in various fun activities, the grade
7 students forged ties with students at a school in the Lake Taal area and also strengthened bonds with their
own classmates in workshop-style sessions. From building a kitty hospital to working with marginalized
street children in Puerto Galera, the grade 8 students have been learning firsthand how to be active citizens
and the value of sharing their time, talents and energy. We thank all the teachers for their dedication and
efforts to provide such a range of enriching experiences for the students. It was a week well spent! Please
take some time to engage your child and discuss ways that your child can build on the experience. It’s
important that the learning does not end with the conclusion of the CWW week but that the spirit of service
continues to be nurtured.

Progress reports for students receiving a C- or below were distributed this past Monday. If you have any
concerns, please contact your child’s teacher and continue to access PowerSchool to monitor your child’s
progress.

As printed in last week’s bulletin, the parent meeting Transitioning to Middle School will not take place on
February 27 as listed in the school calendar. The meeting will be rescheduled and details will be
communicated through the Parent Bulletin.

Lastly, on Monday, February 23 there will be no classes for students. Classes resume on Tuesday, February
24.

Enjoy the 3-day weekend!

Sincerely,

Danielle Fredericks Clarissa Sayson

Middle School Principal Middle School Assistant Principal

Upcoming Events PowerSchool Grade Update

February 26 MS Parent Coffee (7:45 A.M., LT)

February 27 - Grade Update
26 Grade 8 Parent Session Transitioning to HS (5:30 P.M., LT)
March 13 - End of Quarter 3
March 02 Grade 8 Course Registration (Homebase)
(grades only)
02 to 03 MS Music/Choir Petting Zoo
09 to 13 ERB Testing (in English Classes)
09 to 13 MS Math Honors Testing
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From the Superintendent’s Office

Dear Parents:

As I’m sure you’re aware, we begin the planning of the school’s academic calendar some twelve months in advance. There
are various factors that we take into consideration:

• The contracted maximum number of teacher contact days – 180.

• The contracted maximum number of teacher working days – 190.

• The location of public holidays and special holidays. Public holidays are tied to particular dates: Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday, All Saint’s Day, Christmas Day. Special holidays, meanwhile, are part of the annual calendar but may be
moved at the discretion of the President: Bonifacio Day, National Heroes’ Day, Labor Day. Included in the category of
special holidays are days that may or may not be calendared at the discretion of the President. These include Ninoy
Aquino Day, Eid ul Fitr and EDSA Day.

You can imagine that it is not always easy to meet the contractual obligations, predict the variables and still maintain the
appropriate shape and balance to the school year that is best suited to teaching and learning.

For the past twenty one years, we have seen EDSA Day become a feature of the annual calendar. Its official celebration
should be held on 25th February, but recently the President declared that she was going to locate such holidays on the
nearest Monday to avoid disruption of the working week and encourage families to enjoy the many attractions of the Philip-
pines. We had therefore circled Monday, 23rd February as EDSA Day but placed an asterisk by that date to indicate that, at
the President’s discretion, this holiday could be moved. Now the President seems minded not to have an EDSA Day holi-
day at all, which leaves me in something of a quandary.

I could, of course, decide to hold classes on 23rd February as usual, but I am mindful of the fact that we published in our
official calendar the number of teacher contact days; I am uneasy, at this stage of the school year, in increasing this by
one. I know, too, that many families have booked holidays for the long weekend in the expectation that we would not have
classes on February 23rd. I’m also aware that the political fall out from this decision by President may yet lead to a change
of mind, and it is conceivable that an EDSA holiday could still be declared - but so late that families would find it difficult to
book planes and hotels if they were traveling out of Manila. I am also aware that if this happens the holiday could revert to
its official date of 25th February.

What I’m proposing is this: in order to keep true to the spirit of the original calendar, we shall keep February 23rd as a
non-teaching day. If, however, at some later stage, the President were to declare an EDSA holiday on a date other than
the 23rd, then we would still consider Monday 23rd February in lieu of any other declared EDSA holiday. In the meantime, I
shall work with HR to try to refine our calendar such that we are prepared for such events in the future.

I’m sorry to have to announce this decision so late in the day. I can only plead in mitigation that I am as frustrated as you
are by this situation.

Yours sincerely,

David Toze
Superintendent
I S Manila

CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGES?

We’re on the web!
Please inform the Middle School Office if you recently changed your contact information
www.ismanila.org (i.e. Home Address, Home/Office Telephone Numbers, Mobile Numbers and Email Ad-
dresses). You may contact us through 840-8550 or 840-8553
 F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 3

From the Athletics and Activities Office

2nd Season IASAS
HUGE congratulations to our varsity boys’ tennis team who
defended their IASAS GOLD medal at Bangkok. This is an
outstanding result from athletes and coaches to win GOLD
two years in a row.
Our touch team also made it into the gold medal playoff
game against SAS and in a very tight game lost in a heart
breaker with seconds to spare on the clock. The girls played
outstanding touch all three days and to bring home silver in
such a narrowly contested final was no doubt a little disap-
pointing, but they should feel very proud of their efforts to
win silver two years in a row.
Boys rugby lost another heartbreaker game in the bronze
medal playoff match. They let TAS get a big lead in the first
half but pegged them back and tied the game with seconds
to spare, sending the game into overtime. Unfortunately,
TAS came out the victors scoring first in the extra time pe-
riod.
Girls and Boys Basketball both placed 4th in Taipei, how-
ever, both teams played some great matches in the tourna-
ment and pushed all other teams they played to tight
games.
Girls tennis has some solid results and were in the running
on Friday to finish in 2nd place but ended up 5th showing how
close the competition was in the girls section of the tourna-
ment.
Our swim team placed 6th but we had over 80% of our swim-
mers post personal best times which shows a great im-
provement at the meet and demonstrates the hard work that
has been occurring in the swimming pool during training
sessions.
IASAS All Tournament Players
Well done to the following athletes who were selected to
IASAS All Tournament Teams:
Rugby: Jimmy Go and Jonathan Pisano
Touch: Pats Limcaoco, Mercedes Olondrez and Sara Jane
Ahmed
Basketball: Pat Reed and Michelle Martin
Tennis: Josh Ho and Marco Del Rosario
IASAS Sportsmanship Award
ISM Girls Touch Team
3rd Season Sports
MS/HS - Badminton, Track and Field and Softball
ES- Grade 4/5 Track
*ES/MS track practices are on Tuesday and Friday’s after
school. Please check the schedules posted on notice boards
around the school.
All 3rd season sports are now in full swing with students and
coaches making a very smooth start to the season after
tryouts week concluded. I would like to remind all participat-
ing students to complete the ATAC on-line registration.
3rd season has a number of interruptions and as such stu-
dents and coaches can lose the flow of the season easily.
Please stay in contact with your coach regarding practices
and weekend matches/meets as they relate to your particu-
lar sport this season.
ES/MS/HS track Meets
Dates for this year are:
• Feb 21st - MS/HS only at ISM
• March 7th at Brent
• March 28th at Brent
• April 3 to 5 - Varsity track at Singapore (IASAS ex-
change weekend)
• April 18 to 22 - 3rd Season IASAS at Jakarta
• May 9th - ES/MS meet at Brent.
MS coaches will provide more details to students at prac-
tices as the season progresses.

Sailfish News
ISM Spring Swim Meet is on March 7, 2009, Saturday. Entry Deadline is on Thursday, Feb 26th.
To enter, please e-mail Coach Andy astfalcka@ismanila.org.

• Swimmers aged 10 years and younger race in the morning

• Swimmers aged 11 years and older race in the afternoon

Regards,

Andy Astfalck
Sailfish Head Coach
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Upcoming Event

Other Announcement
SY 2009-2010 One-Page School Calendar
is now available 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_09_10_FINAL(as_of_5Feb09).pdf
 F R I D A Y B U LLETIN PAGE 5

From Service Learning

Help one of ISM's longstand- when ISM will be at CCV are:
ing charities and get delicious • March 7, Saturday
coffee in return. • May 9, Saturday
CCV (Chosen Children’s Village) lo-
AVAILABLE COFFEE:
cated in Silang, Cavite, is an orphanage
for children who are physically and/or • Pinili Extra Fancy Beans or Ground at Php. 300.00 per
mentally challenged. The village con- 1 lb. (the largest sized beans). Ground or beans.
sists of several cottages, a school, a rehabilitation center, • Pinili Classic Beans or Ground at Php. 250.00 per 1 lb.
and other facilities, such as a gym, a canteen, and a play- (medium sized beans). Ground or beans.
ground. Our ISM students will visit the orphanage at least • Pinili Beans or Ground at Php. 200.00 per 1 lb.
six times this year to play with the kids and assist in feed- (smallest sized beans). Ground or beans.
ing them and in other chores. Our interactions with the
CCV children have created strong bonds between us and
the ‘chosen children’.
SERVICE LEARNING CALENDAR
March 07 Chosen Children Village
CCV’s fundraiser is their PINILI coffee, an organic Robusta
coffee which is grown in the CCV Hacienda. The beans March 14 Samahan Bukas Palad
are handpicked and processed by the children and staff
April 04 Gawad Kalinga, EPIC, Child Hope
and the product is delicious.
April 18 WILD
If you would like to purchase CCV coffee, email Filipa
May 02 Gawad Kalinga
Pavic (pavicf@ismanila.org) with your order. The ISM
CCV club members will pick up your order and deliver it May 09 Chosen Children Village
back to ISM for your pick-up and payment. The dates

From the Bearcat Den

To all parents,

Please come and visit our Bearcat Den located in the HS cafeteria.

Our new stock of ISM hoodies are available in sizes from Elementary to High School...So drop buy and take a look at
our ISM polo shirts, Dri fit polo shirts, Girls and guys track pants, Spandex shorts, Travel and gym bags to name a few!

Let ' s Go GREEN at The

Our Banner bags made from ISM recycled Banners and Streamers are also on sale.

Our opening times BEARCAT DEN BUSINESS HOURS

Monday 11:15AM to 1:15PM
2:30PM to 4:00PM

Wednesday 11:00AM to 1:00PM

2:30PM to 4:00PM

Friday 11:15AM to 1:15PM

2:30PM to 4:00PM

We would really like to have more volunteers to help with Bearcat activities so if you are interested please contact Jan Har-
ris for more information. Mobile no. 09193466046 or Email janinjapan2002@yahoo.com

GO BEARCATS!!!