Patana News Volume 21 Issue 1

Our mission is to ensure that students of different nationalities grow to their full potential as independent learners in a caring British international community.

NEWS Patana

Friday 17th August 2018

Volume 21 Issue 1

www.patana.ac.th

THE MONTHLY BLOG

From Head of School Mr Mills who begins his 11th year at Bangkok Patana Page 2 Also in this issue...

FIT TO PLAY? 17/08/2018

/

AN UPDATE FROM SERVICES

/

MOBILE PHONE SINS

Bangkok Patana School News

Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School, accredited by CIS, NEASC and ONESQA

1

WELCOME BACK Greetings everyone, I am delighted to welcome you all back to the 2018/19 academic year. A special welcome to any new families joining us this August, we are so pleased you chose Bangkok Patana School. I am starting my eleventh year as Head of School and 34th year in education and it is really an honour to lead such an amazing school.

The new academic year has started very smoothly and I have observed lots of happy/relaxed students and teachers.

One of the most enticing aspects of a new academic year is the opportunity for a fresh start. Returning to routines with a positive mind-set and clear head can set the tone for the coming months, and the first few weeks of a new academic year can often provide just the right amount of perspective to set new goals and objectives. However, a fresh start means nothing if you don’t take the time to plan your approach.

There are few times in life that we have the opportunity to truly start afresh, but Term 1 in the school calendar is one of them.

With a new year comes new teachers, new timetables, classrooms and subjects. Exciting and unexpected challenges present themselves on a daily basis and individuals have the opportunity to reinvent themselves based on the skills, experience and maturity they have gained over the previous year.

To the students heading back to school this week, I challenge you to make the most of this opportunity. Ask yourself what you want to achieve this year – be honest – and then plan the steps you will take to realise your ambition. I do hope you have a BRILLIANT year ahead!

New HR Manager Over the holidays, we appointed Khun Nida Kiratisoothisathorn as our new Human Resources (HR) Manager replacing Keith Bunnell.

Khun Nida has a wealth of HR experience and was previously Assistant Dean for Human Resources at the College of Music at Mahidol University. Prior to her work at the university, she had an HR role at the Ford Motor Company. We are thrilled that Khun Nida has joined the Bangkok Patana family.

New Students A very special welcome to our 271 new students starting Bangkok Patana School this year. We hope your transition is a smooth one and we are so glad you are joining the Patana community!

Our total school population is 2,252 students and we are the largest international school in Thailand.

2

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018

Staffing We have 46 new staff joining us for this academic year, the new staff have already spent a week at school attending a very well organised and informative staff induction programme which Katherine Hume (Cross Campus Assistant Principal) and her team have done a superb job planning! As always, we are delighted with the high quality of teachers joining the Patana community this year.

IB Results 2018 A highlight of the 2017/18 academic year was certainly the International Baccalaureate examination results, which were released on 6th July. Bangkok Patana is extremely proud of a wonderful set of results which reward the hard work and dedication of the students, teachers and parents of the Graduating Class of 2018. Maintaining the extremely high standards of previous cohorts is no mean feat, but one that was accomplished with relish by these students, who now spread their wings and continue their educational journeys all over the world. The IB Diploma is a truly international qualification, undertaken by nearly 200,000 students worldwide each year and prized by universities across the globe. Our average score of 35 points (out of a possible 45) and outstanding 98% pass rate is something of which we are incredibly proud. Particularly pleasing for a non-selective school set against worldwide statistics of an average score of 30 points and pass rate of 79%.

Two students who deserve special mention are Erin Arnold and Pirawat (Putt) Punyagupta, who join a very exclusive group of less than 300 students in the world who achieved a perfect points score of 45. In addition to this, a further 20 students achieved 40 points or more (18% of our cohort compared to a worldwide statistic of 3%).

IGCSE Results 2018 What a full and busy Induction Day we had for Year 12 students this year! On the 14th August, our Year 12s not only had their first introduction to their IB programme and life in Senior Studies, but they also had to wait patiently for the clock to tick by and reach midday, so that they could receive the first of their IGCSE results from CIE. It was well worth the wait, as our Grad20 cohort performed extremely well; all the hard work of the last two years certainly paid dividend. Our impressive results, include an overall pass rate of 95.9% A*-C, with 80.7% of grades awarded at A*-B, an increase from this time last year (79.9%). We also saw an increase in the two highest grades of A*/A, where we achieved 56.7% (55.6% in 2017).

Our early entry Year 10 Mathematicians (21 students) all achieved their potential of A*. A special mention to two Year 9 students who independently studied and achieved high grades in their first (native) language – Ena Hashimoto (Grade A for Japanese) and Zimo (Momo) Guo (Grade A* for Chinese).

Most of the examinations were sat by our Year 11 cohort, and for this group of students, 48% have so far achieved all IGCSE grades at Grade B or above (29% in 2017), and 17% have achieved IGCSEs at A*/A (16% in 2017). This is an incredible performance, especially given that we are a non-selective school. We now await the Edexcel results, which are published on the 23rd of August.

Congratulations to our IGCSE students; what a positive way to start the new academic year!

Important People in the Patana Family A selection of very important people in our school organisation who you may not know that well but their impact on the school is enormous. This month we interviewed Mrs Sunantinee (Toon) Hamilton, our Services Manager.

17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

3

Khun Toon was born in the military port of Sattahip, Chonburi. She moved to Bangkok to study for her undergraduate degree at Kasem Bundit University. She and her husband, Tom have two daughters who are 3 and 11 years old. Before joining Bangkok Patana, she worked at Bromsgrove International School and Heathfield International School as a School Manager. She loves traveling and spending time by the beach with her family.

While working at Patana, she has greatly improved the efficiency of transport services and created a healthy menu at the Snack Bar, which has greatly benefited the wellbeing of our students.

Summer Works As with every school and especially large schools like Bangkok Patana, an enormous amount of work has taken place while you have been on summer holidays. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Khun Jo, our Buildings and Grounds Manager and his hard-working team for all of the good work they have done over the summer holidays making sure the school was fully prepared as we welcomed back all students on Wednesday.

This year’s major summer projects include; • A new upstairs parent viewing platform and ground floor windows for the Gymnastics Academy • Remodelling the Cross Campus Centre creating an extra meeting room • A full refit of new air-conditioners in the Sports Hall • Climbing wall upgrades upstairs in the Sports Hall • New covering in the Year 1/2 playground • A brand new Year 3/4 playground • New covered shading for the 25m Swimming Pool • New covered roofing for the mini-tennis courts • New DNA sculpture in the Science Centre • Primary EAL office upgrade Great Educational Articles to Share I shared this great clip on children being natural scientists at my welcome back presentation to the Academic staff at the beginning of the week. Neil DeGrasse Tyson is a famous cosmologist who shares some wonderful insights into the importance of letting kids learn by making a mess and experimenting.

We need to talk about AI - a film by Futurist Gerd Leonhard: thoughts on artificial intelligence is very enlightening and thought provoking!

Bangkok Patana is a school that encourages initiative, competition and success and it is a school where every individual is cared for and feels part of the social group. Only when a student feels connected and happy with their lot, can they learn effectively. I want them to learn in the most effective way possible.

Enjoy your first weekend.

Matt Mills Head of School

4

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018

17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

5

AN UPDATE FROM SERVICES MEET THE NURSING TEAM

T

here are two Medical Units at Bangkok Patana School, one for Primary students near the Primary Library, and another for Secondary students near the Design and Technology Faculty.

These units are open during school hours, 7.30am - 4.00pm. Please note that a Primary Nurse is available until 6.00pm to cover ECAs. If you have any queries, please contact our nursing team at nurse@ patana.ac.th Left to right : Khun Joy, Khun Patama (Head Nurse), Khun Onn and Khun Ploy

TRANS FAT ELIMINATED FROM THE CANTEENS Jiraprapa (Prim) Boonpan, School Nutritionist

W

e would like to inform you, that in accordance with a ministerial order issued by the Public Health Ministry banning the production, import and distribution of food containing trans-fat, all food served in school will be without trans-fat.

Concerns have been raised for several decades that trans-fat and also saturated fat contribute to the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. We have been working on reducing saturated fat in our food in school, ensuring that students have plenty of healthy food options available. We have swapped to using rice bran oil and olive oil in the canteens to reduce saturated fat in foods. For a healthy heart, the daily recommended of saturated fat is less than 10% of your total energy intake and 1% for trans-fat.

Consuming too much trans or saturated fat can contribute to non-communicable diseases and greatly effect your life expectancy. The key a balanced diet and to be mindful of what you are eating as well as having adequate physical activities in your daily life.

TRANSPORT UPDATE

I

n order to accommodate the traffic within school, particularly when there is heavy rain or flooding on Soi Lasalle, school buses may drop children off at the Sports Complex where they will use the bridge under supervision to get into school.

For more information please contact the Transport Department on 02 785 2470 or email transport@patana.ac.th

6

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018

LL A !

TB RE O HE FO M E FIL TH Y CH EM AT D W CA A

BANGKOK PATANA FOOTBALL ACADEMY

SATURDAY SESSIONS STARTING SEPTEMBER 8TH UNDER 7—UNDER 13

Footballers aged between 5 and 13 are invited to join our new Football Academy coaching programme. Sessions will be led by the new Head Football Coach Mark Potter, coaching children to play the Bangkok Patana way though a range of fun activities and small sided games.

The weekend programme will be a fee-paying programme but will be FREE in Block 1! Every player will be required to purchase a BPS Football Academy training kit from the school shop and this will be approximately 1,000THB.

The programme will commence on Saturday 8th September. We will be offering 16 places per group and gender. Programmes for Under 15 and Under 19 will be added in the future.

The schedule for each age group is as follows: 08:00 - 09:00 Under 7 Boys (Years 1 and 2) 09:00 - 10:00 Under 9 Boys (Years 3 and 4) and Under 9 Girls (Years 1 - 4) 10:00 - 11:00 Under 11 Boys (Years 5 and 6) 11:00 - 12:30 Under 13 Boys (Years 7 and 8) and Under 13 Girls (Years 5 - 8) For more information on the Football Academy Saturday Sessions contact Coach Mark, email football@patana.ac.th or call 02 785 5239

17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

7

#96 Mobile Phone Sins (Credit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45042096)

I

’m not sure if you caught this article recently on the BBC regarding mobile phone etiquette. It certainly made me think about how, as a society, we have shifted to accept some of these into our day-to-day interactions. For example, I often have to stop myself from answering my phone when I’m mid-conversation with somebody – surely the face-to-face meeting you are having is just as important and replying to a SMS or WhatsApp message? How many of these sins are you guilty of?

Thou shalt not....

1. Talk on the phone at mealtimes 2. Listen to loud music on public transport (even through headphones it’s annoying) 3. Be on the phone when you should be listening 4. Walk while looking at your phone 5. Fiddle with devices while watching TV with others

Brian is our resident technology pantomath (we call him a guru but he’s not keen on that word apparently!).

It’s not the start of a calendar year, but it is the start of the academic year, so perhaps we can use the moment to make a few resolutions to be more mindful and value our human interactions, for it is those that will become the most valuable future commodity amidst the exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Have a wonderful ‘sin-free’ weekend.

Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Cross Campus Curriculum Technology Integration

click here for the Canteen

Please note the menu is updated for the following week on Friday at 1pm

8

Bangkok Patana School News

The first Wednesday of every month you can find him in the PTG Room from 8:00 - 9:00am to answer any tech queries and offer advice and support on parenting in this digital age. Also keep your eyes peeled for his amazing parent workshops.

If you have something that can’t wait until 5th September, email him on brta@patana.ac.th

Menu 17/08/2018

PRESENTS

the bangkok patana

FUN RUN SUNDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2018 AT 07:00 AM THE ANCIENT SIAM, SAMUT PRAKARN, THAILAND

RACE CATEGORIES 9 km -

Male & Female - 15 & Under, 16 - 19yrs, Over 20

5 km -

Male & Female - 11 & Under, 12-13yrs, 14-15yrs, 16-19 yrs, Over 20

3 km -

Male & Female - 11 & Under, 12-13yrs, 14-15yrs, 16-19yrs

1.3km -

Male & Female - 9 & Under, 11 & Under, with everyone else running, cycling, scootering or walking for fun!

A FUN FAMILY RUN

REGISTRATION open now

Click here or go to http://www.gotorace.com/event/bps-fun-run-2018/ http://www.gotorace.com/event/bps-fun-run-2018/

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR MORE INFORMATION or visit the Community Events area on Firefly

17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

9

LIBRARY OPENING HOURS AND GUIDELINES Sally Flint, Head of Libraries

W

elcome back to our Library. We have an action-packed term ahead, full of exciting and stimulating reading related events and activities. The Kids’ Lit Competition, spearheaded by Secondary English teacher Susan Brosnahan, Year 5 Readers’ Cup and visiting authors all spring to mind! Please note the following changes to our Library hours and guidelines:

PRIMARY LIBRARY This academic year the Primary Library opening hours have been changed to align with the ECA programme. The library will open between 7.00am. and 3.30pm. The Secondary Library will continue to be open until 4.20pm.

Key Stage 1 children should always have adult supervision in the library. It is a wonderful time to share books and instil in the children a love of reading, so we ask you not to use phones in the library but rather enjoy some quality reading time with your children.

Key Stage 2 students are encouraged to go home straight after school if they do not have an ECA. If on rare occasions this is not possible then they are allowed to use the library, without an adult, and take the opportunity to quietly relax and read books for pleasure.

SECONDARY LIBRARY The Secondary Library is returning to a silent study zone after school this year to be used for reading and home learning only. Students are encouraged to go home straight after school at 2.30pm if they do not have an ECA using their regular school transport. Please see the infographic of the guidelines that we have shared with the students about library use.

AND REMEMBER...

Our library is for the whole school community so please do pop in and peruse the titles in our Parent Collection and borrow freely from that and our Senior collection of books. We have some great new titles, which as usual, we share with you via our library website and this newsletter.

10

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018

FIT TO PLAY?

Cindy Adair, Assistant Principal Extra-curricular Activities and Sport

F

rom time to time BPSNet, our computer management system which holds your child's details, will send you an automated email asking you to update said details. Next time you receive this you will notice a new section called ‘Fit to Play’. This new section asks you to indicate if your child is fit to participate in Physical Education classes (these are a compulsory part of the curriculum), ECAs and competitive sports teams. It also reminds you of the insurance cover you need and the school provides in the event of a sporting accident. Please read these documents carefully.

If you tick YES, your child will be able to participate in PE classes, ECAs and sporting teams. If you click NO, then our Nursing team will follow up and your child will be excluded from those activities until you get a medical clearance. The Fit to Play declaration online will replace the previous hard copy Sports Participation agreements you were asked to sign each year if your child was on a sporting team.

CALLING ALL JAPANESE SPEAKERS

There are 65 Japanese families who are members of this group, we support International Day and other school activities. If you are a Japanese speaker or married to a Japanese speaker, then we would like to invite you to join our group. Please send an email of your details to add to the group list for future correspondence to Mrs Aya Tanno at ayatanno@hotmail.co.jp

A Japanese language ECA will be offered for students who are fluent Japanese speakers or those whose parents are Japanese speakers. Japanese teachers (not Bangkok Patana staff) will lead the ECA and help your child improve their Japanese. Please refer to the ECA application site for details. The Japanese ECA is for new students and parents of Japanese speakers. If you are interested please check the information on ECA Sign up which is open now.

Kind regards, Aya Tanno, Japanese group 2018/19 17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

11

Techathon

12

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018

Community

17/08/2018

Bangkok Patana School News

13

For daily updates, snapshots and news on life at school you can find us here...

643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna, Bangkok 10260. THAILAND Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 www.patana.ac.th Email: reception@patana.ac.th 14

Bangkok Patana School News

17/08/2018