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Our Director's Update
Dear Parents and Friends,
Welcome to our first edition of the Australian International School Bangkok newsletter – The AISB Insider!
I hope you have had a good start to 2025 – it’s incredible to think that January is now over.
Schools are always busy places, full of activity. At AISB, we strive to provide students with a high-quality international education in safe, secure and friendly environment. At the Parent Committee Flat White Friday gathering, I was pleased to hear from parents that their children are happy at AISB. They enjoy getting up each morning to come to school; feeling safe and happy at school is necessary for effective learning to take place.
Certainly, the smiles and greetings I receive from students as I make my way around the campuses reassures me that we are on the right track.
The purpose of this newsletter is to share information about what is happening in our school, especially information about our programmes, students, staff and campuses. We want to celebrate successes and keep you better informed about what we are doing and why. Initially, this will be a monthly newsletter; however, as the year progresses, we will review its frequency.
As the newsletter evolves over the coming months, please let us know if there are other things you would like us to include. In the meantime, enjoy this first edition of our newsletter.
Wishing you well for the month of February ahead.
Yours in education,
Henri Bemelmans
Director

Early Years Update
Written by Sheridan Musto, Head of Early Years and Soi 20 Campus
It has been a wonderful start to the semester at our Soi 20 Early Years Campus! This semester we have opened a brand-new Nursery 1 class, welcoming even more young learners into our community. Across all year levels, we have greeted many new families and students, and it has been wonderful to see everyone settling in, adjusting to new routines, and forming strong relationships with their teachers and classmates.
The start of the year has been filled with joyful celebrations and engaging learning experiences. Maths Week was a huge success, with students exploring numbers, patterns, and problem-solving through hands-on activities and games. It was wonderful to see our youngest learners counting and sorting, while our older students tackled early problem-solving challenges and mathematical reasoning in a fun and interactive way.
Australia Day at Soi 20
We also embraced Australia Day, with children engaging in themed activities to learn about Australian culture, animals, and famous landmarks. Storytelling, music, and craft activities helped bring this celebration to life, fostering a sense of curiosity and cultural appreciation.
Paper Waste & Sustainability

This semester, we are also focusing on sustainability and being more mindful of paper usage and waste. We have introduced monthly paper-free days, encouraging creative and digital alternatives to reduce our environmental impact. Students and teachers are also looking at ways to recycle and reuse materials, promoting more sustainable classroom practices. We have some exciting sustainability projects coming up - stay tuned for more details on how we can all play a part in making our school greener!
Soi 20 Parent Coffee Mornings
In addition to classroom learning, we have also focused on strengthening our school community through Parent Coffee Mornings.

These gatherings have been a fantastic way for parents to connect with one another and meet our leadership team. We value these opportunities to build relationships and foster a sense of belonging among our families, and we look forward to continuing them throughout the year.
From Nursery through to Year 1, we continue to focus on fostering a love for learning, exploration, and creativity in all that we do. Our students are growing in confidence, independence, and social skills, making each day full of meaningful learning moments. We look forward to many more exciting experiences ahead this semester!
Primary Update
Written by Hannah Carew, Head of Primary
Welcome back to a new term! A warm welcome to all the new families joining us this semester - we are delighted to have you as part of our AISB community. It has been wonderful to see how quickly the students have settled into Semester 2, enthusiastically engaging in their learning and enjoying time with their friends.
Beyond the Classroom Excursions
The Primary School has had a busy start to the semester! Year 3 students enjoyed an exciting day on their field trip to Mini Murrah farm, while Year 5 had the incredible opportunity to visit the Thai Parliament. Both trips provided engaging experiences that extended learning beyond the classroom and left the children with wonderful memories.

Maths Week
We also celebrated Maths Week, with students dressing up in creative mathematical-themed costumes and participating in scavenger hunts and challenges that brought mathematical concepts to life in fun and engaging ways.

Australia Day
To round off January, we celebrated Australia Day. Students explored the unique flora and fauna of Australia and learned about its beauty and significance as a country.
Coming up in February:
Looking ahead, February promises even more excitement! Highlights include:
International and Multicultural Week, celebrating the diversity of our community.
Year 1 and 2 Sports Day, where students will demonstrate their athletic skills and teamwork.
Field trips for Year 1 visiting the Planetarium, Year 2 will be learning about sea life at the aquarium and Year 6 being provided with the opportunity to explore the National Science Museum. All these experiences offer further opportunities for enriching children’s learning.
Science Week, with activities designed to spark curiosity and foster a love for scientific exploration.
To stay up to date with all these activities and events, please make sure to read your child’s homeroom teacher’s weekly newsletter, sent every Friday.
AISB Values Focus: Integrity
The AISB Values Focus in Primary School for February is Integrity. AISB has defined integrity as:
I am honest, trustworthy and take responsibility for my actions, behaviours, speech and decisions.
AISB develops integrity through:

Honesty - At the core of AISB interactions lies honesty, essential for authentic and transparent communication, which forms the foundation of trust in our relationships.
Trustworthy - Students at AISB exhibit trustworthiness by demonstrating dependability, fulfilling promises, upholding confidentiality, and acting sincerely, thus gaining the trust and confidence of others in diverse relationships and settings.
Reliability - Students at AISB uphold integrity by ensuring that their words and actions are aligned, thereby preserving credibility and reliability.
Ethical – Students demonstrate ethical behaviours through their words and actions that align with their moral values and standards, guiding them to make decisions and behave with honesty, fairness, integrity, and respect, ultimately fostering positive outcomes and maintaining societal norms.
Responsibility and Accountability - Students at AISB value responsibility as they exhibit accountability, reliability, and conscientious decision-making, taking ownership of their actions, fulfilling commitments, considering consequences, and behaving in a way that positively impacts themselves and others across different situations.
Demonstrate AISB Core Values - Students at AISB uphold and demonstrate our school’s core values through our actions both within and beyond the school grounds, representing AISB with pride and integrity.
Bounce Back: February Theme – Handling Emotions

During February, our Bounce Back Theme is Handling Emotions. Through these lessons, students will explore the important role emotions play in our daily lives and learn practical strategies for understanding and managing them effectively.
We all experience a wide range of emotions every day and these feelings are essential for helping us thrive and build positive relationships. Pleasant emotions—such as joy, pride, excitement and love—teach us what makes us happy and inspire us to aim high. Experiencing these emotions frequently can also help children become more resilient, allowing them to "bounce back" from challenges or setbacks.
Our feelings are necessary for us to survive and co-exist harmoniously with others. Without pleasant feelings (e.g. feeling pleased, proud, excited, curious, loving) we would not learn what makes us happy and what we want to strive for. Experiencing a lot of pleasant feelings can help children become more resilient and bounce back more quickly from a difficulty or setback. Unpleasant feelings are also important, too. Without unpleasant feelings as warnings (e.g. fear, worry and anger) we would be less able to protect ourselves from possible danger or to stand up for ourselves.
Some unpleasant feelings (e.g. embarrassment, disappointment and sadness) also motivate us to think deeply about some of the difficult and challenging situations we sometimes have to cope with (e.g. failing, loss and rejection). This type of reflection helps us to learn from our experiences and become better able to make good decisions and solve problems. Our unpleasant emotions can sometimes ‘hijack’ us and we react to them by behaving in ways that alienate others or work against us. Learning how to express their emotions in a positive and assertive way helps children to feel more in control when things are difficult for them.
Emotional Learning at Home: Here are some key messages you can share with your child to support their emotional learning at home:
Talking to someone can help you process your feelings.
Don’t let your feelings “hijack” your actions.
Naming your emotions can help you manage them better.
Ask yourself, “Did they really mean it?” before reacting.
Unhelpful thoughts can make you feel worse—try to change your perspective.
It’s okay to feel mixed emotions about the same thing.
You can shift a bad mood into a good one.
Learning to understand how others feel is called empathy—a skill that helps us build stronger connections.
By helping children recognise and handle their emotions, we are equipping them with lifelong skills to navigate relationships, overcome challenges and make thoughtful decisions.
Secondary Update
Written by Michael Bryce, Head of Secondary
High school students and staff are always engaged in academics and co-curricular programmes. Here are some of the key activities from January:
Student Awards
The Second Term School Values Awards were presented on Wednesday, 29th January, focusing on Integrity.
Our award structure now includes four categories throughout the year:
Personal Best
Integrity
Respect
Academic Excellence (awarded at the end of the school year)
The next award assembly will cover January to April and will be held at the start of the final term.

Recent Secondary Events & Activities
Model United Nations (MUN):
AISB Secondary students participated in the Model United Nations (MUN), an incredible platform for learning about global diplomacy, leadership, and critical thinking. The conference proved to be an exceptional success for our students, who not only showcased their skills but also achieved notable recognition, reflecting the academic excellence and leadership that define AISB.
Read more about our MUN success here: Link


Australia Day Activities: Organised by Mr Peter and the House Captains.
Upcoming Student Initiatives
Valentine’s Day: The Student Council is selling roses.
Songkran Celebrations: Thai staff and students are preparing for the end-of-term festivities.
International Biology/Art Competition: Open to all students. Last year, our own Aiyara McWilliam was the 2024 World Champion in this competition!
Multicultural Week (17th-21st March)
March 21st – Harmony Day (Australia): A celebration of unity across different communities.
Multicultural Food Fair (Friday, 21st March): Parents are welcome to participate! More details to follow.
Camps (12th-14th March)
Year 7, 8, and 9 camps will take place during this period. For details, please contact Ms Panita Sorasongkram (Oil) at panita.s@australianisb.ac.th
Thank you for your continued support as we provide enriching experiences for our high school students.
Global Citizenship
On Saturday, January 25th a group of students, parents, and teachers spent the day volunteering with Bangkok Community Help (BCH). The team assisted with meal preparation and clothes sorting before distributing the meals and clothing to elderly community members in the Khlong Toei lower income community. The group then traveled to the On Nut area where they delivered meals to migrant workers in need. The event created an opportunity for students, teachers and parents to work together and support local community members in need. It highlighted AISB's commitment to community building, which is one of the school's core values.
The event was a meaningful experience for all involved, and AISB looks forward to creating more opportunities for community engagement in the future.

Sports and ASA
Our Term 2 After School Activities on Soi 20 are off to a great start! After-school activities are a wonderful way for children to explore their interests, develop new skills, and make lasting friendships. These activities provide a safe, structured environment for kids to engage in creative, physical, or academic pursuits. By participating, children not only stay active and engaged, but also build confidence, learn teamwork, and improve time management. We are excited to expand our partnership with StrongKiddos, which offers exciting activities such as CrossFit Kids and Active ABCs which give children an opportunity to build strength, coordination, balance and confidence in their movement.
STEAM
Semester 2 has begun, and with it comes a change in specialist subjects for our primary students. Those who studied Digital Technology and Media Arts in the first semester will now move on to Design Technologies and Art and Design, and vice versa. This rotation ensures that all students gain a well-rounded experience in the STEAM disciplines, developing skills in both technology and the arts.

Last week, our student counsellor, Dr Ean Burchell, ran a workshop for parents about online safety and social media. The session covered some of the challenges children may face online, as well as practical ways for parents to support their children in navigating the digital world. For parents who were unable to join the session, you can view our Cyber Safety and Social Media presentation in the link below.
The Innovation Centre team is busy planning our Innovation Celebration Week, which will take place in the final week of Term 2. During this week, parents will be invited into the Innovation Centre to explore some of the fantastic projects students have been working on this year. Parents will also have the chance to experience lessons in Digital Technologies, Design Technologies, Media Arts, and Art and Design from their child’s perspective. More details, including sign-up information, will be shared in the coming months, so please keep an eye on future newsletters.
Finally, we are pleased to share that our eSports after-school activity has been expanded to include secondary students. This activity not only helps to develop future-ready skills such as problem-solving and collaboration but also provides an exciting opportunity to connect with other schools in the region for friendly competitions.
Teaching and Learning
Each week, staff participate in collegial Professional Learning sessions. These one hour sessions provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate and engage in the latest research in education and discuss the implementation of quality teaching strategies to continually improve student outcomes. Engagement in ongoing Professional Learning is integral to our teachers' continuous reflection on their own practice, which is highly valued by AISB.
Our teaching staff from Foundation - Year 6 have recently been engaging in sessions exploring the most effective research based explicit teaching strategies, and the impact these have on student success. Our Secondary teachers have been focusing on exploring a variety of quality differentiation strategies, which ensure the engagement, inclusion and success of all learners. Additionally, our teachers are engaging with ongoing data analysis to inform their teaching and identify areas of individual student need to plan effective teaching strategies for student growth.
There is also a lot of ongoing work at AISB currently with the Council of International Schools (CIS), with our staff compiling evidence to meet the standards of CIS, to assist us to continually reflect and improve upon our practices and processes.
University Counselling
Written by Mr. Tom Lane, Head of Senior Year Groups
As the Head of Senior Year Groups at AISB, I am proud to support our students as they prepare for the next stage of their academic journey. University counselling plays a vital role in helping our students navigate their options and make informed decisions about their future.
Our Year 12 students are now in the final stages of preparation for their Summer exams, and we are already seeing fantastic outcomes. Cherie Wu has secured an offer from a top university in Hong Kong, while Daniel Jeung has received offers from four of the five UK universities he applied to.
Amelia Cooper and Kritima Sukhaphinand will both be making applications for their chosen pathways later this year, with continued support from all here at AISB. These successes are a testament to their hard work and the guidance they have received throughout the process.
For our Year 11 students, this has been an important year of exploration and planning. Using Unifrog, our new University preparation and exploration application, they have been researching potential courses, countries, and Universities as they prepare to make applications next year. This platform has been invaluable in helping them identify their strengths, interests, and aspirations.
It is incredibly rewarding to see our students grow in confidence as they work toward their goals, as well as achieving them. At AISB, we are committed to providing the tools, resources, and personalised support they need to succeed, whether that’s in pursuing higher education locally or internationally.
I look forward to celebrating even more achievements as our students take these exciting next steps in their journeys.
University of Sydney comes to Bangkok
The University of Sydney will host an Open Day in Bangkok!
Details of the event which can be found here "Meet USYD in Bangkok", will take place on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from 1-5 PM at Emporium Suites Bangkok by Chatrium.
Students may register via the link provided above or by scanning the QR code on the poster below.

That's all for this month!
We hope you enjoyed the first edition of our newsletter. If you have any feedback or news you'd like to share for our next newsletter, please send us an email at enquiries@australianisb.ac.th.
