BASIS International School Bangkok eNewsletter

Message from the School:

Dear TUSKERS families,

What a magical Halloween Celebration we had! Yesterday, we enjoyed seeing students, teachers, and parents dressed in their best Halloween costumes for our lively parade! During the break, students enjoyed the treats like witch’s brew drinks, spider cookies, and monster munchies – delicious surprises were at every corner!

As part of the Halloween festivities, our teachers enthusiastically participated in a Spooky Door Decoration Competition, everyone simply brought their creativity and Halloween spirit to life! Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding designs, and a huge thank you to our dedicated judges for their time in selecting the spookiest and most creative doors.

The day ended with a special event, the “Bravery Challenge,” organized by our Parents Association. The highlight was certainly the Haunted House! Our young TUSKERS showed bravery while sharing laughs (and a few friendly screams!) with family and friends. After the Haunted House, students also enjoyed classic Halloween fun at Trick-or-Treat stations, making it a Halloween to remember! A big thank you to our amazing Parents Association for creating such a fun and memorable event! It was wonderful to see our BASIS community come together in this celebration!

Warm regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

Important Reminder to Keep Our Community Safe and Healthy

We’d like to remind all families of the importance of immediate notification of any health concerns. If your child is feeling unwell, please inform the school and their teacher as soon as possible. Prompt communication allows us to respond quickly to minimize the spread of communicable diseases. Upon notification, we can promptly implement enhanced cleaning protocols and, if necessary, isolate affected classes to ensure a safe environment for all.

We appreciate your full cooperation in this matter to protect the health and well-being of our students and families.

Important Safety Measurement Update – Anti-Passback System Now Active!

We would also like to inform everyone about the activation of our Anti-Passback system at both the Early Years and Main Turnstiles. For security purposes, each person must use their own lanyard to enter and exit the school. In other words, “One lanyard is for only one individual entry,” please. The Anti-Passback system is a safety measure that prevents multiple entries or exits using the same access card, ensuring that only authorized individuals are on campus. We kindly ask for parents' support in ensuring that students bring their lanyards to school every day.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our community safe

Save the date for School Events and Academic Calendar:

BASIS Winter Camp 2024 is Now Open!

Give your child an action-packed holiday filled with creativity, fun, and new skills! From exploring arts & crafts to mastering gymnastics, swimming, archery, dance, Taekwondo and even cooking and many more, there’s something to ignite every child’s passion!

Let’s help them grow, make new friends, and build confidence this winter!

Camp Dates: 23-27 December 2024 & 6-10 January 2025

Age Groups:

CUKI TOTS (3-5 years old)
CUKI (6-12 years old)

Don’t miss out! Call or LINE to register today:

CUKI TOTS (Coach Joey): 081-143-6792 or LINE @cukitots

CUKI (Mineyo): 080-240-3330 or LINE: cukimineyo

Message from Director of Academic Programs

Dear BASIS Parents,

We are approaching the end of the semester! This means that we have a few things coming up in the calendar that I'd like you to be aware of.

November 8^th is the last day of Trimester 1.
Report cards will be sent home on Friday, November 22nd.
We are debuting a new, improved Social-Emotional Report format! More information below.
We will have the Tuskers awards on Thursday, November 21st and Friday, 22nd to acknowledge some of the star performers from the first term.

Last year we adopted a new SER format in Early Years in order to give richer and more detailed progress information of the students. This year, we are adopting similar innovations in Grades 1-4 to ensure that you as parents have a deeper look into the holistic development of your children from an academic, social, and emotional perspective. You will still receive the expert comments from the subject teachers, but we are adding multiple other areas of development to our SER reports. The areas we have added into our reports are: self-awareness and self-management, social awareness and problem solving, and community engagement.

In the upper school, huge congrats to the Grade 10 students for finishing the PSAT this Tuesday, the first step in an exciting march toward university! We should have the results by mid-December and will then schedule time with each student to evaluate how their performance.

Here is a quick summary of what the PSAT is and why this is an exciting moment for the G10 students

The PSAT helps students gauge their university readiness by assessing skills in reading, writing, and math. The test gives a preview of the SAT, a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the U.S. and abroad, helping students understand where their strengths and weaknesses lie. It provides a score report that breaks down performance in different areas, offering insights into specific skills that need improvement.

I will send through more reminders on dates and details as we approach important calendar dates.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me anytime—my door is always open.

Best wishes,
Mr. Ian
Director of Academic Programs

Early Years Newsletter:

Hello Families,

What a fun week we have had! Thank you for your participation and celebrating Halloween with us. Happy Diwali to our families as well. As we move into November, our classrooms are buzzing with excitement and growth. With the school year well underway, this is a suitable time for your child to deepen their skills. Here is one way you can support this learning at home.

Support for Literacy and Language

As your child’s vocabulary and language skills continue to develop, reading together at home can make a big difference. Try to set aside a few minutes each day to read aloud with your child, encouraging them to point at pictures, name objects, or even “read” along with you. Storytelling is also a fantastic way to build imagination and comprehension skills, so don’t hesitate to make up your own stories or retell familiar tales together. Use whatever language you are most comfortable in. Home-based literacy practice is valuable, and skills learned will transfer to school-based instruction.

Sincerely,
Ms. Annie
Director of Early Years

Primary, Middle & High School Newsletter

Message from Dean of Primary School

Dear Primary Families,

During assemblies this past week we have revisited the definition of Bullying. The BASIS definition of bullying is:

The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.

We had two special guests, ‘The Meek, Kind Wolf’ and ‘Little, Unkind Red Riding Hood’. After we watched the Wolf and Red Riding Hood try to work out their friendship differences, the students were given the opportunity to give suggestions of how to get help from someone else, how to be kind to one another, and what to do to make sure they could be friends. I was pleased with the students’ involvement and their feedback.

During the assembly we were also able to listen to groups of Grade 2 students sing, “Creepy Castle”. What a great way to start a week of Halloween celebrations!

Finally, I was so proud to give out Hippo English and Kangaroo Math awards, as well as the International Science Olympiad Award. These competitions took place last year and we wanted to ensure that the students received recognition for their successful efforts. Pictures can be found in the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U9ZSH6gSInew7K9JWxdx7pR3RRfhvqXe?usp=sharing

During the month of November I will be teaching smaller lessons to each class about bullying; specifically, how to stand up for themselves, how to stand up for each other, and how to ask for help. These lessons will allow the students additional time to ask questions in a smaller setting. I really enjoy this time with your children!

Thank you for your continued support and the encouragement of your students at home.

Have a lovely weekend,
Dean Jenny

Message from Dean of Middle and High School

Dear Upper School parents,

This week our BISB prefects were honored with brand new polo shirts and special prefect badges as thanks for their participation and support during last weekend’s Open House event. They did a fantastic job guiding our prospective families around campus and talking to them about their experiences as BASIS students.

In Grade 9 Thai class this week, our High-schoolers have been preparing authentic curry paste of several varieties using traditional Thai herbs and spices. The curry pastes will then be donated to the 7th Grade students next week, who will use them to make actual curries for Loy Krathong festival celebrations.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Dean Andrew
Dean of Middle and High Schools

College Counseling Corner:

Greetings BISB Community,

Welcome to the College Corner, a snapshot of the College Counseling process at BASIS International School Bangkok.

The most exciting part about working as a college counselor in Bangkok, Thailand is that students are interested in universities both close to home and across the globe. Students in Grades 9 and 10 have an interest in applying to universities in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the UK, Netherlands, and the US. The globe is vast, and a BASIS Diploma provides students with access to all of these opportunities.

The benefits of traveling abroad for university go well beyond cultural exposure. They provide a student with the chance to expand their global networking, personal growth, career opportunities, and enhanced academic options. For families, the financial benefit can be substantial when carefully researching each opportunity and exploring the possibilities. This week’s College Focus is on Japan.

STUDY IN JAPAN

Why study in Japan?

The language, culture, and its excellence in STEM fields are a major reason for students applying to attend university in Japan. There is also a high quality of education offered by universities. There are 279,000 international students studying in Japan and is one of the top 5 destination countries for Thai students.

Japanese Universities with a Top 200 World University Ranking and undergraduate English programs:

Kyoto University (https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp)

In addition to nine Nobel Prizes, Kyoto University researchers have garnered two Fields Medals, one Gauss Prize, four Lasker Awards, two Japan Prizes, and four Kyoto Prizes.
Kyoto University is comprised of 10 faculties, 18 graduate schools, 13 research institutes, and 23 educational institutes and other establishments. Approximately 2,700 of the University's 23,200 students hail from overseas — representing some 120 countries and territories — contributing to a culturally diverse campus environment.

Osaka University (https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp)

As Osaka University is a national university corporation, there are no differences in tuition fees between Japanese students and international students.
Osaka University is a comprehensive research university. Some of the most advanced research in the world is taking place there.

Nagoya University (en.nagoya-u.ac.jp/)

Six of Nagoya University's alumni and faculty members have won Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry since 2000.
More than 95% of undergraduate students receive job offers before graduating.

Tohoku University (www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/)

Tohoku University was the first Japanese university to admit women and international students. The university's "Open Door" policy emphasizes freedom, equality, and openness.
Inventions born at Tohoku University include the KS and NKS steels, the Yagi-Uda antenna, fibre optics, and perpendicular magnetic recording.

Tokyo Institute of Technology (www.titech.ac.jp/english)

Tokyo Tech is the top national university for science and technology in Japan with a history spanning more than 140 years.
Tokyo Tech is equipped with a library filled with science and technology literature, world-class supercomputers, and state-of-the-art equipment in laboratories.

University of Tokyo (www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/)

The University of Tokyo has 11 affiliated research institutes, two hospitals, and the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute.
The University of Tokyo offers an extensive range of support for entrepreneurial members of the University community who want to start companies that utilize research and educational outcomes produced at the University.

Resources:

Japan Student Services Organization. (n.d.). Study in Japan. https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/ryugaku/study_j/

Study in Japan. (n.d.). Reasons to Choose Japan. https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/why

Thank you,
Ms. Kate Irving
College Counselor

Library Corner:

Hello from BISB Library!

The Vampire’s Lair. It was a fantastic, busy event and I am so glad that so many people came and had a Spooktacular time! I was not expecting so many attendees and I am very appreciative of your support for BISB Library events and for encouraging your students love of reading.

This week has been very busy in the library, with the escape room, spooky story time, and the continuation of our Global Read Aloud for Grades K – 3. For Week 2 of the Global Read Aloud, we read Drawn Together by Minh Le and Thai-American illustrator Dan Santat. Drawn Together follows a young boy unable to communicate with his Thai grandfather, as the boy speaks English and the grandfather only speaks Thai. Through art, the boy and his grandfather find a way to speak by creating a “world beyond words.” It is a wonderful, thoughtful story and if you would like to follow along with our Global Read Aloud, you may checkout the book from our library or watch Minh Le’s storytime reading on Youtube.

Lastly, please join us for this year’s So You Think You Know Books, a book trivia competition! This after-school event will test our best BISB bookworms knowledge of all things books. So You Think You Know Books will take place after school on Tuesday, November 12th at 4:00 p.m. in Connections. Parents are invited to attend as audience members to cheer on your competing students. This competition is open to students ages 10-13 (Grades 4 – 8).

Our contestants will have the chance to earn 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes with house points, and the top 12 contestants will go on to represent BISB at the Kids Lit Quiz Competition on March 14th at Harrow International School! Kids Lit Quiz is a book trivia competition held amongst participating international schools in Bangkok.

All interested students can sign up to compete by visiting Ms. Erika in the library. Parents, please email Ms. Erika at e.wigren@basis.ac.th with questions, concerns, or if you would like your child to compete.

Thank you, and happy reading,

Ms. Erika
Librarian

P.E. Corner

TUSKERS Sports Academy: A Busy Month Ahead!

Dear TUSKERS Families,

Welcome back after the October break! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful yet active break!

As we approach the halfway point of Semester 1, November is shaping up to be an action-packed month, with a wide range of sports competitions each week, including the highly anticipated 2nd BASIS Swim Meet. Our TUSKERS Swim Team is thrilled and ready to dive into what promises to be a fun and competitive event. More details will be shared soon by our Head of Aquatics—so stay tuned!

As for other sports competitions, some will provide our students with valuable exposure to high-level play against the A Teams of top-tier schools. This experience not only helps them understand game dynamics but also builds resilience and determination. Such experiences are instrumental in developing a strong and dedicated BASIS team for the future.

Please save the dates for our November events:

Saturday, 2 Nov: U13-15 Boys BISAL Football Tournament at VERSO – 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Saturday, 2 Nov: U12 Boys and Girls BMAC Basketball Tournament (Team A) at ICS – 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday, 2 Nov: U11 Football Festival (BMAC Schools – Team A) at BPS – 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Thursday, 7 Nov: U9 and U13 Boys Friendly Football with RAS at BASIS – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Saturday, 9 Nov: U7-12 Boys and Girls – BASIS Swim Meet at BASIS – 8:00 AM onwards
Saturday, 9 Nov: U14 3V3 Youth Basketball Challenger at DBS – 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Wednesday, 13 Nov: U11 Boys Basketball (Team B) with King’s College at BASIS – 3:50 PM to 4:50 PM
Thursday, 14 Nov: U11 Girls Basketball (Team B) with King’s College at BASIS – 3:50 PM to 4:50 PM
Saturday, 16 Nov: Harrow Youth Cup – U9, U11, U13 Boys Football at Harrow – 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Tuesday, 19 Nov: U15-16 Girls Basketball with Anglo 64 at BASIS – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Saturday, 23 Nov: U9-U11 BISAL Badminton Tournament at BASIS – 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Saturday, 23 Nov: U13-15 Boys Friendly Football with AISB at BASIS – 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Saturday, 23 Nov: U13-15 Boys and Girls Badminton Tournament at ASBGV – 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Tuesday, 26 Nov: U11 Boys and Girls Basketball Friendly (Team B) with Anglo 31 at BASIS – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Saturday, 30 Nov: U14 Boys and Girls – Merlion Basketball Tournament at SISB TR – 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Let’s GO TUSKERS and get ready for an exciting month of competition and school spirit!

Please feel to reach out to me for any clarification or queries.

Thanks and regards,
Coach Namita
Director of Sports & Auxiliary Programs

Academic Spotlight

In Music class, 5Co was playing new string instruments while dressed in costume on Halloween. All Grade 3, 4, and 5 students are now learning how to properly care for the instrument, hold, and play open strings on the violin and cello. We are excited to see how much we can learn in the coming weeks!

Well-being Corner:

Dear TUSKERS Families,

It is with immense excitement that we announce our upcoming "Parents Series," an engaging and comprehensive program designed to address a myriad of topics pertinent to parents throughout their journey. This event will be hosted in the Black Box, featuring Dr. Golf and a distinguished guest host for our final session.

Our series will commence in September with a compelling session on "Effective Communication with Teens," followed by a diverse range of topics each month. Please refer to the attached poster for a detailed schedule of this year’s topics.

We eagerly anticipate your participation and look forward to seeing you there!

Gentle Reminder – Term 2 Tuition Payment

Dear Tuskers Families,

We would like to remind you that Term 2 tuition invoices for the 2024-2025 school year had been sent to your email on Friday, October 25th, 2024. Payments are due by Friday, November 29th, 2024.

For questions on payments, credit card fees, or installment options, please contact our Finance Office at bkk.billing@basis.ac.th or 02-415-0099.

Best regards,
The Finance Office

Join our BASIS Community Sports Activities!

We invite all parents, students, family members, faculty, and staff to join our fun Community Sports Activities.

Here’s the schedule:

• Tuesday: Badminton (5:30 - 7:30 PM)
• Wednesday: Football (5:30 - 7:00 PM)
• Thursday: Badminton & Basketball (5:30 - 7:30 PM)

Just bring a water bottle, and if you’re playing badminton, don’t forget your racket! No reservations needed, but please sign in at reception if it’s your first time using the facilities this year.

Students aged 14 and up can join without parents but must also submit the form at reception.

We hope to see you there!

Community News

Community Event: Charity Mini-Marathon – December 8th, 2024

Get ready, TUSKERS families and friends! We are thrilled to invite you to join us for the charity mini-marathon at Nakornthon Hospital on December 8th, 2024.

This year, BASIS Bangkok is proud to partner once again with Nakornthon Hospital for the "Run with Love for the Thai Red Cross" event, marking its 14th annual run and our fourth year of support. All funds raised from the event will be donated to the Thai Red Cross, helping to provide essential medical care and social welfare for those in need.

Sign up now by scanning the QR code on the event poster! Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to make a difference and bond with the community.

We can’t wait to see you there!