Weekly Update #38, 20 June 2025

Yearbook Release Date and Time

Welcome to come and collect your family copy of the 2024-2025 Yearbook on Monday, 23 June starting at 14:30 in the main atrium beside the Admin office.

Long Term Service Recognition

On behalf of the entire HeadStart International School community, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our long-serving staff members for their unwavering dedication and years of outstanding service – for those completing 5, 10 and 15 years service. Your commitment, professionalism, and tireless efforts have played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s nurturing and high-achieving environment. Through your guidance, leadership, and care, generations of HeadStart students have grown not only academically, but also as confident, compassionate individuals ready to make a positive impact in the world.

Your contributions have been instrumental in the continued growth and success of HeadStart. Whether in the classroom, in leadership roles, or behind the scenes, your presence has provided a steady foundation upon which the school has flourished. Your loyalty and passion have helped cultivate a culture of excellence and unity, and we are deeply thankful for the difference you continue to make in the lives of our students, families, and colleagues.

Year 6 Graduation Ceremony 2025

We cordially invite our Year 6 Students and their families to our Year 6 Graduation Ceremony. This is a wonderful chance to celebrate our Year 6 students as they transition from Primary to Secondary school.

📅 Date: Tuesday 24 June 2025

🕒 Time: 13:00 – 13:55

📍 Location: Foundation & Primary ILC

Join us in celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our students. We look forward to sharing this memorable occasion with all of you.

Parent Committee Meeting on 29.05.25

On Thursday 29th May, the HeadStart Cherngtalay Parent Committee held its third and final meeting of the school year with representatives from the School board and Leadership, including Jazon Edouard, CEO. We are grateful for the contributions and time given by parents representing different sections of our school community. Meeting Notes from this meeting can be found on our Parent Committee webpage, in the ‘Record Keeping’ section: https://headstartphuket.com/school-life/parent-committee

Nina Diouron – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 3

A HeadStart student since Year 3, Nina has grown into a confident and creative leader. As a House Captain, active member of the CAPA programme, and volunteer teacher at Kids Camp, Nina has shown a strong commitment to teamwork and community. Passionate about storytelling and the arts, she plans to pursue Media Communication Arts in Bangkok. We wish her the best of luck as she prepares for this exciting next chapter!

Ryan McKellar – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Preschool

A HeadStart student since preschool, Ryan has made waves both in and out of the pool, having trained and competed as a swimmer for eight years. His dedication, perseverance, and quiet determined intellect have now earned him a place at university in Canada, where he will be pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering. We are incredibly proud of Ryan’s achievements and wish him continued success as he dives into the world of Engineering!

Kai Yi Bayer – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 13

A recent but very valued member of the HeadStart community, Kai Yi has shown commitment both in and out of the classroom, notably through his involvement in the Football Academy, where he demonstrated discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Kai Yi is in the process of applying to top universities in Germany and China, with applications to:
University of Mannheim, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Free University of Berlin, University of Cologne, and Peking University. He plans to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration or Bachelor of Management, reflecting his growing interest in International Business and Economics. We look forward to hearing exciting news about his next steps soon!

Zoe Fuchs – Enrolled at HeadStart Since Year 3

Zoe will be pursuing a degree in Psychology at Leiden or Groningen University in the Netherlands or the University of Western Australia.

Erika (7 Blue Chaofah City campus) – Enrolled at HeadStart since Year 2

Erika packs a lot into her busy schedule each week. Besides her timetabled lessons, she is a valuable member of both our Basketball Academy and Dance Academy HDC-A Group. She has represented the school at competitions in both, including being an integral part of the HeadStart Dance Company Group A Contemporary Group Senior that finished in first place at the Australian Teachers of Dance (ATOD) International Dance Competition in Bangkok earlier this year. So why does Erika love HeadStart?

HeadStart Panthers Football Academy Season Draws to a Close

It has been a fantastic and busy final week for the HeadStart Panthers Football Academy teams. The teams participated in matches and a football festival that involved the Panthers teams, the staff team, and a parents’ team.

To kick off the final week, the Panthers welcomed Srisoonthorn Academy and Bangjo Academy for a friendly 3 team round robin tournament. Both the U9 and U11 teams were in action and displayed just how hard they have worked over the season, showcasing some excellent football on the pitch.

A few days later, the HeadStart Panthers Football Festival took place. This was an exciting occasion that involved the staff and parents playing against the academy teams. It was a competitive, fun, and friendly event that brought our footballing community together. Thank you to all the staff and parents who participated and made it such a memorable and successful occasion for our players.

To wrap up an amazing year, the U11 and U9 teams travelled to BISP for a friendly fixture. Our U9 boys really showed how much they have improved over the year, displaying their attacking prowess and organised defensive structure throughout the game. The U11 team demonstrated their determination and resilience against a tough and competitive BISP team. Credit goes to the U11s, who played excellent football, putting their hard work on the training pitch into action.

As another year of football comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with the academy and supported us throughout the year. Well done to the players who have made significant progress, and thanks to all the parents who have helped their children be part of the football academy. We wish you a wonderful summer holiday and look forward to more football next year. Coach Paul – Football Coach

“Pawndemonium” Chess Tournament

Our inter-school “Pawndemonium” Chess Tournament was held on Saturday 14th June. 68 participants from 10 schools: HeadStart, UWC, BIS, KIS, BCIS, ISP, Kajonkiet, Russvet, Prosper Place, Darasamuth; and 3 clubs: Southside Knights, Pawn Island and Ali’s BBQ Chess Club. The youngest players were 6 years old and the oldest 18 years old. They were competing together in one big tournament.

The players were competing for 90,000+ Thai baht worth of awards sponsored by parents, by Playyard Restaurant and their Skate Park. 50 Fly Trampoline Club also gave away free training with professional acrobat coaches to all the players! Yay!

In the general classification of a very strong chess tournament, our HeadStart student Georgiy Zhenchenko (U12) got an outstanding 1st place and Gold medal.

When divided into categories our students scored great overall positions:

Under 16:🥇 Daniel (9 Yellow Chaofah City campus)Under 14:

🥈 Alex (8 Yellow Chaofah City campus)

🥉 Poppy (8 White Chaofah City campus)

Under 12:🥇 Georgiy (5 White Chaofah City campus)Under 10:

🥇 Nikolai (4 Blue Chaofah City campus)

🥈 Tigger (4 White Chaofah City campus)

Under 8:🥉 Rafael (1 Yellow Cherngtalay campus)Girls:

🥈 Poppy (8 White Chaofah City campus)

Thai Culture Club – Foundation: The Wonders of Bananas

Our Foundation students explored the many uses of the banana plant in Thai culture through fun, hands-on activities. They learned about the different parts of the banana tree, including the leaves, trunk, flower, fruit, and stalk, and how each part can be used in daily life. They tasted traditional Thai snacks like banana candy, กล้วยฉาบ (crispy fried bananas), and other banana-based treats, discovering the unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

Students also played with traditional toys made from banana stalks, including ม้าก้านกล้วย (banana stalk horses) and handmade toy guns, sparking creativity and connecting with Thai childhood traditions. It was a joyful Saturday filled with learning, laughter, and cultural discovery through the wonders of bananas!

Thai Culture Club – Year 1–3: Coconut Wisdom in Thai Living!

Our curious Year 1–3 students had a blast diving into the fascinating world of coconuts during this Saturday’s Thai Culture Club! They discovered how coconuts are deeply woven into Thai life—exploring the full life cycle of the coconut plant and learning about the benefits of each part. The children were especially captivated by the traditional กระต่ายขูดมะพร้าว (coconut grater) and thoroughly enjoyed a hands-on creative activity—painting and decorating their very own coconut-shell soap dish to take home. It was a joyful blend of culture, creativity, and coconut-filled fun!

Thai Culture Club – Year 4-6: Woven Crafts of Isaan

Our Year 4-6 students from both campuses were introduced to the traditional “Woven Crafts of Isaan” (จักสานบ้านเฮา). They discovered the ancient art of Northeastern craftsmanship while creating stunning and colorful bamboo fans. These handmade fans are delicate and require tremendous focus and patience. Students had to weave one piece at a time, carefully taking their time – any rush to perfection would result in mistakes.

Watching our students work has been incredible – their intense concentration and dedication truly paid off! Each carefully woven piece showcases not just newly mastered skills, but genuine pride in Thai cultural heritage. The gorgeous handmade fans they created are proof that when passion meets tradition, magic happens! ✨

Préparation au DELF Junior – Nouvelle opportunité ECA à Cherngtalay

Chers parents, Nous sommes ravis d’annoncer qu’à partir de l’année prochaine, nous proposerons pour la première fois sur le campus de Cherngtalay des sessions de préparation au DELF Junior dans le cadre des activités ECA. Ce programme a déjà rencontré un grand succès sur notre campus de City, et nous sommes heureux de pouvoir désormais l’offrir à nos élèves de Cherngtalay.

Le DELF Junior (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française) est une certification officielle délivrée par le ministère français de l’Éducation nationale. Reconnue à l’international, elle permet de valider les compétences linguistiques des élèves selon le Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues (CECRL). C’est une excellente occasion, y compris pour les enfants francophones, de renforcer leur expression orale et écrite, de se familiariser avec les formats d’examen officiels, et d’enrichir leur dossier académique.

Trois groupes seront mis en place en fonction des âges:

• Years 1–2 : tous les mardis de 15h30 à 16h20

• Years 3–6 : tous les jeudis de 15h30 à 16h20

• Years 7–9 : tous les vendredis de 15h10 à 16h00

Les sessions seront animées par deux enseignantes expérimentées, anciennes de l’Alliance Française, spécialisées dans la préparation au DELF.

Les enseignantes formuleront une recommandation individuelle pour chaque élève lorsqu’elles estiment qu’il ou elle est prêt(e) à passer l’examen, ainsi que sur le niveau adapté (A1, A2, B1, etc.). L’inscription à l’examen, ainsi que le paiement des frais auprès de l’Alliance Française, resteront à la charge des familles.

Cette activité fait partie de notre programme VAPP (Very Able Pupil Programme), et ne fera donc l’objet d’aucun frais supplémentaire.

👉 Si vous souhaitez inscrire votre enfant à l’un de ces groupes pour l’année prochaine, merci de remplir ce formulaire le plus vite possible! Bien cordialement Mr Salmon – Director of Languages

Reception Graduation 2025

Our Reception Graduation was a truly special celebration, one filled with joy, pride, and more than a few happy tears. A huge thank you to our incredible children for everything they’ve achieved this year. Your smiles, curiosity, and resilience have made this journey unforgettable. To our wonderful parents, thank you for your constant support, encouragement, and trust. And to our amazing teachers, your dedication and care have made all the difference. It was a beautiful moment to reflect on how far each child has come and to celebrate the start of their next adventure. We couldn’t be prouder of our little graduates! The Reception Team

📸 Please find a full album of photos here: Reception Graduation 2025