Patana
NEWS
Bangkok Patana is an IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC
The Primary Principal’s Letter ith only two weeks to go until the end of term, this is my last article of the year. I thought this was a good time to share the names of the Primary and Cross Campus staff who are leaving so you can join with me in thanking them for their service to the Bangkok Patana family: James Abela Cindy Adair-Bolakoso Hazel Brinkworth Brad Coulter Rebecca Dowers Karen Ferguson Lyndsey Fraser Ralph Gosling Dawn Gosling Kiri Grimwood Gary Hancock Carli Holbrook McDevitt Clare Hooper Emma Lazenby-Bebbington Jessica Llewellyn Callum Mitchell Ponsuk Pitucklimskul Michelle Roberts
Laura Rodgers Jessica Ross Rattasuda Stokes Maurice Sharp Christina Varela Dana Wester We wish them all the best as they move onto pastures new both personally and professionally. The last few weeks are action-packed as always and we have a number of Year group events, trips and assemblies taking place. Do look in the Year group newsletters for key dates for your child(ren). Key dates for you are: Reports will be sent home on Friday 19th June Class lists sent by email on the afternoon of Monday 22nd June. The end of year, whole school assembly is on Friday 26th June, 8.00am I look forward to seeing you around school over the coming weeks. With kind regards, Clare Sharp Primary Principal
By Oscar Wang, Mandarin Home Language ECA Coordinator he annual meeting for the Mandarin Home Language ECA will take place on Tuesday June 16th 2015 from 1:00 -2:00pm in LIB 207 (Upstairs in the Secondary Library). If you are interested in your child participating in a Mandarin Home Language ECA programme for the coming academic year 2015/16, you are welcome to attend this meeting and learn more about the Mandarin Home Language ECA program at Bangkok Patana School. Lunch will be provided. Please note that Foundation Stage students are not eligible for this ECA. For further information about this event please contact the Home Language Coordinators Jenna O’Reilly (jeor@patana.ac.th) and Ondine Ullman (onul@patana.ac.th) 中文母语班年度会议订于二零一五年六月十六日星期二下 午一点至两点在中学图书馆二楼207会议室召开。届时我们将介绍中文母语班目前情况，解答如何报 名，何时开课等一系列您关心的问题。免费提供午餐。
By Maria Teresa Hotte Massara, 12A AS (Creativity, Action and Service) provides an opportunity for students to develop new skills and further expand their horizons by engaging in activities that have global significance. It allows us to have a different perspective of how the world works and as well allows us to strive to become the people we want to be. CAS fosters a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment,
but at the same time is a journey of self-discovery. Every student starts at a different point and therefore different goals and needs are taken into consideration when selecting activities in which to get involved. The three strands of CAS which are Creativity, Action and Service gives students the opportunity to learn through experience and track their progress by using the CAS Outcomes. I had previously not been an active participant in the extensive Extra-curricular Activities (ECA) programme Bangkok Patana offers or in any of the service opportunities available. At the start of Year 12, I still had no idea what I was supposed to do for CAS and I did not fully understand the im-
pact that CAS would eventually have on my experience and my development as a persona during the challenging yet rewarding years of the IB. I got involved in multiple service activities, including one in which I am honoured to currently fill the position of secretary. The most important activity I have been involved with is Child’s Dream, which is my CAS Project that I started with some of my friends. During the school holidays I was able to organise a trip to the Child’s Dream headquarters in Chiang Mai. It was such a great experience to meet all the wonderful people volunteering at Child’s Dream, who inspired us to continue what we had commenced and begin the proposal to become a CAT (Community Action Team) Club. I feel a special attachment to Child’s Dream as I have dedicated so much time and effort into creating a project that is significant to not only our group members, but also involve other Bangkok Patana students and most importantly allow the children’s dreams of having an education become reality. We would like to encourage students that are passionate about this cause or even students that just want to be part of something special, to come along to our meetings and experience for themselves how rewarding helping our community can truly be and appreciate all that we have. Furthermore, for the other strands, I decided to participate in the ‘action’ ECAs that I would nor-
mally tend to evade, but I have learnt to enjoy and have helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle. Although extremely challenging at times, I have learnt to show perseverance and determination when facing challenges. I am very passionate about learning new languages and thus for the creativity strand I decided to sign up for Spanish Home Language classes, as it was a great opportunity to further my knowledge and do something I particularly enjoy. Thanks to all the activities in which I have partaken, I have gained much more confidence. Due to the leadership opportunities available, I have been able to become more dedicated and responsible, but at the same time enjoyed myself, made new friends and feel like I have become a more well-rounded individual.
Lancaster University Kirsten Mingins 19th June, 12.15pm 2nd Floor, Senior Studies
By Genevieve Ahl, Services Manager
If you have a child going into Nursery, FS1 or FS2 you can receive a Foundation Stage Parking Pass, which gives you entrance to the car park close to the Foundation Stage entrance. The passes for 2015/16 can be collected from Reception at the front of school during the week beginning Monday 22nd June. Your existing yellow pass will no longer be valid and the new
pass must be displayed to enter this car park from 19th August onwards. If you have any queries about this parking pass please email reception@patana.ac.th.
Parents with students in Year 1 and above for the school year 2015/16 will be required to park in the main parking area located at the Sports
Complex. If you have an existing navy blue rectangle BPS parking pass, this will remain valid. If you require a new navy blue BPS parking pass, please email reception@patana.ac.th and a pass will be issued and available for collection at the main Reception desk before the end of this term. If you have any questions about parking passes, please contact Reception staff at the front of school or email reception@patana.ac.th.
By Genevieve Ahl, Services Manager lease see below for further details regarding the Patana Card as we end the school year. You can find out more information about the Patana Card at www.patana.ac.th/patanacard.asp Students Leaving at the End of Term 3, 2014/15: Student and parent Patana Cards can be kept by the leaving student/parent if they wish. The card will be deactivated in regard to accessing school via the turnstiles at the end of this academic year. Please use up all e-purse and ecoupons by Friday 26th June. Ecoupons cannot be refunded. E-purse can be refunded but we need to keep the card in order to process the refund. The card cannot be returned to you.
For Continuing Students: Please put your Patana Card in a safe place over the summer holidays. All students will use the same card for the next academic year, new ones will not be issued. Students and/or parents who lose their card and require a new one for 2015/16 will be required to pay 350 THB to order a new one. E-purse balance can be carried forward into 2015/16 school year if necessary but we recommend that you only put enough e-purse on your card for the remainder of the term. Students in Year 2, moving to Year 3 All current students in Year 2 will be receiving a Patana Card when they are in Year 3.
The card will be distributed by their new class teacher in the first couple of weeks of Term 1.
Guardian Cards If you have bought cards for a nanny/helper/driver who are no longer employed by you, please contact Reception to ensure that the card is cancelled and your records are up to date. If you have any questions you can contact staff at Reception or email Reception@patana.ac.th
Click here for the Canteen Menu
By Genevieve Ahl, Services Manager ll students taking part in the Primary Concert have had their transport cancelled on Thursday 18th June. Please remember to check with Transport if you are unsure and remember to cancel transport for any siblings or friends who will stay to watch the concert. All students currently enrolled in the School Transport Service will automatically continue to receive School Transport from the start of the new school year in August
2015. You do not need to re-enroll in the service. If you will be moving house over the holiday period, please contact Transport to inform them of your move by the end of term. Please ensure you give Transport advance notice of any changes to student schedules over the next two weeks. Email transport@patana.ac.th to change or cancel bus requirements.
By Genevieve Ahl, Services Manager ll returning Secondary students who are on Set Lunch should take their Patana Card and go to the Secondary Lounge at lunchtime between 12.10 – 1.10pm on Monday 22nd, Tuesday 23rd or Wednesday 24th June. The Patana Card will be preloaded with set lunch for Term 1, allowing you to enter the canteen as per usual from the first day of Term 1 2015/16. Please top up your set lunch on these days to avoid any disruption to the start of the new
If you would like to enroll in the school transport service for the next academic school year, please do so by Friday 17th July. You can sign up via the Parents' Gateway or via email at: transport@patana.ac.th.
Opening Hours During the Summer Holidays
school year. If you are not in school during this time, please go to Reception during the week of 15th to 19th June. Your help in doing this in advance is much appreciated.
Noodles
50 THB
Smoothie
60 / 45 THB
Secondary Canteen (Buffet Lunch)
90 THB
Primary Canteen (Buffet Lunch)
70 THB
Snack Bar items
10 – 60 THB
The prices will be effective from 1st August 2015.
he school shop will close on Friday 10th July. It will reopen on Monday 3rd August. Opening hours during the school holidays are 8.00am – 3.00pm. The Post Office in the School Shop will close on Friday 26th June and will reopen on 1st September.
A reminder that lunch E-coupons must be used up by the end of Term 3. Any unused E-coupons cannot be refunded and will not be valid for the new school year. If you have any questions, please visit Reception at the front of school or contact them via email at reception@patana.ac.th.
ANAPANA MEDITATION COURSE FOR CHILDREN Anapana (Mindfulness of breathing) teaches children improved concentration skills and enhances calmness of the mind. This technique helps to relieve anxiety and is very useful at exam time to calm those nerves, but also for everyday life.
The next Anapana Meditation course will be given on Sunday 14 June 2015 for children aged between 816 years. To enrol, please contact Eva at 081-8456153 for further information.
You might find this site useful: www.children.dhamma.org/en/children/aboutmeditation.shtml
The weekly canteen menu is available here. Please check the calendar on the Parents’ Gateway, Student pages and Staff Centre for up-to-date information on school events. Visit www.patana.ac.th and click on the relevant icon to log in