Celebration Events
The school celebrates certain major national and international festivals as well as acknowledging the achievements of the student body. Such celebrations are annual calendar events and currently include:
Foundation Day
Before the school year starts the school staff take time to celebrate the founding of the school and to look forward to the year ahead. This takes the form of a traditional Buddhist ceremony and is attended by Thai and foreign staff.
Wai Kru
Early in each academic year there is a Wai Kru ceremony where students show their respect to their teachers and show appreciation for what they will be taught during the year. The celebration includes a traditional Thai student promise, and bouquets of flowers are presented to teachers.
Loy Krathong
This is a major Thai cultural event where students participate in celebrations at the school. In Thai classes, students make small raft-like bouquets of flowers with incense sticks and candles (Krathongs), which they are welcome to take home to launch with their parents during the evening festivities.
Christmas
The school celebrates the Christmas festival with a tree and decorations (incorporating the tree gifts into support for a local charity cause). Music and performance is a major element of this festival, and Santa’s Grotto, organised by our supportive parent community, is an ever-popular feature of the Christmas schedule.
Chinese New Year
The Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated with Lion Dancers and student performances. This is one of the most colourful school celebrations with Primary children and teachers dressing in Chinese costumes. The lion dances take place in the sports hall.
International Day
Once a year everyone at BISP celebrates the diversity of the school community with all children and teachers encouraged to wear national dress. The event unfolds with performances from many of the over 60 nationalities in the school community, and parents provide food for the children and the many visitors to sample.
Songkran
This is the Thai New Year and the school is closed over this important national holiday. The students, however, have the opportunity to acknowledge this festival with activities at school. Since these activities involve much throwing of water and getting wet, they cause much excitement within the school community.
IB Art Exhibition
This is an important event in the school calendar and showcases the work of the IB Diploma artwork undertaken as part of the students’ final examinations. Parents and guests are invited to the exhibition, which is usually opened by a practising professional artist from the wider community.
Book Week
Promoting reading is important all year but for one week of the year, it is given a special focus, including a visiting children’s author. Students and teachers are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character, and in the Primary section of the school, this involves a parade of classes. It is a much-anticipated event on the calendar.
Arts Awards
In recognition of the talent and accomplishments of the students, an arts Awards evening focuses on performance and other forms of the expressive arts. Parents are invited to this event and students throughout the school are able to perform as both individuals and in groups.
Sports Awards
This event is held as a dinner for students and parents at an outside venue and is an opportunity to recognise the individual athletes as well as the teams in the school. It is a formal occasion, where the full range of exceptional athletic achievement is fully appreciated. Coaches make selections for their outstanding athletes and a few of the athletes also demonstrate their artistic talents as well.
Celebration of Achievement
This is a special assembly where the school recognises the full range of academic success and effort. Parents are also invited to this event, and it is interspersed with artistic performances.
Year 6 Transition
Year six students have a special transition assembly attended by parents and all Primary teachers. The students themselves make speeches and provide special performances. This event marks the students’ transition into the Secondary section of the school and follows an orientation and lessons in the Secondary building.
Year 13 Graduation
This is the major academic highlight of the Secondary year, as the school’s Senior class graduates from the school. It follows a traditional format and is attended by parents, relatives and local dignitaries. Special awards are also given to exceptional students. The event is followed by a reception held in the foyer of the main school.