ACTIVITIES AND EXPEDITIONS
Co-Curricular Learning
Our co-curricular learning involves CCA and offsite expeditions and visits.
Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs)
Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) are an integral part of the education offered at BIS HCMC and provide our students with a broad range of learning opportunities which positively impact many facets of their development, including academic progress. The diverse co-curricular programme is designed to enhance the core curriculum and provide opportunities for students to broaden their interests and perspectives of the world as they develop a range of skills including social, emotional, leadership, independence, collaboration, moral reasoning, decision making, problem solving, and critical thinking.
At BIS HCMC we have an extensive activities programme.
The aims of our Co-Curricular activities (CCAs) at BIS, HCMC are:
To provide a wide range of enjoyable and challenging experiences above and beyond the timetabled curriculum
To allow competitive teams, drama companies and music ensembles to reach high standards of team/group and personal performance
To provide opportunities for students to aspire to elements of the school’s mission statement
To continue to develop our involvement in community work
To offer a balance of endeavour which provides the framework for the IBDP CAS Programme
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is a way of thinking and a set of skills we encourage our students to encompass in every aspect of their lives. In making selections we ask students to take part in at least one of the four CCA areas below for a balanced experience.
Creativity: The arts, music, languages and other experiences that involve creative thinking. This could include involvement in the creation of something new, like an environmental awareness campaign.
Activity: Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
Service: Any activity in which you help other people, either in school or preferably in the wider community.
Sustainability: Caring for the natural world and developing ways to ensure sustainable resources for the future
Times
Our activities programmes run before lessons, during lunchtime and after lessons (2:50 – 3:50 pm & 3:55 - 4:55 pm). Some programmes run beyond these times and are stated in the booklet.
A small number of activities take place at weekends and some, such as the Duke of Edinburgh International Award require a commitment throughout the year.
Activities typically run from the second or third week of term to the penultimate week. Occasional use of facilities for examinations may mean that some activities are suspended for certain periods.
Termly CCA Programmes
A programme of activities is published in August for Term 1 and at the end of Terms 1 and 2 for the following terms.
If an activity teacher is unable to take the activity, parents will be informed at least 24 hours in advance of a cancellation or alternative arrangement to look after the students will be made at school.
CCA Selection using SchoolsBuddy
Activities need to be selected using the online SchoolsBuddy system. In the secondary campus, selections are made by students themselves. Parents will not be able to select CCAs for their child(ren).
Students will receive instructions on using SchoolsBuddy in the CCA booklet that is published each term. They will be able to see updates and changes to their approved activities through the on-line SchoolsBuddy homepage. Both the student and their parents will also receive notification when accepted for participation in a CCA.
For the majority of CCAs, the online system (SchoolsBuddy) will randomly allocate students to each CCA. As it is not a first come first served system, you may not always get your first choice activity.
Guidelines for Parents using SCHOOLSBUDDY to check student activities or provide consent for events
Please note that information will only be available on SchoolsBuddy after the system goes live during each CCA selection window. Please go to: https://bishcmc.schoolsbuddy.net
After clicking the link above, you will be directed to the login page. Do not add your email directly to this page, but instead, click on iSAMS (Parent) button.
This will direct you to the iSAMS login page. Please login using details supplied to you by school. If a new parent, you will have received an email from school on your registered email address with the words 'New iSAMS Parent Portal Sign in' within the subject line. Use those details to set up iSAMS. If you have forgotten login details, simply click the 'Forgotten your details?' option (see green arrow).
Once logged in correctly, you will land on your SchoolsBuddy Dashboard. It is on this page that you will again be able to see the CCA Booklet and the welcome message from school.
Paid Activities
There are a number of paid activities that students can sign up for such as Yoga, K-Pop, Hip Hop, as well as kickboxing and even football. These are provided by external individuals and organisations with all information about them detailed in the online activities booklet.
If a student has selected a paid activity, an email confirming their choice will be sent to both the student and their parents. There is then a payment window in which parents must confirm their child’s place on the CCA by making the payment. The preferred method is via Bank Transfer.
School Banking Details can be found in the CCA booklet.
When making payment for the chosen CCA, please ensure that you include a payment reference as follows: CCA Name (e.g.TDT Hip-Hop CCA), students name (e.g. Toby Nguyen) and the class (e.g. 11B) Once payment has been processed, please take a screenshot of the transaction and forward it to our Secondary Campus cashier, Ms Anh Pham on cashier.sc@bisvietnam.com . An example screenshot can be seen below. Please note the payment reference and the reference number is clearly seen.
For further information regarding CCAs, please refer to the termly CCA booklet or the further guidance here.
Saturday Football
Saturday Football is run by volunteer parents on Saturday mornings during term time. This takes place on the Junior Campus field and is open to boys and girls of all ages.
Expeditions
“I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.” Kurt Hahn
BIS believes in the all-round development of its students. To this end the school ensures that the programme of expeditions and visits it organises are well-planned, structured, show progression and provide continuity with classroom learning. Each expedition is carefully planned to provide a range of age appropriate opportunities for the development of personal qualities such as leadership, independence, self-esteem and perseverance as well as developing respect for different cultures. For many year groups there are compulsory expeditions and visits where participation is expected from all students.
Various curriculum based expeditions run from time to time through the year.
Week Without Walls - Expeditions
In addition, a key part of the learning experience at BIS is provided through our expeditions week, usually held earlier in Term 2 when the weather in Vietnam is reasonably predictable and pleasant. All students in Years 7-10 and 12 are expected to take part in the Week Without Walls - Expeditions Week.
Years 7-9 participate as a whole year group whereas for Year 10 and 12, there will be a range of options on offer.
Years 7, 8, 10 and 12 take part in an Expedition in January, and Year 7 and 8 have a Week Without Walls in May.
Year 9 take part in a Week Without Walls in January and an Expedition in May.
The aim of each expedition is for students to participate in a challenging residential experience covering creativity, action, service and leadership development.
There is a cost for Expeditions Week that parents need to budget for.
See also Health & Safety.
Expeditions overview
Although many expeditions are dependent on external providers for both timing and cost, the table below gives an overview of the probable expeditions for the year ahead to help parents plan.
As the school grows we are able to offer more and more opportunities for study and competition away from BIS. Some expeditions are for necessary fieldwork which is related to a subject’s examination syllabus or a year-group’s school curriculum; some are designed to enhance learning (such as practising a language); whilst others allow us to take part in a competition. When choosing expeditions, parents naturally will want to know costs so that the year’s expenditure can be planned. They will also need to consider which expeditions are compulsory, which are optional and which will require students to audition or attend trials for. Expedition Leaders will send details nearer the time, but please see the overview in the table below which will help you make choices in advance. Costs are approximate at this stage.
