Weekly Update #11, 10 November 2023

Russian Speaking Parents Meeting on 14.11.23

Calling all Russian-speaking parents! Our next parents’ meeting on November 14th is just around the corner, and we want your input. Please take a moment to fill out our survey with your questions and thoughts to shape the discussion HERE! Your voice is important to us! Let’s make this meeting on the 14th a valuable and engaging experience together.

UPrep talk 6 - Application and Standardised Testing on 15.11.23

Mark your calendars for the 15th of November, at 8:15 AM, as we invite families with older children embarking on their university journey to join us in the secondary hall for an enlightening session on crucial application tests. This comprehensive discussion will cover a range of assessments, including the pivotal SATs that gauge general academic proficiency, as well as language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL, which are imperative for non-native English speakers. Our team will provide invaluable guidance tailored to students from Year 10 to Year 13, ensuring they are well-prepared to navigate the intricate landscape of university applications. Don’t miss this opportunity to equip your children with the knowledge and skills they need for a successful transition to university. -Mr Neil Roscoe, University Counsellor

Parent Committee Visit to Cherngtalay Campus

On Wednesday 8th November, we were delighted to welcome members of our Parent Committee at our Cherngtalay campus for their first ever visit to our new school! Guided around our wonderful facility by our Founder and CEO, Mr Jazon Edouard, Headmaster, Mr Adam Drew, and Head of Foundation and Primary, Mr Tony Williams, these integral, long-standing members of our school community were wowed by the progress that we have made this year and given a glimpse into what lies in store as Phase 2 of our development plan gathers pace. Sincere thanks to our Parent Committee for their continued support in helping HeadStart Cherngtalay to inspire a love of learning! Watch this space for news and updates of our progress towards a two-form entry school from Preschool to Year 9 for next academic year, 2024-25!

Appeal for French Books

Chères familles francophones,

Nous faisons appel à votre générosité et passion pour la lecture pour aider à enrichir notre département de langues. Si vous avez des livres en français pour enfants ou adolescents dont vos familles n’ont plus besoin, nous serions ravis de les recevoir en don. Ces livres contribueront à l’épanouissement de nos élèves et à la promotion de la langue française. Vous pouvez déposer vos dons au bureau de sécurité, à l’attention du département des Langues à HeadStart. Votre contribution fera une grande différence, et nous vous remercions infiniment pour votre soutien. 📚💙 #PartagezLaLecture #MerciPourVotreSoutien -Ben Salmon, Head of Languages

On the 16th of November everyone is invited to come to school in casual clothes in exchange for a 50-100 Baht donation. This money will be collected by Homeroom teachers and given to the Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation at the end of term as part of our term 1 fundraiser. The theme for our casual clothes day is - Kindness. There are so many ways to show kindness, and even the smallest gestures can have a lasting impact. This is your time to be a little extra kind as you go about your day and also to think about how you can play a part in contributing towards the betterment of the children at the Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation.

Donation Update

Well done to Year 5 Blue for being the first Homeroom ever to reach the target of sponsoring a child from the Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation in record timing of only 3 days!!! We now have 16 children sponsored, thanks to the kind generosity of our students and parents. Let’s keep working together to complete the mission of sponsoring ALL of the beautiful children of PSV before the end of the term!

Christmas Events - Save these dates!

Welcoming all of our Primary and Secondary students (and parents!) to our Christmas Fair taking place on the covered football pitch at HeadStart Chaofah on 14 December from 1:30-4:00pm. There will be performances from all Primary classes starting at 1:30 and ending at 2:30 after which our Secondary students will join in with some musical numbers, games and activities organised for the younger children. We welcome everyone to join the event! Dress in festive colours and enjoy the music, performances, food and drink along with the rest of the community.

Looking for Christmas Themed Food, Beverages and Activities

The Events Team is looking to invite anyone interested to be a vendor at the Christmas Fair. We are looking for vendors to sell Christmas themed food, drinks and gifts, as well as set up activities for the children to enjoy. If you feel you fit this criteria and have something special to offer our community at this event, write to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

Russian Language Day

We would like to thank you and your children for participating in Russian Language Day, which took place on Saturday, October 28th. The event was a huge success and we appreciate your support. Families from both campuses attended the event and it made the celebration especially memorable. Students took part in a talent show, games and a quest. The performances gave an opportunity to get acquainted with wonderful music, dance, as well as delicious food from countries where people speak Russian. We look forward to seeing you at the next event. -Dina

Science Faculty Week

This week has been Science faculty week across HeadStart. The theme this year has been the “Science of the Very Small” and our Secondary students have been exploring how scientists use simple models to describe and explain complex phenomena that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. We turned the atrium into a giant conical flask, where students from Year 7 to Year 13 modelled complicated chemical, physical and biological changes on the big-scale using balloons and other props. These will now be turned into educational videos, made by the students themselves, and shared with the Science teachers to be used in future classes. Our Secondary Science Scholars (our VAPP programme) modelled nylon polymerisation in the lab, and then we used over 50 students to model the same process in assembly using house shirt colours to model the monomers. Physicists at A-level modelled suspension bridges to understand the forces and torque involved and to experience first-hand the subtle problems of hanging a road beneath supports. The Science team very much look forward to handing out prizes for those students who did well in the various competitions across the week. Many thanks to everyone who got involved this week. Mr Dan Marsh, Head of Science

Well done to all our PE teachers and Swim Coaches who received their International Life Saving Federation certificates, and thank you to the Thai Lifeguard Association for putting on the course.

Swim Academy News

The Aqua Panthers have been incredibly busy over the past few weeks! We started off by competing against BCIS, KIS, and Oak Meadow on October the 11th with our talented 9-10 year old swimmers. The races were filled with excitement and our swimmers had a blast!

Right after the term break on October the 28th, we participated in BISP’s annual Pentathlon. One of our outstanding swimmers, Yasmin, earned the high point for her age group! In addition to that, the Aqua Panthers secured 2nd place overall in the meet. It was an amazing event that provided our swimmers with valuable experience.

On November the 3rd, our 8 & Under squad faced off against KIS, BCIS, and Oak Meadow. This was the first meet for some of our future Aqua Panthers, and they did an exceptional job. I am incredibly proud of our little ones for showing up and giving it their all!

Next on our agenda is the Aqua Panthers Invitational on November the 11th and 12th. We are thrilled to be hosting over 200 athletes from 11 teams! It’s going to be an action-packed weekend filled with fast swimming and a fantastic atmosphere. Make sure to stop by the pool and check it out!

English Department

Creativity always comes at the zenith of Bloom’s Taxonomy, an ordering of thinking skills which help teachers incrementally develop students’ abilities. Having learned, understood, analysed and evaluated several generic conventions of poetry for their AS Literature ‘Unseen’ Paper preparation, Year 12s were presented with their stiffest challenge yet: to be given an arbitrarily chosen genre, conceit and rhetorical technique around which they must hew their own original piece. I was stunned by the quality of verse students produced and would like to share with you the piece below. Having been assigned the task of writing an elegy; the idea of ‘fate’; and charged to include an extended metaphor; this is the result of the student’s creative crafting. -Mr Pollicutt, Head of English & EAL

Duke of Edinburgh

Ahoy there! The Year 12 Silver Duke of Edinburgh International Award students have set sail on an unforgettable adventure, conquering the waves and earning their “Bronze Level Start Sailing” Certificates with Java Yachting. Embarking on a 2-night camping and sailing odyssey from October 27th to 29th, these intrepid sailors navigated the seas, both individually and in pairs, aboard small dinghies. The second day brought a gust of great wind, challenging the sailors to test their speed and showcase their capsize skills. It was a journey of skill, teamwork, and a splash of daring as they sailed their way to success. Bravo, sailors of Year 12—may your future journeys be just as exhilarating! -Kelly Tuppen

• Congratulations to Cayla in Year 1 for coming first place at the Thailand Kids Golf Tour 2023-2024.
• Congratulations to Nicha in Year 1, 3rd Runner Up at the TGA-SINGHA Junior Golf Ranking 2023-2024 organised by the Thailand Golf Association.

International Ballet Week - An Enchanted Evening with Russian Ballet in Phuket

The alluring island of Phuket is set to dazzle residents and visitors this December as it becomes the stage for the St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre, named after Leonid Yakobson. As part of the celebrated Russian Ballet Week, the theatre will bring the globally cherished classics Swan Lake and The Nutcracker to the heart of Phuket.

On the 23rd and 24th of December, the renowned Siam Niramit Phuket will open its doors to these monumental ballets. Renowned for its architectural grandeur and cultural significance, Siam Niramit Phuket offers the perfect setting for an evening of elegance and storytelling through dance. The arrival of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker in Phuket marks a new chapter in the island’s artistic journey, inviting audiences to partake in a ballet experience filled with grace, beauty, and the indomitable spirit of the Russian ballet tradition.

This landmark event is brought to the shores of Phuket by Art of Events, a name synonymous with creating unparalleled event experiences. The staging of such iconic ballets signifies a celebration of the arts and a continuation of Thai-Russian cultural exchange. To be a part of this transcendent ballet experience, secure your tickets HERE!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Junkyard Theatrix in cooperation with The Good Shepherd Phuket Town is all set to perform its fourth annual Christmas charity pantomime, this time, Snow White: The Pantomime! You won’t want to miss this, wild and rollicking fun for the whole family! Are you coming? ‘Oh, yes, you are!’ Tickets now on sale at the address on the attached poster. December 1, 2, and 3 from 7 to 9 pm.