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BISB Weekly Update - December 13th 2024

Message from the School:

Dear TUSKERS families,

It’s been a wonderful week as we are embracing the arrival of this festive season!

This week, it’s our pleasure to share the announcement of the American Mathematics Olympiad (AMO) 2024. You can find the results of our students in the section below. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our students for their exceptional achievements! Well done, TUSKERS!

The holiday spirit is truly in the air! Today, as part of the TUSKERS Buskers initiative, our choir delighted everyone with joyful Christmas carols. It was such a heartwarming sight to see our talented young TUSKERS confidently spreading cheer and bringing the holiday season to life!

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Next week, before we head off for winter break, it’s packed with excitement! We have an incredible lineup of festive activities to celebrate the season. Our students, teachers, and Parent Association have been working hard these past weeks to prepare these special performances and events. Be sure to mark your calendars, take note on the information below and join us for all the fun!

Tuesday, December 17th: TUSKERS Town’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Grade 1-2, starting at 2:30 PM
Wednesday, December 18th: Twas the Night Before Christmas by Grade 3-5.

Our students have worked hard to make this performance truly exceptional and we are utilizing more space to enhance their presentation. To ensure that all parents have the opportunity to enjoy the show, we are delighted to offer an additional round of the performance, first round at 2:30 PM and second round at 3:45 PM.

We kindly request all Grade 3-5 parents to reserve their seats in advance. Please see the reservation details below:

- Choose only one of the two rounds
- Maximum of 2 seats per student
- Reservations must be made by Monday, December 16th at 12:00 PM via this Line Official Account: https://lin.ee/FKdKA5k
- You will receive a confirmation message by Monday, December 16th at 4:30 PM. Please present this confirmation to enter the Black Box on the performance day.
- Important Reminder:
  On the event day, all Grade 3-5 students will be dismissed by their teachers after the performances, at approximately 4:45 PM.

Thursday, December 19th: Christmas Concert featuring performances from TUSKERS Primary Choirs, Rock Bands and Ensemble Orchestra, starting at 4:00 PM.
Thursday, December 19th: The BASIS Winter Wonderland Bazaar, organizing by our Parent Association, offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy festive treats and activities. Open after school from 12:30 PM (for Nursery) until 6:00 PM
- Please note that students need to be picked up by parents before joining the activities.
Friday, December 20^th: Early Years Christmas Bazaar. Early Years parents are welcomed to join at 9:50 AM – 12:25 PM.

We are looking forward to our wonderful week ahead!

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.

Overnight Parking Restriction

Dear Parents,

We would like to kindly remind you that overnight parking at the school is not permitted. In case of an emergency that requires overnight parking, we kindly ask that you seek prior approval from the school administration.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Best regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

Result of International American Mathematics Olympiad (AMO) 2024

Dear Parents,

We are delighted to inform you that the results of the American Mathematics Olympiad (AMO) 2024 are now available! Please find attached files of the result of Global Medal Winners List for your kind reference. You can find more details on the link here for BASIS Bangkok result below:

AMO Results for BASIS Bangkok

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our students, and we appreciate the sincere dedication and participation of all our TUSKERS.

Out of 69 participants, 16 students achieved commendable results:

Achievements:

1 Gold Winner
3 Silver Winners
12 Bronze Winners

These 16 winners are eligible to participate in the 2025 Singapore Math Global Finals (SMGF), which will be held on 2nd March 2025. This prestigious competition is an online global round hosted by SIMCC, providing students with an excellent platform to showcase their mathematical skills on a global stage.

More detailed information about SMGF 2025 including registration link will be provided to you in January 2025.

Please all medalists will be receiving certificates and/or medals. We will be reaching out to you once the awards and certificates arrive at school.

Once again, congratulations to all participants. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and supporting their continued success.

Thank you for your continued support and participation

BASIS Winter Wonderland Bazaar

Step into the magic of the holiday season at our exclusive BASIS Winter Wonderland Bazaar, organizing by our wonderful Parent Association.

Date: Thursday, 19th December

Time: After school (Starting at 12:30 PM for Nursery until 6:00 PM)*
* Please note that students need to be picked up by parents before joining the activities.

🎁 For BASIS Students Only – All activities are FREE!

Get ready for a festive afternoon filled with:

✨ A Christmas-themed photo backdrop to capture magical memories
🎟️ Raffles with exciting prizes
🎨 DIY ornament-making
🎉 Fun Christmas tattoos
🎈 Bozo the Clown’s incredible balloon creations
🍪 Delicious Christmas snacks, gingerbread cookies, marshmallows, ice cream, chocolates, and more!

Join us to celebrate the season with joy, laughter, and holiday cheer! See you there!

Early Years Newsletter:

Hello Families,

This week in Early Years, our classrooms are buzzing with exciting learning activities! Here’s a glimpse of what our students are exploring:

Nursery: Students are comparing sizes of objects, learning about reindeer and snowmen, and naming the parts of a snowman.
PK1: The focus is on solidifying comprehension of numbers 1–10, forwards, backwards, and in random order.
PK2: Students are discovering how to use grid reference coordinates to find specific locations on a map and learning to recognize famous landmarks.
Kindergarten: Young learners are reading and creating number bonds and collaborating with upper primary students on projects centered around Kindness and Cooperation.

This is just a small sample of the meaningful and engaging learning happening in our classrooms this week.

Speaking in Complete Sentences
One key area of focus across all Early Years classes is encouraging students to speak in complete sentences in English. This skill is practiced in various settings, including Morning Meetings, circle time, learning centers, the canteen, and even during recess. We model and practice together as a whole group, in small groups, and in pairs.

If your family speaks a language other than English at home, you can still support this skill by encouraging your child to speak in complete sentences in your home language. Helping children move from one-word replies to complete, on-topic sentences requires consistent modeling and repeated practice—but it’s a skill that will benefit them immensely.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Early Years Christmas Bazaar on Friday, December 20!

Ms. Annie
Director of Early Years

Message from Director of Academic Programs

Dear BISB Parents,

As we approach winter break, I wanted to send through a few updates on academics and what is going on.

Grades 1-10: Progress Reports will be shared on Friday, December 20th. These are a snapshot into the current progress of the students. Please feel free to contact your child's teachers with any questions related to these reports.

Grades 6-10: Thank you to all who attended the Elective and Course Registration Coffee Morning. I will be sending out the updated Course Guides before winter break so that you will have the full information about our courses prior to enrollment in February.

Grade 6-8: Pre-Comp examinations will be around the corner once we return from break, so the teachers will be sending home preparation packets for any students who want to stay fresh over break. However, these packets are not required to be completed during the break (taking rest is important, too!), there will be a few days to complete these packets upon return to school.
- The official pre-comp review days are January 21-27. There will be no marked assessments during this time period and no new content will be introduced.
- The Pre-Comp exams will be January 28-30. The schedule for these exams will be released following the winter break.

As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns—my door is always open.

Best wishes,
Mr. Ian
Director of Academic Programs

Primary, Middle & High School Newsletter

Message from Director of Primary and Upper School

Dear Primary School and Upper School Families,

December has been filled with events of all types; academic, artistic, athletic and cultural. Students continue to strive for excellence while exhibiting perseverance and dedication in all that they do.

In preparation for the Winter Break, we would like to share the following information.

On Friday, December 20 we will follow the regular academic schedule. Santa will visit and greet the students during the day.

The Primary School students will participate in the 6^th Annual BISB Spelling Bee. Students are preparing for the event in Humanities lessons. Please see more information from your child’s Humanities teacher.

Primary School subject homework will not be assigned. Instead, SETs have submitted learning topics which are reflected in the grade-level reading lists in the Library Corner. Please take some time during the break to browse these lists and select reading material for your child. There are many incentives for students to participate.

Reading for Enjoyment

During the Winter Break we encourage all students to read for enjoyment. Children benefit from reading 30 minutes or more every day. Ms. Erika has collaborated with the SETs to create reading lists for students of all grade levels. The reading lists provide a connection to topics of learning when we return to school in January. Please see the Library Corner in this Newsletter for more details from Ms. Erika.

In Middle School, students are getting ready for the Pre-Comp exams in January. In preparation for the exams, your child may receive review work from the SETs. Please see the messages from Dean Andrew and Academic Programs Director, Ian. When we return to school in January, there will be a review week and well-being activities before the exam.

High School students are on track with their academic studies with regards to the High School and AP syllabi.

We look forward to seeing you on campus next week for our Coffee Mornings, Winter Performances, Library and Sports events and Holiday Bazaars.

Warm regards,

Allison Donohue
Director of Primary and Upper School

Message from Dean of Middle and High School

Dear Middle School parents,

The holidays are coming up and we want to ensure that students are fully rested and can enjoy their time with family and loved ones.

We are also very aware that following the return to school, we will be only 2 weeks away from the pre-comprehensive exams (27^th-30^th January). Because of this, teachers may assign some holiday review materials for students to stay ready and avoid forgetting important content over the break.

Please be on the lookout for a message from your child’s SET with instructions on how and when such review work should be completed. Any review packet should be no more than approximately 1 to 2 hours-worth of content and will not need to be submitted immediately after the holidays.

Best wishes,
Dean Andrew
Dean of Middle and Upper School

College Counseling Corner:

Greetings BISB Community,

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

Thank you to those parents who joined us for this week’s parent coffee that focused on the middle and high school elective and course selection process. The PowerPoint and recording are now available to you in the College Counseling folder on Schoolzine. Because this coffee was very content dense, we have also scheduled a more intimate coffee that focused on answering your specific and prevalent questions.

On Tuesday, December 17, Dean Andrew, Mr. Ian, Ms. Hanna, and I are offering a coffee for Grade 6 and 7 parents. This coffee will address commonly asked questions and provide more time for additional questions and answers. This coffee will be presented in English and Thai.

On Thursday, December 19, our coffee will address questions from Grade 8 and 9 parents. This coffee will also be presented in English and Thai.

In this week’s newsletter Dr. Nat and I would like to directly address the Thai university question many parents have asked.

Q: Are students from BASIS International School Bangkok eligible to apply to Thai universities?

A: Yes, they are.

International school graduates need to obtain an equivalency certificate and accreditation from the Thai Ministry of Education. This certificate ensures that their foreign or international curriculum meets the standards required for university admission in Thailand. It is to ensure their qualifications align with national standards for university admission. This certification confirms that their educational background is comparable to the Thai high school curriculum, making them eligible for both Thai and international university programs.

Graduates from BASIS International School Bangkok are eligible to apply to Thai universities. The school is accredited by Cognia (formerly AdvancED), under the seals of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).

While this accreditation is internationally recognized, for admission into Thai universities, graduates typically need to obtain an Equivalency Certificate from the Thai Ministry of Education. This certificate ensures that their education meets national standards required for university admission in Thailand.

In addition to its existing accreditation, which includes Cognia, BASIS International School Bangkok can leverage this recognition to support the accreditation process within the Thai education system. BASIS International School Bangkok is actively pursuing accreditation from the Thai Ministry of Education and is working closely with the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA), known

in Thai as สำนักงานรับรองมาตรฐานและประเมินคุณภาพการศึกษา (สมศ.), and the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC), Thai Ministry of Education, known in Thai as สำนักงานคณะกรรมการส่งเสริมการศึกษาเอกชน (สช.). We have successfully completed the pilot program, school site visit, and submitted related documents. Since the process requires a certain period of school operation as one of the requirements, the school expects to complete this accreditation process by the Academic Year 2025 - 2026. Once this accreditation is obtained, it will further facilitate the process for graduates to apply to Thai universities, as their qualifications will be directly recognized by Thai educational authorities. Also, students can apply to Thai universities through standard admission channels, including the Thai University Central Admission System (TCAS), and are also recognized by international institutions.

Thank you,
Ms. Kate Irving and Dr. Nat Namfah
College Counselor & Local College Counselor

Community Service and Visual Arts

NHS National Honor Society and NJHS National Junior Honor Society came together to create a wonderful and unique artwork that is now proudly displayed in the school cafe. NHS President, Hua (Sasipat Tejahempinyo) 10Sn, organized the community service hours for members to attend lunch time art sessions, supported by Visual Arts teacher Ms. Azarea (Aza) Dzinic.

The artwork serves as a vibrant representation of the great pride we hold for our BISB houses: Naga (red), Singha (yellow), Nilmangkorn (green), and Hongsa (blue). Each house is symbolically linked to unique colors that reflect their identities and characteristics.

For this project, recycled wooden shipping pallets were carefully cut and crafted into 10x10 centimeter squares with the help of our engineering team. The NJHS and NHS members contributed community service hours by applying their artistic skills to paint these squares with softer gradient tints that blend uniformly, allowing the colors of each house to shine through. The contributors from our members are labeled accordingly: Nannaphat (Fangfang) Phumtrairat 10Sn, Sasipat (Hua) Tejahempinyo 10Sn, Neree (Neree) Chen 10Sn, Thitinai (JR) Satthachinnasri 9Zr, Peeravich (Jiban) Thitayanun 9Zr, Kirana (Yo-i) Mahaboonpachai 9Zr, Paphitchaya (Ray) Sornmayura 9Zr, Paphawarin (Lunge) Sornmayura 9Zr, Tanatcha (TianTian) Budsaranon 9Zr, Thitapa (Shun) Simavara 9 Zr, Ruxuan(Sally) Yi 9Zr, Kierna (Megan/Meg) Vongkitbuncha 8Ti, Naparuethai (Milin) Anuwatmatee 8Ti, Pitchabha (Plern) Songatigamas 8Ti, Punrada (Punpun) Wedsart 8Ti, Phopdham (Punn) Yodkraisri 8Ti, Thatchaton (Titi) Budsaranon 8Ti, Pimlada (Rainy) Thanacharoenworanan 8Ti , Chathichar (Thichar) Sripian 7Ga, Natakorn (Ang) Simavara 7Ga.

Donation of Wooden Pallets:
Mr. Charlie Sripian (Parent of Chathichar (Thichar) Sripian 7Ga and Theepat (Thee) Sripian G8)

We hope you enjoy the artwork: “Dignitas Domorum Nostrarum” (Dignity of our Houses)

Library Corner:

Hello from BISB Library!

Thank you so much to the students and parents that turned out for the Library’s POP! Bubble Story Time. It was so much fun and it was lovely to see all of the smiles and laughter from students of all ages. If your student created a bubble art painting, please pick it up from the library any time.

If you enjoyed the bubble story time, please join me again in the library after school on Wednesday, December 18^th for the final story time of the term, a Holly Jolly Christmas Story Time with hot cocoa! This will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. With this event, I encourage all students and parents to check out books over the winter break and please note that parents can check out up to 10 books for the winter holiday!

Additionally, to encourage reading for enjoyment over winter break, I have curated reading lists for students of all grade levels. Many of these lists were created in partnership with our teachers in connection to what students will be learning in their classrooms come January. This is to encourage reading over the break, but is not required by any teacher. You can download and print the lists below or request a printed copy from me in the library. Within these lists, I have also included reading trackers that, if completed, students can submit to me after the break for house points and a prize!

Please find the lists per grade level below:

Reading Lists EY .pdf

Grade 1 Reading Lists.pdf

Grade 2 Reading List.pdf

Grade 3 Reading List.pdf

Grade 4 & 5 Reading List.pdf

Reading Lists Grade 6 - 7.pdf

Grade 8 to 10 Reading List.pdf

To supplement the lists, and per parent and student request, I have included Winter Book Bingos below for students to earn even more house points and prizes! Students can pick up Bingo sheets in this library next week, or you can print and download them here:

Book Bingo_Grades K - 3.pdf

Book Bingo_Grades 4-10.pdf

Lastly, please note that the final deadline for the first round of submissions to The Lotus Pond, our school’s literary magazine, are due next Friday, December 20^th. Students in Grades 3 and up are encouraged to submit poetry, art, photography, fiction, and nonfiction works for consideration. Please email with any works or questions.

Thank you all and happy reading,
Ms. Erika
Librarian

ECA Corner

Today marks the final day of ECAs for this term. We hope that our students have enjoyed the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop their skills throughout this semester. We truly appreciate your continued support, and kindly ask that you ensure timely pick-ups for your children starting next week. Thank you very much.

ECA Fair in 2^nd Semester:

Please mark your calendars for our ECA Fair in the 2nd semester, which will take place on Wednesday, January 15th, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. We are excited to offer a variety of new and engaging activities, including FREE workshops for students to explore and enjoy. We look forward to seeing many of you there for this wonderful opportunity to experience the wide range of extracurricular activities we have to offer!

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

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 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!