Weekly Update #3, 8 Sept. 2017

Dates for Your Diary

Upcoming events can be found on the HeadStart calendar on the website School Life → Calendar but we have outlined upcoming events here for easy reference.

Parking Etiquette

Time seems to stand still when your car is blocked in behind someone who has left their handbrake on. It is very frustrating when you are in a hurry and are looking for a parking space but someone has parked taking up two spaces instead of one. In order to improve our parking etiquette please remember to:

• Park straight within the lines.

• Do not leave your handbrake on when double parked.

Thai Parents Meeting Invitation

We would like to invite Thai parents in Year 1 to a meeting on Tuesday, 12 September at 8:15 in the Secondary Hall. We will give a presentation about Language selection and Thai class policy. The Meeting will be presented in Thai.

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Introducing Active Learning for Year 7-9

The active learning programme has been designed for the Year 7-9 students. It is meant to create excitement to come to school to attend a class or session with a teacher on a topic the student has chosen first thing in the day. This programme will hopefully help students achieve their full potential and provide new learning opportunities as well as develop unique patterns of interest, talents, and goals.

Each student in Year 7-9 has chosen one activity from 6 different active learning subjects, for the term. The students will attend this activity twice a week at 8.10 am on specific days. There will be 16 students in each subject with cross year groups in each activity.

Activities available to students are: Art/ Design and Technology/ Music and Choir/ Instrumentation/ Dance and Theatre/ Body and Mind (fitness)

Art

Creating sets and props for the upcoming Addams Family production, making sculptures, painting, make-up design, sewing costumes and design. Creating props and costumes for the Foundation Christmas show as well as arts and crafts items to seel at the Christmas Market in December.

Design and Technology

Creating sets, props, wood work, carving, frames and structures, Graphic design for The Addams Family Musical & for Halloween (in collaboration with ART).

Music and Choir

Learn a song to perform for The Addams Family Musical, vocal melodies/harmonies for ‘Thriller’ to perform with the Music Instrumental team and Dance Theatre groups for the Introduction of The Adams Family & Halloween.

Instrumentation

Creating instrumental for ‘Thriller’ to perform as an introduction to The Addams family Musical. Create Christmas instrumental music for Christmas Market.

Dance and Theatre

Contemporary/ Contact dancing/ Improvisation/ Acrobatics/ Choreography. Create Zombies choreography to perform for the intro of Addams Family (in collaboration with Music Choir/Music Instrument activity).

Body and Mind

General fitness: cardio, running, resistance training, muscle endurance, stamina, strength training, core stability, flexibility, fitness testing, developing a positive mindset.

House News

By Nick Carter, House Coordinator

It’s been a fab week of competitions. It all started with the Year 7, 8, and 9 Tug of War event, which was well contested. Our eventual winners were the Blue Tigers.

Also, we began our Primary events this week; Nerf wars. The students had to shoot down little House coloured action figures to win points. A lot of fun was had by the students and the Primary House Captains did a wonderful job helping me organise the event. Again, our overall Year 4, 5, and 6 winners were the Blue Tigers, so they’ve had a good week of competitions!

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P.E. Department News

By Mr Richard Lukats, Athletics Director

• Please ensure your child has a P.E. kit for their ASPs and Swimming Kit for Swimming ASPs on the days they have them.

• The Academies will be running at their normal time slot starting next week which is between 4:30-6:00 pm.

There is a prestigious youth Golf Tournament for serious competitive golfers, co-organised by the British International School, as part of the Faldo Series here in Phuket on the weekend of the 29th September. If you are interested in entering please contact BIS directly or see Mr Lukats in the sports department.

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Foundation Department News

By Ms Fiona Scott, Deputy Head of Foundation

A super week has gone by in Foundation this week and it has been wonderful to see so many exciting lessons and activities taking place across the department. We have been quite fortunate with the weather this rainy season and have certainly been making the most of this and enjoying a range of fun, outdoor activities too.

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Health Update

We have had no more confirmed cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in the department this week. Thank you to all parents who have been encouraging their children to thoroughly wash their hands with soap when they arrive in the morning and throughout the day. The best way to reduce the spread of any germs, is regular hand washing.

Flag Raising for Reception on Monday

Flag Raising will now take place on Monday mornings. Reception students are invited to attend the assembly which starts promptly at 8.00am. Any Reception students arriving later than 8.15am should go directly to their classrooms.

Enrichment Programme

Next week we will start our Enrichment Programme for children in Early Years and Reception. The Programme runs from 2.30pm - 3.20pm. There is no sign up required for this. Any parents with children in Early Years or Reception not wishing to attend the Enrichment Programme can still collect their child at 2.20pm as the extended programme is optional.

Just a reminder that the Preschool day finishes at 2.20pm. We urge parents to collect their children on time to avoid any upset or anxiety in our little ones.

Fee paying ASPs in Foundation run from 2.30pm -3.20pm and free ASPs run from 3.30pm -4.20pm.

Full details of the Enrichment Programme

Uniform reminder

Don’t forget on P.E. days to bring your child to school already dressed in their P.E. uniforms and wearing sensible sports shoes/trainers. Sandals and crocs are not suitable footwear for P.E. Any long hair must be tied up on these days too.

Recycling / Junk required

A number of projects are being planned and we need your help. We are in need of cardboard rolls / tubes and plastic bottles. Plastic bottles can be anything from drinks bottles, laundry bottles or shampoo and soap dispensers; preferably with lids. Next week, in the Foundation corridor, there will be two black bins to collect any of these items. Please can you ensure that any plastic bottles have been rinsed through first. Thanks for your support in this.

In Reception we did a senses experiment and the children loved exploring the different things we can taste, smell, feel and hear. Some of the children were brave enough to try vegemite! It was lots of fun and great for developing our descriptive vocabulary. By Ms Hannah Kuusik

This week in Reception the children shared pictures of when they were babies. They presented their pictures to the class and talked about how they have changed since they were born. Look at how cute they all were! By Ms Hannah Kuusik

Reception students are learning to introduce themselves in Thai. They are able to tell their names and where they are from now. Kru Sue

Primary Department News

The Year 4 students created Celtic Torcs in their Humanitarian class this week. By Ms Katherine Dickie

The Year 4 students had a great time in maths class. They learned about place value and difference in numbers while playing Bingo! By Ms Katherine Dickie

Year 4 ‘Thai as a First Language’ class learned about Thai consonants.

Students in the Year 6 ICT class had to use the steps of computational thinking (decompose, pattern match, abstract, algorithm) to figure out how to play a game that comes with no instructions. They did really well and learned about computational thinking in a really fun way. Ms Hayley Jean

Secondary Department News

Students in the Year 7-9 Active Learning Design and Technology class were working hard on the Addams Family stage props and sets.By Mr Duncan Peake, D&T teacher

Around the Island

HeadStart’s CEO, Mr Jazon Edouard, will be the guest speaker at ‘Inspired Phuketian’s’ event at Skye Lake Club on 29 October, 2017. Come and support their new initiative and get inspired!

For more information call 085-8899930