Upper School Newsletter

• From the Deputy Headmaster and Upper School Principal
• Christmas Concert and Art Exhibition 2023
• Forward – December 2023
• Counsellor’s Coffee Talk
• Admissions for 2024-2025
• School Uniforms
• Sick Child Guidelines
• Updates from the Activities Office
• College Visits
• SAT Testing at Brent
• IB Calendar of Deadlines for 2023-2024 School Year
• Closing of School – Cancellation of Classes
• Upper School Calendar of Events
• Upcoming Dates to Remember
• Communicating with Upper School

Dear Upper School Community,

As we welcome the 1st day of December and the joyous season of Christmas, I am filled with gratitude for the strength of our community and the bonds that unite us. This week’s newsletter celebrates the spirit of togetherness, emphasizing the importance of building relationships through open communication.

In the true spirit of Christmas, let’s cherish the moments of family togetherness, and celebrate the warmth and joy that comes from being surrounded by our loved ones. The holidays allow us to strengthen these familial bonds, creating memories that last a lifetime.

Communication lies at the heart of every strong community, and at Brent, we value the connections we share. Whether it’s a warm greeting in the hallways, an exchange of ideas in the classroom, or the communication we foster through newsletters like these, every interaction contributes to the fabric of our community. On that note, please join us next week for the Counsellor’s Coffee Talk titled Building Relationships Through Communication

Additionally, I’m particularly excited about the upcoming Christmas Concert and Art Exhibition, which showcase our community’s incredible talent. It’s a moment to come together, appreciate the creativity that surrounds us, and take pride in the collective achievements of our students.

To our students preparing for these events, your dedication and passion shine bright, and I am incredibly proud of each of you. To the parents, teachers, and staff, thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to nurturing a community that thrives on collaboration and shared success.

May this festive season fill your hearts with joy, love, and the magic of Christmas. Let us continue to build relationships through communication, creating a community that uplifts and supports one another.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a season filled with love and connection.

Dr. Brett Petrillo
Deputy Headmaster and Upper School Principal

Merry Christmas!
Here’s the link to our December 2023 issue of Forward magazine.

Note: There are two file sizes available for download – a high quality resolution for viewing on a computer and a lower resolution copy which is best for downloading on mobile devices.

New students for the 2024-2025 school year are now being considered. Apply online through the Admissions tab of Brent’s website or email admissions@brent.edu.ph for more information.

All US students are expected to report to campus in uniform each day in accordance with the dress code on pages 60 & 61 of the Student-Parent Handbook.

• Boys’ hair should be kept neat and trimmed, and all students should not have unnaturally colored hair.
• Students must also wear appropriate shoes. This means black or brown leather or ‘leather-like’ shoes: Girls’ shoes should be flats or leather-type dress shoes. As for boys, shoes are to be dress shoes or loafer style, with or without shoelaces. Shoes must be of one solid color with no logo or ornamentation.
• Students should not wear athletic shoes of any kind, including sneakers or canvas-material shoes, to school. Students will not be permitted to come to school in their PE uniform.
• Please complete the Uniform Order and Measurement form if students need uniform items. To confirm if the Tailor Shop has your size or to pre-order a custom uniform, contact: Ms. Imelda Pacayra at ipacayra@brent.edu.ph.
• Parents and students can visit the Tailor Shop to purchase items daily, Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm.

Quarantine

• Asymptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases do not need to quarantine but are recommended to wear a mask for 10 days

Isolation of Positive Cases

• Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic positive cases need to home isolate for 5 days and until fever-free for at least 24 hours (without medication) and with improvement of respiratory symptoms
• Shortening of isolation may be done if patient already tested negative on antigen test before the end of 5 days but only upon evaluation and approval of the school clinic
• Moderate to severely symptomatic positive cases need to isolate for at least 10 days or until cleared by the attending physician

Masking

• Masking is voluntary on campus but required in healthcare facilities (clinic)
• All symptomatic students/staff are required to wear a mask until recovered
• Confirmed positive cases are required to wear a mask for up to 10 days

I would like to welcome our grade 11 and 12 learners and parents. As we start the academic year, we would like both parents and students to have an idea about the different deadlines that we set for our grade 12 IB students. Please note that the dates are set from August 2023 to March 2024, and keep in mind that the deadlines have been spread out so that students can manage their time in meeting the different requirements of the course and IB program. The International Baccalaureate Organization supports the school in maintaining our IB internal deadlines. “The school’s deadlines are the IB deadlines.” Ms. Kristi Pozon, IB Coordinator.

Brent International School Manila adheres to the Storm Signal Guidelines established by PAGASA – (the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration). Accordingly, when storm signals are posted over Biñan, Laguna, classes will be affected as follows:

• Storm Signal #1 Normal Operation: All Brent classes will proceed as scheduled.
• Storm Signal #2 No Classes or Activities: No students or teachers are to report; however, learning may continue in the distance learning environment as announced. School offices will remain open for the day. Administrators and office support staff report as usual if it is safe to do so.
• Storm Signal #3 and #4 No School: The entire school operation will be closed; however, learning may continue in the distance learning environment as announced. School offices and business operations will be closed.Please be aware that the storm signal for Laguna is not the same as Metro Manila’s. Weather reports regarding Manila, therefore, may not apply to the conditions at Brent.

Please be aware that the storm signal for Laguna is not the same as Metro Manila’s. Weather reports regarding Manila, therefore, may not apply to the conditions at Brent.

Every attempt will be made to contact parents, students and teachers in the event of a cancellation of classes. When available and applicable, we use corporate texts to inform those whose cell phone numbers are registered in our system. If you have not heard from the school, you can assume that classes will happen as scheduled.

If you are still unsure, calling the school at +63-2-697-9043 or +63-49-511-4330 to 33 after 6:00 a.m. or checking to see if there is a notice on our website (www.brent.edu.ph) may help.

Finally, we realize that parents have the ultimate responsibility for determining whether or not their children go to school. Even if no order for the suspension of classes has been issued, if parents feel that travelling to or from school will place their children at risk, we certainly understand and will honor their decision.

Friday, December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Brent will not have classes, and offices will be closed.

Friday, December 15: Final day of classes for the first semester. Classes will resume on January 8, 2024.

Please contact the Upper School Office if there is anything we can do to help you better understand our school. We thank you all for your continued support of the people and the programs at Brent.

Please also note that we have provided the names of all Upper School faculty on our website for easy communication: https://brent.edu.ph/academics/upper-school/faculty/. For the most part, faculty email addresses follow this format: first initial and last name followed by @brent.edu.ph.

Thank you, in advance, for supporting the wonderful people and programs in our Upper School. We look forward to another great year!