BPS Newsletter
Issue 15 - 6th December 2019
Festive Foundation Fun - by Mr Luke Chaeter
This week, the festive celebrations have firmly begun!
I would like to firstly thank all parents, members of staff and the entire community for supporting what was an excellent and extremely successful TES 2019 Christmas Bazaar! We were very fortunate with the weather, which helped to further shape a great day. Also, it was wonderful to take time to speak to so many supportive families, shop in the eclectic stalls, and support the tremendous acts which took place on the main stage. We truly have a wonderful and talented community!
It was a pleasure watching the Foundation Christmas Performance on Tuesday. The children all performed magnificently, and certainly looked the part! Every year I am truly amazed to see how well the children in the earliest years adapt to such a big stage, with ease, enthusiasm and confidence. All the teaching staff do an incredible job to support this, not to mention the support of all parents who help with costumes, making this a memorable event. Leaving the amphitheatre, I certainly felt the Christmas spirit running through my veins, whistling 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' as I strolled through the campus corridors!
On Thursday, I briefly met with the PTA, firstly to thank all for the support that they have given the school over the first semester, then went to the ECCT Luncheon at The Palais de Chine. This was made extra special as the children of the EPC jazz and choir sections provided the excellent entertainment. I am always very proud of the students, but would also like to thank both Ms Kao and Ms Lin for their continued dedication, as I am sure you will agree, music is a real strength of the school!
Finally, I would like to thank all who made the Parent Teacher Consultations today, and hope that you found this beneficial. These are structured to ensure that you can both celebrate your children's achievements, but also provide a valuable insight into current progress, and how to best support to ensure that your child succeeds!
I wish you a wonderful weekend,
Luke Chaeter
Foundation Stage Christmas Concert - by Mrs Jennie Bonnelie
On Tuesday the children from Nursery and Reception put on a fantastic Christmas Concert. We are so proud of each and every child and their class team efforts to perform beautiful Christmas songs, actions and dances. A special thank you to Ms Lin, Ms Kristie and Ms Kao for supporting and bringing the whole show together.
Thank you to all the parents, family and friends who supported us in the audience and for making such a range of brilliant costumes!
This was a wonderful end to a fantastic first term.
The Foundation Stage team wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
The Joy Of Giving - by Mrs Jennie Bonnalie
Each year the Nursery children work on a gift to give to their families. This year the Nursery children created a beautiful and decorative Christmas tree ornament. Mr Dawes helped us to cut out wooden triangles for each child. The children then painted and hammered in lots of different objects and colourful materials. The process took a couple of weeks, and the results were fantastic. It also helped to encourage some of the more reluctant Nursery children to have a go at woodwork, and try something new. Well done everyone and Merry Christmas!
Bo Mi Pong - by Ms Ann Liufalani
On Tuesday, the Year Three children were treated to a wonderful experience. With the help of our parents, we managed to have a rice puffing machine come to school and show the children how puffed rice is made.
They followed the process carefully and were amazed by how much puffed rice can be made from a small amount of rice.
One of the highlights was the loud BOOM when the rice finally exploded.
The children enjoyed the experience and were happy to taste the sweetened puffed rice and eager to take home a small bag to share with their family.
Year 5 Trip to National Space Organization - by Mr Tom Newman, Mia and Kai (B5.2)
This week, Year 5 went to the NSPO (National Space Organisation) in Hsinchu. There we learned and saw how the satellites are made and, before they are launched, the tests that they have to face. We were able to meet scientists who work on the very complicated missions to send FORMOSAT satellites into orbit. - Mia and Kai
The children were in awe of the detail and technical work that goes into these incredible satellite launches. We discussed how the work of the NSPO impacts on our everyday lives and left feeling like we had been very lucky to see inside the walls of the organisation. Our children represented the school excellently. - Mr Newman
Ring in the season with a celebration of song! - by Ms Edith Kao
On 5 Dec, our Tri-section Jazz Band musicians and Upper Choir singers have been invited to present a joyous afternoon of holiday music at ECCT Luncheon at Palai De Chine Hotel, Taipei. Upper Choir opened the program with the traditional Christmas tune "Joy of Man's Desiring" and some upbeat Christmas singing. The Jazz Band performed jazz favorites and highlighted some outstanding players. Towards the end the Jazz Band and Upper Choir joined together and performed the rousing and recognisable tune "Feliz Navidad". With a "HO, HO, HO!" from Santa our young musicians enjoyed the event and left full of festive spirit and Christmas cheer.
Rap Tribe competition by Mr Corné Coetzee
On Tuesday we held our first Tribe Competition, in the form of a Rap Show. Three groups from 3 different tribes entered the competition. It was amazing to see the manner in which these children performed their rap. The am sure all the Year5 and Year6 students enjoyed the show as much as I did. A special thanks to Mrs. Kao and Mrs. Lin for their support and guidance during the build-up of the competition.
Congratulations to the Ami tribe! Winner of 500 Tribe points. Sharing second place were the Rukai and Paiwan tribes!
A big thank you to all the students that participated in the rap competition. By doing so, you earned valuable tribe points for your tribes. The Ami tribe is now leading the scoreboard.
The Bebras Computing Challenge by Mr Dipak Mondal
The Bebras Computing Challenge introduces computational thinking to students.
It is organised by Hertford College of Oxford University and designed to get students all over the world excited about computing. The Bebras challenges are made of a set of problems called Bebras tasks and delivered online. The tasks are fun, engaging and based on problems that Computer Scientists often meet and enjoy solving using logical thinking. The problems come in three levels of difficulty: A, B and C. The "A" problems are the easiest. "C" problems the hardest. The scoring rules are as follows:
Difficulty.............Correct................Incorrect..............Unanswered
A.........................+6 points.............0 points...............0 points
B.........................+9 points.............-2 points..............0 points
C.........................+12 points...........-4 points..............0 points
Primary school children are divided into 3 groups:
Kits (age 6-8): Year 2 and Year 3 (out of 119 points)
Castors (age 8-10): Year 4 and Year 5 (out of 152 points)
Juniors (age 10-12): Year 6 and Year 7 (out of 200 points)
During the second week of November 2019, all Year 2 to Year 6 children participated in the UK Bebras Event. UK Bebras not only emphasises participation but also recognises top-performing students. Students in each age group received Certificate of Participation, Merit, Distinction and Best in School. 21 high scorers from Year 6 are invited to enter the prestigious TCS Oxford Computing Challenge (online) starting March 2020.
Year 2 - Year 5 students who scored full points received a best in school certificate. Top scorers from year 6 also received Best in School certificate. Students who received a certificate of Best in School are:
B2.1 KAYLEE KIM
B2.2 DUSTIN CHEN / RYAN CHIU / OLIVIA LIN / KIERA TAN
B3.1 HANS PIEN / CALVIN SASS / PETER WU
B3.2 NELSON LIN / SEBASTIAN PENG / VICTOR WITTOUCK
B3.3 RYAN CARNE-ROSS / LUISA HO / KURTIS HSI
B3.4 RYAN BOLGER / HARVEY LEE / SIMON LOOSLI
B4.2 AUSTIN SU
B4.4 KINGSTON TSAI / TOMMY WANG
B5.1 DOREEN CHAO / RAY LEE / CHARMAINE YIP
B5.2 ERIN HUANG / ANDREW HUNG / KARISSA KO
B5.3 AYA DUXFIELD / KYLE HSI / LEO LIN
B5.4 ALEC CHANG / AMBER CHEN / VICTORIA SHEUNG
B6.1 YURI WU
B6.2 HELIO LIN
B6.3 WATSON YU
B6.4 KYLE CHIU / JEFFREY CHIU
Important Reminder by Mr Luke Chaeter
Safeguarding
Please remember to have your school entry ID clearly displayed at all times whilst on the campus.
Toilets
The toilets located between the ECA office and the dining hall are Children Only. Adults are not allowed to use these, apart from the Baby Changing room located directly at the entrance to these toilets, if they need to accompany their children.
Adult toilets are located immediately next to the main office, children cannot use these.
Please ensure that you follow this policy.
Lost and Found
We have a growing amount of clothing and other accessories currently being stored on campus. Please ensure that you check this before the winter break, as this will be donated if not claimed.
Cycle Helmet
We want to encourage as many students, where possible to use sustainable transport when commuting to and from school, however, we want this to be as safe as possible.
Please encourage your children to wear a helmet if they are riding to school.
It takes a playground to raise our kids! by Mrs Marlies Wouters
Dear parents and caretakers. It is so nice to let our kids play in the playground after school. To meet with friends and have some down time, playing around and moving our bodies. Good for kids and also mums ( and dads!) So they can have a talk.
It would be more nicer if the kids will leave the barks where they belong and don’t make it a foggy side so we cannot watch over the kids anymore. Lets not throw or mess around too much because the barks will provide us with a lot of brown dusty air. Not sure you like to wash this out every time? Also it gets to your lungs if some quick kiddos are sliding into a bunch!
No playing tennis with them as well..find a ball and a tennis court for this.
Also the new toys are not for throwing. Shall we teach our kids to use it in a proper way?
School got these to have more opportunities to play, we can teach our kids that throwing will hurt someone or you demolish things and we have to be careful.
Some times kids get an argument, I have seen kids having a fight. Maybe we can help them to solve this?
When you see this happen, if kids make wrong choices, we all as parents should say something about it. Ask the kids why they are making that choice. What other options they have? Can they choose a different one? Ask them how they feel. Try to involve their parents as well, we all learn from one another. But don’t wait for things to explode. Try to help all kids, even if it is not yours, to make a better choice.
Lets make it a clear and friendly playground. So no more foggy business. It takes a playground to raise our kids!
Taipei European School British Primary Section
Website: https://taipeieuropeanschool.com/index.php?id=120
Location: No. 99, Fuguo Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111
Phone: +886-2-8145-9007
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/British-Primary-Section-Taipei-European-School-1781787432102978/