BASIS International School Bangkok eNewsletter

Message from the School:

Dear BASIS Families,

Thank you for your participation and support during BASIS Photo Week! This annual photo session is our tradition to capture memories of our students throughout their learning journey. These photos will remind us of the meaningful experiences and joyful moments we have at school. We will inform you once the photos are ready. Stay tuned!

This week also marks the beginning of our ECA for Semester 2. What a fantastic start! Our students are exploring their passions and enjoying enriching experiences beyond the classroom.

Next week, we are excited to invite all Grade 5 students and parents to our Grade 5 Elective Fair on Tuesday, February 11^th, 2025, starting at 4:00 PM. As students prepare for middle school, they will have the opportunity to choose elective courses that match their interests and academic goals. During the fair, students and parents will learn about the various elective courses available in Grade 6. We will be providing insights into course content, expectations, and learning outcomes.

We appreciate your continued support!

Best regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

Important Update: Nurse’s Notes Will Be Sent via Email Only

Dear Parents,

Please be informed that moving forward, all communication from the school nurse, including health-related notes and updates, will be sent via email only. Printed copies will no longer be issued.

This change ensures timely and efficient communication while also supporting our sustainability efforts.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us via email or LINE Official Account. Thank you for your cooperation.

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.

BASIS Bangkok welcomed NANOTEC

Today, we had the honor of welcoming the research team from the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), a governmental organization under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), to our school. The team toured our campus to learn more about our innovative approach to enhancing indoor air quality while also demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

During the visit, the NANOTEC research team had the opportunity to tour our facilities and gain a deeper understanding of our Pre-Cool Fresh Air System as well as our Solar Cell System.

This visit provided a valuable exchange of knowledge. Thank you to the NANOTEC team for their interest in our initiatives and for taking the time to visit us today!

Spirit Week 2025

Get ready for an exciting Spirit Week like no other as we celebrate our theme: "Love of Reading: Books as Windows"—highlighting multicultural influences from the African diaspora! Each day will bring a new opportunity to express creativity, celebrate uniqueness, and cultivate unity!

📅 Spirit Week Dress-Up Days: Monday 24 February – Friday 28 February):

Monday 24 February – Flag Day: Choose the flag of any African nation and wear the colors to match!

Here's more information about the national flags of Africa’s 54 countries. Once your child picks a flag to match their outfit, take a moment to share its history with them—it’s a great learning opportunity!

Tuesday 25 February – Prints & Patterns Day: Wear your favorite animal prints or bold patterns.

Wednesday 26 February – Dress to Impress: Show up in your fanciest attire!

Thursday 27 February – Throwback Thursday: Travel back in time and wear dress like an elderly person!

Friday 28 February – Unity Day: Wear all black to show solidarity and strength!

🎉 More Celebrations Leading Up to Spirit Week:

🖤 Feb 18-20: Black History Living Museum – Bringing historical hidden figures to life!

🔬 Feb 18 –19: Science Experiments Inspired by Diverse Scientists – Hands-on learning rooted in innovation.

📖 Feb. 21: Virtual Author Event in Library 7:15am – 7:55am – Open to only students!

Join us in the spirit and let’s celebrate the power of books, uniqueness, and community this Love of Reading month! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. 🚀📖✨

Early Years Newsletter:

Dear Families,

Valentine’s Day Reminder
As we prepare for our Valentine’s Day classroom activities, please remember that no food or candy treats should be sent to school. Students will exchange cards within and between classrooms, but no other items (such as toys or candy) should be brought to BASIS. Thank you for your cooperation in following our school guidelines!

Dismissal Procedures
With ECAs now underway, we’ve noticed that dismissal is running even more smoothly—thank you! To keep things efficient, we kindly ask that drivers remain in the driver’s seat at all times. A staff member will escort students to the car and assist them as needed. Once your child is in the vehicle, the driver should be ready to move forward promptly to maintain the flow of traffic.

We appreciate your cooperation with the dismissal schedule:
🚗 PK1 cars first from 2:50 PM
🚗 PK2 cars next from 3:00 PM
🚗 Kindergarten cars at 3:10 PM

If you are the only adult picking up your child and prefer to meet them at the turnstile, you are welcome to park in the lot.

Thank you for your support in making pick-up smooth and safe for everyone!

Ms. Annie
Director of Early Years

Message from Director of Academic Programs

Dear Parents,

As we wrap up Trimester 2, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates from my office and send a few important reminders your way. But first, a big CONGRATULATIONS to our brave 6th-8th graders for completing their Pre-Comprehensive Exams! 🎉 Despite a few hurdles (hello, flu season!), every student has now finished their exams, and we’re eager to share the results with you soon.

What’s Happening Across the Grades?

✨ EY & Grades 1-4 Parents: We’re putting together Social Emotional Reports to keep you in the loop on your child's day-to-day growth. These reports are a great way to see how students are developing beyond academics!

🎭 Grade 5 Parents: It’s time to start thinking ahead! We’re hosting a Rising G6 Electives Fair where you’ll have the chance to ask questions and explore elective options for next year. Keep an eye out for a separate email with more details—coming today!

📊 Grades 6-8 Parents: Our deep dive into Pre-Comprehensive Exam data is complete! You’ll receive a Pre-Comprehensive Exam Report the week of February 17-21, which will include official marks for all pre-comprehensive subjects.

📚 Grades 9-10 Parents: AP season is right around the corner! We’re finalizing our AP test prep timeline, including details on Mock AP Week, where students will get hands-on experience with a real testing environment. More details coming soon!

Mark Your Calendars!

📅 Friday, February 28 – Trimester 2 officially ends

📄 March 14 – Report Cards & Social Emotional Reports will be sent home

As always, my door is open! Feel free to reach out anytime—I’m happy to chat.

Looking forward to a strong finish to Trimester 2! 🚀

Sincerely,
Mr. Ian
Director of Academic Programs

Primary, Middle and High School Newsletter

Message from Dean of Middle and Upper School

Dear Parents,

This week, the remaining make-up Pre-COMP exams have been completed for those absent last week due to illness. Scores are currently being finalized, and results will be shared in a separate PreComp Results report during the week of 17^th February. Over the next few weeks, if there are concerns about your child’s performance in the exams, I will be in touch via email.

Please do not be alarmed if you receive an email or invitation from me to meet at the school – the purpose of the meeting, to which your child will also be invited, is to discuss how we can make improvements in the second half of year to ensure better success in T3 and the COMP final exams in May.

Overall, we are immensely proud of the preparations and efforts your children have put in over the last few weeks and months and the results, in many cases, have exceeded expectations. Well done to our young BISB scholars! Last Friday they were treated to a movie and popcorn in the Blackbox – a well-deserved reward for their hard work. This week we are back to the normal routine, including all student hours, ECAs and clubs. Please be on the lookout for an email invitation to student hours from your child’s SETs.

It is crucial that your child attend any student hours they are invited to, and this must take precedence over other activities they are involved in, in or around school.

As always, please contact your child’s SET if you have subject specific concerns or me if you have general or personal concerns about your child’s wellbeing or academic progress.

Thank you so much for your support.

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.

On Monday, Dr. Nat and I walked 10,000+ steps touring her alma mater Chulalonkorn University. The university offers a variety of undergraduate programs in fields like engineering, business, law, and arts, with many courses available in English. It was amazing to see this metropolis of a university and experience life on campus. We visited the beautiful and historic Faculty of Arts, the bustling Faculty of Business, the coffee-driven Faculty of Medicine, and the serene Faculty of Law. Chula’s campus is in the middle of the Siam district and is full of life. It is a popular university with students interested in being close to the MRT and BTS, and those looking for more traditional Thai expectations in their schooling. Dr. Nat and I met with admissions at several of the faculties and they were eager to connect with us, learn more about our school, and answer our questions.

BASIS International School Bangkok offers a robust curriculum and the courses our students take prepare them for all university pathways and offers a gateway to universities across the globe and in Thailand.

After break, I will share some of the impressive university admissions results from the first round of applications at our network schools. Grade 12 students apply to US universities in two rounds. The first round of applications for Early Decision and Early Action went out on November 1 and students have all received their results. It's an exciting list.

Thank you,
Ms. Kate Irving
College Counselor

NHS and NJHS News

February, the love of reading month, is here!

We are here to remind you that while millions worldwide find joy and enrichment in books, not everyone has equal access to this wonderful activity. Many minority groups, particularly individuals with disabilities, often face barriers to experiencing the magic of reading. Our project aims to change this by making reading truly inclusive for children with disabilities, ensuring they feel a genuine sense of belonging in the reading community. We are committed to bring books to all Thai children, regardless of their disabilities, through two key tactics.

First, we’ll donate children’s books and educational toys to มูลนิธิคริสเตียนเพื่อเด็กพิการ (Christian care foundation for children with disabilities).
Second, we’ll create audiobooks for visually impaired individuals through the “Read for the Blind” application, which specifically serves the Thai community. “Read for the Blind” application is the world's first innovation for everyone to create audio books for the blind, by reading books or short articles from magazines, newspapers or any interesting websites. However, the app is not available for English readers yet, so only Thai readers can be included in this part of the project. We highly encourage everyone to participate by recording themselves reading in the app and don’t forget to share your images with us!

For more information or photo submissions please contact:
tanatchabud@gmail.com (TianTian) - Project Lead
kiranayoi@gmail.com (Yo-i) - Project Lead
peterpan98345@gmail.com (Pan)

Thankyou!

Written by: TianTian and Yo-i 9Zr

Library Corner

Hello from BISB Library!

To start, I want to say thank you to the amazing students and parents that turned for Science Storytime! We were introduced to three amazing, historical scientists including Marie Curie, Madame CJ Walker, and the crayon man, Edwin Binney. We also had so much friend doing hands-on experiments that included color, scents, and explosions! As always, BISB Library appreciates the support of our amazing community – and I always wanted to give a special shout out to Ms. Tye in the Science Department for her support and collaboration.

Secondly, For the Love of Reading has officially begun! This month we have loads of reading activities and challenges for students, all within the theme of Books as Windows where books serve as a peek into the lives and experiences of different people, cultures, and communities. This is in collaboration and celebration of Black History Month.

For Grades 1 – 3, students are encouraged to read and review 5 picture books that serve as windows into a different experience. The review cards can be picked up in the library and submitted throughout the month until Thursday, February 27th. 5 reviews = 50 house points and a prize!

For Grades 4 – 10, students are encouraged to read and review 2 novels that serve as windows into a different experience. These review cards can also be picked up in the library and submitted throughout the month until Thursday, February 27th. Students will get 20 house points per review and, if students submit at least 2 novel reviews to Ms. Erika, they will earn a popcorn pass that they can redeem on Friday, February 28^th in the library during AE.

In addition, students in Grades 1 – 10 can submit work into THREE competitions:

Bookmark design competition à the top 3 will be copied and handed out to the whole school for Bookweek in March! Deadline: Friday, February 28^th

Book cover design competition à the top 3 (in Grades 1 -3 and in Grades 4 -10) will be awarded with prizes and publication in The Lotus Pond, our literary magazine, at the end of the academic year. Deadline: Friday, February 28^th

Short Story writing contest à the top 3 will be awarded with prizes and publication in The Lotus Pond at the end of the academic year. Writing prompts are available in the library if students need help getting started. Deadline: Friday, February 28^th

Lastly, please note that the library will be closed after school on Tuesday, February 11^th, however the BISB Bookworms ECA will proceed as normal.

Thank you and happy reading,
Ms. Erika
Librarian

Academic Spotlight

Grade 9 and Grade 10 Business students participated in a project assigned by the Pizza Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Minor International. With a market capitalization of 136.08 billion, Minor International PCL operates branches across Asia.

The project aimed to shift customer traffic from third-party aggregator apps to the Pizza Company's own platform, reducing operational costs. To develop their recommendations, students applied various business strategies, including market research, End-to-End Process Analysis (E2PA), and Mystery Shopping. They then had the opportunity to visit the Minor Group's corporate office, where they presented their findings and proposals.

Their hard work and insightful analysis were highly appreciated, with the Thai Pizza Company (TPC) recognizing their dedication and strategic thinking. Well done, business students!

We’re excited to share that the first week of our ECA program was a great success! Our students were engaged, happy, and eager to get started, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated. We truly appreciate the positive energy and enthusiasm from all of you. We are committed to providing a fantastic experience for our students and look forward to many more successful weeks ahead.

We would like to clarify a few important points regarding our policies, once you have registered and paid for the ECA program, please note that the fee is non-refundable for any reason. We have put careful planning into organizing the classes and the materials, and as a result, we are unable to offer refunds after registration.

Additionally, we are unable to provide make-up classes for students who miss a session. Our providers prepare everything in advance, including snacks and materials, based on the number of students registered. To ensure the best experience for everyone, it’s essential that students attend the sessions they’ve signed up for.

We understand that flexibility is important, but we hope you understand that these policies are necessary due to the effort, preparation, and commitment our team puts into making the ECA program a success. Every detail, from the teachers to the materials, is planned around the number of participants. We truly appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Please see the updated of ECA schedule

Thank you once again for your support and understanding. We look forward to another wonderful week of ECA!

ECA Taekwondo:

We are excited to announce that Taekwondo uniforms are now available for pre-order! If you need a new uniform or wish to upgrade your current one, please feel free to click the button below.

https://forms.gle/3rUEEf6dbqcX2JrN8

If you have any questions about taekwondo uniform please contact Line Official ID: @intertkd

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you in your new gear!

ECA Ballet:

We would like to announce “Classical Ballet & Dance Recital 2025” This event is held every year to give students the opportunity to showcase their talents, build pride in themselves, and learn to continuously improve. It helps them develop responsibility, patience, and perseverance to achieve their goals, as well as make new friends and learn how to collaborate with others.
This annual event not just as a performance showcase for our students, but with the genuine intention of helping them build greater self-confidence and prepare for the next steps toward an international stage. Students participating in this performance will gain valuable experiences that cannot be learned in the classroom.

Send the Application form directly to One Academy: @oneacademyrama2

Download the application form this link:

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!