News — 30 January 2015 00:31

NIST News - 29 January 2015

Due to scheduled maintenance on our image hosting site (Zenfolio), please note that images may not appear in NIST News unless it is read at a later time.

As a reminder, there will be no school for students tomorrow, as we will be holding a teacher in-service day. However, we still encourage you to come to support the Falcons as we take part in the 2015 SEASAC Basketball Tournament!

WHOLE SCHOOL

Dreams We Believe In: Biking for Baan Gerda

Dreams We Believe In, one of our student-run service groups, is proud to announce a new service activity. Biking for Baan Gerda is a weekly fundraising activity that provides fun and exciting biking through suburban Bangkok and at the same time supports the children living with HIV at Baan Gerda in Lopburi. All proceeds go to the children living at Baan Gerda, and all participants get a certificate of appreciation for their donation. Through this tour, you will be able to experience the everyday life of Thais in suburban Bangkok.

The tours take 4-6 hours, and run on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Members of the NIST community are welcome to join, as are any others who would like to support a worthy cause. For additional information about the route, visit the NIST and Dreams We Believe In websites.

Nobel Laureate Bruce Beutler to Speak at NIST

In the second visit for the 5th ASEAN event series Bridges: Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace, Professor Bruce Beutler, Director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, will speak to NIST students about the global struggle against infectious disease. For his work in this area, most notably his research into the human immune system and therapies for inflammatory disease, Prof. Beutler was named the 2011 Nobel Laureate for Medicine.

Prof. Beutler will be speaking in the NIST Theatre at 10:00 AM on 2 February. The final speaker for the Bridges series, Nobel Laureate for Peace recipient Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, will visit NIST on 9 February.

Call for Artwork Submissions and Contacts within the Bangkok Arts Community

AuctioNIST, our inaugural fundraising auction event, is set to take place on Saturday, 9 May from 6:30 PM onward in The Hub. There will be both a live and silent auction of art pieces, as well as other treasures unique to the NIST community. Proceeds raised from the evening will be donated to expand the selection of reading materials in the Elementary Library, Secondary Library and World Languages Programme. A portion will also be donated to the student-led NIST Development Bank.

We are inviting parents, students and teachers who wish to create or donate an art piece to do so. We are also asking for contacts within the larger Bangkok arts community (art, music, dance, jewelry, food), or with cultural centres (like Goethe or Alliance Francaise), to secure additional submissions. We welcome any items related to the arts and cultural experiences.

Many thanks for getting in touch with Khun Supranee, Director of Development, at supraneet@nist.ac.th by next Friday, 6 February should you wish to participate in any way.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A Special Session for Fathers & Sons

Fathers and sons, we are planning to meet together to discuss the uniqueness of being a boy. At this event we will explore puberty from a boy's perspective and have a bit of fun along the way. We will be discussing puberty, reproduction and body image in a safe and positive environment. We would like to provide all fathers and sons the opportunity to join this important event, and as such have indicated two different times. Please select the time that works for you.

Wednesday, 28 January: 6:00-7:00 PM
Thursday, 5 February: 6:00-7:00 PM

The sign-up form is available here. Please note that uncles and grandfathers are welcome in the event if cannot attend either of these dates. We look forward to meeting with all of you soon!

- Mr. Chris, Mr. Randy, Mr. Lex, Mr. Jesse, Mr. Glenn and Mr Brett

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Middle School Dance

We will host a middle school dance on Friday, 6 February from 6:30 to 9:00 PM on the 4th floor of The Hub. To attend, our child must pick up a permission form in the Secondary Office and return it, signed by you, in order to purchase the ticket (100 Thai baht). Tickets will be sold in the morning at the front gate and at lunch time in the cafeteria. The deadline for returning the permission form and buying a ticket is Wednesday, 4 February.

On the evening of the dance, please drop off your child no later than 7:00 PM. Pick-up time at the end of the dance will be between 8:45 to 9:00 PM.

NLCS: Year 11 Information Evening

At 6:00 PM on Monday, 2 February, we will host a NIST Learning Community Seminar for year 11 students and parents to outline the options available for Years 12-13. This will include presentations from Deputy Head (DP) Paul Cooper and the high school counsellors. Heads of departments will also be available to answer questions regarding student choices for their final years at school. A full schedule can be viewed here.

Year 7 Parents Coffee Morning

On Wednesday, 4 February at 8:00 AM in The Hub, we will be holding a Year 7 Parents Coffee Morning. We are asking for your questions in advance so we can address issues relating to Year 7 and the transition of our students into the Secondary School. We hope many Year 7 parents will be able to come along.

ECAs & SPORTS

Join Us for the NIST Production Once on this Island

Based on Rosa Guy’s My Love, My Love, the Caribbean musical, Once on this Island, reimagines Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Little Mermaid, exploring the early history of the island of Haiti and creating a fable of racial and social injustice.

The NIST production boosts over 50 talented student actors, dancers, singers and band members from Year 7 to 13. Celebrate storytelling with this rousing Calypso-flavored tale of one small girl who finds love in a world of prejudice. The shows runs from February 17-19, with a 7:00 PM curtain each evening and a total running time of two hours with the intermission.

Tickets are available outside the NIST Security Office and in the Admissions Office at 200 Thai baht for adults and 100 Thai baht for students. For more information, contact Randy Moss.

Falcon Sports Development Programme Timings

Please note that the FSDP will not be running this weekend due to the SEASAC tournament. For the full schedule of the remaining FSDP timings for the current school year, visit the Falcon Sports Blog.

Session 3 ECAs Begin Next Week

The third and last session of ECAs for the 2014-2015 school year begin on Monday, 2 February. This session offers 132 activities, and over 75% of our eligible student population will take part in the after-school programme. The diverse activities offered through our ECAs encourage students to excel by challenging themselves, and growing as both individuals and as members of a community. We encourage all parents to support their children by actively being involved in this process.

Falcon Competitive Sports Try-Outs

Sports opportunities for students include the various Falcon sports clubs, the Bangkok International Schools Athletics Conference (BISAC), and the South East Asia Student Activity Conference (SEASAC). Try-outs will run from Monday, 2 February to Friday, 6 February. Check the full schedule on the Falcon Sports Blog.

NIPTA (NIST PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION)

A Thank You for NIPTA's Stationery Drive

Dear Parents and Students,

It was great to have Anna and a lovely group of parents, Manuela, Sue, Sonali and Mindy visit with us last week at the Good Shepherd Sisters Projects in Din Daeng. The donations that they brought with them were wonderful and were received with much gratitude.

Thank you to all who were involved with the giving, wrapping, etc.

The gifts were divided amongst the 200 refugee children, our day care children and the young students from our Teenage Residential Home. There was much excitement and wonderment at your kindness and generosity.

With friends and benefactors such as you, we, the Good Shepherd Sisters, can continue our mission of ministering to the poorest of the poor. God bless and reward you.

Sr. Louise Horgan

Super Bowl Celebrations

Date: Monday, 2 February
Time: 8:00 AM onward
Venue: The Game Sports Bar & Grill, 137 Sukhumvit Soi 9 (under Nana BTS)

As part of NIPTA’s Lunches of the World series, the USA & Canada Country Group will be hosting a special live super bowl viewing and breakfast party. Come on down and join us for a true East vs. West gridiron battle as the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks. The management is offering six different American-style breakfast specials, all for under 250 Thai baht. For those of you in the true Super Bowl mood, beer and cider are available (as well as soft drinks). Face painting and NFL jerseys are optional.

If you plan to attend, please email nistusacanada@gmail.com by Wednesday, 28 January.

Chinatown Foodie Night Tour

Date: Thursday, 12 February
Time: 5:45 PM meeting time for 6:00 PM tour, Exit 4 of Hualamphong MRT Station

Please join us for a nighttime tour around Chinatown, a 200-year-old district filled with ethnic traditions and delicious food. During the tour, we will explore Bangkok’s biggest street food bazaar and famous local eateries, sampling a variety of Chinese cuisine while taking a closer look at this unique neighborhood, meeting lively characters and visiting religious and cultural landmarks. The tour will end in Yaowarat Road. Please RSVP nipta.activities@gmail.com and pre-pay 1,100 Thai baht to Khun Wanpen at the school front office. If you are vegetarian or have specific food allergies, please do let us know in advance so that food can be adjusted for you.

Family Fun Day Fair

Date: Saturday, 14 February
Time: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Venue: NIST

Come and enjoy a fun-filled family event, hosted by the Thai community at NIST! Tickets cost 600 Thai baht per person and include food, drinks, games and a lucky draw. Prizes include iPhone 5s, a Bumrungrad health check-up package and Samsung Tab to name a few. Tickets are selling fast and are available every morning in front of the ATM at through Khun Wanpen at the Front Office.

The event will also feature the NIST's Got Talent show...in which you can participate! Group performances will be prioritized, but individual performances are also welcome, and we will limit the event to a total of 15 performances, each a maximum of five minutes.

To participate, please forward an email with your details and the following information to nisttalent@gmail.com by 3 February: name of performance, name of performer(s) and year level(s), status (student/faculty/parent/etc.), approximate performance length, type of performance (singing, dancing, comedy, etc.), your contact number, your email and any equipment required (piano, backing track, etc.). Any backing tracks must be submitted by 5 February. All performers will also receive a small gift of appreciation!

Once on this Island: Call for Volunteers

NIPTA is looking for volunteers for show nights. This secondary school musical will be staged on 17-19 February at 7:00 PM. We need volunteers to help with ushering and to sell refreshments on show nights. If you are interested in helping out, please email nipta.nist@gmail.com and let us know which evening(s) suit you.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2 February: USA & Canada Country Group Superbowl Viewing & Celebration (See details in NIPTA)
2 February: 5th ASEAN Event Series - Bridges: Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace, featuring Professor Bruce Beutler (See details in press release)
2 February: NLCS for Year 11 Students & Parents (See details in Secondary)
6 February: Middle School Dance (see details in Secondary)
9 February: 5th ASEAN Event Series - Bridges: Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace, featuring Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei (See details in press release)
12 February: Chinatown Nighttime "Foodie Tour" Walk (See details in NIPTA)
13 February: 21 Mashup Valentine's Day Concert (10:45 - 11:35 AM at The Oval; members of the community welcome)
14 February: Family Fun Day (See details in NIPTA)
17-19 February: Once on this Island (See details in ECAs & Sports)
March (TBC): Bangkok Bike Tour
6 March: Travelling through the Decades - NIPTA Community Quiz Night

This Week in Sports

30 January - 1 February: SEASAC Basketball Tournament at NIST
30 January - 1 February: SEASAC Tennis Tournament at BPS
30 January - 1 February: SEASAC Rugby & Touch Rugby Tournament at UWC Dover, Singapore
31 January: BISAC U17 Boys Basketball at ASB
31 January: BISAC U17 Girls Basketball at ICS
31 January: BISAC U15 Boys Badminton at BPS
31 January: BISAC U15 Girls Badminton at BPS
31 January: BISAC U13 Boys Football at SHB
31 January: BISAC U13 Girls Football at NIST (hosted by Traill)
31 January: BISAC U13 Boys Badminton at ISB
31 January: BISAC U13 Girls Badminton at BPS
31 January: BISAC U11 Boys Football A, B & C at HIS
31 January: BISAC U11 Girls Football A at BIS
1 February: BISAC U17 Touch Rugby at ISB
1 February: BISAC U15 Boys and Girls Football at BPS