Patana News Volume 23 Issue 10

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

Patana

NEWS

Friday 30th October 2020

Volume 23 Issue 10

www.patana.ac.th

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOME-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

By Jason Cooper, Primary Principal

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Also in this issue...

Whale Watching in Year 13 /Fun Run Results/World Food Programme Food Drive 30/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS

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The Importance of the Home-School Partnership Jason Cooper, Primary School Principal

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know the language of the school, it can be more easily and authentically incorporated into the home environment, providing consistency for the children as they draw connections between the language being used at school and the language being used at home. This consistency also demonstrates to the children that their home and their school are connected.

• Responsible

In the Primary School we draw our language of learning from three main sources:

ne of our Year 2 Teachers, Dr Michelle Brinn, recently asked me to review a book chapter that she had written for an online publication, the title of which is “Partnership Working between Home and School”. Bangkok Patana has always placed a great deal of value on the Home-School partnership and this can be seen in the language of our Guiding Statements with words such as:

• Collaborative • Active • Inclusive • Empowered •

Respectful contributors

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The Patana Values

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The IB Learner Profile

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The Characteristics of Effective Learning

There is lots of overlap between these three sources as can be seen in the example below.

So how do we build strong Home-School partnerships The success of the Home-School partnership relies on the and what are the benefits of these partnerships to our chil- school providing opportunities for parents to be involved dren? in the school and to learn about the school, as well as One of the ideas from Dr Brinn’s chapter that stood out to the parents actively engaging in these opportunities. We me was the notion of a language of learning. As a school are very fortunate here at Bangkok Patana as we have a we definitely have very specific language that we use vibrant and engaged community that relishes the opportuwith the children every day, so part of the school’s role in nities being provided. Active participation in school events building strong Home-School partnership is ensuring that and active engagement with school communications are parents know the language of the school. When parents vital in ensuring that parents feel connected to, and part of,

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the school community. Some of the ways that parents can be involved and learn about the school are:

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Weekly Newsletters

We highly value our Home-School partnerships and we • Primary Parent Workshops have seen time and time again the positive impact that these partnerships have on our children. We will continue • Parent-Teacher Conferences and 3-Way Confer- to strive for strong and healthy partnerships and welcome ences your feedback on how we can continue to develop this • PTG Events – eg. Newcomers Coffee Morning, aspect of the school community.

Year Group Coffee Mornings Read the full chapter of Dr Brinn’s book here.

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Patana News

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Bangkok Patana School News

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Virtual Fun Run Results T

hank you to all our participants. The first placed runner in each category will receive an award. Awards will be distributed after Monday 2nd November, please contact publish@patana.ac.th if you have any questions.

TOP MALES AND FEMALES Top 3K males - David Burton, Adit Vanso, Andrew Tatam Top 3K females - Lily Chandler, Simona Heather (ASB), Sandra Crane Top 5K males - Mats Anderberg, Simon Chandler, Matt Conroy Top 5K females - Helena Martin Grad ‘15, Dominique Chandler, Anna Meller, Y10 Top visiting male: Adam Herbik - ASB Top visiting female: Simona Heather - ASB BEST TIMES KEY STAGE 1 3K Girls: 1st = Olivia Wadsworth, 2J; 2nd = Tessa Chou, 2A 3K Boys: 1st = Ludvig Fagerman, 1B; 2nd = Masato Yamakawa, 1P; 3rd = Camden Lynch, 2N

3K Girls: 1st = Lily Chandler, 8K; 2nd = Gracie Minchin, 9R; 3rd = Tanna Chou, 7L Best Times Key Stage 4 and Senior Studies 5K: 1st = Anna Meller, 12C; 2nd = Kiana Crane, 10R 5K: 1st = Henry Chandler OTHER AWARDS Keen Bean/Early Bird (First run time submitted) - Ladaporn Chuntong (parent) Back of the Pack – (Last run time submitted) - Helen Thew Youngest Runner - Amy Evans, FS1C Oldest Runner - Tony Bickford

BEST TIMES KEY STAGE 2 5K Boys: 1st = Jaidee Baumann, 6E; 2nd = Brody Lynch, 6D; 3rd = Charoen Baumann, 4T 5K Girls: No Entries 3K Girls: 1st = Elsa Fagerman, 4K; 2nd = Nannapas (Chacha) Kaninthanond, 5G 3K Boys: 1st = Kiran and Mahan Jagtiani (5A and 6J); 2nd = Hiroto Yamakawa, 6S; 3rd = Thomas Wadsworth, 4T BEST TIMES KEY STAGE 3 5K Boys: 1st = Yuto Yamakawa, 8K; 2nd = Oliver Somantha Arachchige, 7G & Tresco Tatam, 7K; 3rd = Chaychan Baumann, 7C 5K Girls: 1st = Katherine Record, 7L; 2nd = Amelie Ashbee, 7V 3K Boys: 1st = Adrien Lombard, 7R; 2nd = Rafe Lavery, 8F; 3rd = Suphakorn (Veer) Srisakulchawla, 7R 4

Bangkok Patana School News

Best Sweaty Seflie 30/10/2020

Best Dressed ‘Twin’’ Runners: Stephen and Sarah Murgatroyd

Furthest alum

Greatest Number of Participapnts

House with the Most Runners - Chang Primary Year Group with Most Runners - Year 2 Secondary Year Group with the Most Runners - Year 7 Best Sweaty Selfie: Brody Lynch, 6D Selfie with the Greatest Number of Fun Run Participants: The Laddawan crew

Oldest alum

Furthest (geographically) Alum: Helena Martin Oldest Alum Participant: Hahn Chou (alum and parent) Biggest Group of Business Staff Participants: Khun Waree Best Family Selfie: The Minchin Family The Lanterne Rouge Award 3K: Anchal Pathela The Lanterne Rouge Award 5K: Sarah Baum and Mark Evans

Best family selfie 30/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

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Year 13’s Have a Whale of a Time Alexander (Coke) Smith, Environmental Systems and Societies Leader

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ur Year 13 Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) embarked on an epic voyage before the half term holidays to spend time with Thailand’s very own population of Bryde’s Whales (Balaenoptera brydei (=edeni)). Very few people are aware that some of the best whale watching anywhere in the world can be had just off the coast of Bangkok in the northern Gulf of Siam!

population to be correctly named, “Eden’s Whale” (Balaenoptera edeni).

Within 45 minutes after launching from shore, we spotted our first whale! Amazingly, during our lecture on Bryde Whale behaviour, Tour got the word from our Captain and trained spotters that whales were directly ahead! Tour said, “Hey, instead of seeing slides of the behaviour, let’s Our Year 13’s set sail early in the morning aboard one go out and see it with our own eyes!” So we did. of the few whale watching boats that operate out of the Although our first spotting was exciting and gave us Rama 2 coastline of Bangkok. While chugging out to sea, close views of a young whale close to the Bangkok coastthe students listened to Jirayu “Tour” Ekkul, a well-known and respected cetacean naturalist and wildlife pho- line, it was our second stop that was simply outstanding. tographer in Thailand, talk about cetacean biology and The weather was a bit off during our voyage but that did conservation issues in Thailand. They learned about the not stop a mother and calf pair from giving us the show unique behaviours of this particular species of whale that of our lives! We had just learned about a unique feedhe hoped to show us in real life, as well as the fact that ing behaviour during our lectures called, “trap feeding”, this species is soon to be considered a “new” species! whereby the leviathan orients itself vertically in the water, (In fact, most Cetacean biologists already consider this sometimes literally standing on the sea bottom, and opens

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its massive mouth for prolonged periods and simply traps the small anchovies and other species of small fish. This behaviour is truly a sight to see and the upper Gulf of Siam is one of the few places on earth where we can see such things. We watched the whales doing this behaviour for nearly three hours!

I was simply amazed at how enthusiastic our students were in seeing this truly unique natural spectacle. I heard comments like, “I never could imagine seeing something

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like this in my lifetime!”; “When Mr. Smith said we were going to go whale watching off the coast of Bangkok, I thought he was joking!”; “My day with the whales will be my most memorable experience of Year 13!” There is nothing more satisfying as a teacher of life science than to see my students’ eyes and smiles when they are seeing the spectacular beauty of the natural world. It keeps me inspired.

Bangkok Patana School News

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Year 9 Student Takes Home Top Prize in Sailing Championships Y

ear 9 student Weka Bhanubandh took home the top prize in the 2020 Optimist European Sailing Championships in Slovenia recently.

After several races where winds turned fickle and made sailing difficult, Weka took home the top prize showing his sailing skills.

Congratulations Weka!

Email Eva Sophonpanich to book or visit the website for details.

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Ror Dor Students Ready for the Next Challenge Dr Surapee Sorajjakool, Head of Thai Programme

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hirty members of the Year 11 class successfully They had to be able to do 22 pushups in two minutes, 34 passed the physical fitness test to join the Reserve sit ups in two minutes and run 800 metres in 3.15 minutes.

Officer Training Corps or Ror Dor as it is more commonly Congratulations to them all for their efforts! known. Open to male Thai citizens, the course will take three years until they successfully complete it in Year 13.

SECONDARY STUDENTS ONLY

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Bangkok Patana School News

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CAT CORNER

Food Donations for WFP Odele Pang, Co-President WFP, 13K

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orld Food Programme (WFP), a student-led CAT club aiming to raise awareness about hunger and food waste, is hosting their annual Christmas food drive and needs your help! Each Secondary tutor base has been given a box and asked to collect the following list of staple food ingredients, which will be donated to a Klong Toey slum. Please bring in your donations by 17th November to help those in need during these challenging times!

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STARTS 12.15 PM

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Dance and Culture

Vallary Lokre, Cross Campus Head Dance Coach

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s dancers we begin to understand that every Dance that we perform is from a culture. Through our first project as Senior Dance Company members, we would like to pay tribute to the cultural pride and power of African American people. We captured and honoured, through our dance expression, the various historical and cultural references in the lyrics such as the iconic ‘Baobab tree’ which is native to Africa and grows despite the arid conditions on the continent, the ‘Ankh’ which is a symbol from ancient Egypt, ‘Oshun’ - the Nigerian Yoruba goddess of femininity, love and fertility, and the ‘Dashiki print’ - a bright colourful garment from West Africa.

to represent the historical symbol of Black power, dating back to the Civil Rights Era in the US which has been used to show solidarity, unity and strength- even in 2020 in the Black Lives Matter marches.

Living our Patana values of equity, empathy and global citizenship, through our dance, we invite our community to ask the questions: “Do you know the history and heritage of the dance and music that you enjoy? Who created it? Why? When and How?”

Let’s honour each other’s cultures and create an inclusive The song helped us deepen our understanding of the future together. culture we participate in and enjoy everyday as dancers We hope you enjoy our performance.

Black culture. We ended our dance with our fists in the air

New Extended Hours

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The School Cashier is Now Open from 7.00 am to 3.30 pm Bangkok Patana School News

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Bangkok Patana School News

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#165: Have you set-up your (In Case of Emergency) ICE contacts?

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hree years ago, in Taylor’s Technology Tips #66, I wrote about setting up your Emergency Medical Information.

Since then, like me, you’ve probably got a new phone. During the staff First Aid training on Tuesday, in preparation for the residential trips, I remembered I had not set it up on my most resent phone. Have you? You never know, it could save your life or that of a loved one in an emergency.

Set-up Medical ID for iPhone Set-up Medical ID for Android I also recommend downloading this useful app from the Red Cross on first aid for children.

In the Tech Talk on Tuesday 3rd November we will be focussing on the apps we use to support student learning. Here’s a short intro: “In this hands-on workshop you will learn how install and use Bangkok Patana School’s recommended apps to support the learning of your child(ren) on your mobile device (phone, tablet). In addition to new parents, the invitation is extended to existing parents that need a refresher, or to learn about the new features available.”

Hope to see you there.

Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Campus Curriculum Technology Integration

Contribute your article for publication in the magazine and in the Patana News!

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Contact scientia@patana.ac.th Check out the latest articles online here 30/10/2020

the m o r f t s e The lat

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PTG

Bangkok Patana School News

Click here to join the PTG Facebook Group

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UNI COUNSELORS’ CORNER

Life After Patana

ELIN SANDBERG: CLASS OF 2000 lthough Elin only went to school at Bangkok Patana for two years, she was a member of the fourth graduating class in 2000. She bounced around the world as the child of a US State Department official but found her home at Bangkok Patana.

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“I chose to come to Bangkok Patana when we moved here because it is a British curriculum and I had never attended an American school. I wanted to do the IB and I knew very clearly I wanted to go back to Europe; I knew I couldn’t do it without the IB. The quality of teaching here was incredible, all of the teachers were visibly excited about teaching and that was such a change from other schools I had been to in my life. When I first came to Bangkok Patana I instantly felt at home, it gave me a huge boost of confidence to be able to be dropped in anywhere and succeed at it.”

“My favourite memories of attending school are getting the opportunity to do things you don’t get in other schools with a really supportive faculty and all the resources to really let your creativity flow. We built an amazing set for The Tempest for our Year 12 production. We built a two storey high soundstage in what is now the English classrooms on the third floor above the canteen. We had a big auditorium but for some reason we didn’t use it for that year’s production.”

“Also, the trips were amazing; we went on the Theory of Knowledge camp but one of the best trips of my life was a trip to Nepal. It was unofficial since not enough kids signed up for it; it was my home room teacher, Pam Carter, me and two other students; Yerina Rock and Paphaporn (Ung) Hongsananda. We went to an area that had just opened up near the Tibet border, so some of the villagers had never seen foreigners. We went rafting and nearly lost our teacher in the whitewater!”

matriculates.”

“My journey to this position has been a bit roundabout, I was a bit of a misfit and it took me a long time to find an environment that challenged me. Bangkok Patana was intellectually stimulating in a way that school hadn’t been before and it made me realise that you could do pretty much whatever you wanted to do in life if you worked hard, it didn’t matter what clothes you wore or if you had a piercing.”

“I am working with the area of the NHS that is responsible for education and training, I run all of our global programmes, I am the Head of Programmes for Global Engagement. This is a job I sort of created; we’ve only had this position for a few years. I knew when it was being set up that it was something I wanted to do; bringing international experience together with systems and policy knowledge.”

“I fell into the NHS by accident – I started doing temporary work for an NHS adjacent body, and realised that all of the things I had studied in my undergraduate degree and all the things I liked about international statecraft and how governments relate to their citizens is seen in how governments relate to the people in their care. If the healthcare service is robust, fair and equitable it is a “After I left Bangkok Patana, I attended to the London very good bellwether for the rest of the society. To have a School of Economics and earned a joint honours’ degree good health system you need to have all the other systems in International Relations and German. I started working in place. To me it is how the system serves everyone.” but then went back to earn a Master’s in Public Adminis“In ten years’ time I would like to see myself still running tration at the University of Portsmouth. I am currently close to finishing my dissertation in Healthcare Leadership for around the world, helping others and having a good time. a second Master’s at the University of Birmingham where But I still haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow the NHS (National Health Service) Leadership Academy up!”

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In the Spotlight...

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR

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he Hong Kong Polytechnic University, more familiarly known as PolyU, is a public research university that traces its roots back to the Government Trade School established in 1937. PolyU consists of eight faculties and schools, offering programmes covering Applied Science, Business, Construction, Environment, Engineering, Social Science, Health, Humanities, Design and Hotel and Tourism Management. Hotel Icon was opened in 2011 and is wholly owned by the university as a teaching and research hotel in its School of Hotel and Tourism Management. PolyU is highly ranked Hospitality, Art and Design and Civil and Structural Architecture and Engineering. It is ranked as one of the top 25 universities in Asia by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Highly ranked for its international outlook, 27 percent of students at PolyU are international. Notable alumni include fashion designer Vivienne Tam, directors Wong Kar-wai and Raman Hui and Pinky Lai, the original designer of the Porsche Boxter and Cayman.

University Visits UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE

COUNTRY

LOCATION

DATE

TIME

Vassar College

USA

3.11.2020

7.35 am

California College of the Arts, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The College for Creative Studies DePauw University

USA

2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies

3.11.2020

12.30 pm

4.11.2020

9.15 am

5.11.2020

7.15 am

5.11.2020

9.15 am

5.11.2020

12.30 pm

16.11.2020

9.15 am

17.11.2020

2.30 pm

23.11.2020

12.30 pm

USA

The Pennsylvania State University USA Queen’s University

Canada

Ritsumeikan University

Japan

Florida Southern College

USA

University College London, University for the Creative Arts

UK

King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Lad Krabang

Thailand

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2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies

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Desert Island Discs With Rebecca Blundell, Primary PE Teacher

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his column follows in the style of the famed BBC podcast which features a celebrity every week – here we feature our own Bangkok Patana celebrities! What eight songs, one luxury item and one book would you take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?

Today Rebecca Blundell, Primary PE Teacher, is stuck on a desert island.

MRS BLUNDELL, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder Say a little Prayer – Martha Reeves and the Vandelles Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy – The Tams Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder Pretty Shining People- George Ezra We are Family – Sister Sledge Love on Top – Beyonce

Listen to Mrs Blundell’s playlist here

This will be – Natalie Cole PICK ONE LUXURY ITEM YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU. THIS ITEM MUST BE INANIMATE AND OF NO USE IN ESCAPING THE ISLAND OR ALLOWING COMMUNICATION FROM OUTSIDE. My swimming goggles!

WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? The Help by Kathryn Stockett Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. Now that you are stuck at home, what are you listening to? Have a list of your own? Let us know! Contact SHKN with your favourites.

Check the calendar!

Thursday 19th and Friday 20th November are not school holidays!

2020/21 CALENDAR 18

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COMMUNITY

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Semi-Annual Book Sale Nielson Hays is holding a smaller book sale spaced out over several weeks. The sale starts Saturday 7th November and runs through Sunday 22nd November during regular library hours from 9.30 am - 5.00 pm (closed Mondays). In addition the Hidden Farmers’ Market will be held on 7th - 8th November The book sale will be held inside the garden café. Because of limited space, the only books for sale at any point, are the ones that are out in the café space. Books will be replenished daily as space opens up on the tables. So, it is better to come in a few times whilst it is open rather than coming once and expecting to see everything. Unfortunately staff cannot go and find ‘specific’ books or genres from the boxes in the back. Visitors are asked to bring their own bags in order to help reduce waste, or Neilson Hays Library tote bags can be purchased from the cashier.

Only 10 booksale buyers will be allowed inside the café at a time. At busy times, you may be asked to wait outside to prevent overcrowding. The following measures will be in place to protect from Covid-19: 1. Each visitor must have their body temperature checked on entering the café. If your temperature exceeds 38°C you will not be permitted to enter. Please be mindful of other people’s health and don’t visit if you feel unwell.

2.

Each visitor must wear a mask at all times while inside.

3.

Hand sanitiser will be provided at the entrance.

4.

Each visitor must sign in and out either through scanning the library’s QR code, or on the café’s sign-in sheet.

If you have any unwanted books or magazines to contribute to the sale, please drop them off at the library between 9.30 am - 5.00 pm Tuesday to Sunday. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of the library’s landmark building and educational and arts programs.

For more information, please call 02-233-1731, email info@neilsonhayslibrary.org or visit the Neilson Hays Library’s website or Facebook page.

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

643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 THAILAND Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 www.patana.ac.th Email: reception@patana.ac.th 22

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