International School of Port of Spain

Difference Makers, Future Shapers

MIDDLE SCHOOL HANDBOOK

2018 - 2019

Table of Contents LETTER TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS ........................................................................................ 1

MIDDLE SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY .................................................................................................. 2

MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC PROGRAM ................................................................................... 2

THE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM .................................................................................................. 2

What is the IB MYP? .................................................................................................................. 2

Why the Middle Years Programme? ........................................................................................ 2

Distinctive Features of the MYP ............................................................................................... 3

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE MYP? ................................................................ 3

GENERAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................... 4

APPROACHES TO LEARNING (ATL): ............................................................................................ 5

THE IB LEARNER PROFILE ........................................................................................................... 5

Inquirers ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Knowledgeable .......................................................................................................................... 5

Thinkers ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Communicators ......................................................................................................................... 6

Principled ................................................................................................................................... 6

Open-minded ............................................................................................................................. 6

Caring ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Courageous ................................................................................................................................ 6

Balanced .................................................................................................................................... 6

Reflective ................................................................................................................................... 6

FIELD TRIPS ................................................................................................................................. 7

OVERNIGHT TRIPS ...................................................................................................................... 7

COMMUNITY SERVICE ................................................................................................................ 7

HOMEWORK ............................................................................................................................... 8

EXTRA CREDIT ............................................................................................................................ 9

SKYWARD PARENT PORTAL ....................................................................................................... 9

STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS .................................................................................................. 9

ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAM ............................................................................................. 10

RETENTION OR REQUIREMENT OF SUMMER SCHOOL ............................................................ 10

COMMUNICATION – ISPS Newsletter ...................................................................................... 10

SKYWARD ON-LINE GRADES AND ATTENDANCE ..................................................................... 11

E-MAIL ...................................................................................................................................... 11

LOCKER RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................................... 11

BREAK AND LUNCH TIME PROCEDURES .................................................................................. 11

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ......................................................................................................... 12

TOWN MEETINGS ..................................................................................................................... 12

AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS AND ACTIVITY PROGRAMS ................................................................ 12

COUNSELOR SUPPORT ............................................................................................................. 12

HOMEROOM ............................................................................................................................ 13

HOUSES .................................................................................................................................... 13

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LETTER TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS

Dear ISPS Middle School Community, 2018-2019 Welcome to another great year in the middle at the International School Port of Spain. We have continued with the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program and it is evident that our students are developing the attributes in the IB Learner Profile. Although our program continues to evolve, the one thing that remains constant is that our students are experiencing adolescence. It is important to remember that the middle school years are a time of significant transition and change as students grow in both independence and personal responsibility. It is our goal to teach and support our students with approaches that recognize that they are changing intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. To support our students’ growth, we aim to provide diverse programs, opportunities for increased responsibility and choice, and a differentiated approach to meet the needs and interests of each student. Our integrated Middle Year Programme and curriculum is focused on moving far beyond the memorization of facts, to deeper understanding, higher levels of thinking, and making real world connections. This transition from concrete to abstract thinking is measured through standardized assessment rubrics in all eight subject areas. Beyond academics, students are also instructed in and given opportunities to practice, various Approaches to Learning (called “ATLs” in the MYP), further supporting the development of the whole child. While adolescence is a time for increased independence, students with strong partnership between home and school are far more successful as they transition from childhood to young adulthood. We encourage communication between school and home. Please be sure you are on the Middle School email list and that you read the school’s newsletter. When possible, please do try to attend all scheduled parent-teacher conferences and parent information sessions offered by the principal, counselor, and extended leadership team. The Parent- Student Handbook and this MS Addendum are also a good resource for commonly asked questions that may arise throughout the year. We appreciate your ideas, participation and support as we work together to create a positive learning experience for your child. Respectfully, Frank Huerta Middle School Principal

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MIDDLE SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY The ISPS Middle School is a learning community designed for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. We recognize the intellectual, social, emotional, moral, and physical development needs of young adolescents, and strive to provide a supportive climate that will enhance students’ academic, self-esteem and personal development.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC PROGRAM Middle School programs are diverse in nature, and structured to be challenging, while giving each student opportunities to succeed. Choice and decision-making encourage ownership of knowledge and behaviour. The Middle School offers integrated programs through which teachers bring curricula together by teaching concepts, skills and content around a specific Areas of Interactions. An integrated curriculum is a way for students to connect beyond subject area focus. It is a teaching method that combines disciplines, focuses on topics of natural interest to adolescents, and addresses the different learning styles of students.

THE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM

What is the IB MYP? The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), for students aged 11 to 16, is designed as an inclusive, whole-school program by the International Baccalaureate (IB), a not-for-profit organization supporting the education of more than 1 million students every year in over 3,900 schools in 147 countries.

Why the Middle Years Programme? Parents who want the best possible education for their children choose the MYP because it includes: • rigorous learning objectives • a student-centred approach to teaching • international perspectives • concern for the whole child • sustained teaching and learning in more than one language • a focus on learning how to learn • the development of flexible thinking that prepares students to evaluate information

critically and apply knowledge in complex, unfamiliar situations. The MYP teaches tools for lifelong learning and fosters responsible attitudes that help students discover how to use what they learn to take principled action. The MYP’s focus on independent learning makes it the ideal preparation for the IB Diploma Programme (DP) and the IB Career-related Programme (CP).

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Distinctive Features of the MYP At the core of all IB Programmes is the Learner Profile, ten attributes fostered in students that promote their development as responsible members of their local, national and global communities. IB learners strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. In the MYP, students study 8 subject groups, with a minimum of fifty teaching hours per subject group each year. Distinctive features of the MYP include: • Key and related concepts are big ideas, which form the basis of teaching and learning

in the MYP. They ensure breadth and depth in the curriculum and promote learning within and across traditional disciplines.

• Global contexts provide shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement.

• Approaches to teaching and learning, a unifying thread throughout all MYP subject groups, are skills which help students manage their own learning. They provide a foundation for success in further education and the world beyond the classroom.

• Action and service, essential components of the MYP, set out clear learning outcomes that grow from students’ participation in local and global communities. MYP projects are informed by respected models of service learning and provide stepping-stones toward the Diploma Program’s core requirements for Creativity, Action and Service (CAS).

• The personal project, for students completing the program in year 5 (grade 10), is a culminating experience in which students apply their approaches to learning skills to complete an extended, self-directed piece of work. This required component provides opportunities for creative and truly personal demonstrations of learning.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE MYP? Please visit the IB website: www.ibo.org/myp

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GENERAL INFORMATION COURSES: Our students will be enrolled in each of the eight subject groups as seen in the illustration on the preceding page. The following amount of periods is allocated to each subject area:

G6 G7 G8

English 5 5 5

I&S 5 5 5

Science 5 5 5

Mathematics 6 5 6*

Spanish** 5 5 5

Arts*** 4 4 4

PHE 4 4 4

Digital Design 4 4 4

Homeroom 1 1 1

Library/Guid .5 1 .5

Guidance .5 1 .5

Total: 40 40 40

* options exist for Standard & Extended course of study in Grade 8. ** Spanish language acquisition is offered in multiple levels. *** one semester of Visual Arts and one semester of Music.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BELL SCHEDULE

MONDAY - TUESDAY - THURSDAY - FRIDAY WEDNESDAY

Period Start End Period Start End

1 7:30 8:15 0 *

2 8:15 9:00 1 8:45 9:30

break 9:00 9:15 2 9:30 10:05

3 9:15 10:00 3 10:05 10:45

4 10:00 10:45 4 10:45 11:20

5 10:45 11:30 5 11:20 11:55

6 = lunch 11:30 12:15 6 - Lunch 11:55 12:40

7 12:15 1:00 7 = homeroom 12:40 1:20

8 1:00 1:45 8 1:20 1:55

9 1:45 2:30 9 1:55 2:30

* On Wednesdays, ISPS has a late start to allow for teacher planning meetings.

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APPROACHES TO LEARNING (ATL): • How do I learn best? • How do I know? • How do I communicate my understanding? This area is concerned with the development of effective study skills, sometimes referred to “learning how to learn”. Beyond useful techniques, the goal is to nurture the intellectual discipline and habits of mind that will result in critical, coherent and independent thought and the capacity for problem solving and decision-making. To ensure continuity, MYP teachers collaborate to ensure the skills being taught transfer across the disciplines. Approaches to Learning is not a separate class; it is an integral part of every class. Teachers will focus on only a selected number of skills per unit. The intention is to enable students to become masters of their own learning. By “learning how to learn”, ISPS students will be able to access and utilize information, to transfer and apply knowledge, to make meaningful links between subject areas, to tap multiple intelligences, and to succeed in an independent and changing world. The Approaches to Learning are organized into seven domains and are reported on each quarter.

THE IB LEARNER PROFILE The Middle School learner is respectful and seeks to live the IB Learner Profile all the time, regardless if anyone is looking. The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers They develop natural curiosity. They acquire skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance; in so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a board and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

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Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Courageous They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their won learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

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FIELD TRIPS Field trips play an important part in a student’s education and will be included in the curriculum when appropriate. Parents will be notified in advance and must give written permission before their children can participate. For each field trip, security guards are in attendance with the teachers and students. Also in cases where the students will be swimming, lifeguards are hired. Busses are rented for each trip to ensure the students’ safety during travel. Occasionally, opportunities arise for field trips which were not part of the planned budget for the year, so a nominal charge for entrance/tickets and shared transportation expense may be collected. Parents who own or work for local businesses, which may relate to their child’s units of study are encouraged to contact the teacher to explore potential real world learning experiences for our children.

OVERNIGHT TRIPS It is our goal to offer an overnight experience/trip for each grade level. The focus is ATL skills development, specifically social skills, collaboration skills, leadership skills and affective skills. Developing a sense of community among the students in the grade level is also an important goal. This experience, provides students with a learning opportunity that for many is the highlight of their middle school years. Students will participate in the following overnight trips: • Grade 6: on-site ‘lock-in’. • Grade 7: Grande Riviere • Grade 8: To Be Decided

COMMUNITY SERVICE All Middle School students are encouraged to participate in service learning projects to help give them the sense of a purpose greater than themselves and develop the understanding that their actions do count. Time will be provided in the Homeroom for the students to work collaboratively on community service projects.

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HOMEWORK At the beginning of the school year, each teacher will provide a written outline that includes specific guidelines for homework assignments. The following information provides a general philosophy and procedures regarding homework assignments from MS teachers. The nature of assignments given may include: • Review of class notes • Reinforcement of skills and concepts introduced in class • Research activities • Reports or long-term projects • Independent reading • Journal writing Homework assignments are the student’s responsibility, and the expectation is that all assigned work be completed in a timely manner, whether graded or not. Assignments will be designed for the student to complete independently with little or no adult assistance and not be an introduction of new learning or material, which the student has not yet had the opportunity to practice under the direction of the teacher. It is expected that students needing additional help or explanation will seek out the teacher and or attend our after school homework support Students should record their assignments and due dates on the Google calendar associated with their school Gmail account. These can be shared with parents for routine viewing. Students and parents who prefer a written calendar may supply their own academic planner of choice. However, students will still be accountable to checking their email account and calendar daily. Students are also expected to maintain a folder or notebook section of completed and/or graded assignments for each class, for the purpose of future study and for regular parent review. Many teachers will require that major assignments and tests be kept in classroom portfolios, and parents are invited to come in and review these at any time by appointment with the teacher. Parents should provide consistency in when and where schoolwork is to be done at home. Time Limits and Late Assignments It is not feasible to establish rigid time limits for all homework assignments, as too many variables exist. For example, students vary in their study habits, time usage, ability, time schedules, etc. However, surveys in the field of education over the years reveal the following averages of homework per night as being typical: Grade 6: 60 minutes per night Grade 7 & 8: 60 – 90 minutes per night It is important for students to hand in work on time to ensure adequate class participation and preparedness. Depending upon the depth and complexity of the work, teachers have the discretion to allow a grace of one to three days without consequence. Students or parents who feel that the homework amount is too much or too little should speak directly with the teacher involved. It is a reasonable expectation that teachers be flexible and grant brief extensions, as appropriate and warranted, from time to time, when students are burdened with a multitude of current assignments/projects with common due dates.

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Quality Work Students are expected to produce their own, original, quality work at all times. Students will be required to stay in during lunch or after school to redo work of a poor quality, regardless of extracurricular participation. When a student is found to have plagiarized the work of another, he/she will be subject to the disciplinary consequences outlined in the Parent-Student Handbook. Homework Support Students with questions about assignments should approach the teacher to set up a convenient meeting time during a break or lunch as well as before or after school.

EXTRA CREDIT Extra credit is not a part of the Middle Years Programme. Many, if not most, summative assignments contain a degree of choice or open-endedness which encourage students to be innovative and creative thinkers, going beyond the basic recitation of required knowledge and skills. Thus, doing “extra,” or going above and beyond minimal expectations on every assignment becomes an expectation if one is to attempt to score in the upper bands of the assessment rubrics. With formative work, students are encouraged to revise and improve their work as applicable, based upon the constructive feedback of peers and/or teacher, thus improving their overall mark, not by doing “extra” but by being reflective and revising the work they have already completed.

SKYWARD PARENT PORTAL Academic performance grades, Approaches to Learning, and attendance are reported officially four times throughout the year. Interim Progress Reports are issued at the end of each of the first three quarters, and a Final Grade Report is issued at the end of the school year. Notification of when reports will be issued will be sent via email. Student’s progress is available at any time by using Skyward’s real time gradebook. Parents should be accessing real-time grades throughout the quarter on Skyward once the teacher has put the grades into the Skyward gradebook.

STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS Students take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), a standardized, group-administered assessment of reading, mathematics and language skills three times per year. The MAP assessment is based on the internationally endorsed reading and mathematical literacy frameworks. As the assessment is completed electronically, results are available soon after completion of the assessment and are used to monitor individual student growth, as well as compare student progress with that of students from throughout the world. The MAP assessments also give the teacher valuable information on how to differentiate instruction based on each child’s needs. MAP scores will be sent home with

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comparison normative data (US and International Schools) after each testing administration (beginning of the year, mid-year, and end of the year). Students will also participate in the Education Records Bureau (ERB) Writing Assessment Programme (WrAP) test in the spring, and comparison normative data will also be provided to parents. The school counselor holds parent information sessions to assist in the interpretation and understanding of data provided to parents.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAM If students experience academic difficulty, they may need the help of student support services to improve and/or to increase their motivation for successful academic performance. Support services may include: • Individual and small group instruction during or after school. • Individual student-teacher conferences. • Daily progress report/checklist • Placement in an Academic Support class. • Parent conferences at school and via phone. • Private tutors at parents’ expense or via peer tutors. • Special short-term accommodations in instruction and scheduling requirements. Teachers, parents and/or students may request support services through the teacher in the subject area of concern, the principal, or the counsellor.

RETENTION OR REQUIREMENT OF SUMMER SCHOOL In extreme circumstances, a student may not demonstrate sufficient progress throughout a school year, despite satisfactory effort by the student and with academic support from the school. This may be due to a number of factors including limited English language proficiency, cognitive or social/emotional immaturity, or an extended absence. In these cases the school may require that a student repeat a grade or receive extensive remediation through a recognized summer school program before placement to the next grade be considered. A decision regarding retention will be communicated to parents by the end of May.

COMMUNICATION – ISPS Newsletter Regular updates with specific information on the Middle School are provided through the Middle School section of the ISPS school newsletter. This is sent to the parents via e-mail. If you are not already receiving emails, please contact Jackie Fung-Kee-Fung, jfungkeefung@isps.edu.tt, with your e-mail address. The newsletter is sent to all families electronically on Fridays, using the email addresses available in Skyward. The newsletter can also be accessed on the school’s website.

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SKYWARD ON-LINE GRADES AND ATTENDANCE Student progress is available in real time at any time through Skyward. Please be sure to access your student’s grades to check for missing assignments, progress, and performance in between the quarterly report cards. If you have a concern, please talk with your student and contact the teacher to address the issue.

E-MAIL Our staff emails are available on-line at our website. Teachers and Leadership Team members will endeavour to respond to parent e-mails within one working day of receipt. If it is an emergency requiring immediate assistance, please call the main office and ask that a message be delivered to the teacher.

LOCKER RESPONSIBILITIES The Middle School provides each student with a locker. Students should use their own combination lock. For students’ own protection, combinations should not be shared with to anyone other than school administration. Students should use their lockers daily to ensure the safety of their property. ISPS is not liable for lost or stolen property that is not properly secured. Lockers are the property of ISPS and therefore, are subject to inspection and search at any time for any reason. It is the student’s obligation to keep them neat and orderly at all times. No locker is to be altered in any manner. No stickers, posters, or ornaments of any type may be placed on the outside of any locker without the prior approval of the principal. Students will be responsible and charged for any damage to their assigned locker.

BREAK AND LUNCH TIME PROCEDURES Students may not leave campus for lunch unless a parent/guardian or a teacher/administrator accompanies them. Students are not allowed to order food to be delivered to the school. All students must go to the cafeteria at break and lunch. In order to control litter, food may only be eaten in the cafeteria. During break, students have the option of being in the cafeteria or covered basketball court area. During lunch, students must stay in the cafeteria for the first 20 minutes. Students may then go to the following places, where there will be a teacher on duty: the library, south field or covered basketball area. Students may only be in classrooms, the multipurpose room/locker area, or Green Room/patio area if under the direct supervision of a teacher. If it is raining, students will stay in the cafeteria or use the covered basketball courts.

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT The Middle School Student Council is comprised of Middle School students elected by their peers. The primary responsibility of the Student Council is to advocate for (improvement of) the wellbeing of middle school students. The Student council may plan activities for the Middle School throughout the school year. These activities could include dances, theme days, movie nights, intramural events, etc. Members of the Student Council meet during the lunch break and occasionally before or after school as agreed upon in advance. The following officer positions are reserved for Grade 8 students who are nominated and elected by the Middle School students: - President - Vice-President - Secretary - Treasurer In addition, two Representatives will be elected from each grade level, one from each Homeroom. Campaigns and elections take place during the first month of school. Student Council members must remain in good academic and behavioral standing. Students in poor standing or who are not following through on their responsibilities may be placed on probation and denied participation until grades or behaviour have returned to a satisfactory level, or may be dismissed from Student Council altogether by the teacher advisor(s) in consultation with the Principal.

TOWN MEETINGS Town meetings provide students in the Middle School an opportunity to come together to share information, showcase learning, discuss issues, and celebrate achievements. Town meetings are held periodically as needed.

AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS AND ACTIVITY PROGRAMS Visit the ISPS website at www.isps.edu.tt for specific updates, offerings, and forms. The weekly newsletter also regularly includes details of sports or activities for which middle school students are eligible.

COUNSELOR SUPPORT The Middle School Counselor supports students in their social and emotional development and also provides academic guidance. The Counselor builds strong connections with students and is available for drop in visits as needed. The Counselor also dialogues regularly with teachers and parents about students’ well-being and collaborates with them in identifying strategies to support the students’ needs. Every student has a guidance class that meets weekly or bi-weekly where the Counselor guides students through academic and career goal setting and skill development.

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HOMEROOM Homeroom is an important component of our support system for students. The Homeroom class meets every Wednesday and the focus is on developing a sense of belonging in the school and connection with their classmates. Students in games, community service projects and Houses activities. Homeroom teachers seek to make strong connections with their students and they also monitor their progress throughout the year.

HOUSES Houses is a school-wide program that endeavors to develop school spirit and strong connections among the students within and across the grade levels. Every student is assigned to one of the four houses and remains in that house throughout their time at ISPS. In Middle School the students wear their Houses shirts every Wednesday. Houses activities are held monthly during Homeroom and they may include only Middle School students, or they may include High School and Elementary students.