BASIS International School Bangkok eNewsletter

Message from the School:

Dear TUSKERS Family,

As we head into Spring Break from February 12^th –14^th, 2025, we would like to wish all of our students, teachers, and families a wonderful and well-deserved holiday. We hope you take this time to recharge and enjoy you time with your loved ones.

A gentle reminder for all English Hippo Competition 2025 participants, please arrive on time for the competition this Sunday, February 16^th, 2025. For more details, please refer to the section below in this newsletter. Wishing you all the best. Go TUSKERS!

We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, February 17th, refreshed and ready for the exciting semester ahead.

Wishing you all a fantastic break and a Happy Valentine’s Day in advance! ❤

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.

English Hippo Competition 2025 on Sunday, February 16th ,2025

Dear Parent of English HIPPO participants,

This is a gentle reminder for students participating in the English Hippo 2025 on Sunday, February 16th ,2025 at BASIS International School Bangkok. The registration will commence from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. We kindly request that your child(ren) be present prior to 8:30 a.m. We will call students for a line-up at 8:30 a.m. Any student who comes later than the time indicated will be declined to join the competition.

Upon arrival, all recipients will sign their name on the “Attendance Register” and receive their "Candidate Card.".

Please be mindful of the test times as outlined in the English Hippo 2025 regulations.

The exam will start at 9.00 - 10.10 a.m.
Baby Hippo (Grade 1-2) will take 40 minutes,
Little Hippo (Grade 3-4) will take 40 minutes
Hippo S.1 (Grade 5-6) will take 50 minutes
Hippo S.3 (Grade 8-9) will take 70 minutes.
Students are not allowed to leave the exam room before time.

For the competition, participants must bring:

Student Lanyard**
Water bottles.
Students are encouraged to wear their BASIS polo shirt.

The stationery, including two pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, and a ruler, will be provided upon their arrival.

Note: Students are not allowed to bring any translation tools, such as Dictionary, Vocabulary note, mobile phones or communication devices into the examination.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to seeing you and your children at BISB on Sunday!

Regards,
BASIS International School Bangkok

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,

As we prepare for Valentine’s Day, we want to share a few guidelines for our Early Years campus. Children are welcome to bring in Valentine’s cards or stickers to share with their classmates. However, outside food, candy, and gifts are not permitted. Our focus is on practicing kindness and promoting a cross-school exchange, rather than gift-giving.

Additionally, we will also be recognizing Makha Bucha Day, an important Buddhist holiday that encourages reflection, gratitude, and good deeds. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about kindness and respect in different cultural contexts.

Thank you for your support in creating a meaningful and inclusive celebration for all. Wishing you and your family a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ms. Annie
Director of Early Years

Library Corner

Hello from BISB Library!

This week, in connection to Valentine’s Day and our Love of Reading, we focused on self-love for Grades PK1 to Grade 2. We read the book, I Love Me by Marvyn Harrison (the founder of ‘Dope Black Dads’) and award-winning illustrator Diane Ewen. For Grades 4 and 5, we went back in time to America in the 1960’s reading the true story, The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. This book follows the love story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a young couple criminalized for their interracial marriage. Their court case, Loving vs. Virginia, would be one that led to changes in the United States in support of marriage equality. It is a wonderful, important story that tied in beautifully to both Valentine’s Day, a day for celebrating love, and our recognition of Black History Month.

Lastly, I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day, and Library Lover’s Day, this Friday, February 14^th. Please be sure to encourage your TUSKERS to read over the break and to submit a creative photo for the Extreme Reading Challenge! All photos must be submitted by Friday, February 21^st in order to be included in the newsletter at the end of February.

I hope you all have a lovely, relaxing, and book-filled holiday!

Happy reading,
Ms. Erika
Librarian

ECA Corner

ECA Reminder:

All ECA class will be resumed after the February break, Monday, February 17^th ,2025

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!

Highlights of the Week

Last Friday, our BASIS Rock Band took the stage with an electrifying performance at Centerpoint, Siam Square! Our young TUSKERS showcased their talent and gained invaluable experience, helping them pursue their passion with confidence. We couldn’t be prouder of their incredible talent!🎶🎸

A huge thank you to our dedicated Music teachers for their guidance and to our supportive parents for cheering them on!

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

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!