Update from the Head of School, BASIS International School Bangkok

We are finally into 2019 and I can’t wait to open the doors of BASIS International School Bangkok. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to meet and interview amazing teachers. I can honestly say that we have scoured the globe to find the best of the best. I am confident that our team will be a close-knit, cohesive group of individuals whose hard work and dedication will make this school a wonderful learning community.

Head of School Elizabeth Thies

Building Our Teaching Community

My goal is to make sure we are a strong team and when we come together, it is a smooth transition. Being a part of building a new school is unique and challenging, but it will also be a life-changing experience for our teachers, staff, and students. I am very proud of the fact that we have teachers coming from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Jakarta, Doha, and Thailand to be a part of our team.

In January we hosted our first BASIS International School Bangkok Teacher Webinar. We know that moving to Thailand is a big move for many of our teachers, so we were very excited to give them a chance to ask whatever questions they wanted on the webinar. This allowed our future teachers to introduce themselves and learn more about their soon-to-be colleagues. It was also a great opportunity for us to answer their questions, which ranged from the housing provided, to restaurants to try, where to take Thai lessons, and living and working in Thailand in general.

Many questions centered on the area where our school is located. We were pleased to share that the school is based in a community with many of the conveniences most are accustomed to having. The teachers’ apartments are a short walk (less than five minutes) from the school, which is next to the Rama II Central Park, and Central Plaza shopping center, which has restaurants and a Tops Market with many of the foods and groceries expats typically like to have. Our teachers were pleased to hear that we have set aside time for them upon arrival to visit the local grocery store, shopping mall, and Ikea. We understand that Thailand will become their new home and have intentionally built in time and activities to help our teachers and their families acclimate smoothly.

Central Plaza shopping mall in Bangkok.

Rama II Central Park

We will continue to host webinars over the course of the next several months to give our teachers a chance to ask questions and also learn more about our school and Thailand in general. Each teacher has also received the opportunity to communicate with our Director of Academic Programs in order to become more familiar with the BASIS Curriculum.

Here Come the Students

Where there are teachers, there must also be students! We have had the wonderful opportunity to meet and partner with several local kindergartens as part of our student recruitment plan. Our Director of Admissions has conducted information sessions with prospective families and we are excited to bring our excellent curriculum to these young students.

BASIS International School Bangkok Director of Admissions meets with prospective families.

My vision is to make sure that BASIS International School Bangkok is one of the best schools in the world and I know the key to that success is making sure that we find the right teachers to create an exceptional and unique learning community. If you are creative, energetic, and excited about the opportunity to be a part of a successful team, please apply today. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to be a part of bringing America’s most successful educational program to Bangkok for the very first time.

Elizabeth Thies is the Head of School at BASIS International School Bangkok. She recently finished scaling the 1,280 steps to get to the top of the Tiger Temple located in Krabi, Thailand and cannot wait to share opportunities like this with the new teachers at BASIS International School Bangkok.

The view from the top of the Tiger Temple stairs.

Learn more about the vision for BASIS International School Bangkok here.
View open positions and more information about teaching in Thailand on our careers site.