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Roles and responsibilities of families at Magic Years.
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PARENT HANDBOOK
School Address and Contact Information
Magic Years International School
59/307-308 Muangthong Thani
Chaengwattana Soi 29
Pakkred, Nonthaburi 11120
Thailand
Telephone Fax
662-981 7770 662-981-4232
662-574 2168
662-573-4597 to 8
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.magicyears.ac.th
School Map
Table of Contents
Topic Page Topic Page
Message from the School
Leadership Team
Social Media Disclaimer
Conflict Resolution 13
About Us
The New Campus 1 Sickness Policy 14
History
Philosophy 2
After School Club Program
After School Supervision 15
Mission Statement
Guiding Principles 3
After School Clubs
Essential Agreement 16
School Calendar 4
Emergencies
Open House
Parent-Teacher Conferences
17
Admissions Policy
Terms 5
Separation Process
First Day of School 18
Programs 6 Sharing Learning Through
Conferences 19
Enrollment Procedure
Fee Policy 7
Report Cards at Magic Years 21-26
Payment Schedule 8 Transportation 26
Class Size
Part-Time Program 9
Birthday
Library Books
Field Trips
27
Attendance and Punctuality
Tardies Essential Agreement 10
Contributions for Events
Swimming
School Closure
28
Withdrawal
Electronic Communication 11
Curriculum 29-38
Security 12 Parental Involvement 39
The Evolving Magic Years Community Message from the School Leadership Team This year has been marked by the evolution and growth of Magic Years as we journey towards the move to our new campus and becoming a full-fledged primary school. We saw the fulfillment of the initial steps of our long-term vision of providing quality education to an increasing number of families in a new purpose-built campus. The most remarkable aspect of the process thus far has been the full involvement of our community and the enthusiasm of teachers, parents, children and staff in this period of transition. This journey began at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year, when we engaged in a collaborative inquiry process looking at what we considered to be the strengths and key advantages of our present campus. Stakeholders were asked: “What do we like about our present school and why?” They were then asked to share their thinking about the design of the new campus. This community exercise, which was introduced to children, families and staff, also divulged the school’s plans for growth, the site of the future campus and the factors that led us to choosing the new campus location. A presentation was also shared highlighting key information and photos of the recent developments at the new campus. From our toddlers to our first graders, the children sat down in front of the projector screen, listened attentively, asked questions and shared thoughts on the new campus. The next challenge for the school leaders was to determine how to creatively incorporate the community’s thoughts and ideas in the new campus. This required the work of the project’s highly talented architect, Mr. Richard Chiu of CAPA, to include the ideas as seamlessly as possible in the campus design. Also necessary for our team was to select a contractor with not only an excellent record, but who also understood our vision to build a campus suited to the needs of our school community with the principles of quality, safety, and environmental conservation in mind. We were pleased to then welcome our contractor, B Boy Bell Group, to the team to facilitate and oversee the construction of our new campus.
Our growth from a Kindergarten to a Primary School required us to revisit our identity, to incorporate our new image into our profile, and to find ways to communicate our growth to a wider audience. For this, we hired a professional marketing agency, PAM++, to lead us through this process. The first step was to establish who we are and how we see ourselves. As part of this process, we invited a group of parents, staff and teachers to participate in a preliminary briefing and brainstorming session with experienced marketing consultants to share ideas on the school's current position and future possibilities. This exercise helped us to identify what makes up Magic Years’ core values and growth edges. We were pleased to learn that we were given an average grade of an A from our parents – a sign of encouragement for us to keep working hard, improving and growing. Creating a new identity also meant revisiting our school name, Magic Years International Kindergarten, to reflect our growth as a full-fledged primary school. Many new and unique names were suggested, but an informal survey led us to understand that “Magic Years” should still be included as part of our identity. Hence, the new name MY International School. Another element of our identity that required tweaking was our school logo. We asked PAM++ to help us with the design. They gave us several choices and after much deliberation, two logos were chosen to present to the school community for their selection. We invited the entire community - including our youngest students in the Trust & Caring class, our oldest students in Grade 2, and parents, teachers and staff - to vote for their favorite logo and to give their reasoning. We tallied the results and then chose our new school logo! At the beginning of May 2015, we inaugurated construction at the new campus with a groundbreaking ceremony led by a monk/Brahmin. This ceremony not only brought good fortune to the construction to honor our host country, but it was also a unique cultural learning experience for many of the teachers, staff, shareholders and children that attended that day. We now look forward to the exciting months that lie ahead as we continue to grow, evolve, learn and prepare for the transition to our new campus! Sincerely, The Magic Years Leadership Team
About Us
Magic Years is an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School
and offers the IB Primary Years Program (IB PYP), which emphasizes the
ideals of international understanding, responsible citizenship and academic
excellence. With the success of the IB authorization visit in September 2012,
Magic Years achieved "IB World School" status and recognition from one of
the world's most respected educational organizations. Magic Years now
joins one of three IB World Schools in Bangkok to offer the IB PYP.
Magic Years has been implementing the IB PYP program for the past 7 years
- the majority of this time as an IB candidate school. This experience has
provided MYIS with a solid foundation and developmental understanding of
current and appropriate “teaching and learning” practices. This upcoming
academic year marks the second phase of the planned expansion of the
school to include the organic development of a complete primary school.
In August 2015, Magic Years began offering a Grade 3 class. Each academic
year thereafter, the school will extend its program by one year until the
entire primary years is complete, as indicated by the timeline below:
2015-2016 – Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3
2016-2017 – Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4
2017-2018 – Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5
This plan also calls for a move to a new campus in order to provide the
necessary facilities and support for a complete primary school program.
The New Campus
To achieve our long-term vision of impacting as many families as possible,
Magic Years International Kindergarten is expanding and in the midst of
building a new, purpose-built campus which will soon become our flagship
school!
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The new campus will allow us to expand the scope of our operations while
creating state-of-the-art facilities tailored to meeting the needs of a 21st
century education.
History
Magic Years, a private independent educational institution, started in 1990
at the house of the founder in Sukhumvit Soi 42. In 1994, a second branch of
Magic Years opened in Chaengwattana Soi 28 at the request of a group of
parents who had heard about the school and the reputation it was gaining
for its quality education. Magic Years moved to its present location in Muang
Thong Thani (Chaengwattana Soi 29) in April 2006 with an extensive open
space, a swimming pool, indoor gym, and landscaped gardens.
Philosophy
The school is guided by the philosophy that “each child is like a mine rich in
gems of estimable value’ and that ‘education can alone cause it to reveal its
treasures, and enable mankind to benefit from it” ( Baha’i writings).
Education must be able to develop the student’s intellectual, emotional,
social, physical, moral and spiritual capacities. This may be achieved not
only by providing knowledge and skills to meet the needs and requirements
of a modern age, but also by inculcating and enriching in students high
ideals and moral standards.
Magic Years follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years
Program (PYP) curriculum – a transdisciplinary program of international
education focusing on the total growth of the developing child. The
curriculum touches hearts as well as minds and in addition to academic
excellence encompasses all human faculties. Furthermore, the PYP draws
on research and best practices from a range of top-notch national systems.
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Mission Statement
Magic Years aims to develop a caring community that moves together to
celebrate and respect people from all cultures.
We provide a challenging program that balances the body, mind, and soul,
understanding that they are of equal importance to nurture each individual
as a life-long learner.
Guiding Principles
Magic Years believes:
That each child is like a “mine rich in gems of inestimable value.
Education can alone cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind
to benefit from it.”
In inculcating and developing in students’ new virtues, moral standards,
and capacities.
In providing knowledge and skills to meet the needs and requirements
of a modern age.
In providing education free from all forms of prejudice.
In encouraging and developing students to investigate the realities of
things with an unbiased mind.
In constantly striving for excellence in teaching and administration.
In applying a systematic learning process in all its educational activities.
In developing the student’s intellectual, emotional, social, physical, moral
and spiritual capacities.
In the power and importance of expression and thus constantly
encouraging and developing the student’s ability and skills in
communication.
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Magic Years School Calendar 2015-2016
Admissions Policy Magic Years welcomes children of all nationalities and backgrounds. Stu-
dents enrolling in our programs should be of the following ages before Sep-
tember 1st of the school year.
Mommy & Me Birth to 1 year
Trust 1-2 years
Caring 1-2 years
Joy 2-3 years
Confidence 2-3 years
Peace 3-4 years
Unity 3-4 years
Creativity 4-5 years
Service 4-5 years
Excellence 5-6 years
Grade 1 6-7 years
Grade 2 7-8 years
Grade 3 8-9 years
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Terms
There are two terms a year:
Term 1: August - December
Term 2: January - June
Programs
Mommy & Me 9:00am - 11:00am
(1 day a week)
Trust & Caring 8:00am - 12:30pm
1 – 2 years (3 or 5 days a week)
Joy & Confidence 8:00am - 12:30pm
2 - 3 years (3 or 5 days a week)
Peace & Unity 8:00am - 12:30pm
3 – 4 years (5 days a week)
Creativity & Service (pre-K) 8:00am – 2:00pm
4 - 5 years (5 days a week)
Excellence (Kindergarten) 8:00am – 2:00pm
5 – 6 years (5 days a week)
Grade 1 8:00am – 2:45pm
6 – 7 years (5 days a week)
Grade 2 8.00am—2.45pm
7-8 years (5 days a week)
Grade 3 8.00am—2.45pm
8-9 years (5 days a week)
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Enrollment Procedure
1. Fill out the Enrollment Application form provided.
2. Fill out the General Health and Immunization forms.
3. Fill out the Bus Service and Extended hours forms (if necessary).
4. Submit the above applicable forms together with:
one passport-size photo of your child
one passport-size photo of each parent/guardian
one passport-size photos of nanny, driver or person authorized to collect your child from school
copy of child’s passport/ID card (ID page and page with non-immigrant visa, if applicable)
copy of each parent/guardian’s passport /ID card (ID page and page with non-immigrant visa, if applicable)
copy of nanny’s ID Card with parent/guardian signature
copy of the house registration (for Thai nationals only)
copy of report card/recommendation letter from previous school if any
5. Appointment with School Director.
6. Await acceptance decision from the school.
7. Pay the registration fee and applicable tuition fees.
Fee Policy New students entering the school should pay the registration fee at the
time of enrollment, in order to confirm a place in the school.
The registration fee is a one-time payment and it is non-refundable. The registration must be paid in full and cannot be prorated.
Tuition fees must be paid before the child’s first day of school. Tuition fees will be prorated according to the registration date of the child. The tuition fee is not refundable.
If your child will not be attending Magic Years for one term or any part of a term and if you would like a seat to be available upon his/her return to school, the tuition fee must be paid in full for that term.
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Payment Schedule First semester: A non-refundable deposit payment of 20,000 THB is due by May 15, 2015. This amount will be credited against the tuition fees. The remaining fees must be paid by July 10, 2015. Second semester: The fees must be paid in full by December 11, 2015. After School Clubs Registration and billing for After School Clubs will begin in August. Fees will be prorated for late enrollment. Sibling Discount Registration Fee: 2nd child = 20% discount 3rd child and subsequent children = 30% discount Tuition Fee: 2nd child = 5% discount 3rd child and subsequent children = 30% discount Late Enrollment Tuition fees will be prorated according to the start date. Overdue Payment Overdue payments will incur a penalty fee of 1.5% per month. Withdrawal There is no refund for early withdrawal. Method of Payment By cash or check. Please address the check to “Magic Years Education Development Co., Ltd.” By direct payment to any branch of the Siam Commercial Bank PCL. By wire transfer. Bank Name: Siam Commercial Bank (Chaengwattana Road Branch) Account Name: Magic Years Education Development Co., Ltd Saving Account No: 324-4-00784-6 SWIFT Code: SICO THBK Please fax the pay-in slip with the child’s full name to 02-981-4232.
Part-Time Program (3 days a week)
The part-time program with the option to attend school 3 days a week
provides an alternative arrangement for families who are unable to bring
their child to school every day or who would prefer to start with a 3 day
option. In order for our part-time program to run effectively in conjunction
with the full-time program, there are certain guidelines in place that must be
followed. These measures are designed to ensure a balance and flow in our
program for all children enrolled.
The first step in this process is for families to select a preferred set of days
for which their child shall attend school (see the “Part-Time Selection of
Days” form). Families are asked to use the guidelines and policies below in
choosing the days of the week for their child:
1. For the Trust, Caring, Joy and Confidence Classes, families may choose to
enroll 3 or 5 days a week.
2. The school will assign the days of the week for your child while taking
into consideration your preferred selection.
3. Days of the week, once assigned, may not be changed during the course
of the term unless approval has been given by the administration. All
requests must go through the administration and not the classroom
teacher.
4. The option to select three consecutive days is not available. This
combination results in an extended absence from school each week,
which may adversely affect your child’s adjustment and separation
process.
5. Make-up dates for sickness or holidays are not permitted.
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Attendance and Punctuality
It is expected that all children will arrive to school on time each day. If your
child arrives to school late, s/he will be missing out on the morning routine
experience along with all the learning, development and foundations this
will set for the rest of the day. Children are encouraged to have an early bed
time so that they wake up comfortably in the morning, while experiencing a
complete night’s sleep. It is important for families to plan and organize their
child’s night and morning routines so that their child may begin the school
day on time.
The numbers of the days of absence and tardies are included in your child’s
Term 1 and Term 2 school report cards.
Tardies Essential Agreement
WHAT are tardies?
Tardies is the name given to the action of coming to school late. If your child
arrives at Magic Years late, with each minute your child is missing out on
experiencing the very important arrival at school routine along with all the
learning, development and foundations this will set for the rest of the day.
WHY are tardies not supporting your child’s development?
“Little People” deserve:
respect
to be seen, heard and understood by others
to be in touch with nature and the environment before class time
to have an early bed time so that they naturally wake up early in the morning, but still experience their complete night’s sleep
to feel like a member of their class
the opportunity to hear the bell and know that it is their class’ time to move inside together
to begin the day at the beginning of the day (8.15 am) with their friends
family support and organization to get ready for school each morning
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Weekly attendance record: 1. Teaching Teams will continue to take attendance from the time your class
is scheduled to begin: 8.00 am: Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 classes 8.15 am: Creativity & Service and Excellence classes 8.30 am: Peace & Unity, Joy & Confidence and Trust & Caring classes
2. Weekly Attendance folder will be sent to the office at 8.45 am each day
3. Any Little Person who arrives after 8.45 am will need to do the following:
Visit the office with their parent Have their time of arrival and reason for lateness recorded in their
class Weekly Attendance Record folder Take a late pass Make their way to their classroom with their Parent Hand over the late pass to their class Teaching Team
Teaching team will also record this information in their classroom’s copy of the weekly attendance record folder.
Withdrawal
A student withdrawing from school should give the office a minimum notice of
1 month. Notice of withdrawal and student clearance slips should be
completed before clearance can be given. The school will issue the necessary
school documents to the student for his/her new school. The progress report
and other pertinent school records will not be released if the student owes
money for lost library books, textbooks, school fees, etc. Families must settle
all financial business prior to the last day of school.
Electronic Communication
The majority of written communication with parents is sent via email. Please
provide the office with up-to-date, functional email addresses and mobile
numbers which you access regularly. If your email account is not receiving
Magic Years communication, please contact the office. Parents can
communicate with teachers at their Magic Years email addresses. Parents will
also be informed of urgent announcements and reminders via the SMS
notification service.
Security 1. School Bus We have been carefully reviewing our school bus procedures and have incorporated or reinforced the following safety measures: a. Bus Duty A member of the administrative team is present at the carport during arrival and departure periods while checking the attendance of children exiting and entering the bus. b. Bus Attendance A member of the teaching staff on morning playground duty is present at the carport to cross-check school bus attendance as children depart from the bus and enter the playground. c. Bus Inspection After the children are dropped off in the morning, a member of the administrative team inspects the school buses for safety hazards and cleanliness. d. GPS Tracking All school buses have been equipped with GPS tracking devices to allow for real-time monitoring of the route, location and condition of each vehicle. 2. CCTV Surveillance CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed at both school entrances to monitor the arrival/departure of children and adults. 3. Professional Guard Service A professional guard company has been hired to help secure our main entrance, especially during peak arrival/departure hours. 4. Safety Audit At the start of the school year, an external professional engineering company inspected and certified our equipment and electrical systems to ensure that it meets the highest safety standards. 5. Staff Training Specific training programs were designed and carried out for staff and teachers on the following topics: safety and security, health and sanitation, first aid.
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6. Parent/Caregiver ID Cards There are two entrances to Magic Years – the back gate at Chaengwattana Soi 19 and the front gate at Chaengwattana Soi 29. Parents may choose to enter either gate of the school. To enter through Soi 29, you will need a car sticker to get into the village. This can be purchased in the school office. Parents/caregivers must present a Magic Years ID card at the guardhouse when entering the campus. Please continue to wear the ID cards while on campus. Nannies/drivers will also be given ID cards and must wear them at all times on campus. If a nanny or driver is no longer employed, please inform the office and make sure to return their ID card. Visitors are required to sign in and exchange an official ID card for a "Visitor's Pass".
Social Media Disclaimer
The purpose of Magic Years' Social Media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) is to promote the school's vision and mission, strengthen our community ties, and communicate the latest Magic Years news and information. Furthermore, it offers a unique opportunity to view the well-documented progress of your child throughout the year. Magic Years produces and maintains its own Social Media pages. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or delete comments or posts, photos, and videos at any time. We ask that families exercise good online manners and etiquette in using our social media sites. Information or material that may be considered inappropriate, offensive, or in bad taste will be subject to removal. If you find inappropriate content or would like any content removed, please notify the school. Magic Years will on occasion engage with local media (television and news magazines) for the purpose of reaching out and establishing a presence in the wider community. Care will be taken not to expose individual children unless prior permission is sought from the parents.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution is centered on the concept that “children have important rights.” Our teaching teams offer children choices, explain reasons for rules and expectations and instill self-respect and confidence in children. We use positive techniques of guidance. This includes logical or natural consequences applied to problem situations, re-direction, anticipation and elimination of potential problems and encouragement of appropriate behavior rather the competition, comparison or criticism. Consistent clear and fair rules are developed with the children and are discussed with them to make sure they understand.
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Sickness Policy
The Sickness Policy at Magic Years requests families not to send sick or ill
children to school. The child will not feel well enough to participate in
regular school activities and it would be in his/her best interest to rest and
recover at home. Moreover, other children and staff will be exposed to the
illness and this will ultimately lead to a cycle of sickness in the school as well
as carry over to siblings at home.
Magic Years has a list of guidelines concerning when a child should be sent
home or be allowed to stay at school. A child shall be sent home when he/
she has:
A fever over 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37.5 degrees Celsius).
Difficulty breathing or severe pain.
Redness, sores and crusting of the skin around the nose and mouth.
An earache and/or is pulling at his or her ears, which might be
accompanied by fever and fussiness.
Recurring episodes of diarrhea or vomiting.
Visible signs of an eye infection.
Head lice.
If a child arrives at school with any of these symptoms or falls ill during
school hours, the office will contact the parents, who will then be expected
to make arrangements to pick up the child immediately. In order to
minimize exposure during this process, the child will be removed from the
class until a parent or caregiver has arrived. The child should return to
school when he/she is completely free of symptoms and cleared by the
doctor to attend school. Medical certificate from the doctor, stating that the
child is completely recovered, needs to be provided on the day of the child’s
return.
Furthermore, we do not provide medication to a child without consent from
the parents. If a child has to take medication, then it is advisable that it be
given at home. If the medication has to be given at school, then the parent
must fill out the “Medication Authorization Form” indicating the child's full
name, class name, name of medication, expiration date, prescribing date,
dosage along with calibrated measuring equipment. Without this
information we are unable to administer any medication to your child.
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Furthermore, the School Nurse has the right to remove the child from the class if she notices any symptoms of a sickness.
After School Clubs
Session 1: 1:15pm - 2:00pm Session 2: 2:15pm - 3:00pm Session 3: 3:15pm - 4:00pm The After School Clubs are a great way for children to spend their time after
school engaging in fun and meaningful activities. After School Clubs provide
children opportunities to learn and develop additional skills and talents and
it is also convenient for those who have older siblings who finish school at a
later time.
For the younger classes once the children are dismissed at 12:30pm, they
proceed to the playground until 1:15pm. During this time, the children are
looked after by the Co-Teachers. Session activities (i.e. Art, Tae Kwon Do,
Swimming, etc.) begin at 1:15pm, 2.15pm and 3.15pm and will be led by
Head Teachers or Specialist Teachers.
After School Supervision
Our Supervision Program is optional for families and takes place in the Trust
& Caring Homeroom (downstairs area) with a Co-Teacher from Magic Years
who will provide a safe and secure environment for your child. The
environment will be set up to offer open-ended activities whilst the children
wait for your arrival at school.
Please remember, the Supervision Program is not part of our After School
Clubs. Therefore, if you would like your child to explore opportunities where
they can expand and build upon their hobbies and interests, please refer to
our After School Club booklet and registration information.
At the end of the school day, students and parents are expected to leave the
campus by 4:00pm.
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After School Clubs Essential Agreement Families must be in agreement with the following in order to sign up for an
After School Club:
The maximum enrollment for each After School Club will be determined
at the beginning of the term. All parties concerned will be aware of the
maximum numbers allowed in each class so that we maintain optimal
adult-child ratio and learning.
The families will need to submit their request for an After School Club at
least one week in advance so that the transition can be supported.
Please reflect carefully about the After School Club that you choose to
enroll your child in as you will not be able to change this class after 2
weeks of the date of enrolment.
When you have enrolled your child in an After School club, please sup-
port them in following this commitment through to its completion, so
your child will gain the most out of the experience.
If you are late to pick your child up from school, they will be taken to the
office and will wait for you there.
If your child is not enrolled in an After School Club and you are late to
pick them up, they will be looked after with the other children at our Af-
ter School Supervision room for a fee.
Parents are asked to pick up their children promptly from school at
12:30pm/2pm after regular hours or at 2pm/3pm/4pm after the sessions of
After School Clubs. Teachers are involved in planning or have to attend
meetings after school and therefore, cannot supervise the children if par-
ents/caregivers are late in arriving at school. The children will be asked to
wait in the school office until an authorized person is able to pick them up.
After school, children must be picked up either from the classroom or the
location of the After School Club while parents/caregivers must sign the dis-
missal sheet before leaving.
Emergencies
In case of an emergency or if your child suffers a serious accident at school,
parents will be notified immediately. If we cannot contact a parent or the
emergency contact and if the situation requires immediate medical
attention, the child will be accompanied to Mongkutwattana Hospital on
Chaengwattana road by a teacher and an administrator.
In the situation of a school-wide emergency, parents will be notified via our
SMS notification service and by phone calls, if necessary. Please make sure
your phone numbers are current and up to date.
Open House
Several opportunities are afforded for parents and teachers to create
personal connections, share experiences and learn together:
Open House "Open House" takes place before the first day of school. Parent and children meet their child’s teaching team and visit their homeroom. Parents will be able to obtain important information pertaining to the class. Back to School Night "Back to School Night" takes place at the beginning of the academic year. This is an occasion for parents and teachers to build relationships, become familiar with the class learning environment, and understand the schedule and family handbook. Open House Mornings "Open House Mornings" give parents an opportunity to become familiar with the IB PYP curriculum and to gain information about the learning experiences in the classroom.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Conferences are scheduled throughout the year for the purpose of
informing parents about the child’s progress at school. Teachers are also
able to learn more about the child through these conferences.
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Although you will be meeting your child’s teacher regularly throughout the
year, conferences are a good time to get the teacher’s undivided attention
and focus on helping your child reach his/her highest potential. The
conferences will be organized into parent-teacher conferences, student-led
conferences and 3-way conferences (student, teacher and parent).
Separation Process
Magic Years plans carefully for a gradual separation/adjustment process for
both the children and parents from the first day of school. A parent can
help his/her child feel competent in this new environment. Dealing with
separation will in essence be the curriculum for the first few days, or even
weeks of your child’s school life.
In order to facilitate separation, parents, whether mothers or fathers, are
invited to stay back with their children on the first day of school. This is an
opportunity for you to be with your child and introduce him/her to the
activities of the day and the routine followed in school.
Separation is a very sensitive process both for the parent and the child and if
handled well, it fosters in the child the quality of trust and risk taking which
will stay with them for the rest of their lives. In this process we allow
caregivers to stay back and help their child to transition in the new
environment. This makes the child feel safe and gives him/her the
confidence and trust to take risks in new environments. They learn to accept
change in a healthy and normal way. Please see your child’s teaching team
for more information on the Magic Years Separation Policy.
First Day of School
Staggered Starting Dates Children enrolling at the beginning of a semester will join school on staggered starting dates. The purpose is to allow the teacher to provide additional individual attention to your child during his/her first day of school. What to Bring to School Each child should carry a backpack with a water bottle, toothbrush and toothpaste, two extra sets of clothing, and diapers (if necessary). Please consult with your child’s teacher if you have questions about what to bring.
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Sharing Learning through Conferences
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School community, we are
constantly researching opportunities for you to be able to learn more about
your child’s progress as well as, your child having an opportunity to share
their learning with you in a very real and significant way. Conferences are
another way for this to be highlighted and celebrated whilst continuing to
nurture the “Partnership in learning” relationship you have with your child.
We have 3 informative conferences throughout the school year:
Parent- Teacher Conferences:
These will take place in November, before and after school for the
Trust & Caring and Joy & Confidence classes
These will take place over a 2 day period in March for Peace & Unity
and Creativity & Excellence and Grade 1
Each conference will last for 30 minutes
This is a time for you to share your rich and valuable understanding
of your child with their Teaching Team.
It is also a time to come together and share tools and strategies that
will support your child achieve their highest potential as a lifelong
learner
Three-Way Conferences:
These will take place in November for the Peace & Unity, Creativity &
Excellence and Grade 1 classes
This is a time for you, your child and the Head Teacher to share
some valuable time together as your child showcases their learning
and development in relation to the IB Learner Profile
Your actual experiences during the Three-Way Conference will be
real, hands on, developmentally appropriate, significant to your child
as well as reflect the International Mindedness perspective your
child is putting into action every day
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Each Three-Way Conference will last 30 minutes and will be broken
into two sessions:
15 minutes with you, your child and Head Teacher
(Three-Way Conference)
15 minutes with you and the Head Teacher
(Parent/Teacher Conference)
After this special event has taken place, you and your child will be
asked to work through a process of reflection in relation to the IB
Learner Profile and Three-Way conference.
Your child’s teaching team will be in contact with you regarding the
sign up days and time schedule
Student Led Conferences:
These will take place in April/May for the Peace & Unity, Creativity &
Excellence and Grade 1 classes
This is a time for your child to showcase how they have taken owner-
ship of their learning. They will be conducting a conference for you,
in order to share their learning and “International Mindedness” jour-
ney throughout the year.
The Teaching Team will only be there if your child feels like they
need support.
Each conference will last for 30 minutes
After this unique and meaningful event has taken place, you and
your child will be asked to work through a process of reflection in
relation to the IB Learner Profile and the Student Led Conference.
Your child’s teaching team will be in contact with you regarding the
sign up days and time schedule
We truly believe that participation in these conference experiences will pro-
vide you with meaningful insights into your child’s learning, growth, develop-
ment and the innate desire to take ownership of our learning.
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Reading and Understanding
Your Child’s Report Card
What are written report cards?
Written report cards are a written document that is intended to share
certain information that will provide a snapshot of a child’s learning and
understanding over a set period of time.
They should reflect the philosophy of the school and be an authentic
documentation of the child’s journey of learning and understanding
They are summative in nature; therefore, the information provided will
change according to the growth and development of the individual
learner.
They are also formative in nature; therefore, they will include
information on the children that authentically represents, strengths,
areas for improvement and, opportunities for the child to make self
assessments in relation to the information that has been shared.
How does the written report card at Magic Years work?
Report cards will be shared with families 2 times per year, one in
December reflecting learning during term 1 and one in May reflecting
learning during term 2.
Each set of report cards will have two sections which are as follows:
A page dedicated to share the learning and understanding for
each unit of inquiry uncovered during each term
A page dedicated to share the understanding of both Language
and Math across the units of inquiry, Learner Profile and class
action
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Why is the written report card at Magic Years designed this way?
In order to support the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate
Primary Years Program (IB PYP)
Nurture the development of International Minded people through the
attributes of the Learner Profile; Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers,
Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced
and Reflective
Highlight learning in a variety of ways, including, narratives, inquiry cycle,
photographs, and goals, which together showcase authentic learning
situations
Document aspects of the learning process as it takes place through a
unit of inquiry and across the 5 Essential Elements (Key Concepts,
Knowledge areas, Skills, Attitudes and Action)
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Knowledge Important content that each learner needs to know about
Language, Math, Science, Social Studies, Arts and Physical, Social and Per-sonal Education
Concepts Focus on making deeper connec-tions and building meaningful un-derstandings through our learning experiences
Form, Function, Causation, Change, Connection, Per-spective, Responsibility and Reflection
Skills 5 sets of transdiciplinary skills that learners acquire and implement in order to be successful in our evolving world
Management Skills, Social Skills, Communication Skills, Thinking Skills and Research Skills
Attitudes A set of 12 capabilities that focus on supporting the development of personal values and feelings to-wards ourselves as learners, other people and the environment
Appreciation, Commit-ment, Confidence, Confi-dence, Cooperation, Crea-tivity, Curiosity, Empathy, Enthusiasm, Independ-ence, Integrity, Respect and Tolerance
Action The ability to put our learning into practice through our choice of responsible decisions and actions
What will the report card at Magic Years tell you about your child’s learning?
It will provide you with another way to further understand your child as an
active participant in their learning, as they demonstrate the following:
Value the importance of being a Lifelong learner
Understand their unique learning styles along with the tools and strate-
gies that best support them
How they are choosing to demonstrate their knowledge and under-
standing of the 5 Essential Elements
Learning through a cycle of inquiry that means moving through a range
of stages at different times during the learning knowing you have the
opportunity to visit and revisit these stages according to where you are
as a learner constructing meaning and at a level that is developmentally
appropriate
Learning through a Cycle of Inquiry
Tuning
In
Allows the learner to:
Be engaged in the unit
Share their interests and attitudes
Share their beliefs (understandings & misconceptions)
Share what they already know and understand about concepts
Be Introduced to and clarify language
Identity gaps in their knowledge and misconceptions
Assist with planning of the units
Finding
Out
Allows the learner to:
Move beyond what we already know
Be challenged by ideas, beliefs and values
Use a range of skills and knowledge to collect new information
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Learning through a Cycle of Inquiry
Sorting
Out
Allows the learner to:
To sort out, organize, represent and present information from the
Finding Out stage of the unit
Use their preferred ways of learning to demonstrate their learn-
ing (knowledge, skills, values)
Going
Further
Allows the learner to:
Extend and broaden the unit if appropriate
Investigate areas of potential interest
Use their preferred learning style
Present another perspective on, or dimension to, the unit
Reflec-
tion
Allows the learner to:
Think about their learning – how they learnt what they learned
and why
Identify changes in skills, knowledge and values
Draw conclusions and make connections between ideas
Action
Allows the learner to:
Identify what they have learned and the implications for personal
actions
Make choices and apply their ideas
Relate their learning to real life situations
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How we support the IB’s perspective on approaches to assessment?
Authentic assessment is an ongoing process in a quest to provide each
learner with feedback about their learning across the 5 Essential Elements
of the written curriculum. In order to value meaningful connections and
understandings, assessment is organized into 3 areas; Assessing, Recording
and Reporting, all of which work simultaneously, as learners take ownership
of their learning.
Assessing highlights how we discover what children know and learned
Recording highlights how we choose to collect and analyse the data
Reporting highlights how we choose to communicate information
A range of authentic opportunities for this learning to be shared are
ongoing and take place at many different times throughout the year. They
are Portfolios, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3 Way Conferences, and
Student Led Conferences, written reports, class essential agreements,
photographs, documentation, assemblies, class blogs, professional
conversations, learning stories, planning and organization of the learning
environment.
What is the purpose of including learning goals in the written report cards?
Enable the child, the family and the teaching team to understand where
they are as learners at this point in time and what their next steps
should be to further develop their understanding across different areas.
Highlights the importance of understanding and accepting that as
learners, we have strengths along with areas that need to be further
developed
How will the written report card be understood in relation to the learning
that takes place throughout the whole year?
Understand your child as a learner in the world who is a member of the
IB World community
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Value the significance of the attributes of the Learner Profile
It is connected to the whole child and the real life authentic learning that
they will encounter and embrace so that their knowledge and
understanding stays with them forever
View this as just one of many possible ways that you are able to find out
more about your child’s learning. This document does not define you as
a learner, it is just one way of sharing learning and understanding
Through the actions and the growth of your child as they make their
knowledge and understanding visible
Transportation
Magic Years provides transportation to and from surrounding areas of the
school. Parents are welcome to ride the school bus with their child (if there
is enough room) until the child is comfortable to ride on his/her own.
Although, every precaution is taken to ensure a safe and injury-free ride, the
school will not be held accountable in case of an accident.
School Bus Rules:
Please have your child ready and waiting for the bus 5 minutes prior to
scheduled pick-up time.
Children must use a car seat (under 18 kg) or a booster seat (over 18kg
and under 145cm) and fasten seat belts throughout the entire ride.
Drinking and eating are not permitted on the bus.
The school office should be informed by 7am in case the child will not
use the transportation service on that day due to any reasons of her/his
absence.
About special requests regarding the pick up/drop off locations, the
school office should be informed a day in advance. If the requested
temporary change would affect any other children pick up/drop off time,
the child with the changed drop off/pick up information will be dropped
last.
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Birthdays
Teachers will contact the birthday child’s parents prior to the birthday to inform parents how birthdays are celebrated at Magic Years. Parents are encouraged to bring in healthy snacks and the children celebrate the birthday at snack or lunchtime. Goody bags are not allowed to contain any food.
For private birthday parties outside of school, parents should invite all children from the class to foster unity and avoid practices of exclusion.
Library Books
The Magic Years library has materials that range from pre-reading to fluent reading. There is a collection of hard cover picture books that cater to our youngest children (1 year-olds) up to 3-4 year-olds and more complex story books for the older students, including poetry and chapter books.
The school library is available for families to use during open hours. Students may check out books to take home if they are accompanied by a parent. The online catalog and bar code system, used by the librarian, makes the process of borrowing books a smooth experience for all parties. Please note a penalty fee will be imposed for lost or misplaced library books (100 THB for paperback and 500 THB for hardcover books).
Field Trips
Field trips will be planned and undertaken throughout the year according to the units planned in the classroom. Parents will be informed of the time of departure and arrival, the mode of transportation and the site to be visited. Appropriate adult supervision will be maintained at all times. Parent/guardian permission must be obtained in writing for a student to participate on the trip. Permission by telephone will not be acceptable. Failure to have a signed permission slip will mean that the child will not participate on the trip, but should be in attendance at school.
Summer School
Summer school will be held in 2-week sessions throughout the summer holidays. Each session will cater to a multi-age group where the children learn and play together in a friendly and informal environment. Attention will also be paid to each child’s individual development. Activities offered will have the fun and spontaneous nature of a summer holiday. Those children new to Magic Years in the fall will find the summer school to be a great introduction to the school and will provide a smoother adjustment to the routines of the regular term. Please refer to Magic Years school calendar for the summer session dates for June and July.
27
Contributions for Events
The school may occasionally ask parents to contribute financially towards special events that benefit the children (e.g. Earth Day tree planting, field trips, Sports Day uniforms, etc.) This helps bring about a sense of unity among our community and allows the children to partake in activities that would not otherwise be feasible.
Swimming
Swimming at Magic Years takes place once a week when weather conditions permit. Swimming helps young children develop physically, mentally, and emotionally and is a great opportunity for them to take risks and acquire an important life skill. With the supervision of an experienced instructor and teaching teams, the children learn to swim in a safe, fun and challenging environment.
Please note that swimming is a part of the curriculum. Doctor’s note needs to be provided if your child can not participate in the class on a certain day due a medical reason.
School Closure
Invariably, there are times during the school year when the school will be forced to close due to state emergencies, security situations, or the uncontrolled spread of an infectious disease on campus. Such measures are taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both the children, families and staff. All families will be duly informed if such a instance occurs. Please note the school is not obliged to hold a replacement make-up day if it is to be closed.
Food Service
A light snack is provided for all children during the morning. Snack time is a good opportunity to encourage the children to try out new foods that perhaps they would not normally eat at home.
A nutritious lunch is served daily at school. A menu is uploaded to the school website every week. The school has developed a menu of popular and nutritious children’s foods in order to help establish a healthy way of eating. The children are encouraged, but not forced to eat whatever is provided on the menu to help them develop a variety of tastes and appreciation for diversity.
To promote healthy eating, please ensure that you do not send sweets, candy, chocolate or other unhealthy snacks to school.
If your child prefers not to eat what is offered, parents may send a meal for him/her. In the case of food allergies, please inform the school office. Our policy is to provide an alternative for those who are allergic to what is offered.
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Curriculum
Magic Years has been accredited for the International Baccalaureate (IB)
Primary Years Program (PYP). PYP is an international, transdisciplinary
program designed to foster the development of the whole child.
The curriculum is based on providing a challenging learning environment
which is developmentally appropriate and aims for the development of the
whole child with a balance in areas of Intellectual Development, Physical
Development, Social Development, Emotional Development and Character
Development. Following is a brief summary of the different subjects studied
in the curriculum.
What does the IB PYP curriculum framework look like? What do we want to learn? The written curriculum includes conceptual understandings, relevant knowledge and skills and an emphasis on building positive attitudes. These are the 5 Essential Elements:
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Knowledge Important content that each learner needs to know about
Language, Math, Science, Social Studies, Arts and Physical, Social and Per-sonal Education
Concepts Focus on making deeper connec-tions and building meaningful un-derstandings through our learning experiences
Form, Function, Causation, Change, Connection, Per-spective, Responsibility and Reflection
Skills 5 sets of transdiciplinary skills that learners acquire and implement in order to be successful in our evolving world
Management Skills, Social Skills, Communication Skills, Thinking Skills and Research Skills
Attitudes A set of 12 capabilities that focus on supporting the development of personal values and feelings to-wards ourselves as learners, other people and the environment
Appreciation, Commit-ment, Confidence, Confi-dence, Cooperation, Crea-tivity, Curiosity, Empathy, Enthusiasm, Independ-ence, Integrity, Respect and Tolerance
Action The ability to put our learning into practice through our choice of responsible decisions and actions
How best will we learn?
The taught curriculum is the written curriculum in practice. It considers
current educational research and best practice as it supports purposeful
learning, guiding the active construction of meaning for each learner.
This is accessed by:
Learning through Inquiry; Learning by interacting with a dynamic and appropriate
environment; Learning in partnership with teachers as a facilitators; Learning the importance of working collaboratively; and Learning about information and communication technologies
(ICT) that enhance all teaching and learning experiences How will we know what we have learned?
The assessed curriculum views authentic assessment as ongoing in a quest
to provide each learner with feedback about their learning across the 5
Essential Elements of the written curriculum. In order to value meaningful
connections and understandings, assessment is organized into 3 areas;
Assessing, Recording and Reporting, all of which work simultaneously, as
learners take ownership of their learning.
Some authentic opportunities for this learning to be shared are through: Portfolios, a range of conferences, written reports, essential agreements, photographs, documentation, professional conversations, learning stories, planning, organization of the learning environment, and the final year exhibition.
30
Components of the Curriculum
Music
Music is the study and exploration of sound and the expressive use of
musical elements through the singing of songs and the playing of
instruments. Children will join together in musical activities, using their
voices and simple instruments to develop concepts about sound and
musical awareness. They will participate both individually and in groups in
games, songs and creative movement activities. Children will develop
musical ideas in composition using musical notation. They will begin to
develop an awareness and appreciation of music from different cultures.
The strands have been grouped as creating and responding.
Orff Schulwerk
Orff Schulwerk is a way of teaching and learning music that has been adopted by Magic Years. It is based on things children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance, and keep a beat on anything near at hand. These instincts are directed into learning music by hearing and making music first, then reading and writing it later. This is the same way we all learned our language.
Orff Schulwerk happens in a non-competitive atmosphere where one of the rewards is the pleasure of making good music with others. When the children want to write down what they have composed, reading and writing find their moment.
Orff Schulwerk uses poems, rhymes, games, songs, and dances as examples and basic materials. These may be traditional or original. Spoken or sung, they may be accompanied by clapping and stamping or by drums, sticks, and bells.
The special Orff melody instruments include wooden xylophones and metal glockenspiels that offer good sound immediately. Played together as in a small orchestra, their use helps children become sensitive listeners and considerate participants.
With Orff Schulwerk, improvisation and composition start students on a lifetime of knowledge and pleasure through personal musical experience. Learning is meaningful only if it brings satisfaction to the learner, and satisfaction arises from the ability to use acquired knowledge for the purpose of creating. For both teacher and student, Orff Schulwerk is a theme with endless variation.
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Character Development Program
Magic Years has adopted a character development program based on the
award-winning Hidden Gems program (awards from the Macau government
and International School Services) from the School of Nations in Macau,
China. Along with high academic standards, this program emphasizes moral
character, capability development, focus on collective endeavor and
community awareness. Through this program, the children learn certain
values such as respect for other people, cooperation and unity in diversity.
Children will also learn skills such as resolving conflicts peacefully.
The Hidden Gems Character Development program believes that:
Each child is a unique creation of God, endowed with his/her own talents and capacities.
No child is incorrigible. All can be good and all can develop spiritual qualities.
The building blocks of a person’s moral structures are qualities, attitudes, skills and abilities, as well as knowledge and understanding of essential moral concepts.
A child cannot develop virtues and talents in isolation, but through interaction with others.
Focus should be on the development of moral capabilities in order to achieve the twofold purpose of personal and social transformation.
The Hidden Gems Character Development program is aimed at helping children gain some initial understandings of moral concepts and to begin to apply them in the daily life at school and at home. The lessons offered to the children lay the foundation for the growth of several moral capabilities in the children by exposing them to a variety of activities as well as opportunities for reflection. The methodology of this program combines different actions, in the integration of routines and classroom activities, all focused on the principal goal of motivating the development of attitudes, habits, skills and spiritual qualities in the children.
Some of the activities carried out through the Hidden Gems Character
Development program include: prayers and quotations, stories, music,
games, role-play and drama.
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Parental Involvement
Parents are primary educators of their children and we appreciate their
input in all matters. We encourage parents to keep in touch with their
children’s daily activities. Parents are welcome to visit the school and play or
observe their children and learn as much about our program as possible.
Parents are always welcome to share their special talents with us at school.
Young children learn from concrete experiences, and we encourage parents
to help enrich the school for our children.
Parents may choose to become a “Room Mom/Dad” for their child’s class.
The role of the Room Mom/Dad includes arranging a Coffee Morning at the
beginning of the year for all the parents to plan for the entire year. A Room
Mom/Dad may help during special events by arranging volunteers to plan
activities. The activities can include art, games, a treat for the children and
reading stories related to the occasion. A Room Mom/Dad can also help
organize activities like lap reading, journal writing, cooking, field trips, video
filming for documentation, and helping with documentation panels. A Room
Mom/Dad is a great resource for enriching the classroom and parents are
encouraged to be as involved as they would like to be.
Parents may also wish to join the “Parent Working Group” of Magic Years.
The Parent Working Group consists parents who aim to better the school by
providing support and looking out for the best interests of the children in
consultation with the school administration. In whatever way you become
involved, you can be sure the teacher and the class will appreciate your help.
The Parent Working Group can be contacted through your child’s teaching
team or at [email protected].
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Notes
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Notes
Notes
School Address and Contact Information
Magic Years International School
59/307-308 Muangthong Thani
Chaengwattana Soi 29
Pakkred, Nonthaburi 11120
Thailand
Telephone Fax
662-981 7770 662-981-4232
662-574 2168
662-573-4597 to 8
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.magicyears.ac.th
School Map
