BASIS International School Bangkok eNewsletter

Message from the School:

Dear TUSKERS families,

What a heartwarming week it has been at BASIS Bangkok! We celebrated the season of gratitude with delicious Thanksgiving lunch, featured classic favorites like Roasted Turkey and Honey Glazed Ham. It was also a joy to share this special occasion with our Parent Association, celebrating the strong bonds that make our school community extraordinary. We are truly thankful for the continued support and camaraderie that make these moments so memorable!

Next week, we are excited to host the 3rd BASIS Football Festival on Saturday, December 7th! We will have many international schools join us for an action-packed day filled with thrilling football matches of U9-U15 players. For more details, kindly refer to the P.E. Corner on this newsletter. Come and support our TUSKERS team as they take the field! GO TUSKERS!

And with December just around the corner, we’re gearing up for the most festive time of the year! Our young TUSKERS will soon start their preparation for the Winter Shows, and we can’t wait for you to join us in celebrating these magical performances. Mark your calendars for these dates below, this is one holiday tradition you won’t want to miss!

Tuesday, December 17^th: “TUSKERS Town’s Twelve Days of Christmas,” by Grade 1-2, starting at 2:30 PM.
Wednesday, December 18^th: “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” by Grade 3-5 starting at 2:30 PM.
Thursday, December 19^th: Christmas Concert featuring performances from TUSKERS Primary Choirs, HS and MS Rock Bands and Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, starting at 4:00 PM.

There are plenty of festive fun during the last week of school coming your way. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Warm regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

Save the date for School Events and Academic Calendar:

Disclaimer: Kindly note that event dates and times are subject to change. We encourage you to check the latest newsletter closer to the event for the most accurate information.

December Spirit Days

The festive season is here! We’re excited to share our December Spirit Days calendar, filled with fun and themed dress-up days to celebrate the year-end. Please encourage your child to join in as much as they’d like and wrap up the year in style!

The Giving Tree Project 2024

Dear Families,

As the holiday season approaches, we are teaching our students the values of gratitude, appreciation, and kindness towards others in our community. This year, BASIS International School Bangkok is once again honored to organize the "Giving Tree" project, in collaboration with our NJHS students and the "Baan Nokkamin Foundation."

Through this project, we have the opportunity to bring joy to less fortunate children in our community by donating new gifts. We warmly invite you to join us in this heartwarming initiative and help make this Christmas season special for those in need. Please kindly follow the instructions below if you wish to contribute a gift.

Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school staff via LINE Official at @bisb.

Thank you for your generosity and support.

Best regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

BASIS Experience 2025: STEM and Service in Hawaii

Join our information session on Monday, December 9^th, 2024, starting at 08:30 AM, to learn about our upcoming Stem and Service Trip to Hawaii. This is the third year of the BASIS Experiences trip where our students have an opportunity to travel together, experience the local culture and work towards an educational outcome.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Introducing Our New School Counselor: Dr. Pimpanit Condee (Dr. Mangpor)

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Mangpor as the new School Counselor at BASIS International School Bangkok. Dr. Mangpor brings a wealth of expertise, experience, and compassion to her role, and we are excited for the positive impact she will have on our students and community.

Dr. Mangpor holds a PhD and MA in Counseling Psychology from Chulalongkorn University, along with a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology from Birkbeck, University of London. Her diverse academic background also includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Mahidol University, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to mental well-being and personal growth.

Her extensive professional certifications include training in Working Memory, Intelligence, and Cognition in Children and Adults, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Art Therapy, and Developmental Psychology. These qualifications enable her to connect with students of all ages and address a wide range of emotional, social, and academic challenges.

In addition to her role as a lecturer in psychology at Mahidol University, Dr. Mangpor served as the Assistant Dean for Student and Special Affairs, where she demonstrated her ability to create inclusive and supportive environments for students to thrive.

Dr. Mangpor is passionate about helping students navigate challenges, build resilience, and achieve their full potential. Her empathetic approach and diverse expertise make her an invaluable resource for our community.

We are confident that Dr. Mangpor will help foster a nurturing and supportive environment for all our students. Join us in warmly welcoming her to the BASIS family!

Please note that Dr. Mangpor will be available on campus every Monday, offering dedicated time to provide guidance and support to our students and their families.

Message from Director of Academic Programs

Dear BISB Parents,

Greetings and welcome to Trimester 2! I am pleased to share updates from my office and highlight opportunities where your input can help us continue improving our school community.

Whole School Updates

2025-2026 Course Guide: We are in the process of updating the Course Guide, which will feature new or revised descriptions of our offerings for the next academic year. Look for these updates in December or January, depending on your child's grade level.
Academic Calendar for 2025-2026: The final version of next year’s calendar is nearing completion. If you have specific questions or concerns about the calendar, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Upper School Updates

Coffee Morning for Grades 6-10 Parents:
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 10th, 8:30am-10:00am, when we’ll host a coffee morning to discuss elective courses, graduation requirements, and answer any questions. This session is designed to give you a clear understanding of our academic pathways and how they support student success.

Comprehensive Exams:
We are working diligently to prepare students for the upcoming Comprehensive Exams scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday, January 28-30. The exam schedule will be shared soon. Over winter break, we will provide review packets to ensure students have the tools they need to get ahead. Please encourage your child to take advantage of these resources.
- These exams are great preparation for high school and also build important habits related to study skills, pressure handling, and give us a chance to celebrate and reflect on student performance.

Thank you for your continued support in making BISB an exceptional place for learning. Should you have any questions, my door is always open.

Best regards,
Mr. Ian
Director of Academic Programs

Early Years Newsletter:

Message from Director of Early Year

Dear Early Years Families,

I hope this message finds you well. As we continue to work together to create a safe, supportive, and joyful learning environment for all our children, I want to take a moment to share some thoughts about how we approach behavior and development in the Early Years.

Children grow and learn at different rates, and this journey is full of opportunities to teach, reteach, and reinforce the positive behaviors and social skills we want to see. At our school, we do not label children or view challenges as unchangeable. Instead, we work together—teachers, parents, and students alike—to guide every child toward their potential in a positive, constructive way.

We know that social situations can sometimes be complicated, and as adults, we have the responsibility to model understanding, kindness, and fairness. Conflicts are a natural part of growing and learning, and while they can be challenging, they also provide opportunities to teach important life skills. I encourage us all to approach these moments with empathy, remembering that our role is to support every child. Singling out or stigmatizing a child is not aligned with the values of our community.

Let us hold ourselves to the same high standards we set for our children. They learn from us, not just in what we say but in what we do. I encourage all of us to work together to create an environment where every child feels safe, supported, and valued.

Thank you for being partners in building a culture of empathy, respect, and shared responsibility.

Warm regards,
Ms. Annie
Director of Early Years

PK2O Community Helpers City Project

🌟 Our PK2 students have been hard at work creating their very own Community Helpers City! 🏙️ They began by learning about the important roles of community helpers like police officers, firefighters, cleaners, doctors, and more. Each student designed and built their own community buildings, carefully choosing materials, painting, and decorating with unique ideas. 🚒🚓

We also explored the importance of roads, learning about traffic rules and how to plan for easy access to each building. 🚗🛣️ Along the way, we added some exciting features like an airport with a rocket launch pad 🚀, a river 🌊, water parks, space, and princess condos, Care Bears rainbow sky ways and even a ninja turtle dentist! 🏥

This project helped us practice literacy skills, including writing and letter formation, while encouraging critical thinking and creativity. 🎨✍️ And of course, we had fun role-playing and working together to help each other as a community! 🤝

Greetings BISB Community,

This week’s College Corner focuses on opportunities in the near and distant future.

In just over two years, BASIS International School Bangkok’s Grade 12 will participate in our most anticipated course; the Senior Project. The Senior Project, the pinnacle of the BASIS Curriculum, is a prestigious program where students undertake an off-campus research project or internship of their choice during the final trimester of their senior year.

Each senior selects a BASIS Independent Schools faculty member as an advisor and collaborates with an external mentor at their research site. They develop comprehensive project plans, compile bibliographies of resources, and create personal syllabi, all of which must be approved by a committee of teachers and administrators.

At the end of the trimester, students return to campus to present their findings to peers, staff, and parents. To stay engaged with the school community during their time in the field, students blog about their experiences throughout the project.

While we wait and plan for the first BISB Grade 12 students, I would like to share some sample Senior Projects from America. You can look through all Senior Projects from all BASIS schools the last two years here: https://basisindependent.com/academics/the-senior-year/senior-projects/.

SAMPLE SENIOR PROJECTS FROM BIM AND BISV

Remember Chelsea? She visited our campus last March and spoke about her BASIS journey. For her Senior Project, she worked with Professor Makarand Panjape at Georgetown’s Nanotech and Biomedical Device Lab. She received firsthand lab and research experience that prepared her for her future in the field. Chelsea had an interest in biomedical research throughout high school, and with her strong portfolio of summer research, academic strengths, and personal drive her project is a top example of a BASIS student ‘s potential. Now at Harvard University, Chelsea continues to follow her STEM passion projects. You can read her blog here.

Humanities focused Senior Projects allow students to follow an artistic passion through an academic research lens. Brandon interned at an artist’s gallery and studied Abstract Expressionism, Traditional Chinese, and Abstract Chinese Art. With no real prior art knowledge, his passion project was inspired by his uncle to explore the world of Chinese art and history. His blog and presentation are a beautiful exploration of his journey. He is now a sophomore at University of California Davis majoring in Biochemistry. His blog can be found here.

If your child cannot wait for Grade 12 to follow an academic passion, there are many summer learning opportunities available across the globe. Free online learning is available to all through programs like Coursera and EdEx. If your child is in Grade 8 and above, Oxford Scholastica has online and in-person options and the Teen Life website highlight a variety of summer programs. If you or your child have any additional questions, please send me a message or ask them to talk to me.

Thank you,
Ms. Kate Irving
College Counselor

P.E. Corner

Dear Parents,

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout the Academic Year 2024-25. Your dedication has been instrumental in the growth and success of our Basketball, Badminton, Football, and Swimming teams.

Semester 1 Wrap-Up

As we approach the end of Semester 1, we are excited to share some key updates:

The final BASIS Football Festival for the semester will take place on Saturday, December 7, followed by two Basketball friendlies on Tuesday, December 10. These events will mark the conclusion of our Semester 1 sports competitions.
Attached, you’ll find the detailed schedule for the 3rd BASIS Football Festival.

Letter to Parents_3rd BASIS Football Festival

This semester, our students participated in 30 sports competitions across basketball, football, badminton, and swimming, achieving an impressive 92% podium finish rate with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placements.

Competitions included major events such as BMAC and BISAL tournaments, the Harrow Cup, Puppy Dash, the BASIS Swim Meet, and several friendly yet competitive matches with top-tier schools.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. Together, we are building a vibrant and thriving sports community at BASIS.

Swimming Highlights: November–December

Flying Through the Pool with Butterfly!

This month, our TUSKERS wrapped up their breaststroke unit and dove into mastering the butterfly stroke—often regarded as the most challenging stroke.

Our swimmers focused on key butterfly techniques, including:

Undulation
Streamlined catch and pull
Tempo and rhythm

Through kickboard and pull buoy drills, they refined their skills while enjoying games like Sharks and Minnows and Red Light-Green Light. To cap off the month, they practiced starts, dives, and underwater dolphin kick streamlines.

Next month, students will:

Take their unit test
Complete a beep test
Perform self-assessments

Swimmers of the Month:

Grade 1: Nara, Prod
Grade 2: March, Coco
Grade 3: Mark, Iya
Grade 4: Geneve, Munggorn
Grade 5: AJ, Tina
Grade 6: Tyler, Franc
Grade 7: Ang
Grade 8: Jazzy, Titi
Grade 9: Gud, Tian-Tian

TUSKERS Swim Team Update

The TUSKERS Swim Team continues to make great strides in improving technique, stamina, and fundamentals across all strokes, dives, and turns.

In the coming month, the team will focus on:

Speed interval training
Competition practice
A time trial before the winter break

Let’s keep cheering them on!

Go TUSKERS!

Warm regards,
PE Team

Library Corner:

Hello from BISB Library!

Thank you to all of the parents and students that attended this week's Dino Discovery storytime! I hope they students enjoyed the stories and activities as much as I did. A special thank you to my library assistants, and amazing palaeontologists, Kanomjean and Geneve in 4Ge, and Janis in 5Co. They did a wonderful job!

Additionally, I am so excited to invite parents to join BISB Library’s first-ever parent-teacher book club, The Page Turners! Parents, teachers, and staff are invited to gather this Friday, December 6^th in Connections to discuss the thrilling, and hilarious novel, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderer’s by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

I ask that you please read the novel before the event to be ready to discuss and partaker in activities. 2 copies of the books are available for checkout in the library next week, if you are not able to purchase your own copy. If you would like to purchase your own, Asia Books and Kinokuniya have them in stock.

For this event, it is adults only and light refreshments will be provided, but feel free to bring items to share if desired. To register, please complete the google form here: https://forms.gle/Cpq7erXXQKGWyN3dA

It is my hope that this club will focus on parents and teachers shared love of reading and the joy of storytelling. I hope to see many of you there!

Lastly, please note that the library will be CLOSED before and after school on the following days:

CLOSED – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4^TH

Thank you and Happy Reading,

Ms. Erika
Librarian

ECA Corner

ECA Formula 1

It is great news for our Formula 1 students in the early years, primary, and above. We are excited to announce that we will have a "Formula 1 Racing Challenge Trial" on Wednesday, December 11^th 2024, at our usual ECA time. Students will race their own Formula 1 car on the speeding tracks at the MPR. We will share photos with you next week, parents are invited to watch the challenge from 3:15 -5:00 PM

ECA Ballet and Cover Dance

We are excited to announce the upcoming International Young Dance Competition 2025! This prestigious event is an excellent opportunity for young dancers to showcase their talent and passion for dancing.

Competition Schedule & Event Information:

Preliminary Round:

Dates: 1 November 2024 – 15 March 2025 (On-Site and Online Options)

Early Bird Registration (Special Price): 1–30 November 2024
Normal Price Registration: 1 December 2024 – 15 February 2025 (Please check the pricing on the attached poster)

Competition Day:

On-Site: 22, 23, 29, and 30 March 2025
Online: Submit video clips by 15 February 2025

Venue:
Puey Ungphakorn Centenary Hall, Thammasat University, Thailand

This competition is open to all students with dancing skills who are eager to participate and challenge themselves. Students interested in competing can register directly through the link provided in the poster attached below.

International Young Dance Competition 2025

ECA Ballet and Cover Dance students for more information contact One Academy via official Line account: @oneacademyrama2

ECA Gymnastic

We cordially invite your talented child to participate in the 14^th Bangkok Gymnastics Invitational Meet Moose Game 2025 (Moose Game) that will be held during 29th-30th March 2025 at Thai Canadian Community Sports, Bangkok.

The Moose Games are annual invitational gymnastics meets which is one of largest invitational gymnastics meet in Thailand. The meets compete on the international gymnastics level with participants from international schools in Thailand and other schools from abroad such as Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.

Registration Requirement:

All Interested participants from BASIS must be registered as BASIS International School Representative
Registered participants must wear a BASIS Gymnastic Leotard (BASIS Leotard will be available for sales from March 2024)

Registration Process:

An interested participant can register and check your level directly with a designated school gymnastic provider (Thai Canadian Community Sport, TCCS) via Line Official: @ThaiCanadian
For a BASIS Leotard, please contact us via Line Official @bisb or email at ECA@basis.ac.th
The leotard for girls costs 2,400 THB
The leotard for boys costs 1,650 THB
The price above is excluding shorts and long pants, they are necessary for boys: Shorts costs 650 THB and Long pants costs 1,350 THB

Please find the enclosed invitation attached here for more details:

14th Bangkok Gymnastics Invitational Meet Moose Game 2025 (Moose Game)

For more information please contact via LINE: @thaicanadian

Our students' achievements at the Bambi Games

Congratulations to our talented students for their outstanding performances at the Bambi Games organized by Thai Canadian Community Sports! We are incredibly all! Your hard work and determination are truly inspiring.

Mirin 4Ge: 2 gold 1 silver 1 bronze

Cherene 4Ge: 3 gold 1 silver

Geneve 4Ge: 3 gold 1 silver

Premium 4Ge: 2 gold 2 silver

Jeda 4si: 1 gold 3 silver

Celebrate the Musical Talents of our BASIS Students this December

We are thrilled to invite our BASIS community to witness the incredible talents of our students from the BASIS Ensemble Symphony Orchestra as they perform in two remarkable concerts this December.

1. MCGP Bangkae Annual Concert 2024

Date: Sunday, December 15^th, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM

Venue: MACM Hall, College of Music, Mahidol University (Salaya)

Tickets: On sale starting November 30th, 2024, at 11:00 AM

2. 2024 Symphony Orchestra: "Johann Strauss II - An Der Schönen Blauen Donau"

Date: Sunday, December 15th, 2024

Time: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Venue: MACM Hall, College of Music, Mahidol University (Salaya)

Don’t miss this opportunity to support our students and enjoy an unforgettable day of music. We look forward to seeing you there!

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

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!

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!