Upper School Newsletter

• COLLEGE VISITS
• NEWS FROM THE ACTIVITIES OFFICE
• IB CALENDAR OF DEADLINES FOR 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR
• BRENT CLOSED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 26th
• UPCOMING PARENT OPEN HOUSE AND FRESHMAN PARENT ORIENTATION
• IB WORKSHOP FOR GRADE 10 PARENTS
• CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
• MAP TESTING
• HOW TO HELP OUR STUDENTS STAY ORGANIZED
• IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS COMING HOME
• SAT TEST DATES
• CLOSING OF SCHOOL – CANCELLATION OF CLASSES
• COMMUNICATING WITH HOME

 

Throughout the year various universities that give presentations about their school and the university admissions process in general visit us. Juniors and Seniors as well as their parents may be interested in attending the following presentations.

 

 

All deadlines for the various IB projects, orals, research papers, EE, etc. are noted below. Parents please help our students stay organized with their IB assignments and due dates throughout the upcoming year.

 

Brent will be closed in observance of National Heroes Day.

 

Join us this Wednesday for an opportunity to get to know your student’s teachers!! Please reference the open house agenda below.

 

Your child in grade 10 received an invitation for the preliminary orientation session about the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). We would like to provide you with as much information as we can share about the program that your child will undertake in grades 11 and 12. This invitation is also open to parents of our Middle School and Grade 9 students.

Your presence and support is strongly encouraged at one of the Grade 10 IB Preliminary Orientation Sessions. To register for one of the dates below click the link to the invitation here: Grade 10 Parent IB Orientation Sign Up

Thursday, Sept 5, 2:35-4:00 pm in U101
Thursday, Oct 10, 9:00-10:30 am in U101
Thursday, Nov 7, 2019, 2:35-4:00 pm in U101

 

You may have noticed a number of changes around campus since May. We now have a fully operational Tennis Center, which provides opportunities for both our tennis team and our students in PE classes. Additional parking has also been added. The front of the theater has been given a face lift that visually connects the entrances. The third floor hallway of the Upper School wing has windows to protect students from wind and rain. Our main cafeteria has been fitted with automatic sliding doors, and in about a week we hope to put the finishing touches on the new bleachers and court flooring in gym 2. We hope you all enjoy our new improved facilities.

 

Our grade 9 and 10 students will be taking the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) tests. Testing will begin on Wednesday, August 28 thru Thursday, September 12. The tested subjects are in English Language, Mathematics, and Reading Comprehension. Please take some time to help insure your children be well rested and prepared.

 

Don’t try harder, try differently. There’s no single, perfect way to become a more organized person. Organizational strategies are less one-size-fits all than what-thing-fits-you. Organization is personal but there are some practical tips that pretty much always apply:

• Write it down. “I’ll remember later” should be added to the category of famous last words. Always, always, write it down. A homework assignment, someone’s number, a reminder to call so and so, whatever. Write it down and when you do, write it in a reliable place: Things like your planner, or the notes app on your phone are good options; the palm of your hand or some scrap of paper you’ll shove into your bag never to be seen again are not.

• Put the same thing in the same place every time. No exceptions. Getting organized means building better habits and habits are built through repetition. Training yourself to always, always put the keys in the same pocket of your backpack (not in the pocket of your coat, which you may not be wearing tomorrow, or on the bed where they’ll get buried) is the only way to be sure you’ll know where they are when you need them.

• Make easy-to-lose things bulky. Big things are just easier to see and harder to forget. Time to start that keychain collection!

• Break overwhelming tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces to help you get things done. Choose smaller tasks that give you the most bang for your buck. For example, if cleaning your room feels totally impossible, making your bed or taking out the trash is a better use of your time than, say, reorganizing your sock drawer according to softness.

• The simpler the better. Simple strategies and tools you actually use beat awesome and elaborate ones you don’t.

Getting organized isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Put in the time and you’ll be rewarded with less stress, fewer conflicts, and a sense that things are finally under some control.

You’ve got this. All you have to do is get started and keep going.

 

Students were given the following forms to have signed by a number of important forms. All students need to return copies of our Academic Honesty Statement and our Computer, Network, and Internet Acceptable Use Policy. All students should return medical forms and information data sheets as well. Some students already had these forms on file, but it is important for parents to read, review, and discuss the contents of these documents with your Upper School student. Copies of the Academic Honesty Statement and Computer Acceptable Use Policy can be found in the Student-Parent Handbook. Your commitment to the principle–as indicated by your signature–is an equally important part of this process. So, please sign them, and then have your student return them either to the Office or to their homeroom teacher. If you have any questions or concerns about these, please do not hesitate to ask us. We will be pleased to entertain your questions.

Also sent home on Monday was the Corporate Text Messaging System Enrollment Form. Once returned and with cell numbers entered, Brent will then be able to send important text messages to all enrollees. Please complete this form and return it either to our Upper School Office or directly to the Headmaster’s Office. Thank you!

 

IMPORTANT:

1. Brent students must register through College Board’s website. Offices at Brent do not assist students with registering for SAT dates.
2. Slots for testing at Brent are usually full WEEKS before the published Deadline to Register below. Register earlier than you think you need to.
3. SAT at Brent is open to our enrolled students, but also to students from other schools. There are enough slots for Brent students if you register early.
4. If slots are already full at Brent for a specific SAT date, on College Board’s website look for other schools offering SAT and then register at one that has available slots. If all other schools are also full, register for the next available SAT date at Brent. Let your Guidance Counselor know if these suggestions do not work for you.

 

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 the 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. No classes, offices or activities will take place.

Please be aware that the storm signal for Laguna is not the same as that of Metro Manila. 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 traveling to or from school will place their children at risk, we certainly understand and will honor their decision.

 

If there is anything else we in the Upper School can do to help you better understand our school, please feel to call us or stop by the Upper School Office. We thank you all for your continued support of the people and the programs in our Upper School.

Please also note that we have provided the names of all Upper School faculty on our website for ease of communication: http://brent.edu.ph/academics/upper-school/faculty/ For the most part Faculty emails are their first initial and last name followed by @brent.edu.ph.

Thank you, in advance for your support of the people and programs in our Upper School. Our doors are open and we welcome your presence. Working together, respecting one another, we will have an outstanding year. We wish you all the best, this school year!