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Weekly Update #18, 17 January 2020
| Dates for Your Diary |
Upcoming events can be found on the website under School Life → Calendar and are outlined here for easy reference. For daily updates and news follow the HeadStart Facebook Page and You Tube channel. To join the Parent Community Facebook group organised by parents click here!
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17-18 January | All day | Harrow College Football Tournament U11 & U13 boys | Bangkok |
| 18 January | All day | BPS Dance Festival Challenge | Bangkok |
| 23 January | 8.15am | UPrep Talk on Applying to the USA and Canada | Primary Hall |
| 2.30pm | PISAC Secondary Swimming | BISP | |
| 24 January | 10.00-11.00am | Chinese New Year (Foundation stay & play) | Foundation building |
| 24-26 January | All day | DofE Silver Adventurous Journey (Group 2) | Ao Yon |
| 27-29 January | All day | Maths & Commerce Faculty Week | |
| 27-30 January | All day | Yearbook Photo Shoot | Library |
| 30 January | 8.15am | UPrep Drop In Session | |
| 31 January | 12.00-4.00pm | Blood Donations | Library |
| 1-2 February | TBA | Years 3-6 Rehearsal for The Little Mermaid | |
| 3 February | All day | Yearbook Photo Shoot | |
| 27-29 February | All day | Maths & Commerce Faculty Week | |
| 5 February | 3.35pm | Year 11 Parent Teacher Conferences | |
| 6 February | 8.15am | UPrep Talk-Applying to Thai Universities | Primary Hall |
| 3.20pm | No ASPs due to Little Mermaid show | ||
| 2.00pm and 5.30pm | Years 3-6 Production of The Little Mermaid | Sports Hall | |
| 7 February | 2.30-5.30pm | Friday Market | Atrium |
| 7-9 February | All day | ATOD International Dance Competition | BKK |
School calendars for the next two academic years are now available online. Visit THIS LINK to find out more.
| Parent Meetings |
Parent Meeting Invitation: Curriculum and Standardised Testing
On Tuesday, 21st January between 8.30-9.15am (in the Primary Hall) there will be a meeting on the topic of ‘Curriculum and Standardised Tests at HeadStart’. We will give an introduction to our curriculum, as well as the standardised tests we use throughout Primary and Secondary. The information will be presented in English by Ms Blackweir and in Thai by Kru Nee. We welcome all parents to join.
UPrep Talk: Applying to Thai Universities
On 6 February at 8:15am in the Primary Hall Ms Gem, University Placement Officer, will give information about the top universities in Thailand, their entry requirements and how to apply through TCAS (Thailand University Central Admission System). This presentation will be interesting to any families interested in the Thailand, both Thai nationals and international applicants, for their child’s university study.
| Upcoming Events |
Foundation Lunar New Year ‘Stay and Play’ Invitation 24 January, 2020
We welcome you to join your child on 24 January between 10.00-11.00am to learn about and celebrate the Lunar New Year through fun activities in their classroom. Children in Foundation are welcome to wear themed clothing and colours. Families that celebrate this as part of their culture are welcome to bring food or activities along to the event. Ms Hannah Brown, Deputy Head of Foundation
Yearbook Photos on 27-30 January & 3 February, 2020
It’s that time of the year again and our production team are planning HeadStart’s most power packed Yearbook to date! Here is what you can do to prepare for Yearbook photos:
- Plan a visit to your hairdresser or barber.
- Wear a clean, freshly ironed uniform.
- Bring a warm smile and positive attitude.
- Be in school on all 5 days of the photo shoot.
The Little Mermaid Performed by Year 3-6 on 6 February, 2020
All students in Year 3 - 6 and some Year 7 students have been working very hard on their songs and dances for their upcoming performances of The Little Mermaid Junior. Set in a dreamy underwater world the show is set to be another good one. There will be two performances on the 6th of February; 2:00pm and 5:30pm and all Year 3 - 6 students are expected to attend both performances. More information on tickets to follow shortly via email. ** Important! Please note that all ASPs have been cancelled on the 6th of February due to the show. Ms Erika Cramp**
Your Invite to HeadStart’s Performance with Haringey Young Musicians on 11 February, 2020
The Haringey young Musicians is a registered charity which supports the musical development of children living or attending schools within the London borough of Haringey, UK. The group run an extensive range of instrumental and choral ensembles, maintaining a full annual program of high profile engagements in the UK and internationally. On the 11th of Feb HeadStart’s CAPA Academy will join KIS, UWC and BIS in a joint performance with Haringey at Blue Tree. They will also visit our school on the 13th of February for a workshop and concert. It will be a musical evening not to be forgotten! Please visit their website for more information and to book tickets CLICK HERE
| Sports & Physical Education |
Football News
→ U11 and Under 15 boys trained well this week in preparation for their tournament at Brighton School in March.
→ The girls academy continues to grow in popularity with thanks to the great impact Coach TB and Coach Nathan are having.
→ Soccer Circus and all academy training remains the same for the remainder of the week as our ever expanding coaching team takes care of business in Phuket.
→ The U9 and Under 13 boys are extremely proud to be representing the school at Harrow International School in Bangkok this weekend.
| University Application Update |
Mid-January is the deadline for applications to many destinations, including the UK and some universities in Canada and the Netherlands. This means it has been a busy time in Sixth Form! So far this year, we have sent off applications to six different countries on 3 continents and we have already had fantastic conditional offers back for our Year 13s. Well done to Pea, who was our first successful applicant to the Netherlands, on her offer to Radboud University to study Biology. Also congratulations to Jean who has got an excellent spread of options in the UK to study Business Management, including Bristol, Edinburgh and Bath.
In recent weeks we’ve had some lovely visits from HeadStart alumni who came back in to share what they have been doing since they left school. For many countries, university applications happen after students have graduated and here at HeadStart we continue to support students in these processes. We were delighted to hear that post-A Level applications have been going well, congratulations to Maeva from the class of 2019 who is just about to commence her Business Management studies at the University of Queensland in Australia. These are all fantastic universities and just reward for all these students’ hard work on their application submissions. If any parents have any questions about universities, do remember that we have our fortnightly UPrep talks as well drop-in sessions in the cafe every other Thursday. We also have our online resource, Unifrog, and parents can get log in details from Kru Gem on request.
| Student News |
Model United Nations Club Invite for Secondary Students
Up to 12 members of the Model United Nations ‘club’ at HeadStart International will be attending the annual MUN conference held in Phuket. This year the event is being held at the UWC school. The event is a two day affair: Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February. Subjects under discussion include: unaccompanied child migrant/refugees; sex and gender ‘based’ violence and programmes to eradicate the cultivation of narcotics. Headstart will represent Somalia, Thailand, Turkey, Iran, Canada and The Ukraine.
The conference provides an excellent opportunity for our students to fine tune their research and debate skills in the company of like minded individuals from other schools on the island of Phulet who care passionately about global issues and who would like to ‘do something’ about them. Spaces are still available and anyone in year 10 or above interested in attending this event is invited to come and speak to Mr Crowther or email him at [email protected], the MUN co-ordinator for the school.
BTEC Students Visit Thanyapura
The BTEC Sport students visited Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort to gain a hands on learning experience, and also link their visit to the units of work being studied this year. The students took part in a functional fitness assessment and then received recommendations from Thanyapura’s Sports Coordinator and Fitness Coach. The students then had a tour of the world class facilities on offer and had the opportunity to meet and talk with many industry experts throughout the day. This trip provided HeadStart students opportunities to develop their practical skills, build confidence to talk to professionals and better prepare them for higher education or job opportunities in the future! To watch a short video of their experience CLICK HERE Mr Jamie Sadler
Bangkok Patana School Dance Festival (BPS)
Headstart Dance Performing Group senior will be in Bangkok on Saturday 18 January 2020 to participate to the first BPS (Bangkok Patana school) Dance festival and challenge. They will present a choreography called “bare world” where only survival necessity has its place and superfluous doesn’t. Juliette, Luna, Jasmine, Ellie, Fleur, Esther and Stella practiced a lot since the beginning of the year training 4 to 6h per week. This is not about competition or winning but self-esteem and confidence to achieve, to improve and to be part of a great project that will help them to become better dancers but also proud and determined human beings. I can’t wait to see these girls performing their best physically and emotionally. Ms Fabienne Mester
Jen Rapkins
My name is Jen Rapkins. I joined HeadStart in August 2018 as the Year 4 White Homeroom Teacher after teaching for five years in an international school in Bangkok. My move from the city to the island means I can still indulge my love of travel and scuba diving by continuing to explore the wonders of Thailand, Asia and beyond. Before moving to Thailand in 2013, I was teaching for many years in a middle school in Poole, Dorset in the UK. Despite originally specialising in teaching Key Stage 1, the majority of my teaching experience since then has been in Key Stage 2 and even Year 7 French! My passion for teaching has grown with each year and it is my privilege to work with each and every child and guide them along their journey as lifelong learners. I believe that by capturing their interest and imagination through engaging and innovative lessons in a safe and stimulating environment, children will strive to remain resilient, show consideration and be the best they can. In turn, they will effectively develop their abilities to communicate, to collaborate and to think both creatively and critically. As the new academic year starts, I am looking forward to getting to know all the children in my class, along with their families, throughout this year.
Australian Bushfire Awareness Assembly
Some Year 4s spoke in the Primary assembly this week to raise awareness about the current crisis in Australia. Bushfires are currently raging across many parts of the country and while this often happens each year in their summer season, this year the fires are on an unprecedented, massive scale; so much larger than the fires in California and in the Amazon rainforest last year. The girls explained to the Primary school children how bushfires are caused and the effects this current crisis is having: air pollution, homes lost, habitats destroyed, animals killed and the relentless, hard work the firefighters (including unpaid volunteers) are putting in. We also heard how climate change is a factor in why these fires are so huge this year so we all need to play a part in addressing global warming to prevent similar or future disasters from happening in our world.
To help Australia (the wildlife, the firefighters, the people who have lost their homes), they desperately need donations which can be made online. Some recommended fundraisers are: the Red Cross, the NSW firefighters, WIRES animal rescue and the World Wildlife Fund. Any donation, no matter how small, would be very much appreciated. If you are feeling active, there is a charity run being organised around Bang Wad Dam this Saturday (18th) at 6:30AM. There is a 200 Baht fee which will all go to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund. Well done to Jaya, Mia, Mathilde, Deelisha and Rebecca for a great presentation!
Year 2 students have been learning the new vowel, “สระเอือ (Sara uea).”They practised reading the word with Sara uea by using an alphabet ruler. By Kru Way
Year 3 students in the Thai Second Language class were learning new vocabulary by matching words with pictures and creating a vocabulary sheet. Year 4 Students have been practising their reading skills by spotting vowels through fun Thai storybooks while Year 5 students have been revising the vocabulary they have learned by using flashcards. Kru Pla
Early Years students have been learning about animals in their Thai class and we have been practising our chicken song ‘Guk-guk gai’. The students love it! CLICK HERE to see them firsthand! Kru Sue
| House News |
The Dodgeball competition has continued with improving participation which is fantastic to see. This high number of participants is helping to build up the house competition spirit and there is so much excitement in the air on Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes. The Red Phoenixes beat the Blue Tigers and the Green Dragons (with Mr Clarke’s help) beat the Yellow Cheetahs. Next week is Maths Faculty week, so there will be plenty of opportunities for our students to score points for their houses and the countdown to Sports Day is on! Here are the current house points…Ms Kirstie Melville
