85 Magazine 2:1

85VOL. 02 NO. 01

September, 2010

Wells International School

Back-to-School Edition

Tableof

Contents

2. Welcome Back3. Mr. Jared 4. New Teachers5. Darling6. Ton7-8. 3rd Floor Expansion9. AP courses10. Thai Culture Page11. Language Arts Department12. Science Department13. Social Studies Department14. ICT15. Math Department16. PE Department17. Performing Arts18. Counseling19. June’s Comic20. Coffee Shop21. Summer Internship

Nick : Lead writerJune : Lead DesignerChanasorn: Creative DesignerVisant: Creative DesignerDarling: Creative DesignerGobind: Creative DesignerTommy: Graphic DesignerJorge: WriterAlvin: WriterRichie: Writer

Mind: Lead EditorTee Tee: Graphic DesignerVisith Ahuja: Creative DesignerMi: Creative DesignerJunior: EditorJack: Editor

Chariya: EditorCindy Graphic DesignerHarjas: Creative DesignerBob: Creative DesignerMr. Joseph: TeacherMr. Jared: Lead Editor

The Crew

2 Vol. 1, No. 4 85 MAGAZINE

2. Welcome Back3. Mr. Jared 4. New Teachers5. Darling6. Ton7-8. 3rd Floor Expansion9. AP courses10. Thai Culture Page11. Language Arts Department12. Science Department13. Social Studies Department14. ICT15. Math Department16. PE Department17. Performing Arts18. Counseling19. June’s Comic20. Coffee Shop21. Summer Internship

Wells International School On Nut Campus enters the 2010-2011 school year having sent off its first graduated senior class, and being fully accredited and licensed by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and Sor Mor Sor of the Thai MOE.As many of you may already know, our graduates had been ac-cepted into colleges and universities across the globe, including the top universities here in Thailand. Acceptance letters were also received from institutions in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan. Over the next couple of years, we boldly aim at having our students accepted into some of the elite universities in the U.S. – including member institutions of the Ivy League.To reach such a lofty goal, we continue to build on our core aca-demic program and to seek out innovative educational programs that will help our students attain high levels of academic success. This year, we have added on-site instruction of five new Advanced Placement (AP) courses: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus (A/B), AP Microeconomics, and AP Macroeconomics, all of which

will be taught by College Board-certified instructors. We also continue to utilize the on-line College Board-approved APEX Learning system to deliver other AP courses such as AP Psychology.Furthermore, we continue to offer our students the opportunity to participate in extra-curricu-lar activities and community service programs that will help develop them into the well-rounded, global citizens. Along these lines, we have revamped our Performing Arts Depart-

ment across all levels and have recruited the services of Superstar Academy to take over our high school show choir. Here at Wells, we firmly believe that much of a child’s success hinges on the involvement of parents in his or her life, particularly as a student. Hence, it is our goal to keep you as well-in-formed on what is going on at our school throughout the academic year. One of the best ways to achieve this goal, other than reading our periodic newsletters, is to visit our frequently updated web-site at www.wells-school.com. We will also be sending much of our school-to-parent commu-nications via email, or even SMS for short reminders. So, once again, to our entire Wells On Nut Campus community – welcome back! If any of you – parents, students, ANY-ONE – has a question or concern, please do not hesitate to email me or the office at [email protected]. Students, if you prefer, you can even drop by my office any time during the day. As long as I don’t have another appointment, I would be happy to address any reasonable concern you may have at the time. Aloha!

Welcome Back to Another Year of Learning!

-Mr. RayHeadmaster


Mr. Jared

which claims that organizations, ideas and products reach a certain point in their growth at which they gain mass popularity and begin spreading exponentially. While it’s easy to overlook flaws and exagger-ate strengths, I neverthless get the impression that Wells - On Nut has reached its own tipping point, one that will define its future success. With a 20% increase in enrollment since the previous year and a brand new third floor - complete with a performing arts center, AP-equipped labs and much more - our campus has dramatically expand-ed in size. More importantly, we have taken further steps toward es-tablishing a foundation for academic excellence and standards that will hopefully carry our upcoming graduates to the halls of Ivy League-cal-iber universities. Already our students have accomplished a great deal, including internships at the most prestigious univerities in Thailand and standardized test results that blow away their American counter-parts in multiple subject areas. Easing that process is an ever-growing, highly experienced staff, over half of whom now possess or are pursu-ing higher degrees. Combined with an increasing presence and a posi-tive reputation among Thailand’s international schools, it’s not hard to see why one would reach the conclusion that Wells is on the verge of great accomplishments. A multitude of small, positive steps have begun to rapidly carry us forward toward a more fundamental change. Yet one can never look to the future without considering all that has come before. Struggling through growing pains as so many new schools have before it, Wells not only survived, but ultimately flourished through difficult times because of the unflagging efforts of a core group of teachers, administrators, parents and students - dedicated indi-viduals who stuck with the small school because of their shared vision for its success. As we enter the new school year and look beyond it, I would like to thank all who have chosen to be a part of Wells. A school is ultimately never perfect and is ideally always seeking to improve, but I for one have come to consider it a second home. Through our concerted effort, we can indeed reach beyond the tipping point and raise Wells to even greater heights.

Vice Headmaster

A com-mon axiom states that small changes can lead to much larger trans-formations. Pop sociologist Mal-colm Gladwell explored pre-cisely that phe-nomenon in The Tipping Point,

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-Mr. JaredVice Headmaster


New Teachers

Mr. Nuccio

Ms. Ro

Mr. Groves

........................................

........................................Mr. Groves was born and raised in New York City and attended college at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He moved to Bangkok over a year ago with his wife, and loves the amazing culture Thailand has to offer. When he is not on the third floor, Mr. Groves is h®ard at work training for, or participating in, adventure races and triathlons all over the country. He is very excited about joining the professional faculty at Wells On Nut and thinks all the students are wonderful.

My name is Rodith O. Moscoso and I am 30 years old. I am Filipino and am very excited to be at Wells. My previous teaching experience is: * Program Coordinator and Grade School/High School English & Math Teacher: Brainworks School, Philippines * Special Education Teacher (specialization: Learning Disabilities): The An-chorage School, Philippines * English Grammar Teacher: e-Study Center, PhilippinesI look forward to an exciting year of teaching here at this wonderful school.

My name is Matthew Nuccio, and I am the Head of the Language Arts Depart-ment. I’m a 33-year old American, and this is my seventh year teaching middle and high school English. I’m a licensed and certified teacher through New York State, where I taught for five years. This is my second year teaching in Thailand. I have been trained in the most effective methods of teaching that are used in Western classrooms. I am working with the Language Arts Department to implement them accordingly so that your child can follow the pathways of proven success.


Profile Name: Arada Arayawuth Nickname: Darling Birthdate: 3rd February 1993Age: 17Height: 165cmWeight: 42kgEducation: Wells International School (Class of 2011)Talents: Horse Riding, Diving, and Swimming

Hello. My name is Alvin Lee from Grade 9 at Wells International School. I had a chance to interview Darling, who just helped form a new band named Sugar Eyes. The reason we wanted to interview her was because we were interested in Sugar Eyes, and she is an important part of the Wells commu-nity. I was very excited about interviewing her to ask her the questions everyone is curious about.

85 Magazine: How did you become a member of Sugar Eyes?Darling: I had to go to three auditions since there were many rounds. The Sony team auditioned us all in both singing and dancing.

85 Magazine: Do you have any concerts scheduled for the near future?Darling: Sugar Eyes might have an debut in Sep-tember. I don’t think that we have any concerts scheduled as of now.

85 Magazine: When is your first album coming out?Darling: The first album, also titled Sugar Eyes, will be coming out around the end of this year, which will be in December of 2010.

85 Magazine: How many hours do you practice each day?Darling: Usually we have dance practice every day of the week. Right after school I head to dance or singing practice. Sometimes I have both singing and dancing practices.

85 Magazine: Can you tell us a little more about what it is like to be in the group?Darling: Personally, I never really saw myself as a singer, but I was given a great opportunity by Sony Music. This is a chance of a lifetime, so here I am, a proud member of Sugar Eyes. Thank you again, and also thank you for all of your support.

85 Magazine: Isn’t it tiring to have so much extra work as a teenager? Darling: Hahaha, it is! It’s both tiring and excit-ing. I think that it’s pretty fun to be working in this field. School is tough sometimes, and it’s my senior year. Overall, I’ve enjoyed every second of it. My school friends have also been a big help by keeping me updated about assignments and homework. Thank you to all of my teachers for your under-standing.

85 Magazine: Will your band ever perform at our school?Darling: I really hope so. It might not be a performance, but maybe the Sony team might arrange some activities with the school. I am really looking forward to that and think it will be great fun!

85 Magazine: What motivated you to join Sugar Eyes?Darling: I was introduced to the project manager, and he said that I should try to audition. He was interested in having me as a part of the group. I tried it out, and now I am here. Personally I’m more interested in acting, but being a singer is pretty cool, too.


Ton V13 Wells graduate Nattawat “Ton” Deewongkij, Class of 2010, has managed to become a part of the most popular reality show in Thailand, Academy Fantasia. Ton was very friendly, generous and kind to everyone at Wells. We are all proud of this accomplishment and hope he will be successful in the future by doing the things he loves. Academy Fantasia is a 24-hour reality show on True Channel 60. During those hours there are classes for the contestants, includ-ing vocal lessons, dance classes

and even acting classes. During the past few Saturdays the contestants performed to show the judges their progress and also see how many votes

they received from their fans. Fans from around the country can vote via

SMS for their favorite AF7 finalists.

Ton was in an awkward situ-ation upon joining, because one of the twelve finalists was posting negative comments about Thai-land’s Prime Minister on Face-book and was forced to quit the show. As a result, Ton received a call from the producers of Acad-emy Fantasia, and they asked Ton to replace him as the sixth male finalist. We are happy that Ton had this opportunity to show his talents to the world, and we would like to thank him for representing the school as well. Ton was the first runner-up at the competition, and he thanks everyone at the school for supporting him. Congratula-tions to Ton!

Name : Nattawat “Ton” DeewongkijAge: 17Education: Wells International SchoolTalents: Dancing, singing, style, and acting

-TeeTeeGrade 12


For the new school year, the school is currently constructing a new basketball/volleyball/bad-minton/futsal/freeze tag court to accommodate our ever-growing sports population and our ever-growing Seahawk fans.Our old dance room was also converted into a fitness room this year to help promote exer-cise and serve as a reminder to students to stay healthy. Various exercise machines help school teams to maintain their health, bodies and mental preparation.

With the addition of the third floor comes a pair of new science labs that have been designed to be both classrooms and AP-equipped science lab. This helps conserve space and is more innovative in the sense that the students are able to immerse themselves in an environment that fosters learning and scientific exploration.

The Arts Department received a major up-grade with recent additions to their facili-ties and curriculum. With a new theatre class elective, students can express their emotions and be confident to perform on the stage. This helps promote English proficiency that will help them after their high school careers. The school has provided the department with new dance and music rooms to help the students express their creativity more vibrantly.

Third floor expansion 8 Vol. 1, No. 4 85 MAGAZINE

Third floor expansionThe fitness center features state-of-the-art workout equipment. Students and teachers are elated by the opportunity to have a world-class fitness center built into our school. Students are working out every day in preparation for the coming basketball season.Physical health affects not only your ability to participate effectively in sports and athletics, but also increase mental health and quality of life.

The school has built 3 additional computer labs and has purchased over 50 more computers for students to work on while at school. More computers are now available for students to do ALEKS in their math classes and Unique Reader, a new language arts software program. In addition to the new computers, the school has purchased five new smartboards, which are currently being utilized by the heads of each department.

Wells International School has also become the first international school in Thailand to incorporate an eco-friendly, hydroponics-equipped greenhouse to allow our students to learn about botany while generating food and spices for their delicious Wells lunches. The hands-on learning at our greenhouse can transfer into useful knowledge that can be applied outside of school as well. At Wells we feel that the best way to learn is through experience and observation.


AP Courses Thai CultureThe AP Biology course at Wells International school has been designed to prepare students for the AP Biology exam in May of next year. However, the experiential approach also prepares students for university-level biology, as well as the other sciences. Furthermore, students will also gain an appreication for the pace and structure of tertiary education. As well as learning the scientific method, students will become versed in various other biological techniques that were the prop-erty of science fiction films not so long ago, including genetic engi-neering and PCRs. Indeed, it is with skills such as these that future AP biology students hope to cure diseases like HIV and cancer. While the course is extremely academic and the pace rigorous, students should not forget to take what they can from a course with so much to offer. Regardless of their scores, students will have a more consumate understanding of the challenges and joys of biology.

The new year here at Wells

International School - On Nut brings exciting new courses, classrooms and teachers

who are ready to take on the challenge of another education-filled year. Although a variety of courses are available this year, none are as academically challenging as the AP courses: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Psychology and Calculus. AP courses are the only source of potential university credit acces-sible here at Wells International School, and the difficulty levels of these courses are equivalent to freshman-year studies in the United States. “The AP Chemistry course...is definitely the tough-est course I’ve taken in all my years studying at Wells International School” claims Nick, Grade 12. This advanced Chemistry course is taught by Mr. Dan, one of the highly skilled science teachers here at the school, who had been trained over the summer in the U.S. to prepare for this demanding course. Besides the preparation by Mr. Dan, the school underwent extensive measures in anticipation of the course. Over five million baht was spent outfitting the new labs with the latest lab equipment, furniture and books. Though it has just been a few weeks since school began, students have learned exactly why it is considered to be a university- level course.

Wells has also proudly initiated a new mathematics course, AP Calculus. This course is offered by the U.S.-based College Board and is a challeng-ing academic program designed to provide motivated high school students with university-level learning. Students who participate in AP courses dem-onstrate their readiness for learning the academic material of university students. Those who undertake the AP program must take an external exam (administered by ETS) and can earn university credit by passing the exam. A few of the advantages for participating in an AP program include the possibility of earning university credit, becoming exempt from placement exams and earning the AP International Diploma. We look forward to introducing additional math courses like AP Calculus BC in the future.


Thai Culture

During the coming school year the Thai Depart-ment will provide activities to help students improve in their Thai language skills, including: “Love Reading” with the Pizza CompanyWe would like to encourage all the students from Grades 1-6 to participate in this project to enhance their reading skills. If students complete the readings in the challenge, they will get a free pizza from the Pizza Company. Thai Language ClinicThe main purpose of this program is to provide sup-port for those students who need help in reading and writing skills. Classes will be held for free after school on Thursdays and Fridays.

If you are interested in these programs, please contact your Thai teachers for more details.

“Chulalongkorn Day,” or “Piymaharaj Day” as we say in Thai, is celebrated on the 23rd of October every year. It is the day that our King Chulalongkorn, or King Rama V, died. He was one of our most important kings. Some of the most important things he did were: * Abolish slavery * Expand the communication system through the construction of railways * Establish the post telegraph service * Create a ministerial system What is Behind a Thousand Smiles?

A fascinating facet of working in Thailand is the relaxing atmosphere. The people appear to be easy-going in all they do, and even in difficult situations, there is nothing wrong with a smile. Everything is fine, isn’t it? But the smile may have frus-trated you one time or another, especially when followed by a common Thai phrase: mai pen rai.

Mai pen rai literally means “It doesn’t matter.” But these simple words carry deeper implications than what you may have first thought. This phrase is used in a diverse range of situations. It may simply mean “It doesn’t matter,” “No problem” or “That’s all right” if said in the same fashion as a Westerner would use. To tackle prob-lems or conflicts in Western society, one may say, “It’s all right” in a more serious manner, and then directly discuss the issue with the people involved. But for Thais, mai pen rai is usually sealed with a smile, implying that it is better to focus their intentions elsewhere. -Ms. Oh

Head of the Thai Department


In 1973, an American band called The Beach Boys delivered a hit song thatproclaimed, “Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world.” This advicegoes beyond the beach, as learning to ride a wave is a difficult skill that requirespatience and practice. As with any measure of achievement, the reward of sheerexhilaration and excitement makes the effort worthwhile. Similarly, all of ourstudents’ accomplishments in school require hard work and determination. Often,it is not until they are riding the wave of good fortune and have achieved theirultimate triumph that they realize the value of their dedication. Then, they trulyfeel that they are “sitting on top of the world.”

The vision of the Language Arts Depart-ment is to prepare students forthe modern world by implementing innova-tive methods of instruction thathave proven to be both effective and success-

ful in American classrooms.Compelling studies and actual practice have shown that stu-dents have multipleintelligences and require dif-ferentiated instruction in order to maintain a criticallythinking mentality. We are devising our instruction to cel-

ebrate this diversity.

In order to accomplish this goal, the Lan-guage Arts Department has begun structur-ing and scaffolding lesson plans so that each teacher is comprehensively connecting with each learner to maximize their abilities. The department seeks to fortify their strengths and address their weaknesses by encouraging mixed ability interaction and integration for excellence. The nature and importance of thesegoals rests within the students’ eagerness to embrace them. For every successful under-taking is, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, “a triumph of enthusiasm.”

We are dedicated to providing premium teaching through rigorous academic experi-ences that are supplemented by educational activities and social interaction. Each of these elements constitutes small sand crystals on their own, but when put together form an enduring educational mosaic. When your child excels to the next grade or graduates to the next level, they will have the expertise to create magnificent castles from what was once form-less stretches of sand.

-Mr. NuccioHead of Language Arts


Welcome, everyone, to the Science Department’s page. It seems like every year we look excitedly at the possibili-ties the future holds. We have seen development from the primary level and up, and now the familiar faces of the Science Department have a plethora of new opportuni-ties to choose from to further develop the experiential learning environment we strive to create. While continu-ing to develop the trusted staff and syllabi for all grades, the department has also seen some major upgrades to its facilities.

Certainly this year the most obvious developments are within the department facilities, not the least of which is the brand new chemistry and biology labs on the 3rd floor, which will facilitate better delivery of challenging new courses like the AP sciences on offer.

Our aim is to be able to provide superior learning ex-periences tailored to the individual needs of the students that bless our labs and classrooms. We aim to expand the current set of AP programs available at the school. On top of all of this the department’s staff will continue to offer Science Club to challenge the students to investigate the world around them.

-Mr. BrianHead of Science


STUDIES We have a great team of teachers in the Social Studies Department. Returning teachers

are Mr. William Jones (Grades 6 and 7), Mr. Randy Chester (Grades 8, 9 and 11), Dr. Del Dime

(Grades 6, 7, 10 and 12), and Mr. Bob Dell (who is teaching all the business-related courses, includ-

ing AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics). Because the Social Studies Department has been

expanded this year to include Grades 4 and 5, we now have a new teacher, Miss Elissa Heidke.

Miss Elissa is from America and has taught in Denver, Colorado. Presently, she is teaching her

students about basic mapping skills such as longitude and latitude. To make her classes more excit-

ing, she used the grouting of the tiles to set up a makeshift grid on the floor of her classroom.

Students were asked to find different shapes that were stuck on the floor and then recorded their

coordinates. Students also stated the coordinates of their desks and other classroom objects.

Students really enjoyed themselves and got a chance to apply longitude and latitude to their

immediate environment. It is a major goal of the Social Studies Department to get the students to apply what they

have learned in class to their own lives. Teachers strive to get the students to make connec-

tions to their own experiences through such means as lively discussions and written reflec-

tions. For example, when learning about the conquests of Rome in Grade 7, students wrote

a reflection on war. They shared their thoughts and feelings about the causes and effects

of war, as well as a brief plan on how they, as good global citizens, could make the world

a more peaceful place. In other words, the Social Studies Department teaches students

things about the past that will mentally and morally impact them in the present and,

hopefully, in the future. -Mr. WilliamHead of Social Studies


STUDIES

It has been an excellent year for ICT thanks to the addition of Mr. Pete and all of our hard-working students. His diligent planning and compassion have proved valuable for our students at Wells. We are now capable of offering courses for an entire year throughout middle school while still preserving our high standards in ICT and publications for high school students. I would like the focus of this article to be on a small group of dedicated students who have set the high standard for ICT at Wells and continue to be excellent instructors for their class-mates. Visith Ahuja: Visith has been working with the ICT department in his free time over sum-mer breaks to ensure our school is prepared for the coming semesters. Visith always stops to assist others with the nuances of graphic editing and design when he sees an opportunity. His creative energy, cheerful attitude and eagerness to participate are an asset to all those lucky enough to be in his classes. Gautham Giri: Gautham is our video editing profes-sional. Aside from helping out the department in his free time, he also lends a hand afterschool. He is a compe-tent iPod hacker, InDesign pro, sound editor, and contin-ues to do so, always with his excellent sense of humor. We are all very grateful for the amazing contributions he has made in the last two years. June Song: Without June the school would be lost. Her diligent attitude and incredible artistic ability allow others to express themselves without digging through a giant bag of stock images. Her creativity and attention to detail have made our publications the quality they are today. Nick Charaschanya: Nick has been in publications classes for the past two years in which they have been offered. As in all of Nick’s subjects, he continues to excel, but also assists any of his classmates in need of help. His excellent leadership skills are appreciated almost as much as his ability to complete all tasks at a very high standard. I would also like to express our gratitude to a small group of our younger students who contribute to making ICT at Wells what it is today. Thank you Lisa, Leksha, Rishab, Dharshan, Mook, Samit, and all of our little League of Legend players who make sure their blogs are updated.

-Mr. Joseph Head of ICT


Mr. Shanishetti

Math Department

Mr. Shanishetti

I am overwhelmed to welcome so many enthusi-astic math learners to a brand new year!Along with our returning teachers, Mr. Eubin and Mr. Tedson, we welcome Ms. Ro, an experienced teacher and new addition to our dynamic team in the Math Department. We have introduced AP Calculus and Busi-ness Mathematics, two new courses that cater to the modern needs of our high school students. AP Calculus offers our students the opportunity to hone their advanced math skills, as well as possibly earn university credits. Business Math provides our students with practical skills that they can apply in order to gain a greater advantage in the global business world. After administering ALEKS last year, the students have shown a remarkable improvement in their standardized math test scores, and we feel that it has been more than effective in facilitat-ing students’ learning. This year, we are trying to implement a refined math program with more classroom instruction, and we intend to utilize ALEKS as a supplementary learning tool. We have also introduced ALEKS to our third graders, which will aid in their development.

Students in every grade have undergone initial assessments and have been placed at the proper levels of learning. We have tried our best to make the class size as small as possible, which will enable us to give all the students individual attention. As always, we would like to offer extra help after school for those who experience any kind of difficulty in the subject. Looking forward, our students are preparing to take part in several prestigious international math com-petitions such as Math Olympiad, World Math Day and more in order to put their dynamic skills on display and win the day for Wells, but more importantly, for themselves.


Fine ArtsVisual and Performing Arts

This year the Arts Department has a new home on the third floor, complete with music and dance studios on either side of the auditorium. The visual arts classes are still located by the canteen. Our main focus this semester is on the Christ-mas show, which will involve the entire campus. We also have many projects underway, including Asia Books Readers’ Theatre, the Renaissance- Halloween Fair and International Day. Watch out for the showcase evenings for Superstar Academy, rock bands, dancing and acting! This year we are also hoping to have more visits to see various forms of live performance. Again, watch out for more information about these op-portunities. Theatre

A new addition to the high school electives is theatre. We are working on various styles of theatre, from melodrama to modern realism, through rehearsal and performance. We are also looking at the practicalities involved in the pro-cess of putting on a show.

Dance The high school dance club provides the opportunity for students who love to dance to practice and work on their dance routine. Grades 9-12 focus on developing the ability to maintain correct body placement in complex combinations. Students will perform at least one complex dance piece of personal choice with technical accuracy and expression. Middle school dance students will learn movement com-binations multiple times and perform with sustained endur-ance, power and expression in the musical theater dance style. Music

Our rock band is having a good start, with many new faces. I would like to welcome all the new members and saythat we’re going to have lots of fun together. For previousmembers, it’s good to see you back again. If anyone isthinking about joining the band, please don’t hestitate” justcome and see Mr. Chi in the music room. Visual Arts

Our project for this semester is based on the themes of global warming and recycling. We will be creating 3D and 2D work from recycled materials. In the High School we are fo-cused on preparation for the student portfolios and strength-ening our abilities in fashion design.

-Mr. RhyseHead of the Fine Arts Department


18 Vol. 1, No. 4 85 MAGAZINE Vol. 1, No. 4 85 MAGAZINE 19

Counseling Department

We are looking forward to meeting with all our returning students and our new students at Wells. Are you ready for another

exhilarating year? We will ensure that 2010-2011 is filled with excitement and opportunities for awareness and celebration.

How do we help our students? We can assist them with academic concerns such as deciding on a diploma track, learning study

and time management skills, getting along with teachers, and being successful in school. Social concerns we address include the

handling conflicts at home or school, dealing with personal issues, learning to communicate with others, and making friends. Finally,

for high school students we address career concerns such as figuring out what to do after high school, determining what type of

school or training is necessary for a chosen career, and setting goals for the future

What’s new this year?

Have you noticed the sense of gratification and happiness you get when you help others without wanting anything back in

return? Now is the time to show how much you care about yourself, others and your community. Each student in middle and high

school is required to complete a minimum number of hours of community service hours each school year. This requirement will be-

come effective as of this school year. Middle school students will be required to participate in 20 hours, and high school students

will volunteer for 25 hours per school year. There are two components of this program:

I. Individual Community Service – An annual requirement for service in and outside of school hours

II. Service Learning Provided by the School –Program cycles to be provided by the school, generally within school hours

or on weekends.

Throughout the year we will provide the opportunities to earn your ESLR points in school or out in the community, while also earn-

ing your community service hours. More details will be announced during your health and guidance period when I come to visit

with each class individually.

Another change is the Wells Career Center, which is equipped with information about universities from all over the world,

the latest fairs, scholarship grants, student exchange programs and assistance with testing. This provides students with the individu-

alized attention and guidance they need to pursue their post-secondary dreams.

As in the past year, we will also hold awareness weeks and educational tours, including Career Awareness Week, the

International University Fair in September, the International Charity Fair in November, Random Acts of Kindness Week in Febru-

ary, and university visits at NIST, ISB and Wells. Thank you to all students, parents, teachers and staff; I felt very welcome by all of

you after my first year at Wells. The past year was both challenging and filled with lots of love and learning. Let’s make this year

even more exciting.

- Ms. NikkiHead of the Counseling Department

Vol. 1, No. 4 85 MAGAZINE 19

PE Department On behalf of the Physical Education Department, I would like to extend my warmest welcome back to school to all students. At present, the department has three dedicated teachers to teach our students in recreation and physical education activities. We will do our best to improve our department and to teach the good values that are present in all sports. Keeping these ideals in mind, we have different programs to meet the needs of those who are physically

gifted, as well as those whose physical abilities/skills are limited. Also, continuing Wells’ strong reputation in sports, we have many teams competing in this year’s

This year our school is represented in the following sports: Bas-ketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, swimming, table tennis and chess. The students

and the coaches are working together

as a cohesive team and have

already been practicing very hard.

We’ve also expanded the facili-ties for our students. In addition to

the gymnasium and the swimming pool, we have a new fitness room with

high-quality equipment. We also have new covered court that meet interna-

tional standards for basketball, volleyball and badminton.

With these exciting changes in mind, I once again welcome you all. Let’s work

together to make this the best year ever!

-Mr. AntonioHead of PE Department


WELLS

CAFE 85

Among the many changes at the campus this year is the addition of a brand new café, open to both students and parents.

In addition to the variety of coffee-based drinks, the menu includes a variety of other beverages, including juice, teas and mixed drinks. Also avail-able is a variety of syrups that can be added to any beverage.

Not limiting itself to drinks, the café provides a wide range of small meals and snacks. Its sand-wiches and burgers have proven to be quite popular with students, and monthly specials are also fea-tured.

Birthday SpecialsFor students celebrating their birthdays with their

friends, Café 85 has a special offer:

Vouchers are available for purchase for you and your friends on your birthday. At 55 baht each, the vouchers

can be redeemed for one the following sets:

2 slices of pizza & a drink1 burger, nuggets & a drink

Be sure to take advantage of this special offer!

A new café known as Café 85 is open inside Wells International School's On Nut campus.

It is the new hangout for our upper grades where we can buy drinks, snacks, food and listen to music.

Why not come and take a look?


Why not come and take a look?


Student Work newspaper always contains propa-ganda techniques; the difference is in how evident those techniques are. The parts that I like about his speech are in his comments, where he exposes the flaws or the pro-pagandist techniques used with the speeches or quotes of the people opposing his view. This makes his speech and especially the comments both forceful and sincere. Commentary on Glenn Beck’s Analy-sis of Keith Olbermann

Fox News is considered by some to be one of the most biased, extreme, and obtuse news sta-tion in the world due to its sense-less and corrupted news that has been altered to their advantage. An example of such a show on Fox News is “Right Scoop TV,” hosted by Glenn Beck. This news show is fundamentally about criticizing people such as politicians, news-casters or even normal people who opposes the Fox News point of view. Newscaster Keith Olbermann was recently criticized on the “The Right Scoop TV” show by Glenn Beck, even though Keith Olber-mann’s speech and comments on the controversial issue of the “Ground Zero Mosque” were phenomenal in my opinion. Glenn Beck hmanaged to tease and ridicule Olbermann’s

Commentary on Keith Olbermann: “There is no ‘Ground Zero’”

The speech and comments made by Keith Olbermann regarding the ongoing issue of the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” is in my opin-ion patriotic, justified and righteous on many different levels. Although the speech and comments he had on this issue may seem strong and breath-taking due to the choice and pacing of his words, it is still in my opinion the most direct and truthful combi-nation of words I have ever heard. Though this speech may not have evident usage of propaganda tech-niques, it still moved and influenced my opinion on this issue very strongly indeed. Although Keith Olbermann, may not be the best orator in this world, his eloquent speech and com-ments are in fact rational and logical. That is in fact the only component that segregates a good speech from an incredible one. No evident propaganda techniques are used in his speech and comments; however there are still subtle usage of bandwagon, card stacking, transfer and name calling within his statements. However, this is common, as every new station or

speech and comments, as well as use propa-ganda techniques in his statements to make it even more believable. The propaganda techniques that were used include name calling, glittering gen-eralities, transfer and bandwagon. These techniques are used distinctly throughout the show, and they just target Keith Olber-mann’s show ratings and compare it to theirs. Emphasizing this point, Glenn depicted Keith Olbermann’s prime time slot as undesirable and considered his show to be “the best.” Another technique Glenn Beck used was hu-mor, which is the best tool to use in order to get points across to a worldwide audience. Therefore, emphasizing these two concepts of humor and ratings helped Glenn Beck dispute and mock Keith Olbermann’s speech and comments in order to symbolize his show as “correct” and his own view as “right” (while in fact it is not). Consequently, because of this I am not surprised that Glenn Beck is the big wheel down at the Fox News Cracker Factory. He is in my opinion another corrupted man who is presenting biased news to a worldwide audience, and that he is also very proud of that fact. As a I result I think of him as nothing better than a criminal who is law-fully presenting false facts and ideas to the innocent and naïve eyes of the world.

-Nick CharaschanyaGrade 12


Student Work Summer I When people find out I’m a teacher they always

say “It must be nice having the summers off.” Theoreti-cally, that is true, but I know lots of teachers who are committed to making improvements year after year (especially at the beginning of their careers). Believe it or not, many of your teachers often come to school between 6:30 and 7:00 am, stay until 5:00 or 6:00 pm, and work on weekends. This dedication to the teaching profession goes beyond the typical school year. Like many of the Wells teachers who work hard over the summer, I have committed to spending three summers at Ames National Laboratory (at Iowa State University). I was very lucky to be accepted to the Department of Energy Academy’s Creating Teacher Scientists Program for the summers of 2009-2011.Besides advancing my career as a teacher, this pro-gram has allowed me to simultaneously step into the shoes of both my students and a scientist. I have been forced to review and sharpen my lab skills, truly be immersed in the process of the scientific method, and once again become a student, learning about many aspects of engineering that are completely foreign to me. I have gained more appreciation for my students and how they feel when they are learning a complete-ly new subject. There were numerous occasions this past summer when I had to set aside my pride and ask a 21 year old for help (at 34 I was the oldest person in my lab group, including the professor). Although I was challenged both by being away from my family and immersing myself in a lab with engineers, I feel my students will ultimately benefit from the experience. In addition to getting some cool lab supplies from the program to use with my students, I have made a connection with a research group that will be lifelong. Now when students want to speak with a researcher, we actually have someone we can write to (someone who is both supportive and concerned

with the education of my students). Another beneficial aspect of the program is that is helps you to create a professional development plan. I have started to set short, medium and long-term goals for my teaching career. Many students might say “So what?” Well, that means I’m going to take online courses, go to conferences and present to other teach-ers, get a second master degree, and continue to push myself to bring inquiry-based activities to my students. So for you that means having FUN: more hands-on labs that will improve your understanding of your learning goals! I encourage the teachers at Wells International School to find inspiring, fun, supportive and education-al programs that will allow you to step into the hidden side of being a teacher. And for the students at Wells, I encourage you to do the same. Find fun, inspirational learning opportunities that allow you develop your character and professional skills, and have fun!! Krabi, anyone? I hope all the students take a moment this year to thank their teachers for all their hard work.

-Ms. TaneaScience Teacher


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