Weekly Update #15, 7 December 2018
Wishing all the best of luck to our Aqua Panthers for this weekend at Bangkok Patana Swim Meet!
Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming events can be found on the calendar on the website School Life → Calendar but we have outlined upcoming events here for easy reference. For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-9 December | All day | BKK Patana Swim Meet | BKK Patana |
| 10-12 December | All day | Book Fair | Primary floor |
| 11 December | 6:00pm | ‘A Night at the Movies’ CAPA show | Sports Hall |
| 13 December | 1:00pm | Christmas Classroom activities/Christmas Market | |
| 14 December | All day | Parent/Teacher Conferences (not a school day) | Classrooms |
Announcements
Parent Teacher Conferences (PTC)
This is a follow up reminder regarding the Parent Teacher Conferences (PTC) set for 14 December. Please visit the Parent Portal, log in and select an appointment time with your child’s teachers. If you have any questions regarding this, please write to [email protected] or visit us in the front office.
Finger Scanner
Some users are experiencing problems with scanning their fingers at the turnstiles. This is because they are using their thumbs and and not their fore fingers. Students and staff please ensure that you use only use your fore fingers the reason being that to position the thumb correctly on the finger scanner one must lift the elbow up high (not a comfortable position) and on many occasions the scan can not read because the angle is different each time.
‘A Night at the Movies’
The show is nearly upon us! All the students and staff have been working very hard in perfecting their roles and we are very excited to present it to you on Tuesday evening at 6:00pm.
When you arrive there will will be a photo booth to take some photos with your families. The Active Learning Drama students will be in costume in the atrium as famous characters from movies in freeze frame. The cafe will also be open so that you can have dinner before the show starts.
Doors will open at 5:45pm and the show will commence at 6:00pm sharp. We do have a short interval to stretch your legs and we aim to finish around 8:00pm.
If you have not got your tickets yet please contact the school office as soon as possible as tickets are running out fast!
Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday for A Night at the Movies!
All School Christmas Events Update
On the 13th of December, which is the last day of school, we welcome the HeadStart community to be dressed in festive Christmas colours which are red, green, gold, silver. It is an optional non-uniform day in celebration of Christmas, new year and all of the many special occasions coming up.
There will be a sumptuous Christmas lunch served at usual times for the students after which they will have Christmas activities in their classrooms organised by their teachers. By 2:30pm all Foundation and Primary students must be picked up from their classrooms after which you have the option to join the Christmas market taking place in the Sports Hall.
We request that you do not leave your children unsupervised. Children who are not picked up will be escorted to the dining hall where they will wait until they are picked up. The school buses will leave at the regular Thursday time which is 3:20pm.
All 35 tables at the Christmas Market are now booked. On offer will be a selection of desserts, small gifts, jewelry, toys and more.
Student and teacher musicians will serenade you with traditional tunes while Santa and his elves will be happy to welcome you to their photo booth.
We hope that you will take time out of your busy schedule to join in the festivities.
Thai Bi-weekly News
For the Thai parents who would like a deeper understanding of the programmes we offer at school, download our very first bi-weekly parent update! The next update will be available to parents in the school atrium on Parent Teacher Conference day, 14 December, 2018.
Please send us your feedback. We want to know what questions you have. What are you interested to know more about?
Table of Contents:
- การต้อนรับตัวแทนจากมหาวิทยาลยัชÊันนําจากประเทศอังกฤษ
- การสมัครเข้าเรียนมหาวิทยาลัยสำหรับนักเรียน Year 13
- การเตรียมความพร้อมการสอบ Check Point ในระดับชั้น Year 6 และ Year 9
Term 2 & 3 After School Programme (ASP) Information
Here are the upcoming ASPs dates for the end of Term 1 and beginning of Term 2:
| 07 December | Final day of free ASPs |
| 12 December | Final day of fee paying ASPs (Dance, Judo, German, French, Mandarin, Robotics, Tennis) |
| 1-6 January | Preview ASPs Online for Term 2 & 3 (You can view options on Parent Portal) |
| 7-9 January | Online Booking for free and fee paying ASPs for Term 2 & 3 |
| 07 January | Academies begin |
| 14 January | free and fee paying ASPs begin |
Term 2 ASPs extend to Term 3.
Nicholas Carter
My name is Nick Carter and I am from Kent, in the UK. I came to Thailand in 2015, after 6 years of living and teaching P.E. in Stockholm, Sweden (where it snows for six months of the year!). So, it is fair to say that I was ready for a completely different climate change, as well as cultural change. My sporting background is very diverse. I grew up with a passion for playing football but, later, in my teens, I discovered baseball. I made my debut for the Great Britain national baseball squad at the age of 18 and played with the squad for the next 14 years. I also trained as a professional contemporary dancer and toured nationally and internationally for 7 years in numerous dance companies. Although I have many other sporting interests, I want to make it clear that P.E. teachers are not just whistle blowing, basketball bouncing individuals, as I released my first fictional novel (in June, 2015). However, participating in sport, physical activity, and leading a healthy lifestyle are very important to me, and I’ve enjoyed imparting my knowledge in teaching and coaching environments for over 20 years. I am delighted to be HeadStart’s Director of Sport and my fundamental aims are for our students to continue to experience a really diverse range of physical activities, all the while having loads of fun through being active. For example, HeadStart pupils will participate in the following sports activities in either curriculum time or in our fantastic After School Sports programme: Basketball, Netball, Football, Rugby, Athletics, Swimming, Badminton, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Softball, Rounders, Yoga, Dance, and Gymnastic activities (amongst others). If you have any questions, you can email me at – [email protected]
P.E. Department News
Coach Brown and Mr Marx completed the Spartan Ultra race in Malaysia. It was a 50km race that included numerous obstacles such as spear throwing, burpees, trudging through mud and swimming through dirt lakes. They completed the race in 12 hours 47 minutes. Well done, guys!
What’s Coming Up?
Our Under 8, Under 10 and Under 12 boys football squads are playing in a tournament organised by the PK academy in Phuket this weekend. I will let you know the results next week. Good luck boys!
Also, Coach Brown is travelling to Bangkok Patana with 32 Aqua- Panthers this weekend for the biggest swim meet of the year. I will give an update next week. Good luck, Aqua-Panthers!
Foundation Christmas Activities
Foundation Christmas Book Gift
Book gifts have started to come in for our Book gift session next week from a very special visitor. The books gift activity is simple;
1) Buy a book. Look out for the Book Fair from 10-12 December on the Primary floor.
2) Wrap it up.
3) Write your child’s name on it.
4) Hand it to the Homeroom Teacher by Tuesday 11th December.
5) Books will be given out by a very special visitor next Thursday morning.
Christmas Crafts Morning
Please come and join us for some in - class Christmas arts and crafts on Thursday morning. Parents are welcome to join us from 7.45 -9.00am. We hope to welcome a very special visitor to Foundation who will be delivering gifts of books. It will be a lovely way to bring the term to a close. Refreshments will also be available.
We look forward to seeing you then.
Foundation Stars of The Week
A big well done to Lucy, Mia, Puan and Marat for being awarded Star of the Week in this week’s assembly - They have all worked incredibly hard and always try their best in everything they do - Well done Reception.
Student News
The Preschool children have had lots of fun with the new outdoor equipment. They particularly enjoyed the ride along digger. By Ms Danielle Jones
Early Years Blue have had a fantastic time during their Under the Sea topic! We have read The Rainbow Fish, The Fish who Could Wish and Sharing a Shell. The children really enjoyed baking Rainbow Fish cookies, drawing pictures of the things they would wish for and showing each other their best sharing skills. We also learnt all about floating and sinking. I was so impressed by the children’s ability to predict what would happen to their object and they had lots of fun checking if they were correct. We also had a fabulously fishy trip to the Aquarium! This trip brought the topic to life for Early Years Blue as they loved seeing the real creatures that live under the sea. We especially loved the lion fish, stingrays, bamboo sharks and the tiny seahorses. By Ms Holly Strawbridge and Ms Saki Shabuya
The children have had lots of fun in Around the World Club. Year One took a trip to Australia and made some yummy chocolate lamingtons. Year Two have made Origami tiles to play the traditional Korean game ‘Ddakji’ during our trip to Korea! I wonder which exciting countries we will visit next term. By Ms Danielle Jones
Here is some art work from Year 3’s art after school club. We spent a few weeks learning how to sketch and then we completed these pieces of work over 2 sessions. The children were really proud of them. By Ms Lucie Bevins
This week in Year 6 White we have been investigating what materials dissolve. We have learnt that if a substance dissolves it is called soluble and if it does not dissolve it is called insoluble. This is us investigating if rice, salt, sand, salt or sugar can dissolve. By Mr Karl Long
On Wednesday, Year 7 took part in their own local beach clean. It was a very fun and enriching experience and enabled them to see how plastic and general rubbish can really damage and spoil the environment, as well as the wildlife. It’s the small things that make a big difference, so well done to all of our youngsters involved! By Mr Ashley Paice
Congratulations to all of the students who achieved ‘Student of the Month’ in the different subjects in Secondary.
Dean Wells
My name is Dean Wells and I am from the UK. I grew up in Poole, Dorset but moved to Bristol to study a degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and then stayed there for 18 years. As a Production Engineer I worked on top engineering projects such as the Typhoon Eurofighter, underwater and flying Unmanned Automated Vehicles and setting up a company for Mitsubishi before eventually going back to university and studying for my PGCE to become a qualified Design and Technology teacher. I moved to Penang, Malaysia in 2013 to work at a new international school where my role was to design and overlook the building of the Design and Technology educational spaces as well as to set up and teach an exciting curriculum for Key Stage 3, Cambridge IGCSE to Key Stage 4 and Product Design A Level to Key Stage 5. I am now really looking forward to my new role at Headstart International school and to continue helping with the progression, positive energy and academic successes of the Creative Arts and DT subjects. I am committed to helping young people achieve their best and striving to ensure they have a happy and successful life. In the past I have also had some varied jobs that possibly reflect my personality and interests, I have taught corporate groups how to sail tall ships, had my own weekly radio show and been a sound engineer for London Westend shows such as Cats and Mary Poppins.
Many of the Year 10 students have completed an online Autodesk course and have been awarded a certificate. Well done to all!
Autodesk is the industry standard for Design programs and Manufacturing in the following industries:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Construction
- Product Design
- Manufacturing
- Media
- Animation
- Film and Gaming Visual Effects
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