ST. MARK'S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL eNewsletter

Important Announcements

As we are coming to the end of another busy week at school, we would like to share with parents/caregivers, some of the important aspects of learning and the latest developments pertaining to our school for this week.

COVID-19 UPDATE

We have been informed that, thankfully, the 2 staff members who had close contact with COVID positive individuals have passed their self-isolation period with negative ATK tests. They will be returning to work on Monday, 25 April.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

As this semester is drawing to an end, we would like to clarify which holidays we will observe and which our school will remain open. St. Mark’s will close for both Coronation Day on Wednesday 4 May and the Queen’s Birthday on Friday 3 June.

When we originally constructed the school calendar, we had hoped that conditions during the pandemic would improve and that the Annual Function, scheduled for 3 June could be restored. Unfortunately, that is not the case and as mentioned above Friday, 3 June will be a holiday for students and staff.

As is the norm, the school will not be observing Labour Day on Monday, 2 May, and Visakha Bucha Day on Monday, 16 May and school will be opened as usual.

YEAR-END EXAMINATION (YEAR 3-9)

In an effort to reduce examination stress in young children, it is our school’s policy to exempt all students younger than Year 3 from examinations. As such, the upcoming year-end examination will only be applicable to students of Years 3-9.

Kindergarten, Prep-Prep, and Prep students will undergo a teachers observation assessment during 27 June-1 July and no preparation will be required.

Years 1-2 students will not have any examinations and students’ performance will be
based on unit tests and weekly assessments during the semester.

Primary 3-6 Year-End Examination will be held between 20-27 May.

Secondary (Years 7-9) Year-End Examination will be held between 16-27 May.

We plan to publish Examination Guidelines and Examination Schedule for Years 3-9 shortly.

BASKETBALL ECA FOR YEARS 3-12 MOVE TO FRIDAY AFTER-SCHOOL

Thursday morning Basketball ECA will now move to Friday afternoon during the 3.15- 4.15 pm slot. This will start on Friday, 29 April. We have also lowered the age group of students who wish to join this ECA to as young as Year 3. If you would like to join this ECA, simply bring your outfit and meet us at the basketball court every Friday after school.

Latest News

Eurasian Spelling Bee Achievers

It has been another remarkable achievement from our very own students who bagged 1 Gold and 6 Silver Medals from the recent Preliminary Round of the Eurasian Spelling Bee Lexical Skills Competition.

Punn (Y6) who won a Gold Medal in this event is qualified for the Semi-Final Round on May 8, 2022.

These results wouldn't be possible without their dedication and the support of parents and teachers.

Congratulations to all our achievers, on a job well done!

St. Mark's School Management Team visit the Western Australia Ministry of Education

On 7 April, the St. Mark's Management Team visited the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) in Perth, Australia. SCSA is a governmental body responsible for Kindergarten to Year 12 curriculum, assessment, standards and reporting for all Western Australian schools, as well as a few selected International Schools outside of Australia, of which St. Mark's is one of them.

Working directly with the Ministry of Education of Western Australia has given St. Mark's many distinctive educational advantages. Our curriculum and program are being regulated by SCSA, ensuring a sound standard of student outcomes. By collaborating with SCSA, many universities in Australia and other parts of the world recognise St. Mark's standards of quality and with this, many universities, particularly in Australia have approached our school, offering their scholarships and financial assistance to our students who possess high academic performances.

St. Mark's Participated in Educational Forum in Perth, Australia

On 13 April, which was on Thai New Year's Day, the Australian Thailand Business Chamber in Perth, Australia organised an international education forum to publicise the latest educational development in Australian Education in Thailand to the people of Australia.

At this event, St. Mark's representative, Mr. Owen Grant presented our school as an option for those who wish to study in a recognised Australian education program in Thailand. The objective of this forum is to strengthen the education ties and continuity between Thailand and Australia.

St. Mark's Senior Students to Participate in the University of Western Australia (UWA) Interactive Workshop

We are pleased to inform that 2 of St. Mark's senior students namely, Aaron and Pongsatorn, will be among a small group of high performing Year 11 and Year 12 students from various parts of the world, who will participate in the upcoming interactive workshop, ‘Communication and Influence’ organised by IQ Academy University of Western Australia (UWA - named as one of Australia's Top 8 Universities) to be held on Saturday, 28^th May 2022.

The number of students for the workshop will be capped at 70 in total, with representation from North, South, and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa and Australia. Students will get a chance to interact with like-minded peers from around the globe and will receive a certificate of participation following the event.

In this workshop, students will work to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing businesses, governments, and society today. This two-hour workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Jo Hawkins who will explain how to communicate effectively to influence change. Dr. Hawkins works to empower UWA students, researchers, and staff to release the value of new ideas and technologies. As manager of the UWA Innovation Quarter, she helps to develop programs, prototypes, places, and partnerships to support innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Hawkins is an award-winning writer and lecturer and was recognised as one of Western Australia’s 40under40 business leaders in 2021.

Students will need more than a great “pitch” to bring their ideas into reality. Communication moves information. Influence moves ideas into action. Attendees will learn how to pitch ideas with impact, become better listeners, and negotiate good outcomes.

Prep Maths - Comparing Masses

Students in Prep learned the concept of mass and had first-hand experience weighing and comparing different objects on a balance beam. They were asked to identify and be acquainted with the concept of light, lighter, lightest, as well as, heavy, heavier, heaviest.

Year 1 Mandarin - " 拍‘ (pai) "

Year 1 students learned about the Chinese character " 拍‘ (pai) " which means clap and learn how to use this word to construct Chinese words and sentences. We hope our students enjoyed this activity and have mastered the understanding of this word.

Year 2 Thai - Riddles Reading and Guessing

Students in Year 2 had fun learning the Thai language through reading riddles. In this activity, our Thai teacher, Ms. Gun, asked the students to read a number of riddles, each of which described an object. After they have finished reading the riddle, students will have to guess what object the riddle was referring to and students will have to write this word in Thai on their personal whiteboards.

Year 6 English - Writing Letters

Our English teacher, Mr. David, suggested to our Year 6 students that they were the CEOs of a company specialising in hydroponics as a solution for growing populations. Students in Year 6 were writing letters to leaders of desert countries proposing a solution using hydroponics in order to feed their expanding populations and utilise the desert environments alongside desalinated water.

Year 10 Mandarin - Reading and Writing Practice

Our Secondary Mandarin teacher, Ms. Sijun, introduced to Year 10 the story about the famous Chinese calligrapher — Wang Xizhi(王羲之). They practiced reading and comprehending the text presented on the board. Upon their name being called, students were given an opportunity to respond by reading. At the end of this reading practice, students were required to write the new words learned during this lesson, which helped reinforce their vocabulary and writing skills.

Srinakarin Campus Update

This month's construction has progressed rapidly with the construction of columns and shear walls of level 2 leading to level 3 all completed. Table forms are also placed in their positions, where we expect to concrete level 3 before the end of April. The concrete joining of Zone 1 and Zone 2 floors at both level 1 and level 2 is now completed. Once completed, the building's second-floor will house the Design and Technology Centre and the School Hall.

STMARKS NEWSLETTER 5 (22 APRIL 2022)