HOME AND DISTANCE EDUCATION
LEARNING FROM A DISTANCE
WELCOME TOHDE
The Home & Distance Education Division provides educational support and encourages academic excellence for Christian families serving throughout Thailand who are educating their children at home.
HDE SERVICES
Consultation
We love to hear from parents about the successes and challenges they’re experiencing with their children’s education. We can do this through email, phone calls, or face to face meetings in the HDE area on campus. HDE staff can give recommendations regarding curriculum and supplemental materials available in our library, referral for potential testing for educational support, and suggestions regarding planning and record keeping. We will also arrange to visit remote families at their request.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
As a benefit of HDE membership, students in grades 3-12 can take remote MAP tests once each year (November or March) at a discounted rate, proctored by our HDE staff. HDE students taking at least one GIS on-campus class may be permitted to take the PSAT test at the school on a space-available basis. AP exams are currently available only to HDE students taking the relevant GIS class. Additional fees apply for testing.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Family gatherings are scheduled for the beginning of the school year, before Christmas break, and at the conclusion of the school year. Other activities are offered based on member interest and staff availability.
LIBRARY ACCESS
HDE families can use both the Home & Distance Education library and the GIS libraries to check out a wide variety of materials, such as:
- Curriculum - for all grades and subject areas in a variety of educational styles (traditional, classical, literature-based, etc.), which can be checked out a semester at a time
- Curriculum-related books - books suggested or required by Sonlight, My Father’s World, and other literature-based curricula, as well as other quality readers
- Ancillary materials - science kits, manipulatives like Unifix cubes, gram-centimeter cubes, scales, microscopes, flashcards, posters, games, puzzles, and many other items
- General reading books -fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults
For families living outside Chiang Mai, HDE staff will mail HDE library materials at no additional cost!
GIS CONNECTIONS
Families living in Chiang Mai may want to take advantage of opportunities available to their students on the school campus. Opportunities vary from year to year and may include after-school sports, after-school clubs, chapel, and up to three on-campus classes for grades 7-12. Enrollment in on-campus classes is subject to availability and approval.
Educational support services are unavailable to HDE families at this time. When available, families enrolled in HDE can request assistance from the GIS Educational Support Division. The Educational Support Division approves assistance, which is subject to staff availability and additional fees.
Elementary after-school clubs are open to 3rd through 5th grade and may not be open to HDE students. Middle school and High school clubs are open to HDE students and vary from year to year.
Rec League sports do not require tryouts are available to HDE students in grades 3-6 at set times throughout the year. For athletic teams where tryouts are required, the student must be enrolled in HDE before the tryout date. At the U14 level and higher, students may not compete in the CMAC sports season without being enrolled in at least one on-campus class. Please see the athletics page of the school website for more information.
On-campus classes for grades 7-12 can be requested only after students are enrolled in HDE, and placement is not guaranteed.
ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS
All HDE students must meet the same health requirements as full-time GIS students. Please read the following documents before beginning the application process. Families with medical questions regarding vaccination requirements or other should contact the school nurse.
For more information about GIS health policies, check out our Health Services.
You may also find it helpful to review the HDE PSMO Handbook before beginning the application process. Upon enrollment, you will be required to sign a document stating your understanding of and agreement with the handbook.
HDE FEES
FIRST TIME APPLICANTS
The HDE New Student Application is online. Contact the HDE office (hde@gisthailand.org) to request the application link. A non-refundable, non-transferable 1000 baht application fee will be assessed when the application is submitted. The application will not be processed until payment is received.
RETURNING HDE STUDENTS
Families of students who are currently enrolled in HDE will receive re-enrollment instructions via email. Families of students who are not currently enrolled but were HDE members within the past two years should contact HDE to request re-enrollment information. Students who were HDE members more than two years ago must go through the new student application process. Students who are transitioning from full-time GIS enrollment to HDE must submit a transfer request form provided by HDE on request.
COURSE REQUEST
Families of students in grades 7–12 who are interested in requesting classes at GIS should click here for information about the process and requirements.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers. We understand you may have questions beyond this. If you don't find your answer below please email us and we'll respond ASAP!
For 2023–2024 HDE fees, click here
HDE students in grades 7–12 can take up to three classes per semester. These students are not considered full-time enrolled students at GIS. Report cards and transcripts will be given for the classes taken, but HDE students do not receive a GIS diploma. Students in grades K–6 cannot take GIS classes through HDE.
Helping students get into GIS is not the goal of HDE. HDE exists to help families who are successfully educate their children at home by offering services, resources, and connections to GIS.
HDE provides resources to parents who are teaching their children at home, including books, supplementaries, and access to extracurricular activities. HDE does not provide one-on-one instruction for students.
HDE provides curriculum resources. Families define their educational goals for homeschooling, and HDE can support those goals with access to curriculum. The HDE library has a wide range of curriculum that can be checked out and used.
HDE does not offer ESL tutoring services. Our curriculum library is designed for parents who are teaching their children at home in the English language.
HDE serves families while they are in Thailand, and all HDE library materials must remain in Thailand.
