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Written by Mr Peter, House Master It has been a magnificent start to the Secondary House system with students and teachers embracing the lunchtime challenges by competing in various Volleyball, badminton, Football, and Limbo challenges. Both students and teachers have been learning new techniques and competing in a variety of sporting events while earning valuable House points and having plenty of fun! Hidden talents coming to the fore and competitive juices flowing providing the students memorable opportunities to showcase their skills, make new friends and earn some classroom bragging rights! Once a week, all students (in their respective Coivid-19 year groups) have competed in a variety of challenges and it started with Limbo with Jo and Sana Wada winning the Year 7 and Year 8 competitions respectively. Rui in Year 9 was also magnificent! The highlight of the week was the senior girls volleyball team beating the senior boys volleyball in a thrilling 3 set encounter! Well done to all the students involved. Remember you earn valuable House points for having a go! Thank you to the teachers that have given their time to support their Houses and respective year levels,

As part of AISB's celebration of Australia Day on Wednesday 26th January, Year 5 researched both modern day sports played in Australia and Aboriginal sports. Each class made two videos about their chosen sports. Brolgas researched Aussie rules football and keentan, Osprey: rugby and brambahl and Wedge Tails: cricket and kai. The students worked together to come up with the words and actions for the videos and did all the video editing themselves. They use excellent communication and teamwork skills. - Year 5 Teachers

On 19 November, our Secondary students celebrated Loy Krathong at our newly built Highfield building. Our amazing Thai teachers organised a Krathong-making contest for our secondary students. Congratulations to our Year 10 students for winning the contest!

Written by Foundation teachers Our Bounce Back theme this month was courage. We discussed times when we have been scared and how we showed courage to overcome our fears. We then read a story about a courageous lion who realised it is okay to be scared sometimes. This little lion found the courage inside him to tackle his fear. The children then created their own little lion to help remind us to be courageous. We talked about bravery and courage in the face of a challenge. Students shared some of their worries and fears and we worked on strategies to face our fears. We created this month’s Bounce Back Assembly together and were proud of our accomplishments and how well we worked together. Ms Ashley’s remote learners had a blast creating their own iced krathongs and discussing the importance of Loy Krathong. The students shared the worries they planned to float down the water and the wishes they hoped for in their new, exciting beginning. In Foundation Dingoes Class the children have been practising our jolly phonics song from memory and without the music! We have really enjoyed practising the sounds and the actions!

Written by Ms Francesca, Kindergarten teacher For the past few weeks, our Kindergarteners have been delving into learning about how Living Things grow in our inquiry 'What do Living Things need to live?' We have partaken in a variety of meaningful experiences to differentiate between living and nonliving things and to experiment on how these Living Things grow. It has been especially fun watching our Kindergarteners link Living Things to themselves and be able to articulate how they grow and gain energy and nutrition through food, water, exercise, and a healthy and happy lifestyle. We also were able to link this to our outdoor environment by appreciating and watering the campus plants during outdoor playtime as well as growing impressive sprouts from seeds, watching them grow every day in our classrooms. These sprouts went home with our students and will be taken care of independently by them so that they can watch them grow just like we do with each one of our students.

Written by AISB Foundation teachers The children in Foundation have been working extremely hard at learning their letter sounds. They were Racing Readers this week. They pushed the different buttons as they segmented and blended the different words. Our word bank is continuously growing and we are now able to read many different words. Everyone in Foundation should be so proud of how hard they are working! In the Foundation Koalas classroom, we have been learning about numbers to 10. After sharing some number stories, the students created their own number books. They were mindful of the fact that numbers can be represented by pictures, written as numerals and also by number words This week, the Dingoes completed their Uluru (Ayers Rock) Dioramas. The students focused on creating Aboriginal Art using dot and line patterns. Their projects included a sun using these patterns and were finalised by adding sand to Uluru. Soon we will have an exciting exhibition of the student’s creative artwork! The Potoroo Foundation students discussed the importance of family, identified key features that make their loved ones special, and created drawings to demonstrate their understanding.

This week, our Year 1 Paradalotes, Year 3 Bandicoots and Year 5 Osprey did a fantastic job hosting our September assembly. The students shared their goals on this month's theme “goal setting” and prepared an excellent presentation. Welcome Address from Mr Brenton Hall, School Director Soi 20 Foundation and Year One Presentation ((current parents, please check your email for the full presentation) Soi 31 Primary Welcome message from Laura King, Head of Primary Year 3 Bandicoots Presentation (current parents, please check your email for the full presentation) Year 5 Osprey Presentation (current parents, please check your email for the full presentation) Congratulations to all the students who received certificates this month. They all earn points for their House which go towards the “Spirit of AISB” trophy at the end of each school year.

Written by Ms Cassandra & Ms Ashley, Foundation teachers In Foundation Koalas, we have been working to develop an understanding of the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences. We have been creating sets of numbers using everyday objects, creating number lines and learning through songs and stories. We have been getting to know one another, setting goals to work on, and have been thinking about how we can take care of ourselves and others. The Foundation students have been working hard on their letter sounds and letter names, which they demonstrated by creating individual name rockets, shapes with play-doh, and purposeful play experiences. The children are also continually working on identifying problems and solutions in stories, such as discussing ways that people can help their worries.

AISB has joined the Eco-Schools environmental education programme to educate our students on the importance of environmental sustainability and climate change, drive sustainability efforts through local community projects and become a more eco-friendly school. AISB to Join Eco-Schools Programme The reason that I have brought the Eco-Schools Programme to AISB is because we all know the devastating impact of Climate Change brought about by greenhouse gases, but many of us are not fully aware of our contribution to global warming. The first step is to make all within our community aware of all of our individual and collective impact on the environment, and to create solutions to first lessen our impact, then to hopefully become carbon neutral (have no impact). The Eco-Schools programme will enable us to do this effectively and through collaboration with other schools and organisations. About the Eco-Schools Programme The Eco-Schools programme is an environmental education programme for sustainable management in schools, led by students. There are currently more than 50,000 schools in 67 countries worldwide involved in this very important international programme. It will give AISB a roadmap to first become more aware of sustainability in the school organisation, which will then allow the school to set out a road map to improve our use of resources, which in turn will lessen the impact on the environment and reduce our carbon footprint. Green Flag Award The Eco-Schools Green Flag is an internationally recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning. We can work up to our first Eco-Schools Green Flag by achieving Bronze and Silver awards which are self-accredited stepping stones along the way. There is no time limit for how quickly we need to achieve our Eco-Schools Green Flag after registration, however, on average it takes around one academic year. Schools are then asked to renew their Eco-Schools Green Flag award every two years Why join Eco-Schools? Benefits Our students will learn how to apply what they learn in class to use on field Improve our school environment management with the power of a whole school approach Rise an environmental awareness in your students’ hearts and carry it to their home The School gains a more global reputation from the global recognition award Students have an opportunity to connect with global networks by joining the Global networking conference with Eco-Schools world-wide Skills linked to the Seven Steps Step 1: Eco Committee Discussion, Delegation, Democracy Motivation, Responsibility, Teamwork Step 2: Environmental Review Analysis, Curiosity, Initiative Perspective, Research, investigation Step 3: Action Plan Collaboration. Decision making, Innovation, Time planning Step 4: Curriculum Links Critical thinking, Focus Literacy, Numeracy Step 5: Informing & Involving Active citizenship. Civic engagement, Interaction, Public speaking Step 6: Monitoring & Evaluation Analysis, Critical thinking Dedication and determination Problem solving, Reflection Step7: Eco-Code Articulation, Creativity Empowerment, Flair School Roles The school principle commits to implement the programme The principle and teachers support students in learning and participating in programme activities Eco-School programme report. Next steps for us as a school? The programme will begin this September, we have registered with ECO-Schools Thailand which is coordinated by the World Wildlife Fund Thailand (WWF). We will work closely with our coordinator at WWF Khun Thitin Hansmutr. Our key priorities for now include: 1. Set up the AISB Eco Committee 2. The Eco Committee then carries out a school Environmental Review 3. The Eco Committee then sets out an Action Plan to improve the schools sustainability and lessen the impact AISB has on the environment. Written by Neil Andrew Robinson, Head of Secondary School, Eco- Schools Head Coordinator. This article also includes information presented by Eco-Schools.

Written by Brenton Hall, AISB School Director Many parents weigh up whether they should “send their children to school” during remote learning as it involves prolonged screen time, it often requires parents to be there to support their children, some children find it difficult to maintain their focus and some do not find it as supportive as being physically in the classroom. However, Remote Learning is certainly far more effective than no teaching and no classroom interactions with peers or teachers, especially for prolonged periods of time. Key Benefits of Attending School Remotely 1. Daily Routines & Structure: Children need routines, a feeling of normalcy, particularly during unsettled times such as this pandemic and a sense of belonging. School provides routines and structures through regular scheduled online lessons and interactions. 2. Sense of Belonging Through Social Interactions: Being a part of a school and a class and maintaining the contact with school and classmates gives a sense of belonging and identity beyond the family structure. This helps limit the negative emotional effect of the pandemic. 3. Curriculum Sequence and Transition Back to School: It is essential students are taught the structured curriculum in the correct sequence. Remote Learning ensures the curriculum sequence is followed and avoids gaps in their development, making it easier for children to transition back to the classroom when they return to school. 4. Digital Skills for the Future: The skills of online learning are skills children will need to master for university and the world we will live in. The workplace of the future (and indeed today) will also undoubtably include working remotely through online and videoconferencing. 5. Long Term Academic and Cognitive Development: Maintaining the regular pattern of learning and reinforcement through exercises, structured activities and support is critical to a child’s long term academic development. Research has shown that children who develop close relationships with their teachers develop higher language, literacy, cognitive and social abilities. Thus having a caring teacher and structured support sessions greatly assists a child’s academic development as well as giving them comfort, thus reducing their stress and anxiety levels. We understand that some children will require additional adult assistance with technology and the planned activities, however, we encourage parents to embrace this unique opportunity to become engaged in your child’s learning as we anticipate our return to school. For additional support throughout our remote learning program, please contact your classroom teacher directly.

Written by Mr Brenton Hall, School Director Remote Learning at AISB Remote Learning has been the only way that schools have been able to deliver education to students during the time that students have not been allowed to physically be on school sites. At AISB we understand the benefits of Remote Learning, what structures need to be in place and what teacher qualities are crucial. Our Remote Program combines live sessions, teacher-made videos, set work tasks, and support. From Nursery to Year 3 we use Seesaw to communicate tasks, exchange information and student pieces of work, and for the teacher to provide feedback to students. Our Kindergarten and Nursery students have 2 to 3 online times per day that feature, song, dance, creative activity and movement. Foundation to Year 3 students have 4 live Zoom sessions per day that cover the curriculum areas with an emphasis on Literacy and Numeracy. These lessons are complimented by teacher made videos. Specialist subjects; art, music, languages, Technology, PE are also delivered online. From Year 4 up to Year 12 we use Google Classroom with Google Meets used to deliver live sessions. Year 4 to Year 6 students have 3-4 live sessions per day, which includes all specialist subjects. Our Secondary Students have every lesson online so that their school day mirrors a school day that they would have if they were physically at school. The lessons include tasks and activities that allow students to work off screen, but the teacher remains on screen to assist and answer questions throughout the lesson. Our teachers all understand the importance of live sessions, and need to make these sessions as interesting and engaging as possible, to include all students in the lesson, and to show they are there to instruct and support. Support for students Planning Ahead: The links for lessons are sent out in a very easy to access format for parents and students beforehand. with an outline of each day. Each Friday a Class Newsletter is sent home that recaps the week. Live Lessons: Live Mathematics and Literacy lessons from Foundation to Year 6 are conducted in groups so that the teacher works with and can assist a smaller number of students. Students can ask questions and have them answered as they work on tasks. English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support for Students: We provide online EAL lessons (5 per week) and online Learning Support sessions. Our Learning Support Teacher and EAL teachers are very well qualified. Supporting Students In Other Time Zones: We cater for students who are out of the Bangkok time zone by sending recorded lessons and holding regular parent discussions at a mutually agreeable time to discuss issues and the support needed. Support from Teaching Assistants: Teacher Assistants remain logged on when lessons finish to provide further support. In Nursery, Kindergarten and Foundation, TAs conduct a weekly social group for small groups where children are guided to interact and share stories and things of interest to them. Secondary Teacher Assistants log onto designated lessons to support those students who have been assessed by the school as needing support. Learning Resource Packs: At all levels, Resource Packs are sent home. Included are exercise books, student workbooks, subject texts, reading books, individual whiteboards and the art and craft materials that support the lesson activities. These resources are replenished weekly for Nursery and Kindergarten. Support for Parents It is very important that good parent-teacher communication is established and maintained especially in times of Remote Learning. At AISB, we aim to provide as much support to parents as possible through regular interactions with parents: Introducing your classroom teacher: At the start of the term, all classroom teachers made contact with the parents of every child in their class to introduce themselves and provide a personal bio. Understanding your child's experiences with remote learning: The teachers then followed up by having a phone call, email or in most cases a video call where the child was discussed and their previous Remote Learning experience. These communications were to assist the parents and teachers to get to know each other and to learn more about the child. Fortnightly calls: Teachers follow up with a call to parents every fortnight to check on how students are, if there are any issues and comment on the child’s progress. Online meeting with all class parents: A meeting of all parents in the class is held online where the teacher discusses the curriculum, assessment and online routines. What you can do if your child is challenged by online learning? Maintain regular contact with your class teacher regarding your child’s progress at home. You can request a private discussion with the teacher. Consult with your child’s class teacher, regarding your observations of the child’s remote learning challenges. Teachers can recommend potential solutions or techniques that can be applied at home. Have your child access the small group sessions provided by the class Teacher’s Assistant (TA) after the class online sessions to ask further questions and receive additional support. Tips on managing on-line learning: 1. Keep up regular routines; wake-up and get dressed and eat breakfast. 2. Organise your workspace with all needed supplies. 3. Remove any distractions such as TV, mobile phone, pets, or toys. 4. Maintain a calendar of all school assignments. 5. Be diligent in completing assigned activities in a timely manner. 6. Request assistance from the teacher if you have any questions. At the Australian International School Bangkok (AISB), the safety of our students, parents and staff remain our first priority and we strictly follow the guidance and directive from governing institutions including the Ministry of Education and the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT). Remote Learning will thankfully not last forever and we are very much looking forward to welcoming our students back to school soon.

Written by Neil Andrew Robinson – Head of Secondary (AISB) This year, AISB celebrated its 18th year since it was founded. This coming of age aptly coincided with the school's first set of Cambridge Examination results, in the form of IGCSE and AS Level awards for our Year 10 and Year 11 students. These examinations are a culmination of 2 years hard work and commitment for our IGCSE Students, and 1 year in depth study for our AS Level student. These awards are of course international, and standardised across over 160 countries globally, so they are challenging and rigorous for every student. On top of this, we have had the most challenging 18 months in terms of a global pandemic, where students and their teachers have been forced in to the new concept of remote/online learning, and all of the disruption which this brings. Therefore, it goes without saying that I am absolutely delighted to see the resilience that our students have shown to achieve an exceptional 94% high grade passes across all IGCSE and AS Level subjects. Explanation of the Cambridge Grading System For the IGCSE programme there are 8 different letter grades: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, with A* being the top grade. There is a reference from Cambridge IGCSE percentage uniform marks as a benchmark when grading. With the top 10% i.e. 90% to 100% being awarded A*, 80% to 89% being awarded A Grade, and then follows the 10% steps downwards. Regarding the AS Level programme there are only 5 different letter grades: A, B, C, D, E, once again the top 10% being awarded A Grade, and then downward in 10% steps Overview across IGCSE and AS Level IGCSE: 94% A* to C Grade AS Level: 100% A to C Grade IGCSE Subject % Overview First Language English: 100% A* to C Coordinated Sciences (Double Award): 100% A* to C Art and Design: 100% A* to B Design and Technology: 100% A* to A First Language Thai: 100% A* to B Biology: 100% A* to C Computer Science: 100% A* to B Global Perspectives: 100% A* to C Mathematics: 67% A* to C A closer look shows how outstanding some of these results actually are. For example, if we compare our June 2021 IGCSE results to the world average June 2019 IGCSE results, our AISB students achieved; 66% higher in Art and Design, 72% higher in Computer Science, 65% higher in Design and Technology, 19% higher in Coordinated Sciences and 25% better in Biology. In fact our students achieved higher than the world average in 8 out of the 9 IGCSE subjects. AISB’s Top Performing Students A special mention must go to our top performing students: IGCSE - Kosuke Hotta who achieved 100% A* and A grades in all of his IGCSE subjects. 3 A* Grades 3 A Grades AS Level - Benito Bilal who achieved 100% A to C grades across all AS Level subjects. Congratulations goes to all of the Year 10 and Year 11 students and their teachers. They deserve the accolades and have set the bar high for future cohorts of AISB students.