News - 21 August 2015 15:38

NIST News - 21 August 2015

In what has been an unfortunate week for the city of Bangkok, we would like to thank all of our parents for the support and patience that has been shown. It's a testament to the strength of our community that the NIST campus has remained a positive, safe environment for all of us.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

ECA Signups

Yesterday evening marked the largest number of signups Veracross has ever recorded in their network of schools, with over 2,100 taking place from nearly 900 users in the span of 45 minutes! Due to the very large number of individuals online, the system was initially slow, and we understand that it can be frustrating when the system is not responsive. We have brought this to the attention of Veracross, and they plan to add extra capacity to ensure that it runs smoother in the future.

To provide as wide a range of activities as possible, we reviewed our past offerings and increased capacity for those that have been the most popular. This hopefully allowed even more students to select one of their first choices.

Please note that if you signed your child up for a paid activity and did not make the payment during the registration process, you can still do so online by going back to the ECA signup homepage and click on the "View Payment Summary" button to proceed to the online payment system.

WHOLE SCHOOL

TEDxYouth@NIST: Giving Youth a Voice

On Saturday, 5 September NIST will host the inaugural TEDxYouth@NIST event: Voices. In addition to featuring several NIST students who will talk about their passions and desire to bring about positive changes in the world, the event will include talks from several other noted figures: Praya Lungberg, actress and NIST alumna; Patrick Newell, co-founder of TEDxTokyo and Tokyo International School; Abria Joseph, yoga guru and inspirational speaker; and Jarutat Snidwongse Na Ayuthaya, social change advocate and NIST alumnus.

A limited number of free tickets will be available beginning Monday, 24 August through EventBrite, though we encourage attendees to contribute a voluntary donation of THB 500 to help sustain the event in the future. For more information about TEDxYouth@NIST or to reserve tickets on Monday, visit the website.

ELEMENTARY

Welcome from the Elementary Counsellors

With the new year underway, we encourage all parents to learn more about the support provided by our elementary counselling team. In addition to helping students with emotional, social and every-day problems, they can help you identify ways in which you can support your child at home. To learn more about our counsellors and the support they provide, visit The NIST Link.

ECAs & SPORTS

Session 1 ECAs

We're delighted with the immense response to the ECAs on offer this year, and have seen more signups that at any time in the past. As a friendly reminder, the Session 1 ECAs will begin on Monday, 31 August.

For more information about the pathways being offered by Chelsea FC, visit our web page. Additional details about the specific numbers of students and pricing for each group will be uploaded later this evening. In order to provide opportunities for the maximum number of students, Chelsea FC has aimed to keep the fees as low as possible while adhering to the club's high standards.

Parents are also invited to join an information session that will take place next Wednesday, 19 August, from 9:00 - 10:00 AM in the NIST Theatre. This session will allow you to hear more about Chelsea FC firsthand from the coaches, and also learn more about the programmes here at NIST.

NIPTA

Thank You to All Volunteers

Many thanks to those who took the time to contact us via our Google form or by email to express interest in volunteering with NIPTA this year.

We are now creating sub lists of volunteers based on your interests and you will soon be contacted by the NIPTA Head of Arts (Judit), Sports (Carmen), Community/Activities (Run) who will explain how and when we need you involved. If you have put yourself down as a General Volunteer then we will add you to all lists.

If you have put yourself down as a class parent rep, thank you for your patience as we organize ourselves.

Country Groups Update

Country groups are a great way to connect, find additional support and network with other NIST families who share similar languages and cultural backgrounds.You can find more information about them here.

Please note that we will be meeting with our country group representatives next week on Friday 28 August from 8:45 - 10:00 AM at the 4th floor of The Hub.

We are still looking for representatives for the following groups: New Zealand and Dutch Speaking. Please be in touch with nipta_countrygroupliaison@nis.ac.th if interested.

Finally, we are excited to announce that a new Russian language group has been formed, as well as a group from the Philippines. If you are interested in becoming a member, please send an email to NISTRussianSpeakers@gmail.com or nistphilippines@gmail.com.

Survival Thai

We ran our first class this past Wednesday with great success. We are hosting two more morning sessions next week (the 26th and 28th) which are full, but we do have space during our new evening session on Thursday, 27 August. Unfortunately, it does conflict with the Secondary Back-to-School night but we chose it due to Khun Jentana's availability. Please RSVP to nipta.activities@gmail.com if interested.

Walk in the Park

Khun Zai and Khun Lek are leading the charge with morning walks in Lumpini Park. Join them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:00 AM on the deck in front of the main cafeteria for departure.

You will take the school shuttle service to Asok MRT so that you can MRT to Lumpini Park. Alternatively, depending on numbers and car availability, car pooling might be an option. Kick off (or walk off) is this coming Monday, 24 August.

For updates follow NIPTA Park on Instagram.

Leftover Platters

There are some tupperware and dishes left over from Teacher Appreciation Day this past May.

(See photo.)

If any of these belong to you, please note that they will be in the Parents Room next to the outdoor blue basketball court (near the Elementary Library) till the end of this month.

Thanks in advance for collecting them!

Upcoming

We will soon be starting our Gourmet Cooking Club sessions. Next stop: India! Stay tuned for more details.

UPCOMING EVENTS

25 August: University Application Night for Year 13 Parents (6:00 PM at 4th floor, Secondary Building - see details in Veracross)
27 August: Secondary Back-to-School Night (6:00 PM - see details in Veracross)
31 August: Session 1 ECAs begin
1 September: Introducing Parents to Year 12 (6:00 PM in Room 4309 - see details in Veracross)
4 September: Falcon Friendship Under-19 Football & Volleyball Tournaments (3:00 - 8:00 PM)
5 September: TEDx Youth@NIST (see details on website)