| Wells International School | |
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"Changing the world, one student at a time..."
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| Address | |
| 2209 Sukhumvit Road Bangchak, Prakhanong Bangkok, 10260, Thailand |
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| Information | |
| School type | Independent, International |
| Established | 1999 |
| Chairman of the Board | Dr. Chang Yao-Lang |
| Headmaster | Mr. Ray D. de la Peña |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | Approximately 650 |
| Average class size | 14 students |
| Student to teacher ratio | 9:1 |
| Language | English |
| Mascot | Sea Hawk |
| Accreditation(s) | Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Ministry of Education (Thailand), The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA |
| Annual tuition | ฿175,000 - ฿309,000 |
| Website | Wells International School |
Wells International School, a member of the International Schools Association of Thailand[1], is an international school located in Bangkok, Thailand. It consists of three campuses: On Nut, composed of elementary and secondary students; Thong Lor, serving students from pre-school to Grade 2; and Bangna, composed solely of kindergarten students. Together, the three campuses serve approximately 650 students as of the 2011-2012 school year. Nationalities represented include American, Brazilian, Canadian, Chinese, Filipino, Finnish, German, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Kenyan, Korean, Malaysian, Myanmar, Portuguese, Singaporean, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Taiwanese and Thai. Wells offers an American curriculum, modified in recognition of cultural and regional distinctions, and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)[2], Thai Ministry of Education[3] and The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA). Wells has also been a member of the Thailand International Schools Activity Conference (TISAC)[4] since 2008.
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As described on its website, the mission of Wells is as follows:[5]
The mission of Wells International School is to deliver a quality, college-preparatory education to a diverse, international group of students in a nurturing environment of creativity and discovery, which inspires a passion for learning, fosters a sense of wonder and curiosity, and teaches responsible, global citizenship through a collaboration between the home and school community. The vision of Wells International School is to be globally recognized for its supportive and innovative educational programs that empower each student to achieve his or her highest potential. Wells International School aims to provide quality education and foster character development in a caring community. The philosophy of Wells is directly linked to the desired attributes and traits needed throughout childhood in order to progress successfully in life. We capitalize on the uniqueness of each child encouraging them to be communicators and thinkers, principled, determined, well-balanced, caring, open-minded, and knowledgeable. When combined, these attributes create a wholesome profile of an international-minded student.
Wells International Kindergarten and Wells International School are divisions of EverClever Education Group, Ltd., a conglomerate of institutions that also includes Bangkok School of Management and EverClever Language School. Headed by the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Chang Yao-Lang, the EverClever corporation offers various education programs for young children to adults. Additionally, it maintains an affiliation with Framingham State University, the first public normal school in the United States. Wells International School's On Nut campus serves as the permanent host of Framingham's graduate programs in Thailand, offered in tandem with International Education Programs, Inc. Programs offered include a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, a Master of Education in International Teaching, a Master of Education in Special Education and a Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language.[6]
Wells International School's chief campus is located in On Nut on Sukhumvit Road between soi 85 and soi 87, accessible by both car and BTS. 35 classrooms exist on the three floors of the school, each equipped with a computer connected to a widescreen, wall-mounted television. Interactive SMART Boards are placed in several of the classrooms as well, and wireless hubs placed around the school ensure internet access anywhere on the campus.
In addition to the standard classrooms, the campus also houses a primary and middle school science laboratory, and AP-equipped biology and chemistry laboratories. Five computer labs, including three that can be expanded into one large multimedia facility, contain approximately 150 computer and laptop stations available for student use. The fine arts center on the third floor comprises fully furnished dance and music studios, and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 130. The third floor also features a hydroponics-equipped greenhouse and terrarium. The school library contains over 8000 fiction and non-fiction titles that are tracked through the use of the OpenBiblio library system, and an addition 1500 novels are available in sets for language arts courses. The campus employs a full-time, certified nurse to operate the school’s clinic, as well as four full-time school counselors. The first-floor cafeteria can accommodate 250 students, and additional seating is provided in various locations around the campus. A central field contains playground equipment for primary students, and a second field houses a sports complex featuring a hard rubber surface, bleachers, a full-size basketball court, a volleyball court and badminton courts. A second full-size basketball court is contained in the school's gymnasium, and a pool is located on the first floor.[7]
Established in 2003, Wells International Kindergarten - Thong Lor is the oldest of the current Wells campuses. Situated 200 meters from the main Sukhumvit Road on soi 51, it includes students from nursery to Grade 2. Having undergone an expansion project in 2011, the campus now contains twelve homerooms arranged around a central covered field, which contains slides, swings and other playground equipment. There is also a dance and music studio, computer lab, library, art studio, resource room, gymnasium, and multi-purpose media room. The campus features recreational facilities geared toward young children, including a swimming pool, tricycle track, gardening area and sand pit.[8]
The newest of the three Wells campuses--Wells International Kindergarten - Bangna--was established in 2011 in the Bangna area. Located near the Bangna-Trad Expressway and the Paradise Park and Seacon Square shopping centers on Srinakarin 62, it caters to kindergarten students from ages 2 to 6. The main campus building contains twelve classrooms arranged around a central covered courtyard. Other facilities include a library, computer lab, music and dance studio, and swimming pool, all of which are designed specifically for young children. A parent lounge and meeting room is located immediately to the right of the main entrance. Outside the main entrance is a small playground containing a garden, fountain and equipment such as slides and swings. Parking is available in a lot underneath the school.[9]
Though smaller than many major international schools in Bangkok, Wells has sought to provide a broad curriculum based on a modified version of American Common Core State Standards, adopted by 45 of the 50 U.S. states. In addition to core language arts, mathematics, science and social studies classes, the following non-core courses are offered at the primary school level: music, computers, drama, art, physical education, Thai culture, Thai language, English support, Japanese, Hindi, French, Mandarin Chinese and Mandarin Taiwanese. The secondary campus at On Nut, in addition to the above electives, also features choir, computer productions and design, dance, home economics, instrumental music, and visual art. It also offers Advanced Placement courses on-site, utilizing AP-trained and certified instructors. As of the 2011-2012 school year, AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, and AP World History are offered.
Wells International School is a candidate school for the IB Diploma Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Wells International School believes is important for our students. Only schools authorized by the IB organization can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit the IBO website.[10]
The school actively encourages high-performing students to pursue the AP International Diploma, and standardized test results indicate that, on average, Wells students outperform U.S. standards in mathematics and science.[11] Wells graduates have been accepted into well-recognized and top-ranked universities in Thailand and abroad, including:[12]:
After-school activities, clubs and academic support at Wells International School include badminton, ballet, basketball, chess, computer game programming, debate, football (soccer), guitar, Homework Club, jazz, Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin Taiwanese, photography, piano, school publications, Science Club, sport stacking, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, Thai dance, Thai musical instruments, video production, visual art and volleyball.
Wells takes part in a variety of annual competitions in academics, the arts and debate, and also coordinates with national and international organizations in providing its students with other educational opportunities. In addition to regularly participating in the annual Thailand High School Debate and EU-Thailand National Intervarsity Debate Championships, Asia Books Readers' Theatre competition, World Scholar's Cup, and other events, Wells coordinates with Mahidol University in offering high school students research opportunities every summer. Wells students also participate in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program and the Global Young Leaders Conference.[13]
Wells participates in both BISAC and TISAC competitions in badminton, basketball, chess, football, golf, swimming, table tennis and volleyball. The On Nut campus is affiliated with Piyarom Sports Club, giving it access to additional facilities for both training and competitions. Wells' sports teams have had many notable successes in TISAC: