BASIS International School Bangkok eNewsletter

Important Updates from Head of School & Head of Operations:

Dear Moms and Dads,

We would like to take a moment to express our appreciation and gratitude to all parents who attended “Meet The Teacher Night” on Wednesday, September 6^th for your commitment to collaborating and building positive relationships in the BISB community. For parents who could not attend the event, we are happy to accommodate you in giving more visit opportunities. Please contact your child’s teacher(s) and schedule Parent Hours on any other time after school for any necessary information.

We are warmly inviting you to our “Library Coffee Mornings” next week, led by our wonderful librarian, Ms. Erika. It is a perfect opportunity for you to see our library's development, save your date for our upcoming events, as well as to discuss and receive guidance on how to use the digital tools that you can access at home to support your child's literacy. Please save the date below:

On Tuesday, September 12^th - Library Coffee Morning for Primary, Middle and High School at Connection from 08:30 – 09:30 hrs.
On Wednesday, September 13^th - Library Coffee Morning for Early Years at Connection from 08:30 – 09:30 hrs.

This is week also marks as a first week of sport academy practice, we have been around to observe our students play sports. We saw lots of smiles which absolutely signed of happiness from our students. Moreover, we are sure that our students immerse themselves to authentic learning experience that spans a broad of array of academic studies, executive functioning, socialization and wellness for these third week of school. Thank you once again for your collaboration.

Best regards,

Dr. W. and Ms. Kwan

Head of School and Head of Operations

School Events Updates: Save the date for the following events below:

Library Coffee Mornings are all set for you to join and discuss with our wonderful librarian, Ms. Erika. The event for Primary, Middle and High School is getting hitched on Tuesday, 12th September 2023 from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.at Connection, and the event for our Early Years is going to be on Wednesday, 13th September 2023 from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. at Connection.
Audition for Ensemble Symphony Orchestra from on Wednesday 13th 2023 from 16:00 - 17:30 p.m. at Black Box.
Expert Talk: “Understand Child Personality and Development” for Early Years on Tuesday 19^th September 2023 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Black Box.
Coffee Morning: for Grade 4-5 on Wednesday 20^th September 2023 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Black Box.
Coffee Morning: for Middle School (Grade 6-8) on Friday 22^nd September 2023 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Black Box.

A Day in a Life as a BISB Student: A Project by Head of School:

As a Head of School, my priority is the daily focus on the looks of the student in the dynamics and all-encompassing areas while students are in school. Thus, I came up with a special project called "A Day in a Life as a BISB Student" for myself to take this opportunity to understand what our students do in a day, and to experience their journey through subjects in their day. Moreover, this is an undercover project, and I will be presenting myself as their classmate. I am sure this project will be an extraordinary experience for students as well as mine!

I will shadow for a day each week with one student by Grade level from next week onward; my expedition will start from Grade 9 all the way down to Nursery. "A Day in the Life of a BISB Student" is also a reflection of many complex interactions to develop school-wide goals for all classes.

However, Ms. Kwan and I had a lovely meeting and lunch with our 9th graders today (Friday, September 8th), and students all understand that I will shadow one of them starting on Wednesday, September 13th, for a full day. My reflections will be shared with the BISB team and you after my journey soon. I hope you are as excited as I am! I am looking forward to experiencing my day as a BISB student.

Best regards,

Dr. W

Head of School

Early Years Newsletter:

Message from Director of Early Years:

Hello Early Years Families,

It was lovely to see so many of you at Meet the Teacher night. It is a great opportunity to get to know the people who will be a part of your educational journey. Next week on Wednesday morning at 8:30am Ms. Erika, our librarian, will host a coffee morning so in case you were not able to chat with her this week, come join us again and learn all about the library and the engaging literacy events being planned.

I would like to address some questions that have arisen recently.

Food: There is to be no outside food sent with children for lunches or snacks during the school day. If your child has a dietary requirement, such as lactose intolerance or gluten free, please share that information with reception and the teachers. Our food service provider works with all of the special diets. You may hear from your children that an item on the menu was not on their plate. That is because the menu contains items that are specifically for special diets so not every child has every menu item on their plate. There is a large quantity of food at meals and always extra if a child requests more.

You should expect your child to be hungry at the end of the school day. This is perfectly normal. They are expending a tremendous amount of energy learning and exercising and growing. It is natural for them to need a snack after school and prior to dinner.

PE: We hold physical education classes for PK1, PK2, and Kindergarten five days a week. This ensures that our students get regular exercise and develop healthy habits from a young age. Three of those days are inside the gymnasium, one is in the swimming pool and one is outside. If the air quality is not safe for outside PE, they will remain inside. Exercising outdoors offers numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. The variety of locations for exercise makes the class more engaging and being outside and active on our well-maintained grounds can reduce stress and anxiety and allow for larger movements and activities. The students all have water bottles nearby and there is shade available. Should your child not be swimming on a swimming day they will still attend swimming lessons, but remain on the land. This is an inclusive approach and ensures that students still receive valuable instruction and practice. Top of Form

PK1 Nap: I have listened to both parents and staff (and students) and am extending the school day for PK1 in order to allow for a longer nap time. PK1 will now dismiss at 3:00.

Dismissal times:

PK2 2:55

PK1 3:00

Kinder 3:05

Annie Fletcher

Director of Early Years

Primary, Middle and High School Newsletter:

Message from Dean of Primary School:

Dear Parents, thank you for attending Meet the Teachers Night on Wednesday, it was a pleasure to see and get to know many of you. If you were unable to attend but would still like to book a time to meet directly with your child's teacher, please reach out on the email address given in the syllabus for that course. Our teachers will do their best to accommodate your request as quickly as possible.

I would like to remind you of our communication protocol regarding concerns or questions relating to your child. Whether your concern be academic or behaviour-related, please be reminded that contacting your child's LET or SET directly should be your first step. They will always do their best to resolve your query as clearly as quickly as they can, and if they are unable to, more senior members of the leadership team will be called-upon or allocated to deal with the problem a quickly as possible.

Best wishes,

Selby Collinson Piokliang

Dean of Primary School

Message from Dean of Upper School:

Many exciting initiatives are kicking off soon in Upper School at BISB. I would like to mention a few below, so that you can discuss them with your child and hopefully encourage them to participate.

BASIS Arts Commitee

For students who have a true passion for creating art, we are soon launching the BASIS Arts Commitee In conjunction with the National Junior Honors Society. School and community-wide Art projects of many kinds will be led by the BAC and used to broaden the agenda and scope of our exiting NJHS fundraising and leadership-inspiring activities. Students who wish to join the BAC will be given the opportunity to apply very soon. Though the academic requirement will not be as rigorous as NJHS inductees, an ability to maintain a steady grade-point average and manage one's time while participating in extra-curricular art-projects will be necessary. The BAC will be mentored by our Upper-school Arts teachers Ms. Azarea and Ms. Dash, and lead by our G9 NHJS Secretary, Hua, who is giving a presentation during upper-school this Friday.

Upper School Editorial Team

The aim of this English Enrichment Program is to provide extension activities and responsibilities to students in Grades 7 to 9 who are performing above grade-level in reading, grammar, and writing. The students will function as a team with three leaders organizing projects, delegating responsibilities, and checking in with the teacher advisory team. This will give the students opportunities for self-monitored goal setting, collaborating with peers, teaching and coaching peers, and autonomy within the selected projects. Some of the activities the Editorial Team will be involved in are as follows:
School Newspaper - Interviews, Event spotlights, Up-to-date calendar information and Sports writing.
Literary Magazine - For student creative and non-fiction writing submissions.
Writing Center - Peer support and tutoring for writing skills.

Thai Model United Nations (Thai MUN)

The Thai Model United Nations is a group that acts as the United Nations, which each school representing a different country. A team of 10 BISB Tuskers from Grade 8 and 9 will be allowed to represent our school at major events, proposing resolutions, giving speeches and meeting people from all over Thailand. Participating in Thai MUN will be an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership, public speaking and critical thinking skills. It will also look excellent in a student portfolio when applying for universities in the future.

Clubs update

The following after school clubs for Upper-School are still recruiting new members. Please reach out to Mr. Jason Rowe - Dean of Student Events <j.rowe@basis.ac.th> if your child expresses interest in signing up.

Debate Club
Ancient Chinese Dancing Club
BASIS Youth Choir
Introduction to Computer Programming (coding)
Junior Band Club
Musical Club
Origami Club
Thai Dancing Club
BASIS FC

Best wishes,

Andrew Taylor

Dean of Upper School

College Counseling Corner:

Dear BISB Families,

I hope this email finds you well. As we approach October, I wanted to inform you that I will be visiting your school from Monday 2^nd to 6^th October, 2023. During my visit, I will be holding student and parent sessions during that particular week.

I will also hold the parent session forum for Grade 8 and Grade 9 on Friday 6^th October 2023 from 08.30 to 10.00 a.m. at Black Box Theatre. I will also be available to answer any questions you may have about college counseling. Whether you would like to know more about me, colleges in the US, BASIS alumni, or summer opportunities for students, I encourage you to ask me anything that is on your mind. I am here to assist you in any way I can.

To streamline the process and ensure effective communication, I kindly request that you send all of your questions to the school by September 22^nd, please send an email to communication@basis.ac.th.

I look forward to receiving your questions and addressing any concerns you may have. Your active engagement in this process is key to ensuring that I provide the guidance and support you need. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any inquiries, big or small.

Thank you for your cooperation, and I am eager to meet you all during my visit.

Best regards,

Ms. Kate Irving

College Counselor

Community Well-Being Corner:

Dear TUSKERS Parents and Guardians,

We hope this email finds you well. We are excited to invite you to an informative and engaging seminar session on "Understanding Child Personality & Development in Early Years." As an Early Years parent, your participation in this training will provide valuable insights and tools to better comprehend your child's growth and personality traits during their crucial Early Years.

Date: Tuesday, 19th September, 2023

Time: 8.30-10.00 hrs.

Venue: Black Box

During the seminar, you can expect to learn about:

1. Temperament

1.2 A person’s nature shown in how they behave or react to people or situations.

1.3 Why individual children are different. Most of child is easy to approach, but some of them are difficult.

1.4 What types of your child temperament. How to approach him.

2. Child Development and Milestone

2.1 5 major parts of child development.

2.2 How to assess, What is normal/abnormal, When should refer to Expert Doctor.

3. Psychosocial Development

3.1 What is terrible twos, horrible threes, (Eff you fours, Fantastic Fives, Sassy sixes)

3.2 How to deal with tantrums behavior.

Dr. Golf, our psychiatrist advisor, who specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry will lead the session. Dr. Golf will provide valuable insights and lead discussion that will empower you to create a nurturing and supportive environment for your child's growth. This interactive seminar is a wonderful opportunity for you to connect with other parents, share experiences, and gain a deeper understanding of your child's needs and potential.

We look forward to your active participation in this enriching seminar. Together, we can lay the foundation for a bright future for your child.

Best regards,

Wellbeing Team

Library Corner:

Hello from BISB Library!

I was so happy to see TUSKERS parents using the library this week! I hope that more of you will join me next week for Coffee Mornings in the library, where we will discuss building literacy skills and a love of reading among your students.

Additionally, I will show you how our library has changed, what events are coming up, and what digital tools you can use at home with your students. See the Meet the Librarian flyer below for the scheduled days.

LITERACY DAY- September 29^th

Friday, September 29^th the Library will host its first BISB Library event for our TUSKERS!

During the month of September, your students will learn all about genre and the many different types of books in a library.

On Literacy Day, students will be encouraged to dress up in their grade levels designated genre! The genres range from fantasy, fairytales, historical, anime, to horror! Each student's costume will be showcased in our fashion show: Runway Through the Pages! All dressed up students will receive house points for participating and get to take part in the show – and so will our participating teachers!

Please note that the school hour events are for students only, however parents are invited to join me in the Library after school starting at 3:15 hrs. for an Early Years Storytime, followed by all-ages genre themed crafts and activities!

Check out the posters below to see the event program and assigned genres for each grade level. Get a head start planning your students’ costumes! If there are any questions, please feel free to email me at e.wigren@basis.ac.th or ask one our amazing teachers.

As always, happy reading! I hope to see you at BISB Library’s Coffee Mornings.

Ms. Erika

Librarian

P.E. Corner:

Dear TUSKERS Families,

I wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your decision to enroll your child in the TUSKERS Sports Academy. Your trust in us is greatly appreciated, and we are thrilled to have your child as a part of our sports community.

Please find the below information:

The results of Swimming Tryout and Missed Tryout for Badminton, Basketball and Football will be sent by Friday 8^th September to Saturday 9^th September 2023.

The Swimming Academy will start from 11^th September onwards from 6:45 am to 7:45 am - Monday to Friday.

The Invoices will be sent in Week 4 from 11^th September to 15^th September 2023. We kindly request that you make the necessary arrangements for payment at your earliest convenience.

The students will be registered in the Clipboard by Coach Namita from 11^th September to 15^th September 2023.

I would like to extend my sincere apologies for the numerous schedule changes that have occurred recently. Your understanding and patience during this period are highly appreciated.

I want to assure you that we have now finalized the schedule, and it is available for your reference. Please feel free to reach out to me n.sinha@basis.ac.th, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the schedule or any other aspect of the academy.

Once again, thank you for your continued support and patience. We are looking forward to a successful and fulfilling journey with your child at TUSKERS Sports Academy.

Thanks, and regards.

Coach Namita

ECA Corner:

Thank you for registering for ECA activities. We would like to send you a friendly reminder that today is the last day to sign up for ECA activities. For teacher-led clubs and student-led clubs, registration will be extended until Monday, September 11^th.

Please kindly note that the first ECA class, student-led clubs, and teacher-led clubs will start on Monday, September 18^th. All Early Years ECA starts from 15:15–16:00 p.m., and all Primary and Upper School ECA starts from 16:00 p.m. onwards.

We will also contact you next week on the assumption that some ECA activities may not be able to open the class. Your payment will be fully refunded under this special condition. Besides that, the "Calendar" option on your Clipboard Application will be available to see all your child's registered ECA classes by the end of next week, and the app will notify you automatically for the upcoming classes. We hope this will be helpful for you to maintain the pick-up schedules each day.

If your child registered for "Ensemble Symphony Orchestra", please note that the audition will take place on Wednesday, September 13^th, from 16:00–17:30 hrs. at Black Box Theatre. We kindly asked you to prepare the instrument for your child and the show for 3-5 minutes.

Thank you for your collaboration.

ECA Team

BISB ECA Team

Community Health Updates:

Our records cut-off time for each week is every Fridays at 15:00 hrs. The classes that has been mentioned as reaching more than 5 classes were closed, followed by our protocols and policies.

Sport Activities for BISB Community

We are also happy to announce the resume of sports activities for the BISB community (between parents and staff) after school.

Please note that all attendees must sign in at the front desk with proper identification. Proper sports attire is also strongly recommended in order to avoid any unnecessary injuries and/or damage to school facilities.

Please see below the schedule as follows: