24 Jan 2022

GENERAL

Community Conversation with the Superintendent – Feb 9, 2022 | superintendents.office@gisthailand.org
This is an opportunity for me as the superintendent to give you an update on the school, address school-wide topics, and answer questions from you. You’ll also have an opportunity to enjoy some snacks and make connections with other GIS parents.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022 @ 2 – 3:30 pm
A230, 2nd Floor, Admin Building

One topic of interest will be information on the future building and development plans for the school. We’ll also be introducing Gracy Bondy, our Home and Distance Education (HDE) Director, who will take you through some highlights of our HDE program.

Please RSVP by clicking this LINK.

If you have specific, school-wide questions you would like the leadership to address, you may share them ahead of time on the RSVP form (in the above link).

Home Learning Starts Today⼁ds.office@gisthailand.org
Home Learning officially starts today. If your child(ren) is enrolled in Home Learning in either Elementary or Secondary, you and/or your students will be receiving information about the work for the week as per the procedures laid out in each division’s Home Learning plans. See here for details.

Please contact homelearning@gisthailand.org for further information.

(Reminder)Requirements to be enrolled in Home Learning:

Students must be living in Chiang Mai as there are physical pick-ups associated with the Home Learning formats.
Home Learning is for students who are staying home due to COVID-19 related concerns and for students who are quarantined at home due to different levels of exposure. (This does not include ASQ, Sandbox, or other quarantine for entering Thailand.)
Parents must inform the Elementary and Secondary Offices of their intent to join Home Learning, who will then bring in the Home Learning Coordinators and share the Home Learning agreements and general information with the parents.
Parents must read and sign the Home Learning Agreement for Elementary and Secondary before being enrolled into Home Learning.
Students are required to be enrolled in Home Learning for at least a week before they choose to leave and return to in-person learning.
UPDATE – Students will stay in Home Learning for no longer than 2 weeks or until medically cleared.

Tiger Shop | uniformshop@gisthailand.org
If you are interested in buying uniforms, the Tiger Shop is open Monday – Friday from 8am – 4pm. Please enter the Tiger Shop from the door behind the administration building.

Student Safety Parent Training | studentsafety@gisthailand.org
HUG Project, in collaboration with Facebook, US FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), and TICAC (Thailand internet Crimes Against Children), will be presenting a virtual Zoom training for GIS parents on cyberbullying, sexual abuse, and Thailand legal framework for child protection. An English session will be on Thursday, January 27th, 7:00-8:15pm. A Thai session will be on Monday, January 31, 7:00-8:15pm. Links will be posted here a few minutes before the meetings begin.

Nurse’s Office Update | nurse@gisthailand.org
As of Monday, January 24th at 8am, the CMT is aware of 0 positive PCRs currently among GIS students and staff.

If your student is feeling unwell (ie, fever, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, eye drainage, diarrhea, vomiting etc), please keep them home from school, even if they ATK negative, and review our Attendance Policy Related to Illness.

To sign-up to get your 5-11 year old Pfizer vaccines, please complete the form emailed by Communications no later than Wednesday, January 26th at 12pm/noon. For information on COVID vaccines or boosters for 12-18 year olds, please visit our COVID FAQ page.

Re-enrollment physical exams are due on Monday, January 31st.

ELEMENTARY

Tiger Pride Day | elementary.office@gisthailand.org
Once a month elementary show our Tiger Pride by having a dress-up day. Each month is a different theme but they are always FUN! This month’s Tiger Pride Day theme is NO UNIFORM DAY and will be Thursday, January 27. On that day students are encouraged to wear their favorite blue jeans/long pants, sweater/t-shirt, and favorite jacket. It’s their chance to show off their favorite cool-weather clothes and jackets. If your child chooses not to dress according to the Tiger Pride theme, they should wear their normal Grace uniform with their favorite jacket (navy blue jacket not required on this day).

MAP Assessments | elementary.office@gisthailand.org
Twice a year 3rd – 6th graders participate in MAP Assessments. Fall MAP Assessments have been rescheduled to take place during the first three weeks in February. Parents will receive a letter explaining what MAP is and a schedule later this week.

Elementary Clubs | elementary.office@gisthailand.org
Unfortunately, there will be no 2nd-semester clubs offered this year.

Elementary Athletics | athletics@gisthailand.org
Please check out the Athletics announcement below. Last week you should have received an email with detailed information on the soccer opportunities being offered by our GIS Athletics Department. If you have any questions, please check out their soccer page at https://sites.google.com/gisthailand.org/gis-athletics/sports/soccer or email athletics@gisthailand.org.

Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences | elementary.office@gisthailand.org
Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for February 24 & 25. There will be NO SCHOOL for elementary students on those days. You’ll be receiving more information in the coming weeks. Please note: Secondary Parent-Teacher Conferences are January 28 – this will be a normal school day for elementary students.

SECONDARY

Common Sense School | secondary.office@gisthailand.org

We are now a Common Sense School!

Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. Every day, Common Sense supports parents and teachers with trusted advice to support kids’ digital well-being. Visit https://www.commonsense.org for more information.

Jan. 28 – No School for Secondary Students & Parent Teacher Conferences | secondary.office@gisthailand.org
Sign-ups closing soon!! Parent Teacher Conferences are this Friday, January 28. No school for Secondary students.

Time slots available from 8:00-11:45 am and 12:45-4:15 pm on the 28 January.
Click Tutorial in English or Tutorial in Korean for instructions on how to log in and schedule appointments.
Sign ups will close at noon tomorrow, 25 January 2022.
Please do not come on campus for conferences if you are not feeling well or have tested positive for COVID in the past 10 days. In this case, please email below.
For questions, please email secondary.office@gisthailand.org.

Academic Plan Meetings in February and March | counselor@gisthailand.org

Grades 8-11 students will be visiting with their Academic Counselor about post-graduation goals, future academic plans, and courses that should be taken next academic year to meet these goals and to ensure graduation from GIS. A proposed schedule of courses will be created and recorded on the student’s 4-year Academic Plan document in Classroom (ask your student to see this). When the time comes, it is highly recommended that students and parents refer to this Plan when choosing classes for the 2022-2023 school year.

Grade 7 students will have a class meeting at the end of March to receive a customized handout that shows them what Grade 8 elective classes will fulfill the requirements; they should use this when choosing classes for the next school year. FamilyWeb course selection will open in the later part of April.

Eligibility Grade Check Thursday, January 27| secondary.office@gisthailand.org
This Thursday there will be an eligibility grade check. Any student who has two grades below 70 or one below 60 will be ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities and competitions. This would remain in effect until the next grade check.

Upcoming Dates
January 27 – Eligibility Grade Check
January 28 – Parent Teacher Conferences – No school for Secondary students
February 1 – Art Club
February 4 – Speech and Debate Society
February 7 – Family Home Weekend (No school)

SPIRITUAL LIFE

Secondary Student Food Drive | spirituallife@gisthailand.org
We are collecting food and items for families in need in our community! We are asking each of the different secondary grades to bring the following items:

7th grade: 5kg bag of rice
8th grade: Instant noodles (pack of 6)
9th grade: 1 bottle of cooking oil
10th grade: Canned mackerel (pack of 6)
11th grade: Shampoo and bar of soap
12th grade: Multi-pack toothbrush and toothpaste

There will be collecting bins in the Secondary building for students to drop off their donations. The grade with the most items at the end of the week will win an ice cream party!

Spiritual Life Podcast | spirituallife@gisthailand.org
The podcast Getting There with Jack and Madde is back! This week’s episode (released on Friday, Jan. 21) is a conversation about spiritual habits and how they help us connect with Jesus. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Resources for Students’ Faith Journeys| spirituallife@gisthailand.org
We want to provide students with tools to help them follow Jesus. They can find these resources on our Spiritual Life Website under “Student Tools.”

ATHLETICS

This Week in Athletics | athletics@gisthailand.org

Monday, Jan. 24
⚽️ U14 Boys Soccer Tryouts

Tuesday, Jan. 25
⚽️ U8/U10/U12 Soccer begins! Please sign up here by January 24th!

Wednesday, Jan. 26
⚽️ U14 Boys Soccer Tryouts
⚽️ U14 Girls Soccer Tryouts

Friday, Jan. 28
⚽️ U14 Girls Soccer Tryouts