Issue 17: December 18, 2020

To Our Students

We teachers are so proud of every one of you – from the Pre-K three kiddos to the 12th grade seniors. These past nine months of school (finishing last year and beginning this new school year) have been such a challenge, and you have worked diligently, demonstrated patience, and successfully persevered. You have shown compassion, concern, and support for each other and for us, your teachers, as we’ve all had to learn how to do school in new ways. Thank you for encouraging and helping each other; thank you for your kind words of encouragement to us, your teachers; and thank you for demonstrating grace when lessons didn’t go as planned or the internet went down or any of the other myriad difficulties we’ve all faced as we have done school in this online format.

Some classes were especially challenging online, like the foreign languages and specials, but you were all superstars. You showed up to class, you did your best, and most importantly, you desired to learn. Your teachers are very grateful and very proud of you. In all your classes, you demonstrated flexibility and a growth mindset. Many of you learned how to advocate for yourself as you sought help when you didn’t understand or couldn’t complete an assignment. We teachers saw so many of you grow from being afraid to get help or ask questions (because that might be seen as “weakness”) to asking for help and then overcoming your struggles. We are so proud of you.

Many of you learned how to think along different pathways or outside of the box as you had to problem solve technology issues and the lacked of real-time support and help. We saw so many of you grow in personal responsibility as you had to manage your own time and schedule in ways you’ve never had to before. We saw so many of you learn new skills, often skills that you wouldn’t have learned for a few more years, such as typing up your own paper or learning how to manage transitioning to multiple classes and teachers online before you ever did that in person. You did it! You may have cried a bit, been angry sometimes, or even discouraged, but you did it! Great job!

All of us teachers have read stories in the news or heard stories from our friends (who are also teachers all over the world) about the lack of participation from their students, of students not coming to class or not turning in work, of students being mean to each other online, of students being inappropriate during Zoom calls or Google Meets. Each one of us had commented over and over again throughout these past few months about how blessed we are to be your teachers. BAIS students have consistently come to classes and behaved well, have routinely turned in their assignments, and have successfully completed and passed their classes! We, your teachers, want to say “Thank you!”. Thank you for making such a tough situation a bit better for each of us teachers (and for yourself and classmates as well) because you chose to learn well even when the circumstances of life were not easy and good. You, BAIS students, are the BEST!

We teachers also know that your parents played a very important role in helping us all be successful these past few months, so we want to say thank you to your parents for providing the much needed support from the home front. And, if you haven’t thanked your parents recently, make sure you give both your mom and your dad a huge hug and thank them for all the help they’ve given you while you did school online — remember, they were also trying to do their own jobs as well.

BAIS, we’ve made it to the end of semester one! Praise God for helping us choose joy, for providing us with financial resources and health, and for always being trustworthy and faithful even in challenging times. God has and will continue to bring about His good will even from these difficult times.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to the BAIS students, parents, and community! May we all enjoy some much needed rest and time away from computer screens!

Thank you, again, & God’s Blessings,
Your BAIS Teachers

Finance Department

2021-2022 Tuition Announcement!

It is a common practice for private international schools to increase tuition annually three to five percent depending on the school’s needs and the economy. School leadership has solicited considerable feedback from key stakeholders, including the Director’s Advisory Council (DAC). Additionally, the school is sensitive of the impact the pandemic has had on the local, national, and international economy. Considering these factors and being sensitive to the challenging season, BAIS will not increase tuition for the 2021-2022 school year. The capital levy fee will also not increase. Please note, however, that the school is evaluating the cost of services for English Language Development (ELD), for special education, and graduation. Updates to the fees for these services will be finalized in January.

Please do consider taking advantage of the non-refundable BAIS Early Bird Discount and be aware of the following information:

• If you pay your full year’s tuition and fees (with the exception of ELD and Enrichment) before March 5, 2020 you will receive a 3% “early bird” discount off tuition for the upcoming school year.
• NOTE: There will be no refunds if you take advantage of the “early bird” discount.
• Students brand new to BAIS pay a one-time only “new-student registration fee” of Rp. 3,000,000.
• The enrollment deposit and “new-student registration fee” is non-refundable and is due upon acceptance to BAIS.
• The reenrollment deposit is non-refundable.
• The capital fee is a non-refundable yearly payment which is used to maintain and develop BAIS facilities.
• All yearly fees are included in the first payment for tuition. The first payment is due before the first day of attendance at BAIS.
• For students registering after school begins, the registration fee is due upon acceptance and the balance of the tuition and fee payments must be completed before the first day of attendance at BAIS.

Please see the current Parent Student Handbook for further explanation on the BAIS financial policies. The Business Manager is available to answer your questions on the BAIS tuition, fees, and payment options.

Please note that BAIS does not accept Giros, Checks, or ATM transfers as a payment method. If you have any questions, please contact the Finance team at finance@baisedu.org. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

2021-2022 Reenrollment

Please complete this form and return it with appropriate fees to the BAIS office on or before Friday, January 29, 2021. Your child’s reenrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is secure when this form and the accompanying payment are received. Payment can be made by bank transfer or cash to the finance office.

Please note after January 29, 2021 your child’s seat in class is no longer guaranteed. The 10,000,000 IDR non-refundable reenrollment deposit will be applied towards the student’s fall 2021 tuition. After January 29, 2021, 7,000,000 IDR of the 10,000,000 IDR deposit will be applied towards the student’s fall 2021 tuition.

We appreciate your support! If you have any questions, please email finance@baisedu.org or stop by the office at any time. The reenrollment form can be submitted online using this link.

We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that the second semester payment is due on or before Friday, January 8, 2021. Additionally, the payment options that BAIS allows here in Indonesia are as follows:

For Indonesian Rupiah cash payments, please pay directly to the BAIS Finance Office during office hours. BAIS accepts cash payments between 7:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Our finance offices will be closed from December 21, 2020 to January 7, 2021 for the Christmas Holidays.

For bank transfers, please pay directly to the BAIS bank account with full detailed information regarding the student’s name and grade in the information section of the bank form. The bank account information is as follows:

Bank Name: PT Bank Permata
Bank Address: Jalan Merdeka No. 66, Bandung
Account Name: Yayasan Bandung Alliance Intercultural S
Account #: 809-01-8415
Swift Code: BBBAIDJA

From the Principals

Dear BAIS Community,

It is hard to believe we have reached the end of the first semester. Your children have worked diligently in their studies and have truly made the most out of this unique semester. Students are noticeably more comfortable with the online learning platforms and are mastering new content in fresh ways. It is quite exciting to see how well we’ve met this semester’s challenges.

As you may know, on November 20, the Indonesian government granted schools the option for regulated reopenings starting in January. BAIS is in the process of finalizing and receiving all necessary permissions so that we can reopen on January 18th. As a reminder, January 11 is our official first day of the second semester. This week (January 11-15) will be online school. Due to the many staff, students, and families who will be traveling over the break, BAIS is asking that our community take advised safety precautions by staying home and self-quarantining during these first seven days of the semester.

Full details, protocols, and timelines will be released once all documentation and permissions have been obtained. Please feel free to explore this brief presentation Mr. Cantrall and I shared with homeroom parents on December 16. Within you may view the school’s comprehensive reopening plan and some links to scholarly research related to Covid-19 and schools. Please note that the comprehensive reopening plan will be amended based on feedback from the Department of Education during the Christmas holiday.

We are thrilled at the prospect of welcoming students back on campus. The safety of your children is our top priority. We assure you that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure our eventual reopening is well-planned and safe. Thank you for your continued confidence in our school.

Merry Christmas from all of us here at BAIS!

Considering Christmas travel during the pandemic

Here it comes again, the end of the year. Finals, homework, classroom parties, and then Christmas break…it is finally here; Parents may have already planned for a trip and some might already be on their way now for Christmas break!

Please take great care to protect yourself from Covid-19. If you plan to go travelling, make sure you are prepared for all the protocols – especially with many new regulations that were issued this week. One important thing you might do is to be proactive in searching for information about the destination (including hotels and restaurants) as well as what health policies and protocols are applied in those places. The official websites of the local governments, tourist attractions, and hotels are the best resource to find information. But keep in mind that the protocols can change frequently and suddenly depending on local conditions. Check back often for updates as your travel plans get closer.

You might need to be tested before, during, and/or after your trip. Follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (or SATGAS COVID 19 in Indonesia) when you travel: maintaining social distance of 6 feet (2 meters), wearing a mask, avoiding contact with anyone who is sick, limiting contact with frequently touched surfaces, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, covering your coughs and sneezes, and cleaning your hands often (or use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available). Don’t forget to keep your supplies, like extra masks, hand sanitizer, and medicine, in a place that is easily accessible.

These are some websites that you can check:
SATGAS COVID 19: covid19.go.id
CDC: www.cdc.gov
WHO: www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
When you return from traveling, you might need to do the same thing all over again. All the processes and quarantines might need to happen depending on where you travel and what means of transportation you use. BAIS employees are required to self quarantine for 6 days and then do a rapid test on the 6th day if they travel outside of Java. In addition to the restrictions and protocols, know that we are praying that you will enjoy your time with your friends and family celebrating the birth of our Saviour and the new year 2021. See you all next year!

Mega Puspita Pandiangan and Chevy Hallatu

Attention BAIS Community!

We need your help to gather pictures for this year’s yearbook.

Send us pictures of yourself, your child, or anything that relates to the current theme!

Make sure that:

• No filters/edits are applied
• Include a description of the activities/quotes
• Include the name of the people in the pictures
• Upload the picture via this Google Form.

You will receive 5 points for each picture submitted.
(There’s a possibility that your picture might be featured in the yearbook)

Please go to this link for the picture upload. You need to have the Google Drive app installed in your gadget to go to the link.

Sincerely,
The Yearbook Team

New Student Scholarship

Dear Parents and Friends,

As one of the marketing initiatives to bring more interest in our school, we are excited to announce a new scholarship opportunity for incoming students. These students have to follow the guidelines and meet the criteria stated in the scholarship form. In addition, we also have Finder’s Fee initiatives for families or individuals who bring new students to BAIS. For more information about these programs, feel free to contact us at admissions@baisedu.org or WA +62221012247

Thank you,
Hani Ramappa

Bali Orphanage Angel Gift Tree

Build To Give would like to express our thanks and gratitude to all who have participated in and supported this year’s Angel Gift Tree event. Thank you for donating and enabling us to give these kids and staff workers gifts at Christmas! We were able to purchase gifts for everyone and also donate additional money for the orphanage. Thank you for showing the love of Christ to those in need. May you all be blessed and may we all have a Merry Christmas!

• 

• 

From the Guidance Counselor

Congratulations to Gracia Audy Purnomo and Ezra Thomas!

Audy was accepted to her first-choice school at Boston University in the United States.

Ezra was accepted to Wheaton College in the United States.

Make sure to congratulate them when you see them around… your Google Meet.

Also, please be praying for the other students in the senior class as they are in the process of applying or are waiting for the decisions to be announced.

It’s been a joy journeying these last 10+ years with this amazing community here at BAIS. Each and every one of you has been a blessing to our family in one way or another for which we are very grateful. Thank you for sharing your children with us for us to love and teach. We are thankful for the friendships that we’ve gained with BAIS parents over the years and we consider you a part of our family.

We as a family have decided that this school year at BAIS will be our last year here. This wasn’t an easy decision for our family because of how much we love being part of this community. BAIS is not just a place of employment or a school (for our children): it’s a family that truly loves and cares for each other, and that has made this decision process immensely difficult. As we have processed this decision over the last three weeks, we are confident in God’s leading even though that means having to leave a place we have called “home.” We are saddened by the thought of having to say goodbye to our wonderful BAIS family but are reminded that every day we have here until this summer is going to be even more precious and are looking forward to continuing to make memories here with you and your children.

Our family has been offered a position to work at our sister school, OIS Ankara, for the next school year and that’s where we will be moving this summer.

We know that God is in control and He has great plans for BAIS. We are confident that He will continue to prosper this school under the leadership of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Cantrall, along with the support that they receive from the rest of this community.

Thank you for being a part of our lives and loving us so well!

The Woollianallur Ramappa Family

Parent Waiver Form

With this BAIS Buzz, we are also sending you the Parent Waiver form for grade 10 – 12 students. Please fill in the form and sign over the legal stamp, and submit it to BAIS office by Monday, January 4th, 2021. We kindly ask that you keep this information private (not posting photos to social media) so as to not raise concerns from other institutions who have not yet received this recommendation. Waiver forms for elementary will be sent once they are finalized. Please email the completed waiver to gledyamelisa@baisedu.org or WhatsApp 0857-2200-8090.

Thank you,
Gledya Melisa