10/14/2008

GOALS by Ethan



I am sure that we all have goals that we are working hard at pursuing. For those who don’t have goals they will probably have goals later on in their lives. We should all work hard towards our goals so we can attempt and fulfill them. WE all have different goals than other people have but we should always pursue them. WE can have more than one goal that fits into different categories such as social goals, personal goals, and educational goals.

ISB is very supportive of students reaching for their goals and helping the individual students take progressing steps towards their personal goals. In middle school, our humanities, math/science, and elective teachers teach us the basics of what may soon be our future careers. Our learning from our humanities teachers may have us thinking about later being a historian, author, or maybe even and editor. Our learning from our math/science teachers may have us pondering on a career such as a scientist or maybe even a mathematician. An elective such as art may bring about the idea of being an artist later on.

We may have social goals such as getting a group of friends that have an international background and different cultures. This gives us a more vast friendship around the world where we can rely on our friends anywhere at any time.

Goals are a good way to motivate ourselves. We should always stick to one goal but at the same time it is possible to have many goals at once. A good way to start pursuing a goal is to master the basics and then move forward. For soccer, you could probably learn first how to play soccer and then move forward to skills. Here is a really helpful saying for those who are pursuing goals.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step.” By Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher.

10/07/2008

Locker Stickers Steven C

If you read the MS Notices for today, some of you probably are wondering what locker stickers are. There are some locker stickers on the lockers, if you can notice. When you do activities afterschool (most of the time) other than school work, you can get these stickers. Locker stickers are the proof that you are doing or did that activity and you can stick it on your locker. Some of the activities are Jazz Band, BISAC, Cross Country, and MUN; however, there are more.

Here are some of the

stickers:


Panther Pops- By Oda


Don’t you feel disappointed when you have waited one month to buy a panther pop, and when you get down to the booster hut they’re all sold out, and you have to wait one more month until you can buy one again? And during that month you miss the taste of a perfect cookie, and you miss the way the chocolate chips melt in your mouth, and how you are slowly digging your way into the middle to reach the creamy caramel? Last time they sold panther pops this happened to me. I was only two minutes late for lunch, and all the panther pops were sold out. I want more panther pops, and I want them to be sold more often! And I know that some teachers have bought them for four years, and they would also love to have more panther pops at ISB. Is there anyone else here who would like ISB to sell more panther pops please leave a comment.

Parent Teacher Conferences=4 day Weekend!

Parent teacher conferences are here! Which also means, 4-day weekend! Well, at least 3 days since you have conferences on either Thursday or Friday. Good thing is, it’s only 15 minutes long. You can get the day off after that. Here are some good ideas to help you have fun in the 4-day weekend.

· Go biking – if you live in Nichada, it’s easy to bike around the lake, right? If not, find a place.

· Have a sleepover marathon – ever heard of it? It’s when you have three sleepovers in a row. Sounds like fun!

· Go bowling or watch a movie with your friends – socialize! Everyone loves popcorn.

· Have a relaxed vacation to… - anywhere you like! Preferably in Thailand, since 4 days is not long enough to travel somewhere else.

· Watch T.V – grab a bowl of your favorite snack, cozy up on the couch, and turn the volume up high!

· Clean out your room – crank the music, it will get you in the mood for cleaning up!

With these ideas, I guarantee you a great 4-day weekend!

Be a Princess for One Day and Ten Thousand Dollars- By Grace

Being a princess is something almost every little girl dreams of. Movies like The Princess Diaries and The Cinderella Story, as well as other forms of princess-y merchandise that companies like Toys R’ Us delight in selling, further feed the tiara dream. Now, I’ve added one more tantalizing gem to the collection: Kate Brian’s novel, The Princess and the Pauper.

I’ll readily admit that when I was young, being a princess wasn’t my ultimate goal, but when I saw this book in the ISB main library, I was still interested in checking it out. (After all, who doesn’t want to read about riches and glamour?) It turned out being a great decision, as this book is definitely rated one of my favorites.

The Princess and the Pauper revolves around two girls, whose only similarity is their appearance (they look like peas in a pod). Princess Carina of Vineland is going to LA for a goodwill tour, but all she really wants to do is sneak out to meet her rock star pen-pal Ribbit at his concert. Julia Johnson is a true-blue LA girl who attends a prestigious school filled with rich kids, but at home she’s just trying to find ways to get her and her mother out of being evicted from their run-down apartment for not paying the rent.

Needless to say these two meet, and Julia finds herself irresistibly attracted to Carina’s ten-thousand dollar offer to replace her for a day so that Carina can go to her concert. (It will pay more than her rent…) Complications arise (hint: ‘complications’ include a rich guy’s son, a rock band’s tour bus, the desert- and a flight back to Vineland) and Julia’s ten-thousand dollar dream turns out to be much, much more.

This book is very interesting and is written a la Meg Cabot in a cheery, upbeat fashion. Excellent writing and awesome characterization make up for the slight predictability of the book, and makes it a book you won’t want to put down. I’ll give this book a five out of five- as will you when you read this book! Pick it up especially if you love Meg Cabot, Shannon Hale, Gail Carson Levine and other teen-romance writers.

The image (hardcover version’s jacket design) was taken from http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/edition/?isbn=0689861737.

Long Weekends- by Oda Spross


Don’t you like the feeling of waking up early to go to school, but then you remember you have a long weekend and you fall back into bed, and go to sleep again? Don’t you like having three or four or five days out of school instead of two so that you can go to the beach or do something else fun instead of just staying home for two days because you don’t have time for anything else? Don’t you feel like you need some more time to rest? Well I do, and I’ve asked ten ISB students if they would like to have more long weekends nine out of nine students, and one out of one teachers at ISB said Yes. Let’s see what they said.
“I think we should have more long weekends to just relax and socialize without the worry of going to school and having to do homework.” – Raimy, 6th grade
“We need more long weekends. School can be a real problem when it comes to fatigue. So I think it is really unfair how long weekends aren’t applied so much.” – Sasha, 7th grade
“Yes, because we have five school days and only two free days, so I think we should have more long weekends.” – Shawnie, 7th grade
“Yes, because they allow us more time to have fun, and do our homework.” – Grace, 8th grade
“Yes, because children should have more time to rest.” – Margaret, 6th grade
“Yes, because we have more time to express ourselves.”-Afek, 8th grade
“Yes, because we get more time to finish our homework.” – Nino, 8th grade
“Yes, because I need a rest sometime, no because I like school.” – Lee, 6th grade
“Yes, because I get really frustrated at school sometimes, but on long weekends, I can cool off.”-Benedict, 7th grade
“Yes, I want one every week, because you will have more time to do your homework, and I can sleep, go biking, go sailing and prepare for class.” – Dr. Everett
In conclusion, most of the students, and teachers, at ISB want more long weekends. Please leave a comment, and give your opinion about long weekends.

10/06/2008

Second Quarter Preview By Steven C

As you guys can notice, the first quarter is almost at an end! However, the second quarter is coming up. There will be many changes and events in this next quarter. Oct. 9th, we will start differently. Let’s preview this upcoming quarter.
Just right after Oct.9th, there will be MS Parent Teacher Conferences; however, there will be long break after this. And just a few days later, there will be Halloween Social as well! - October
November is the month filled with the variety of events. NBSL (Northern Bangkok Soccer League) Opening Day starts (Nov.1st), MS soccer open play, MS Soccer (U15/U13) and BISAC U-15/U-13 Cross Country Invitational Meet at ISB, follow next. MS Honor band concert in Jakarta, MS Jazz Band Concert, MS theater sport, Red Carpet Events became our musical events. Any other events? MS Operation Smile weeks, MS Operation Smile Assembly, MS Ex-Celebration, SPIRIT NIGHT– Soccer, all of these are waiting! It seems like there are a variety of events in November- Sports, Music, Drama, Assembly, and many more!
The last month of the second quarter, December, has many events as well. MS Instrumental Concert, MS Instrumental Assembly and Kids in Motion performance are coming up. Also, many students are waiting for H.M. KING'S BIRTHDAY (HOLIDAY) and Constitution Day. Gr. 7 Ellis Island Immigration Simulation, MS Dance/Drama Assembly, MS Semester End Assembly and semester 1 end in December, are you ready for these events?
http://www.isb.ac.th/Calendar/Default.asp?Month=10&Year=2008&cMonth=10&cYear=2008&FullMonth=Yes October
http://www.isb.ac.th/Calendar/Default.asp?Month=10&Year=2008&cMonth=11&cYear=2008&FullMonth=Yes November
http://www.isb.ac.th/Calendar/Default.asp?Month=10&Year=2008&cMonth=12&cYear=2008&FullMonth=Yes December