“Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!” These are the words of Albus Dumbledore, the headteacher of J.K Rowlings’ Hogwarts school from the Harry Potter books. Here at BIS we would completely agree with him; there is something magical about music.
Being part of the Nord Anglia Education family, provides us with many opportunities. One highlight is certainly the affiliation with The Juilliard School in New York. For several years now, our teachers have worked alongside members of the Juilliard team to create a wonderful curriculum for our children at BIS, and to be able to draw upon their expertise in the fields of music, drama and dance.
On Wednesday morning, Erin Wight from The Juilliard School shared more details about the Juilliard approach then those in the webinar co-composed some music based on a Jazz piece by Thelonius Monk. It provided a real insight for parents into how the children learn in school. If you would like to find out more, please click on the link below:
Following two thoroughly enjoyable Tea Time recitals, next week we have a singing treat coming up. Our music team requested some songs from our BIS Community and you have certainly not disappointed. Next Friday 26th November at 3pm, please join us for our Tea Time Sing Song. We have heard about a family dressed as pirates, and a teacher and their dog as a well known film character; no more spoilers, if you want to find out more, you’ll have to join us next Friday. Look out for the link on Seesaw next week.
This week, F1 celebrated World Nursery Rhyme Week. World Nursery Rhyme Week is an annual initiative that promotes the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development and education. Learning lots of rhymes at a young age promote language development, numeracy skills, creative expression and develops confidence in young children. We learnt a new rhyme each day and did a live colouring session to make our rhyme stick puppets. The children enjoyed dancing and singing along to their teachers’ videos using the egg shakers and ribbon wands that they have created using materials from their SPLAT bags. On the last day, we had a Nursery Rhyme Celebration where everyone dressed up as a character from a rhyme. We were delighted to see some brilliant costumes and we loved hearing the children sing the rhymes we have learnt. The F1 teachers dressed up performed the rhymes such as ‘Down in The Jungle’, ‘Sleeping Bunnies’, ‘Incy Wincy Spider’, ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ and many more. It has been such a wonderful week of singing in F1!
Ms Christine/ F1 Teacher
Here’s a sneak preview of the book 365 Penguins which will provide the theme for the day. On this day children will create, make and choose their own learning, following inspiration and directions from teachers around the school.In the afternoon celebrations we will discover how many penguins have been created across the whole primary school and what other penguin fun children have had. Some year groups have added items to SPLAT and Busy Learning bags so don’t forget to collect them next week, otherwise you can use everyday items from your house to create your penguin. Have a think this weekend about what you might save to use. We’re looking forward to all the penguin creations!
Ms Maria and Mr Neil
Assistant Headteachers
Following on from the successful EYFS webinar, we are delighted to host a webinar for Year 1 to Year 6 parents about preparing for a return to school for our students. While we don’t have a date to return as yet, we do know that the children and families may need some guidance to ensure there is a smooth transition back to the classroom and the day to day routines of school. Taking place on Tuesday 30th November at 9am, the session will have our Counselling and Support team as well as the leadership team and Year leaders in attendance. We look forward to a great turn out of parents.
Join via Zoom
This week will see the launch of the NAE Writers competition for students from Year 1 to Year 6. There are six categories for the children to choose from Poetry, Diary, Film, Letter, Comic and Photo. Rules include; Entries must be original work, Writing must be in English, It can be submitted as an individual, or as a group, You can enter as many categories as you like, but you can only submit one entry per category, By entering the competition, you agree that Nord Anglia Education can publish your entry online and in print.
The deadline is in February so plenty of time! More details will be shared via Seesaw and in the assembly next week so make sure to look out for it and discuss with your child if they would like to take part. Here is the guide for students. Have a look on Global Campus because there are workshops you might like to participate in. On Monday, November 22nd – the judges’ workshops will be launched on Global Campus.
Ho Ho Ho Boys and Girls!
The Primary PE Department invites all students, parents and teachers to take part in the DECEMBER DASH. For the first 12 days of Christmas, we would like you ALL to get up and get active participating in daily events building a stronger, healthier and more festive community together!
All BIS students, parents and teachers from F1 – Year 6 can take part, however this is an optional activity that our students, families and teachers can participate in to develop health and well-being.
As a PE Team, we’ve set a GOAL to achieve a combined total score of 200,000 minutes of physical activity as a community. This is the number we have chosen, as it represents the average number of lights on the big Christmas trees planted in central squares of towns and cities across the world, as done by many of our home countries.
Who can gain the most minutes of action in your class?... in your year group … in the school … in your family?
Also, there will be a page here for you to submit your photos of you in action - solo, with friends and family, or even with your pets!
So, starting from the 1st December it’s all Go Go Go Ho Ho Ho! , we look forward to sharing with you our passion for the benefits of Physical Activity, and the wondrous joy of the Christmas spirit!
More information about sign up will follow - Watch this space!
Regards, your Primary PE Team
In a letter of thanks and acknowledgement, The Friends for Street Children Association (FFSC) have asked that we extend their “deepest and sincerest gratitude to you all for your generous donations” which allowed for the purchase of 236 food parcels for the families of children at the shelters we engage with. A total of VND 166,850,000 was raised by the PTG Virtual Quiz and the Year 12 CAS “Parcels of Hope” project team which was in excess of the amount needed. The BIS Community Service department has VND 48,850,000 remaining, which will be used to purchase stationary, uniforms, text books and other items needed by the FFSC Binh An, Binh Tho and Binh Trieu centres.
Thank you again to all who supported this cause.
Tracey Brownrigg
Co-Curricular Coordinator and
Community Service Project Manager
During the final week of our fundraiser, we are pleased to provide an update on our fundraising campaign so far. The life changing impact for families and their children has been tremendous, and the generosity of our community has been overwhelming.
Since the initiation of our project, many families have contacted PE&D, thanking donors for their support in helping their families who have been affected by the pandemic. Although we cannot provide the names of these families, we would like to take this opportunity to share a few of their stories.
One beneficiary commented that the support she has received has helped relieve her financial and mental stress as she was constantly worried about how she could earn enough money to provide food for her children. Additionally, another beneficiary expressed how grateful she was for being able to give her children healthy and nutritious meals as a result of PE&D’s food packages.
Furthermore, during an interview with the PE&D social workers, a mother of 2 children and a resident of the Tan Phu District passed on her message of gratitude to our community. In the past few months, she and her husband have struggled financially as they have both been unemployed for a considerable amount of time due to the pandemic. As such, they were both left with no other choice but to relocate to a motel and send their son to his grandmother. Thanks to your support, the family is now able to purchase and provide milk for their newborn baby, and are one step closer to bringing their son back home.
Reflecting on the reciprocal nature of this project, we are proud to have been able to promote a spirit of generosity in our community and have found ourselves reminded that Every Donation Counts, regardless of the amount. This was both a learning opportunity for us as well as an amazing opportunity to give back to our community here in Ho Chi Minh City.
To this end, we have decided to keep donations open for approximately two more weeks. To donate, please visit PE&D’s dedicated donation page. Alternatively, by visiting the Donate Now page on The Luv Project website, you will find all the relevant information on payment methods to contribute to this fundraiser effort. We would also like to remind you that donations via cash are now possible! Please feel free to drop by the BIS campus (225 Nguyen Van Huong Street), and leave your donations in the collection box which is located outside the Guard House of the Junior Campus.
As always, any donation, no matter the size, will be greatly appreciated and we are truly grateful for your support. Once you have made your donation, you will receive a Letter of Gratitude to acknowledge your valuable contribution and kindness during these difficult times.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through our website or our Instagram profile (@theluvprojectvn)!
Thank you for your time and consideration.
The Luv Project.
Adit Jacob, Sidhant Dhawan, Cody Burke, York Fang, Geon Hee Kim, Henry Pham, Peter Kang
22/11/21 Teachers Day Celebration
23/11/21 SPLAT/Busy Learning Bag Distribution
24/11/21 365 Penguin Enrichment Day for Primary
26/11/21 Year 5 Live Lunch ( for students)
26/11/21 Tea Time Sing Song @ 3pm
30/11/21 Preparing your child to return to campus -
Webinar for Y1 to Y6 parents
01 /12 /21 December Dash - 12 Days of Sporty Madness begins.
03/12/21 Term 1 Clubs finish
17/12/21 End of Term 1
5/01/22 Term 2 Begins
Please remember the 5K to keep safe.
Potluck Lunch (Staff only) Monday 22nd November EYIC & Junior 11-1pm
What better way to show our wonderful BIS teachers how much we appreciate all their hard work than another legendary potluck lunch! No event is possible without the generous support from our parent community and there are lots of ways you can get involved!
1. Volunteer to help run the event, Limited number of parents allowed
(No children allowed) 10am-1.30pm
Please sign up below. https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0d4caaa82fa3f9c25-teachers2
2. DONATE FOOD!
Whether you cook it or buy it, please show your appreciation by donating food that will help us host a feast of a lunch!
Please sign up here to donate food. All instructions are included.
EYIC https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CAAA82FA3F9C25-teachers3
JUNIOR https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CAAA82FA3F9C25-teachers4
We continue to encourage our parents to be an active member of our PTG group. One way is to volunteer as a class or country rep. Thanks to all those that have volunteered so far. We have a great turnout of parents. It’s never too late so please click on the links below if you would like to be a class or country rep.
Class rep- Primary PTG BIS: BIS Primary Class Parent Rep_2021/22 (signupgenius.com)
Country rep: Primary PTG BIS: BIS Country Rep 2021/22 (signupgenius.com)
If you have ideas to share or would like to get in touch, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our email is primaryptgbis@gmail.com
Enjoy your weekend and hope to see more sign ups.
Thank you,
Gayatri Shankar Primary PTG Coordinator
How is your reading going?
We thought we would give you a little bit of notice before our next catch-up so that if you haven’t had the chance to read the selected book.
.. there is still some time for you to find a copy and read with us. We’d love you to join us.
Event Details
Date: Thursday 2nd December
Time: 9.30am
Register to join the Zoom Meeting here
For the last two days we have welcomed Year 3 students to collect their Science bags, filled with resources needed for their next unit. It was lovely to see some of the students having a peek through the gate at the Junior Campus. Next Tuesday we are once again distributing SPLAT resources and Busy Learning Bags for students at the EY&I campus. Please sign up if you have not already done so, as the children will need these resources to support their learning over the next two weeks.
Have a restful and relaxing weekend,
Ian Battersby Dee Grimshaw
Head of the Early Years and Infant Campus Head of the Junior Campus
Joining BIS HCMC in Foundation Stage 2 (F2) is a fantastic age to begin a lifetime love for learning, encouraged and nurtured by our experienced and committed class and specialist teachers, who personalise learning unique to every child. We look back at what our F2s have experienced in less than one term already at BIS HCMC.
