Weekly Update #12, 15 November 2024

Announcements

Ensuring Student Safety in the Car Park

All drivers please be aware that the Zebra crossing in the underground car park (below Building A) is designed for pedestrians - both children and adults - to cross the road in safety in order to access our school. Please be mindful, driving carefully and respect the rules of the road by stopping whenever pedestrians are crossing. We appreciate your cooperation in helping to ensure that HeadStart is a safe environment for all.

Christmas Fair at Cherngtalay Campus

With the festive season fast approaching, it is time to start preparing for our Christmas Fair. This wonderful community event will take place on Wednesday 11th December from 1:30-3:30pm. If you are interested in offering a Christmas-themed activity or have Festive Season products to sell, please complete the following GoogleForm https://forms.gle/2aUnWJ2LsPnXoDX37 or contact Khun Newle at [email protected] for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.

Share Your Child’s Success

At HeadStart, we are incredibly proud of the many and varied achievements of our students, from academic accomplishments to sporting success and creative endeavours. Whether taking part in one of our many extra-curricular activities or school programmes, or developing a lifelong passion outside school, our students frequently demonstrate that they are inspired by a love of learning.

Each week, we have the opportunity to celebrate these successes as a community both at our Monday morning flag raising ceremony and through our various social media channels.

If your child has experienced success and you would like to share this with our wider community, please complete our Student Achievement Submission Form which can be accessed via the QR code below.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Upcoming Events

CAPA HeadStars present “Evita” @ Chaofah City Campus

HeadStart International School proudly presents Evita, the powerful and iconic musical that brings to life the remarkable story of Eva Perón. Set in mid-20th century Argentina, Evita follows Eva’s journey from humble beginnings to the heights of political influence as the beloved yet controversial First Lady. Her dedication to advocating for the poor and championing women’s rights left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire and intrigue. Narrated by Che Guevara, the famed revolutionary, Evita explores themes of ambition, love, and power through unforgettable music, inspired performances, and captivating choreography.

We warmly welcome you to come and join us for an unforgettable performance of Evita by our very own CAPA HeadStars. Tickets are now on sale for this event which takes place in the Sports Hall at our Chaofah City campus from 6:00-8:00pm:

• Book tickets for Evita Wednesday 27th November 2024

• Book tickets for Evita Thursday 28th November 2024

If you encounter any issues during the booking process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]

AquaPanthers Invitational 2024

Over the weekend of Saturday 30th November - Sunday 1st December, our Cherngtalay campus will host its first ever swimming event - the AquaPanthers Invitational (API) - which will see swimmers of different ages from across Phuket and beyond compete. This unique event would not be possible without the support of our Swim Academy Team, our support staff, and you, our amazing student and parent community. We are therefore looking for volunteers to assist with a range of competition tasks, including timing and supporting swimmers. If you are interested in getting involved or what to find out more, please contact our Head Swim Coach, Zak Brown: [email protected]

Spanish Activity Morning @ Chaofah City Campus

¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)We are excited to invite all Spanish speaking families to a vibrant activity morningon Saturday, 7th December, from 10:00AM to 12:00PM at HeadStart Chaofah City campus! Please contact María del Mar Rubio Sánchez [email protected] directly to register for this event.

Meetings & Presentations

Phonics Workshop for Parents on 14.11.24

In our Primary Parent Meeting this week, Year 1 and 2 parents learned more about the phonics programme here at HeadStart and how our chosen scheme, Little Wandle, helps us to teach our youngest students to read in an effective and systematic way. Mr Whitham talked to parents about the sounds we learn in each phase of phonics, what the progression of phonics looks like as children move through each year group, and how parents can help their children at home. If you missed this meeting or would like to find out more, please find a copy of the presentation below. Mr Whitham - Deputy Head of Primary

Year 1 and 2 Phonics Workshop 14 Nov 2024

Parent Meeting: Russian Speaking Parents Meeting

We would like to invite you to a meeting for Russian-speaking parents. It will be held on 21 November from 8:30 to 9:30 in the Secondary ILC. We greatly appreciate your contribution to the life of our school. Feedback will help us improve the quality of your children’s education. We appreciate your active participation and look forward to your questions and feedback.

“Уважаемые родители!

Приглашаем вас на собрание, которое состоится 21 ноября с 8:30 до 9:30 в Северном кампусе (Чернгталай).

Мы высоко ценим ваш вклад в жизнь школы. Обратная связь поможет нам совершенствовать образовательный процесс для детей. Благодарим за ваше активное участие и с нетерпением ждем вопросов и отзывов.

С уважением,
Русскоязычная команда школы HeadStart

Parent Meeting: Raising Future Innovators and Essential Cybersecurity & IT Skills

We welcome all parents with an interest in preparing their child for a future in technology to a presentation given by our partners from KIBERone. This will also give you an opportunity to learn how KIBERone’s programs help develop students’ IT skills and find out more about the different programs on offer through our ECAs. Please join us on Wednesday 27th November from 8:30-9:30am in the Secondary ILC.

Child-Watch Phuket 21st Run for Children

The Child-Watch Phuket 21st Run for Children, held on Sunday, 10th November 2024, at the Prince of Songkla University, was a charity event aimed at raising funds and awareness for child welfare programs in Phuket. Participants of all ages and abilities came together to run various distances, from fun runs to more competitive races, promoting health and community spirit. The event also included family-friendly activities, including a Team HeadStart stall with games, prizes and a photo booth, creating a festive atmosphere for both runners and spectators.

Sincere thanks to all the families, teachers and staff from both campuses for their support of this event, whether running for fun, for competition or simply lending a helping hand! This was a truly memorable community event which showcased the best of HeadStart. Special mention to the Leonov (Andy, Reception, and Alice, Year 3) and Wei (Jesper, Year 4) families for joining the event and completing the 3.5km family challenge.

Finally, HeadStart’s involvement in this event would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our very own Community Fitness Manager, Coach Jordi, and our Marcom Team!

All proceeds from the run support Child-Watch Phuket’s initiatives to protect and assist vulnerable children across the region. With its emphasis on both fitness and philanthropy, the event is a highlight in Phuket’s annual calendar, bringing our community together to make a positive impact in the lives of local children.

📸 Click the link for a full album of photos of the Child-Watch Phuket 21st Run for Children event

Phuket Sunshine Village Fundraiser

The good news keeps on coming! Thanks to the amazing generosity of our school community, over the last week, we have managed to sponsor another 4 children at PSV, taking the total number of children sponsored to 29! A heartfelt thank you to the children and families of Year 3 Yellow and Year 5 Blue (again!) for their efforts to raise money to sponsor their chosen child and to the Kofanov and Dowsett families for their generous donations!

Meet the Team

The Security and Drivers team at HeadStart International School Phuket plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and well-being of students, staff, and visitors. They are responsible for maintaining a secure environment on campus, monitoring entrances, and providing a visible presence to deter any potential security issues. The team also assists with traffic management, ensuring the safe arrival and departure of students by coordinating the school’s transport system efficiently. With a strong focus on punctuality and professionalism, the drivers ensure that students are safely transported to and from school, as well as off-site events, while security personnel are always ready to respond quickly to any emergencies. Their combined efforts contribute to creating a safe, smooth, and supportive environment for the entire school community. As such, they are invaluable members of our school community and we appreciate their hard work, attention to detail and friendly demeanor!

PE & Sports News

AquaPanthers Swimfest in Bangkok!

We had an incredible weekend at the ISB Swimfest! Our swimmers achieved numerous personal bests, and for many, it was their first time traveling with the team — a big milestone! The meet was a huge success, and our swimmers returned with a newfound sense of independence and knowledge.

Special congratulations to:

• Rita, who placed 2nd in the 50m Breaststroke!

• Monica, who took 1st in the 50m Fly and 2nd in the 100m IM!

Both had outstanding swims, and we’re incredibly proud! And an exciting surprise: our 15 & Over boys placed 3rd overall, securing a trophy that will be mailed to us soon. This achievement is a massive win for our team—well done, everyone! Coach Brown - Head Swim Coach

HeadStart Cherngtalay Panthers Boys Academy Teams in Action

On Saturday 9th November, the HeadStart Cherngtalay Panthers U9, U11, and U13 Boys teams were all in action at the annual PISAC football tournament held at BISP. The tournament was a fantastic opportunity for the teams to test their skills through competitive tournament football. All of the teams came up against tough opposition from international schools around Phuket. There were ups and downs for all of the teams, and each game was a great way for our players to develop not only technically but also to push themselves mentally in challenging situations. All of the teams stuck together, and we are proud of all of the players.

We are looking forward to more exciting weekends of tournament football in the coming weeks. The U11 Boys and selected players from our U13 Girls and Boys teams will be competing at the BISP Soccer 7’s tournament over the weekend of 23rd-24th November. Our U9 Boys team will also take to the field in the HeadStart U9 Boys Championship on 30th November.

Well done to all the players who gave it their all at the PISAC tournament, and good luck to all those competing in the up and coming tournaments Coach Paul - Football Coach

ECA News

What an incredible showdown of strategic brilliance at our recent school Chess Tournament held at our Chaofah City campus! Relive the magic and see who emerged as the Chess Master of November 2024:

🏆 Champion - Mark Kolesnikov - Year 9 Cherngtalay Campus

🥈 Runner-up - Georgiy Zhenchenko - Year 5 City Campus

🥉 Third Place - Tigran Davtian - Year 8 Cherngtalay Campus

Huge thanks to 50 Fly Trampoline Club, The PlayYard Restaurants and other sponsors for constant support and helping to make yet another tournament exceptional. Next tournament will be held on Saturday 7th December and we will invite players from other schools! See you there!

Spanish Language ECA Update

Did you know that Spanish is the second most spoken language? Have you always wanted to learn Spanish? Now is your opportunity! ¡Vamos! (Let’s go!)

At Spanish ECA classes, the students learn in a communicative way, using the language from day one because our goal is to speak! Join us for the next term!

Foundation studentslearn through a play-based approach that includes singing and dancing. This engaging method exposes children to new words, phrases, and sentence structures in a fun way. Movement helps them connect words with actions.Primary studentsexpand their vocabulary and familiarize themselves with common expressions through interactive games and movement activities. They reinforce their learning with visual aids and writing tasks. Recently, they explored the concept of noun gender in Spanish, identifying masculine and feminine nouns.Advanced Primary students are undertaking a project in which they interview Spanish-speaking teachers at the school, enhancing their skills in reading, speaking, listening, and writing.

Join Spanish ECA classes next term!

Attention Secondary Students! Immerse yourself in real-life situations that will enhance your language skills, such as ordering at restaurants and sharing personal information. Don’t miss this opportunity to develop your Spanish in a fun and practical way! Be part of a dynamic learning environment where you can practice speaking and gain confidence. We can’t wait to see you there!

Languages Department

Interactive and Immersive Learning in Year 7 Mandarin Lessons

Year 7 students performed “The Poor People”, a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The story’s climax is marked by a dialogue between the fisherman and his wife, Sanna. Using paper puppets, students explored the characters’ complex emotions through voice acting, deepening their understanding of the characters’ subtle psychological changes. This creative activity enriched students’ language skills and cultural appreciation, making Mandarin learning interactive and immersive.

Foundation

Elephants Never Forget - And Neither Will Our Reception Classes!

The Reception children had an unforgettable trip to the elephant sanctuary this week! They were thrilled to feed and observe the elephants from a canopy, gaining a deeper understanding of these gentle giants. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the natural world and to showcase the school’s values off-campus. The children are already looking forward to their next adventure! The Reception Teaching Team

Primary

Year 3 Go on an Earthy Adventure!

This week, the Year 3 students had an “earthy” adventure as they delved into the wonders of soil and the layers of the Earth! Through hands-on activities, they compared different types of soil, examined what makes up soil, and recreated the Earth’s layers. The students were engaged and enthusiastic, making for a truly “rocking” learning experience! Ms Davies and Mr Cotterell - Year 3 Teachers

Secondary

Secondary House Update - Dr Marsh’s Origami Challenge!

Last Friday, our Secondary students got handy with some paper. They were set the challenge of creating Origami figurines - in the form of their House animal - and racing each other to see which House team could produce the most high quality crafts. Can you work out which House came out as the Paper-Folding Champiions?

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