ISM

This was a feature I was not able to release last year, which explains the dates for 2009.  But I wanted to share some ( only some since there are many )  great features of the International School of Manila. We just came from Open House which made me want to finally feature this.  Hopefully I can feature more  

Heart2Heart thinks it is a really really good school!

If there is one thing my husband makes sure we invest in, it is the education of our children.  If there is one thing in this life we should ever give our children, it is a good education.  We,  as parents always want to give our best.  Though we all have different views and priorities in choosing a school for our children, finding a school that will fit them, we hope and pray that we made the right decision.

We are new parents at ISM and I particularly am overwhelmed with the school.  My husband is an Alumnae of the school so he knows the quality of education and the facilities they have but for me this is my first time to experience the school…..and I am very very impressed!   

 

 1.)  Access to teachers

Around the second week of school, we received emails from all the teachers.  They introduced themselves and gave easy access to them to communicate with them whenever we want via email or  whatever means of communication.

Each teacher even has a blog students and parents can go to which focuses on their class

I know a lot of parents who always have questions and want to communicate with the teachers and it seems it is quite difficult because there is no access to the teacher unless you go to school - well at ISM, they make it very very easy.  Even if the school is very big, somehow, it feels small and very personalized 

 

2.)    Then we were invited to meet with the ISM Superintendent and we got to meet some of the other new parents in school.

bkfst-with-superintendent-ism.jpg

 

We received many many emails on updates and Community Related Events which is nice especially for the foreigners/expats who are not so familiar yet with the country

ism-community.jpg

 

 3.)  Every end of the week we receive our newsletters via email through their website

 mspublicationism.jpg

 

4.)  They have Power School which is a great way for the parents to monitor the progress and performance of their children - Their grade per subject at any given point in time, attendance, tardiness.  Amazing! 

powerschool.jpg

 

5.)  Open House - This is really a great idea!!  

 sc002f924a.jpg

All parents come over and go through the whole schedule of the kids and they get to meet the teachers, teachers introduce themselves and what the kids will be learning for the year.  You get to see the classrooms as well.  Very impressive.

What was also nice was that the teachers we met come from different countries from all over the world- Spain, United Kingdom, America,  etc etc.  This was last year’s schedule and we were running all over the school from floor to floor - we had 5 minutes to get to class.  It was  actually fun. We get to meet other parents as well and find out that our kids are classmates :-)

 

sc0005481e.jpg sc00058a34.jpg

 Each classroom has a computer for the teacher to use and a projector screen where lectures are being presented through powerpoint!

img_6762.JPG

6.)  Parent Teacher Conference

And even the PTC is very organized and very efficient

 p1120124.JPG

7.)  Security

They have very good and tight security on campus- whether you are a driver, yaya or parent.  You cannot enter the school without an ID.  And all the security guards are very proper, respectful and very professional

sc001383f6.jpg

On our way out- wow, we saw the soccer field at night!  They have great sports facilities too!

 img_6761.JPG

After all this, I told my son that i hope that he would take advantage of this great opportunity and blessing that he has.  The school is there, but it is up to the student to absorb and make the most of what is offered to him.  I look forward to more learnings not only for my son but for us as parents.   

 go to their website for more information

ismwebsite.jpg

share with a friend share with a friend

Elm Street Dining Hall, Phillips Exeter Academy

Another place that also amazed us was the dining hall. WOW!!! 

img_32aaa50.jpgimg_3222.JPG

I thought this was a great idea so you don’t have to worry about your things in the dining table 

img_3226.JPGimg_3223.jpgimg_3228.JPGimg_3232.JPG

Fresh Fruits station 

img_3229.JPG

Waffle and Pancake Station 

img_3230.JPG

Coffee Station 

img_3231.JPG

All kinds of milk 

img_3233.JPG

Beverage Station 

img_3235.JPGimg_3249.JPGimg_3240.JPG

Sauces and seasonings 

img_3239.JPG

WOW!!! Frozen yogurt you can swirl yourself! 

img_3242.JPG

More fruits 

img_3246.JPG

Cereal Station 

img_3247.JPG

Bread Station 

img_3248.JPGimg_3245.JPGimg_3227.JPG

And if you are not satisfied, you can go to another place but you need to pay already

img_3210.JPGimg_3211.JPGimg_3212.JPGimg_3214.JPGimg_3213.JPG

Brochures on health and nutrition on the wall 

img_3216.JPG

Related Entries:

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire August 10, 2010

Love Gym, Phillips Exeter August 11, 2010 

share with a friend share with a friend

Love Gym, Phillips Exeter Academy

I made a separate entry for the gym because I thought it was important that a good school has to have good sports facilities.  We toured a bit late so it was about to close already but we were able to see part of it and were impressed  

Outdoor Tennis Courts 

img_3305.JPG

The Love Gym 

img_3303.JPGathleticsexeter.jpgimg_3308.jpgathleticsexeter1.jpgimg_3309.JPGimg_3310.jpgimg_3311.JPGimg_3314.JPGimg_3315.JPGimg_3317.jpgimg_3316.JPG

I have never seen anything like this, I think it is very well said  

img_3331.jpgimg_3321.JPGimg_3322.JPGimg_3312.JPGimg_3324.JPGimg_3335.JPG

 Related Entries:

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire August 10, 2010

Elm Street Dining Hall, Phillips Exeter Academy August 11, 2010 

share with a friend share with a friend

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire

Continuing our educational tour, Another 30 minutes drive from Andover, is Exeter.  Again, we passed their main street :-)

img_3175.JPG

 Another beautiful campus

img_3176.jpg

lion_head_2.gifexeteraboutus.jpg

img_3178.JPGimg_3181.jpg

The campus was busy as kids were registering for Summer School and parents were dropping them off

img_3192.JPGimg_3183.JPGimg_3193.JPGimg_3253.JPGimg_3217.JPGimg_3198.JPGimg_3199.JPGimg_3201.JPGimg_3202.JPGimg_3203.JPGimg_3204.JPG

Post office for the kids to get their mail 

img_3205.JPGimg_3219.JPGimg_3220.JPGimg_3251.JPGimg_3252.JPGimg_3292.JPG

A very safe campus 

img_3255.JPG

One of the Boarding Houses 

img_3258.JPGimg_3275.JPG

The school bookstore 

img_3276.JPG

The library -the second largest in the world for secondary school

img_3291.JPG

Inside the library 

img_3301.jpg

Phillips Exeter is known for their Harkness Classroom  

img_3184.JPGharknesstableexeter.jpg

Click to go to website:

exeterwebsite.jpg

Related Entries:

Love Gym, Phillips Exeter August 11, 2010 

Elm Street Dining Hall, Phillips Exeter Academy August 11, 2010 

 

share with a friend share with a friend

Phillips Academy, Andover

The road trip started from New Jersey to Boston ( Boston, Massachusetts July 27, 2010 ) and from Boston we continued our educational tour ( Harvard University July 29, 2010 ) and took a peek at Phillips Andover in Andover.  A beautiful city and a nice environment for kids as it is very safe, a city with many greens, and a place with not too many distractions, therefore conducive to studying.  It was a saturday so there was no classes and no one was around to show us the campus.  So we just drove through

andoverphilips.jpgimg_2942.jpgphilipps-andover.jpglarge_aeriel-viewjpg.pnglarge_ariel-lawnjpg.pngimg_2943.JPGimg_2932.JPGimg_2933.JPGimg_2935.JPGimg_2937.JPGimg_2939.JPGimg_2940.JPGimg_2947.JPG

More photos from the website, (click on photos to go to the website):

large_graves-musicjpg.pnglarge_case-cagejpg.png

Related Entries:

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire August 10, 2010

Love Gym, Phillips Exeter August 11, 2010 

Elm Street Dining Hall, Phillips Exeter Academy August 11, 2010 

share with a friend share with a friend

SAT/ACT College Preparation

tutoringclubsat18.jpg

share with a friend share with a friend

Harvard University

One of the highlights of the trip, Harvard University.   We wanted our sons to see the campus.  We want our sons to aim high, whether it be Harvard or some other institution that will give them the best education they can get!  

harvard.gifimg_2775.JPGimg_2779.JPGimg_2780.jpgimg_2786.jpgimg_2791.JPGimg_2781.JPGimg_2783.JPGimg_2784.jpgimg_2785.jpgimg_2788.JPGimg_2792.JPGimg_2793.JPGimg_2794.JPGClick below to go to their website:

harvard-at-a-glance-harvard-university-20100729.jpg

 

share with a friend share with a friend