ST. MARK'S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL eNewsletter

PRECAUTION MEASURES ON PM2.5

As you may be aware, PM2.5 levels in Bangkok have been alarmingly high in recent days. This fine particulate matter can have serious impacts on the respiratory and cardiovascular health of individuals, especially children.

In light of this, our school has taken several measures to minimize the exposure of our students to this harmful substance. These include:

Keeping the doors and windows of the school closed during periods of high PM2.5 levels
Providing air purifiers in classrooms and common areas
Encouraging students to wear masks when outside the school premises
On days with high levels of PM2.5, students will be refrained from playing outdoors. This also includes the after school outdoor ECA's. We will update parents of any cancellation of ECA's via the School's Official Line
Advising students with respiratory problems to stay at home on days when the PM2.5 levels are particularly high

We understand the importance of ensuring the health and safety of our students, and are committed to taking all necessary steps to protect them from the harmful effects of PM2.5.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS ASSESSMENT (ISA) SCHEDULE

We would like to inform parents of the testing schedule for the upcoming ISA Assessments. Please ensure that your children in Years 3 – 8 have had a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast prior to the assessments. Please note that the assessment fee is subsidized by the school and no payment is necessary.

What is ISA?

ISA is an annual assessment program that specifically measures the mathematical literacy as well as the reading and writing skills of students in international schools.

ISA is based on the internationally endorsed reading and mathematical literacy frameworks of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. ISA was designed and developed in Australia by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

ISA papers are sent from Australia prior to the test day, and those papers must be sent back to Australia for marking. The ISA reports provide descriptive information about what a student knows and can do. The results are tabulated from year to year so they can be used to track changes over time at individual and school levels.

What is ISA not?

ISA is not a competitive or comparative test, such as the IB Diploma or Advanced Placement. It is not a test that students “pass”. It will not be used for purposes other than providing data to us, you, and your child, about his/her learning. While we give opportunities for practice, students do not ‘prepare’ for the tests, since they are consistent with what students learn on a regular basis.

Who uses ISA?

A number of international schools worldwide now use and acknowledge the ISA as an international assessment benchmark that is effective in measuring students’ academic abilities in English and Mathematics. This includes many of the acknowledged world leaders in international education.

How do the assessments work?

Students complete a reading literacy test, a mathematical literacy test and two writing tests, each of which take between 45 minutes and one hour to administer. The tests include both multiple-choice and open-ended tasks.

When is ISA administered at St. Mark’s?

The tests are administered during normal school hours here in the regular St. Mark’s environment that students are comfortable and familiar with.

How will St. Mark’s use the results?

As a school, we will analyse all data about the general patterns of performance and use these as one of the ways in which we monitor and modify our educational program. These data will be one of the ‘success indicators’ to which we pay attention each year.

What information will I receive as a parent?

We will pass on all information about your child to you in the form of an individual report provided by the Australian Council for Educational Research. These reports are very comprehensive and give you a detailed record of your child’s performance in relation to scales that describe increasingly advanced skills in mathematical literacy, reading literacy and writing. You will receive them by the end of May 2020.

In Conclusion

We see participation in ISA as significant in international education as it provides you with clear information about your child’s progress against credible, objective international standards. We would like you to encourage your child to perform to the best of his/her ability. Please ensure that your child is present on these dates. We advise that you put your child to bed early on the night before the tests, and provide them with a nutritious breakfast before coming to school.

It is important that your child arrives at school by 8:00 a.m. so as to give them enough time to settle, listen to the test instructions and concentrate well during the tests.

If you have any questions about the administration of ISA at St. Mark’s, please feel free to contact the School Office.

FAMILY SPORTS DAY 2023

We are thrilled to share with you the news of a successful sports day event that took place last Friday, January 27 at SAT Stadium.

The day was filled with exciting competitions, friendly matches and plenty of fun activities that got everyone involved. The turnout was fantastic and everyone had a great time. The weather was kind to us and we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day.

The day started off with a friendly match between students which set the tone for the rest of the day. This was followed by various competitions such as running races, relay, wheel barrow, tug of war and more. The energy was high and the participants showed great sportsmanship throughout the day.

We are pleased to announce that the team that came out on top was the Yellow Team. They received the trophy and a round of applause from everyone present. Congratulations to them!

A big thank you goes to all the participants, parents, teachers and the organizing committee who made this event possible. We would also like to thank everyone who came to support and cheer on the participants.

We look forward to organizing more such events in the future and bringing everyone together for a day of fun and excitement.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Last Friday, 20 January our school celebrated the Chinese New Year with a range of fun and educational activities! Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday in China and is celebrated at the turn of the lunar calendar, typically in late January or early February.

To kick off the celebrations, our students had the opportunity to learn about the history and customs of the Chinese New Year through classroom activities and presentations. They also had the chance to participate in a variety of activities such as calligraphy, papercutting, and making angpaos. Students were encouraged to come to school dressed in red or traditional Chinese clothing.

We believe that these activities were a great opportunity for our students to learn about different cultures and appreciate the diversity that exists in our community. We hope that everyone will have a prosperous Chinese New Year!

KINDERGARTEN P.E: BALLOON RACE

Our Kindergarten students were introduced to a fun and engaging activity that helped them develop their gross motor skills and physical coordination.

Students participated in activities such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, and playing games that involve movement.

We encourage you to ask your child about what they have been learning in P.E. class and to support their efforts to stay active outside of school. Encourage them to play outside, go for walks or bike rides, or take part in other physical activities that they enjoy.

We look forward to working with your child and helping them develop a love for physical activity that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

YEAR 2 THAI: LEARNING THAI THROUGH CHINESE WHISPER GAME

We are excited to announce a new and interactive way of learning the Thai language. In our recent lessons, we have been using the Chinese whisper game to help students improve their writing skills.

For those unfamiliar with the game, Chinese whisper is a group activity where a message is whispered from one person to another, and so on, until the message reaches the last person. By the time the message reaches the end, it is usually quite different from the original message.

In our Thai language class, the message being passed on is a word or phrase in Thai, and the goal is for each student to write down the message exactly as they hear it. This not only helps students to listen and pay attention, but it also helps them to learn how to spell and write Thai words correctly.

We have found this game to be a fun and effective way of teaching the Thai language, and we are confident that our students are enjoying it too.

YEAR 5 MATH CLASS: ROUNDING OFF NUMBERS

As we continue our math curriculum in primary school, our Year 5 covered a new concept in class - rounding off numbers. Rounding off is a valuable skill for students to learn as it helps them to make estimates, simplify calculations, and understand large numbers.

In class, students learned various methods for rounding off numbers, including rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand. They also learned how to use a number line to round off numbers. To help reinforce this concept, the teacher provided the students with various worksheets and activities that allow them to practice rounding off numbers in different contexts.

Students will have the opportunity to practice these concepts through various activities and exercises, such as word problems and real-world scenarios in the coming days.

We are confident that with your support and our instruction, your child will gain a solid understanding of rounding off numbers and be able to apply it to real-world situations.

YEAR 7 HISTORY: CIVILISATION COMPARISON

Last week, our Year 7 class focused on the topic of civilisation comparison. Students examined various ancient civilisations and compared their political systems, economic systems, social structures, religions, technological advancements, and cultural achievements.

One of many civilisations they compared was Greco-Roman and East Asia. Throughout the semester, they will be using primary source materials, such as excerpts from texts written by people of the time, images, or maps to help illustrate the comparisons and provide a more in-depth understanding of the civilisations being studied.

Ultimately, the specific civilizations and aspects being compared will depend on the focus of the class or assignment.

STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to 2 of our students for their hard work and dedication in both math and dance!

We are thrilled to announce that Rachata Y4 excelled in the recent math competition and brought home 1 Gold Award from Singapore Math Competition. He's also a member of the International Junior Honor Society (IJHS) which an honor society that focuses on developing leaders and enabling its members to achieve SUCCESS in academic and life pursuits. He demonstrated his strong mathematical skills and critical thinking abilities once again, and we are proud of his accomplishments.

In addition to this success in math, we would also like to recognize Natsuda Y2 who participated in the recent NSM Children's Day Dance Competition. Her performance was praised for its technical skill and artistic expression, and the judges were impressed by their energy and stage presence.

These achievements are a testament to the dedication and talent of our students, and we are incredibly proud of their hard work. We would like parents and teachers for their guidance and support, and we look forward to seeing our students continue to excel in these areas and beyond.

Keep up the great work!

STMARKS NEWSLETTER 2 (2 FEBRUARY 2023)