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PUBLICATION INFORMATION:
4 Message from the School
AD Astra is published four times a year by Ruamrudee International School. The objective of the publication is to report on and communicate happenings at Ruamrudee International School.
At least 1,100 copies are printed per issue to send directly to all students and their families. AD Astra is also distributed among our faculty and staff numbering over 500, and mailed to RIS alumni and friends. The RIS family is a large and growing community of international citizens.
AD ASTRA TEAM Editor:
Sudha Maroli
Contributing Editors: Tam Fawcett Will Hayman
Graphics Design/Layout:
Sornchai Pongheamwattana
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Coordinator:
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Printed by
Rajeepan Techapahaphong
T.K. PRINTING CO.,LTD.
RUAMRUDEE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
6 Ramkhamhaeng 184, Minburi, Bangkok 10510 Tel: +66 (0) 2791 8900 Fax: +66 (0) 2791 8901-2 Website: www.rism.ac.th E-mail: info@rism.ac.th
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Chaplain Father Leo Travis Letter from the Editor Sudha Maroli Interviews with our new HS Principal and new Head of School Alina Chalanuchpong and Meg Saksiriwatekul Fr. Griffith Day Junior Council Crystal Ellis Middle School Lounge Middle School Council IB Core Retreat 2015 Different faiths, One love at RIS! Jafferali Mussa 2014-2015 High School Honor Roll Shirley Gamble High School Student Council Deejai Riangkrul and Folk Narongrit History Bee & Bowl Asian Championships Nitipat Nantavaropas National Honor Society (NHS) Supavee (Sandy) Kanjanakuha HS Senior Convocation Shirley Gamble
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2015 Gerry Steiert SERVICE LEARNING @RIS Shirley Gamble - Baan Nok Khamin - Grade 8 Thai Classes’ Charity Projects - Celebrating Peace Week @RIS - Bhutan : Land of the Thunder Dragon In the Spirit of Giving High School Reunion: Kang Worragorn RIS Shows Support for Nepal’s Earthquake Victims Share Dream Share Love Apple of my eye Kirin Techawongtham Professional learning with Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger Madeleine Bystrom Family Fun Day Classified Staff Seminar 2015 Sudha Maroli PHOTO of the Day
Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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WORLD PEACE AND THE VIRTUE OF HOPE T
he RIS spirit certainly blossomed in Godbout Hall during our school wide assembly on Monday, September 21, 2015. I, for one, felt privileged to be there with the RIS parents, teachers, administrators, and students celebrating “Peace One Day”! Representatives of the K-12 student-body sang, gave speeches, and displayed posters proclaiming faith in a plea for peace in the world. We prayed to the Heavenly Father to inspire ‘people-of-means’ to give bread to the world’s poor, forgive the trespassing on their land by refugees, forgive them and forgive us our sins that create evil that destroys Peace! This “Peace One Day” assembly was a glorious moment. It was also solemn moment to consider what we could do support peace in the world. We worry about so many young people who have no employment, are homeless, and are not living in any daily peace. RIS High School students are youth who worry about their peers who have no peace. They did a wonderful thing on the Friday after the “Peace One Day” assembly. They all gathered for a special Friday assembly to pray and to join in a prayerful song. It seemed like it was fun! And it was the thing to do! Here are some of the words that they sang: Let there be Peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be Peace on Earth, the Peace that was meant to be! With God as our Father, brothers, sister, all are we. Let me walk with my brother and sister in perfect harmony. Let Peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now. With every breath I take, let this be the moment now. To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. It was a good moment, wasn’t it! Thank you students for giving us this inspiration!
Father Leo Travis, C.Ss.R. School Chaplain
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The All New 2015-2016 Academic Year
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new year in the academic sense is both literal and metaphorical. Every new year is considered a time for new beginnings that offer fresh starts, reaffirmations and chances to create a better future. We have started this year with serious conversations about many improvements and amongst them is a wish to go green, or greener should I say?! As the sixtieth year anniversary is fast approaching we are bringing focus back to what matters the most to us - the RIS community, the past, the present and the future. A logo competition, that portrays the significance of our history, encouraged the participation of the students and staff. The official announcement, of the events, is scheduled for Nov 27. It is time for not only deliberating on the future direction of RIS, the prediction of the global trends in education but also to create the much desired future. I personally can not believe that I have been at RIS for half its life time - perhaps, it is more appropriate to say that I have been at RIS for half of my life time!! My association with the Redemptorists started in 1980 and I set foot into RIS in 1981 creating a common destiny between the school and me. My life is blessed and enriched by the interconnectedness I feel with the world around me. Much has changed in our world over the past sixty years, and many critical milestones have been reached; however, we are so grateful that the quality of our students remain unchanged. They are seen upon as the best students our faculty has ever taught. This message is consistent no matter who comes or who goes! The cover page proudly depicts the world class universities our 2015 graduates chose to go. This is nothing but pure data; several of these students had multiple offers. We do not consider this as an exceptional success but a continuation of our legacy. As we congratulate our recent graduates for what they have achieved and for who they are as individuals. As proud as we are of the exemplary work of our educators we also ready to rededicate ourselves to the ideals and principles that inspired the founding fathers who envisioned this great school! Warm regards,
Sudha Maroli Deputy Head of School
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hen I met with Mr. Dan Smith, our high school principal, it was clear that he is a leader who puts importance on communication and building relationships. His leadership style is collaborative, transparent, and reflective. While making sure that the decisions he makes are communicated to the people who are impacted, he is fast acting. Likewise, he believes that it is important to make decisions that are consistent with RIS values. Mr. Dan put emphasis on the environment that students are in. He believes that the relationship between teachers and students can impact each and every student’s performance. He strives to build a supportive environment in which high performing students can encourage and help students who are struggling. In terms of expectations of the parents, Mr. Dan hopes that they are helping their children find the most challenging,
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rigorous academic experience that fits most to the children’s interests so that they will endeavor to reach their highest capabilities. He also understands the importance of students being well rounded individuals and is interested in working with admin and teachers to ensure students have different options to fulfil that pursuit as well. Above all, Mr. Dan expressed his objective to venture out of his office to converse with students as well as sharing his welcoming open door policy. Similarly, the celebration of academic excellence, recognition and the opportunities to demonstrate student achievement and effort is a culture of academic excellence that Mr. Dan would like to create as a High School Principal. Truly, as Mr. Dan stated, “Every certificate celebrates the whole school community.”
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ith Dr. Shalee Cunningham joining the RIS Community as Head of School, we can all be ensured that RIS is in good hands. The accomplished instructor has come to RIS with a plan to guide the school into achieving its greatest aspirations, Ad Astra. In this interview, Dr. Shalee described her unique leadership qualities, long-term vision for the school, and much more. As an experienced leader, Dr. Shalee is both a patient listener and a motivational speaker. She does not apply the top-down method of leadership, for she is ‘not a dictator.’ An inclusive and collaborative community is one that she instills. Dr. Shalee is currently in her period of listening, hearing opinions from students, parents, and teachers on their expectations of the school before taking action. From her observations, Dr. Shalee is impressed with our students’ culture of academic excellence, proudly stating that our students are ‘very academically excelled’. RIS has already exemplified our aspired principles of Head, Hands and Heart. “The students and the school have already exhibited great work ethic and values,” commended Dr. Shalee. Not only does RIS have outstanding students, but we also have active parents who are consistently offering
suggestions that will benefit the school. Dr. Shalee compares the collaboration between administrators and parents to a dance where both parties have students as their top priority. Dr. Shalee then offered insights for strengthening the school community. She emphasized the importance of communication, which could be enhanced with newsletters sent to communities from all three principals and the head of school. RIS also has a wide array of accomplishments that should be proudly recognized. Improving the school website will also be another step taken to construct a good foundation for communication. Another area where Dr. Shalee identifies possible improvement is our student recruitment; new strategic marketing plans are in the process of being developed to promote our school. In addition, Dr. Shalee is collaborating with our three principals to align the three sections, making ES, MS, and HS more consistent. There have been proposals of expanding the IB program into middle school, which is a very plausible possibility. Lastly, Dr. Shalee is determined on implementing WASC and the strategic plans to carry on RIS’s tradition of excellence.
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he ES, MS, and HS gathered today to pay tribute to Father Griffith, a man who was instrumental in the history of RIS. Our school would not be here today without his guidance, passion, and leadership. It was Father Griffith’s vision that we should relocate to our beautiful Min Buri campus. We paid respect to him through a reading, candle ceremony, and singing. Thank you, Father Griffith, for making RIS into the school that it is today!
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By Crystal Ellis, Junior Council advisor for the ES
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t’s that time of year again! Our Elementary School is bursting with excitement around the Junior Council elections held in grades 3-5. Each year students interested in acquiring leadership skills apply to become Junior Council members. Being chosen by your teacher and classmates to represent your class as a Junior Council member is a huge honor in the Elementary School. Students are required to write a speech outlining how they exemplify leadership and what responsibility means to them. They also write about how they feel they can make a difference here at school. The competition is tight every year. There are so many gifted, talented, and natural leaders at RIS. Once elected, the ceremony is short and sweet and a highlight for the Junior Council members. Each student becomes an official Junior Council member after they read a small portion of their speech and their parents place the honorary vest on their child. It doesn’t leave a dry eye in the room. Our Junior Council students share their hopes and dreams for the year. Every single student referenced that it would be a honor to ensure that our school is a
healthy, happy, and fun place to be. We look forward to another great year in the ES! The Elementary Junior Council group meets every day D. If you happen to notice a student from the Elementary wearing their Junior Council vest, give them a high five! They earned it!
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ou may have heard the MS students talking about a new learning space called MSL or the Middle School Lounge. In January, a few sixth graders joined an EDP to read books and help create a reading space exclusively for middle school students. The purpose of the project was to cultivate and develop lifelong love of reading with easy access to high interest book choices appropriate for middle school students.
Over the next few months we had the room painted, added carpet, a couch, and beanbags. The students suggested we organize books into bins using a bookstore style format. So we labeled many books by genres, such as fantasy, humor, graphic novels and realistic fiction. During the process, we realized if we wanted to have more kids reading we needed some updated books. Thanks to a generous donation from the Parent Auxiliary, we now have added seventy new titles. Since then, the room has merged with laptop lounge to create a place to read or work on school projects during lunch and break time. It has become a very popular spot with our middle school students. Over a hundred and fifty books were checked out of the MSL so far this school year.
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arly in September, 7th and 8th grade middle school students prepared speeches to give for the annual Middle School Council elections. Although the council includes students from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, only students who have participated in the council for at least 1 year may apply to run for office. 13 students competed for a total of 4 executive council positions as the new President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Serving as part of the executive council is no small task. Students must attend every council meeting, join school improvement meetings with administration and teachers, lead service projects, make speeches, plan events, and serve as model students for the entire student body. On top of all of that they must maintain excellent grades and exemplary behavior.
Shortly after the elections, all student council members voted for our officers using a Google ballot form. The Middle School Council chose to elect the following 8th grade students as our executive council for the 20152016 school year. Please join us in celebrating these incredible young leaders. (Poupee) Pornpitra Laosirihongthong (Opal) Kancharos Trakulsujaritchok Pisa Leelapatana (Tony) Chun-yi Hou
On election day students demonstrated thoughtfulness, creativity, and preparation in their speeches. Students listened attentively, applauded one another, and expressed their confidence in each other as leaders. It was clear we had a room full of leaders even if we would only be voting for four. Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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n Sunday, August 16th, 50 IB Diploma juniors met with their teachers for a day full of activities centered around the core of the IB program. Students spent the day engaged in a variety of exercises that explained how humans acquire knowledge, how well they work under pressure, and the reliability of their senses and memory. Students were also introduced to the two main assessments of the TOK program, the presentation and the essay. Apart from the TOK teachers present that day, Miss Nicole Burcar explained the many components of the CAS program, Miss Shirley provided an overview of some of the volunteering initiatives that the school provides, Mr. Dominick Bruso explained the process of the extended essay, and Mr. Tim Pettine, our IB Coordinator, highlighted the importance of the core in developing inquisitive, healthy, and involved lifelong learners. After the success of this event, students and teachers agreed that the IB Core retreat should become a recurring event at Ruamrudee International School, welcoming incoming diploma students to the program and making their transition an easy and pleasant one.
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A special thank you to Miss April Slagle, Mr. Edward Kemp, Mr. Kevin Waldman, Mr. Ben Roth, Mr. Jeff Gepner, Mr. Said Ghorayeb, and of course, to all the wonderful, dedicated students for making this day a successful one.
By Jafferali Mussa
“Whatever faith you practice, practice it well”. This is a famous saying from our own Fr. Travis at Ruamrudee International School. “Pray in any way that your religion teaches, as long as you pray”, Father Travis continues. Our Fathers at RIS have always encouraged us to practice and pray in the different faith groups that we belong to.
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t RIS we experience a mini United Nations, with different faiths coexisting and sharing their Peace, Love and even lunch with each other on a daily basis. We are so proud of our diversity, multi culturalism and the pluralistic approach we hold to the various faiths represented here at our own Global RIS. As I was having my lunch the other day in the cafeteria, I was joined by three of my wonderful students who were also eating their lunch, which in itself is not unusual. However, the three High School students, Baipor, a Christian, Aliya, a Muslim and Tarm, a Buddhist were all eating from the same plate and having a beautiful conversation about life. The connection and the energy that they were sharing with each other was special, genuine and from the heart. The stories, the smiles and the love that was experienced between them was divine and spiritual. And, the best part of it all was that it came naturally to them. Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Mohammed, Krishna, Bahaullah have all taught us to be compassionate to all beings and love each other unconditionally. Well these three students and our RIS community put their teachings to practice on a daily basis. As much as our students have a lot to learn from our World, Our World has a lot to learn from our students as well! We embody the spirit of Union of Hearts at RIS.
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By Shirley Gamble, Service Learning Coordinator
Congratulations to all our Honor Roll students for their outstanding academic performance last year.
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very year the high school recognizes the top ten students with the highest GPA of each grade level and presents them with a Certificate of Achievement at a special Honor Roll Assembly. The following, listed in alphabetical order, are the names of the recipients who were acknowledged in front of the whole high school on the morning of August 17th.
Last year’s Grade 12
1 Kailin (Dennis) Chen 2 Sasinat (Patty) Chindapol 3 VasinKijkornphan 4 Young Eun (Grace) Kwon 5 PaoManeepairoj 6 FasaiPhuathavornskul 7 AttawatSingnoo 8 Khyati (Chiku) Sipani 9 Sasiwan Katherine Spahr 10 TanapatSudhiwana
Last year’s Grade 11
1. Alina Chalanuchpong 2. Chawan Kritsanaviparkporn 3. Napassorn (Jane) Lertchurushan 4. Waratchaya Limvipuwat 5. Malcolm Mitchell 6. Nitipat Nantavaropas 7. Chayanis Niyomsith 8. Voralerk Poolvoralaks 9. Shubham Singh 10. Nannaphat Sirison 11. Lingyi (Sally) Wu
Last year’s Grade 10
1. Swisshaya Amphan 2. Jom Bhumitrakul 3. Rittida Herabat 4. Nam Thai Hoang 5. Supiphat Kasetrsuwan 6. Thiti Khomin 7. Phunyawaj Niamtan 8. David (Ken) Phaosricharoen 9. Yingrak Phuathavornskul 10. Pimbuppha Pongtornpipat 11. Drimik Roy Chowdhury 12. Peeranat Tokaeo
Last year’s Grade 9
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1. Pat Boonsom 2. Panuvat (Todd) Chutichetpong 3. Kullanan (Mimi) Intarapuvasak 4. Pattarapon Kittisrisawai 5. Nattawat Luxsuwong 6. Mami Moriya 7. Rohan Nakra 8. Tejas Pal 9. Phannita Piriyavirut 10. Sirasorn Tichachol
By Deejai Riangkrul (President) & Folk Narongrit (Vice-President)
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his year, the Student Council has been working hard to build a lively and harmonious environment at Ruamrudee by creating a strong, spirited student body. Student Council members began working during the summer by organizing an orientation for the incoming 9th graders. The council greeted new students with warm smiles of encouragement, showed them around campus, and prepared them for the first day of school with entertaining ice-breaker activities, inspiring words, and meaningful discussions. During August, forty-four student leaders, along with Ms. Shirley, the activities coordinator, and Ms. Kay, the yearbook advisor, had the opportunity to spend quality time together planning this year’s upcoming events at the Student Council Retreat.
page. The chosen theme is “heroes/heroines.” Pages will contain heroes such as ones from Greek Mythology, Superheroes, everyday heroes, or subject heroes. Student Council is also excited to do what it does best: organize spirit activities. Members were split into different committees which will be in charge of organizing several big events throughout year. Our two spirit weeks and the cultural week will be a way for students to express their spirit and culture through dress-up days and recreational activities. A major event is our upcoming games day. The games day committee is working hard to come up with activities that are enjoyable and that everyone can play. We are also offering a sports competition for our talented athletes.
One of our year long projects is the “Student Ambassadors,” where students assist the Admissions Office in welcoming new families to RIS. Not only will this be a great experience for our students, but it will also a great way for parents and future students to learn about our school.
Of course, we have not forgotten our most important job: ensuring that students’ voices are heard. Student Council will act as a liaison to teachers and administrators in school development meetings and committees. We look forward to everyone’s continued support towards building a stronger student body. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to talk to any of our wonderful members!
Another big project this year is designing the High School yearbook. Each homeroom is now required to collaborate with Ms. Kay to produce their own homeroom
Continuing to build an amazing student body, Deejai Riangkrul and Folk Narongrit
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By Nitipat Nantavaropas
As Lord Acton, a British historian, once said, “History is not a burden
on the memory, but an illumination of the soul.”
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n beautiful Khao Lak, Thailand, the crystal clear seas, toasty warm weather, and gentle sea breeze lure tourists from all over the world. For us historians, though, the main attraction was not the beach; it was the annual International History Bee and Bowl Asian Championships held on July 12th through the 14th. Our team was composed of a diverse cast of students with Bruce (Class of 2022), Bill (Class of 2017), Nat (Class of 2016), and our captain Pao (now at Sciences Po and Columbia). Accompanied by our coach and advisor Mr. Jeffrey Gepner, we attended the competition and competed with gusto, trying our best in all events. The competition began with the Sports and Entertainment Bee following with the History Bee and Bowl over the next two days. In the History Bee, which was an individual competition, Nat won 3rd place in Asia taking home a bronze medal. For the third time, we were matched against the International Community School in the History Bowl finals. The intensity and excitement were truly unforgettable. Although we were defeated and finished
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in 2nd place, it hardly mattered. The friends we made and the fun we had was more important than any victory we could have achieved. This was the third year RIS has competed in the International History Bee and Bowl and each year has been a better experience than the previous. The chance to exercise your knowledge in a subject you love as well as interact with likeminded people is not a common opportunity. Bill, our Russian and modern history expert, says, “History Bee and Bowl is an experience that I will never forget. It allows me to express my own knowledge, some of which I didn’t even know that I had.” We are also excited to expand our membership, as many more students have expressed interest in joining the competition this year. We welcome all students from the RIS Elementary, Middle, or High School to join our team for a chance at becoming the greatest historians of Asia. So if you have a love of the Napoleonic Wars or an interest in the Civil Rights Movement or a fascination with the colonization of the Americas, come join us!
By Supavee (Sandy) Kanjanakuha
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n September 16th, National Honor Society (NHS) inducted its 2015 members. Before being selected, students went through a rigorous application process. First, students needed to have at least a 3.60 cumulative grade point average to receive an invitation letter. Then these students are required to support their candidacy with evidence of their leadership and service activities. After a select group of faculty members evaluated the students’ materials, students are finally selected to join this prestigious organization. NHS is recognized worldwide for excellence in the classroom and in the community. In NHS there are four pillars representing the qualities that a member should embrace: leadership, service, character, and scholarship. To be a part of NHS, not only do you need to be academically dedicated and actively engaged with extracurricular activities, but also demonstrate good character and great leadership skills. As of this year, NHS’s executive team includes Ayushi (Milky) Gangwal as president and Supavee (Sandy) Kanjanakuha as vice president. Our advisers are Ms. Nicole Sabet along with Mr. Dominick Bruso. For this year the inducted members include Metha Hong, Suwat Jetjirawat, Malcolm Mitchell, Warapong Narongrit, Nattida Rongwaree, and Shubham Singh, from the Class of 2016. Arsaya Asavalarpnirundon, Aliya Chirapant, Rittida Herabat, Taiki Hisatsune, Nam Thai Hoang, Sadit Indramangala, Thiti Khomin, Krittanat Nalamlieng, Paponek Nitiratanakul, Alangkan Plangsastra, Thithat Promlikitchai, Manaka Saito, Amphan Swisshaya, Wisaka Tangkana, and Aurisa Uchupalanun, from the Class of 2017. Lastly, Panuvat Chutichetpong, Natchayakarn Komthongchusakul, Jirachaya Lee-Isranukul, Nattawat Luxsuwong, Piyaonn Musikabhumma, Napat Sakulsaengprapha, Ayush Sehgal, and Yanika Suthidara, from the Class of 2018. National Honor Society’s executive team would like to sincerely congratulate the newly inducted members on their accomplishments and looks forward to working with every member in order to make RIS and the surrounding community a better place. Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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By Shirley Gamble, Service Learning Coordinator
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n August 20th, the Grade Twelve students officially became “Seniors�. They were finally recognized as being the eldest and most respected members ot the entire school student body, role models to the younger grades. Forty seniors who have attended RIS since first grade have waited twelve long years to take this significant walk and they did so with great pride and happy smiles. Highspirited and united, they walked out of Godbout Hall in pairs towards the soccer field to express themselves in front of the cameras and in the senior prom video, proudly showing off their senior pins to their friends and teachers. The beginning of their final year has arrived and they now look forward to sharing many special moments before graduating together as the Class of 2016.
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Dr. Shalee Cunningham Head of School
Hello members of the RIS Community! My name is Dr. Shalee Cunningham and I am honored to be the new Head of School at Ruamrudee. I hail from Napa, California where I lived while serving as District Superintendent in Marin County. I have been a school superintendent in both California and Colorado for the past 30 years. Before discovering my passion in school administration, I taught Math in Irvine, California and still remain a teacher at heart. Though leaving behind our 4 adult children remains difficult, my husband Jeff and I are thrilled to be a part of the RIS family. Thailand is a beautiful country and we cannot wait to begin exploring the region. Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, biking, and eating delicious food. So if you want to talk about RIS, teaching, student life, or your favorite Thai restaurant, please do not hesitate to stop by my office!
Elysa Christy
Educational Psychologist I am excited to be joining RIS this year as a school psychology intern. I hold an MA in Education from UC Berkeley, and am currently completing an MEd in School and Applied Child Psychology through the University of Calgary. I am originally from the US, where I began my career as an elementary classroom teacher in California. Since then, I have been a classroom teacher at TAS in Taiwan, ISKL in Malaysia, and most recently at ISB here in Bangkok. I look forward to getting to know the RIS community this year!
Emily Bevington
7th grade English and history If I haven’t met you on campus yet, my name is Emily Bevington and I am one of the seventh grade humanities teachers. This is my first year teaching abroad with an international school and I could not be more thrilled to be working with RIS in Bangkok. I am from Illinois originally and attended Truman State University for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I lived and taught middle school previously just south of Boston--go Red Sox! I have enjoyed getting to know some of you through ultimate frisbee, yoga, and other activities on campus, and I am looking forward to meeting more of you throughout the school year.
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Garrett K. Drake HS/MS Librarian
I was born and raised in a small town in Kansas. My mother, who was studying at a local community college, working and raising my brother and I would often study at our local public library. My lifelong infatuation with libraries began then. Starting in my own high school, I have worked in a library since I was 16. I majored in creative writing and psychology at a small university in Kansas before earning a Master of Library Science from Emporia State. I am a certified Education Media Specialist/ESL K-12/English 6-12 teacher/librarian. Before coming to RIS, I served the Naomi Foster Library in Izmir, Turkey for five years. I love empowering people to find answers through whatever information medium is right for them. The best thing about my job is that students research everything. If they come to me for help on an interesting question, I have to imagine myself in their position and learn something new in order to help them. This is the same reason that I love living abroad.
Jennie Thompson Second grade
Greetings! My name is Jennie Thompson and I’m excited to be part of the RIS teaching team this year. This is my second year teaching abroad, but my first experience in Thailand. Previously, I worked with second grade students in Jakarta, Indonesia. I am thrilled to continue my international teaching journey in Bangkok, Thailand with your second grade students. I am from Pennsylvania and I studied at Villanova University for my undergraduate degree. I returned to graduate school immediately to pursue my career in education. I received my Master’s degree from West Chester University specializing in literacy. I have been teaching for 9 years as a reading specialist and coach, as well as a classroom teacher and Language Arts Coordinator. Your students have inspired me already! I look forward to learning with my students as we grow as readers, writers, scientists, mathematicians, and inquirers this school year!
Kelly Patten Kindergarten
My name is Kelly Patten, and I am the new kindergarten teacher at RIS! I have a BA in Elementary Education from American University, and a Master of Science degree in Reading and Literacy. I am originally from Washington, DC, where I taught both first and third grade in the public school system. Prior to Thailand, I have lived abroad in Kenya, Mauritius, and Brazil. Most recently I have been teaching first grade at the Pan American School of Bahia in Salvador, Brazil. I am excited to join the RIS staff, and I am looking forward to a great school year! Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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Kerry Hampsey
English and EFL/ESL Teacher My name is Kerry Hampsey and I am from the United States. I studied literature and gender studies in university before going on to get a Master of Teaching. So far, I have lived and worked in America, South Korea, Turkey, and now Thailand. I am passionate about teaching and reading. When not at school, my favorite pastime is wandering around and discovering new things. I am always looking for ways to make the world a better place, and would love to know more about local organizations that have the same goal. I look forward to getting involved with the service learning, fundraising, and community outreach programs at RIS.
Mathias Sanders ELD
I am originally from Seattle, Washington where I taught grades 3-5 for the past six years. This is my first trip teaching abroad and I couldn’t have landed in a better place. RIS rocks! When I’m not at school, I enjoy going to the movies, running, and playing guitar. Sometimes, I even write my own songs that I think up on the drive to school. Music is a big part of my life so I like to go listen to live bands whenever I can. Sometimes you’ll catch me in the breezeway singing songs with the kids from the Elementary School. During my free time, I enjoy writing and reading...so it’s no wonder that I’m most interested in teaching literacy. I am running an EDP this term called #Wild&WackyWriters. My goal is to ramp up the fun factor around writing! So far, we have been making our own comic books and cartoons! Who says writing has to be boring?? Rock on!
Michele Ann Rohyans Secondary Choir
Hello, I am Miss Shelli and I have the honor of being RIS’s Secondary Choir Director. I have been teaching in international schools in both the US and abroad for nine of my thirteen years as a teacher. The University of South Florida is where I earned my Bachelor of Music degree (in opera performance) and the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, at the University of Limerick, is where I earned my Master of Arts degree (music - Chant and Ritual Song). In addition to teaching, I have been employed as a professional singer/actor for The Walt Disney World Co., Looking Glass Children’s Theater, the Orlando Opera Company, and Shannon Heritage. Though I came to Thailand alone, I am happy to say that I now share my lovely home with a three year old cat named Chardonnay.
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Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
Jessica Seim 3rd grade
Hello! I’m Jessica Seim, a 5th year elementary school teacher from the United States. I lived in Japan and Portugal as a kid, but spent most of my childhood in Michigan. I’ve spent the last four years teaching 2nd grade in Asheville, North Carolina. I enjoy cooking, sewing, hiking, and exploring anything and everything related to nature. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Education. Before becoming a teacher, I was a jeweler for several years. I still love working with metal and creating other types of art. I moved to Thailand with my husband Jeffrey, who is a video game developer. This is our first time living abroad as adults, and so far we love it!
Lauren Jordan 4th Grade
My name is Lauren Jordan. I am from Ashland, Oregon, USA, where I earned my Master of Early Childhood Education. Teaching is my passion and for the past nine years I have taught students from preschool to high school. My most recent teaching position was in Shanghai, China where we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture and language. As a dedicated teacher, this is what I strongly believe: each child has endless potentials; children learn through exploration, inquiry, and play; and, one of the greatest joys of teaching is to share learning and discovery with my students. I am truly excited and honored to join the staff of RIS and to be a part of an educational community that nurtures enthusiastic lifelong learners. Outside the classroom, I delight in spending time with my husband, son and daughter--life through our childrenʼs eyes is a constant adventure! I also enjoy skiing, running, playing soccer, cooking, traveling, photography, and dabbling in art.
Will Hayman Marketing
My name is Will Hayman and I am from Raleigh, North Carolina. I recently graduated from the University of North Carolina and Bangkok is my first big adventure. I am thrilled to be working in Marketing this year at RIS. With my experience in UNC’s Marketing Department for the past three years, the transition from university to school has been an interesting one. Everyday I learn a bit more about RIS and realize how little I know about this special place and beautiful country. When I am not at work, I enjoy fishing, playing/watching sports with friends, and traveling. I look forward to experiencing professional and personal growth while working and living in Thailand. Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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Jenny Robertson MS science
I hail from the city of Portland on the west coast of the US. I am originally from the small town of Chewelah where I was born in a yurt. My husband (Mr. Will in the HS English department) and I decided to bring our small boys over to Thailand for many reasons. We have been enjoying the travel, the adventure, the new food, the new sights, and, most importantly, the wonderful people. If you hear loud yelling on the campus, there’s a good chance it’s one of our boys or myself. Poor Mr. Will is surrounded by noisy people. Although my noise has served me well for the past six years as a middle level teacher. While science is the best subject to teach, I have a background of teaching all-inclusive lessons to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. I love being at Ruamrudee! The students are wonderful, the staff is exceptional, and I look forward to learning and growing with this community. Jenny Robertson
William Robertson HS Language Arts
Iceland is cold. Nonetheless, at sixteen this native Californian left home to live in Reykjavik for a year as an exchange student - a beautiful and formative year. I have lived and worked overseas on many different occasions. My mother accepted a Fulbright scholarship to teach in southern France when I was thirteen. I went with her. Two years later, I was reading sagas in Icelandic underneath the Northern Lights. I earned my BA in Literature from the University of California at Santa Cruz. During my undergraduate years, I spent a year studying French literature in Grenoble, France. I’ve worked in Turks and Caicos and spent summers leading adventure travel throughout Europe. I earned my Master of Education from Portland State University. I love travel. I love my family. And I love my work as an educator. I am married to one of the most beautiful and intoxicating people on the planet. She is also here working at RIS as a middle school science teacher. We met and immediately became a team. We had children - two glowing little boys. We settled in Portland, Oregon and nested in our community. I taught at the same school, Corbett High School, for the last fourteen years. I was the head of the English department there for the last seven. I’ve taught 9th and 10th grade English, Honors English, and AP English Literature and Language courses. Corbett High School is nationally recognized and consistently ranks in the top ten public schools in the state. I am very excited to be a part of the RIS community.
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Susannah Whitcomb Houseparent
After spending the last two years working at a boarding school in Germany, I am very happy to be a part of The Residence, our boarding facility here at RIS. I was born and raised in a mid-size city in Ohio, and I spent my entire school career from kindergarten to twelfth grade at one amazing school. When I graduated from high school, I decided to go to a small university in Michigan to earn my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Sociology, as I had thought I wanted to be an editor at a publishing company. Instead, I decided that I wanted to be an English teacher, and I went back to school to earn my Master of Secondary Education, as well as my teaching license. After beginning my teaching career in Ohio, I’ve since had the privilege of working with students around the world, including two U.S. states, China, and Egypt, teaching the subjects of Reading/ Language Arts to British Literature (my personal favorite!). My experiences abroad have taught me a lot about myself, and I cherish the lessons and opportunities that arise from being immersed in another country and culture. I’m excited to be here at RIS and working with the boarding students because I value the ideals of cultural understanding, and I know that being a global leader in today’s world requires understanding, compassion, and a desire to make a difference. I’m incredibly grateful that Thailand is the next chapter in my story, and I can’t wait to see what this year holds for me and the students at The Residence!
Tracy Trethewy
Residence Co-ordinator Gidday, I’m Tracy Trethewy and I am very excited to be working with the students who spend their evenings and weekends at the school at The Residence. I am originally from Queensland, Australia, but itchy feet and a desire to see some more of the world took me to live, work and study in England, Wales, and most recently Dubai. I have taught Drama, Media, English, IT, and History in three different curricula and directed a number of whole school productions and performances but this is going to be my biggest and most exciting challenge. I have been to Thailand as a tourist a few times which was wonderful, but not as amazing as I anticipate living here will be. I can’t wait to travel around the country during my holidays and experience all that Thailand has to offer, especially the street food and shopping. I moved here in July with my husband Martin and my dog Napoleon the Pug. Chances are if you drop by the Residence one afternoon you might see Napoleon as he has already made friends with all the Residents and loves to come and visit them.
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By Gerry Steiert, Athletics Director
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he 2015-16 wide world of Ruamrudee International School sports is enjoying several new coaches this year. Linda Lund and Mathias Sanders are working with the U11 Girls and Boys Basketball while Will Hayman is assisting Joshua Kern with the Cross Country Team. At RIS, we continue to offer the best sporting experience to each and every student on all our sports teams. One of the most interesting additions to Ruamrudee is Boys Rugby. RIS was required to field a rugby squad as part of the newly formed BISAC Division 1 requirements. We
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are fortunate to have a team of energetic and enthusiastic young men and would like to thank the efforts of the newly hired (also energetic and enthusiastic) Coach Will Hayman. NIST hosted their annual Falcon Invitational and RIS sent Boys and Girls Football and Volleyball Teams. Results: Volleyball - Girls bronze; Boys 4th; Football Girls & Boys both 5th.
The following weekend, RIS held the annual Phoenix Invitational Varsity Football and Volleyball Tournaments. 5 Girls Football teams and 8 Girls Volleyball teams participated on Saturday. Girls Football finished with gold medals. In Volleyball, Varsity Girls earned silver medals while JV Girls came in 4th. Due to ROTC commitments, the boys tournament was held on Sunday. Boys Football finished as gold medalists and Boys Volleyball placed 6th. It was a very good tournament and RIS received many compliments from visiting teams throughout the weekend. This very same weekend our U17 Football Teams traveled to Shrewsbury for an invitational. Boys came home with silver medals and the girls finished 4th. U15 Boys Basketball also participated in the invitational at SHB.
October BISAC Events
The annual Panther Invitational sponsored by ISB will round out the Season 1 friendly tournaments with our Varsity Girls Volleyball and Cross Country Teams in attendance.
U13 Tennis: – Boys Coach Sorachet “Arm” Uayporn @ BPS; Girls @ HIS U15 Basketball – Boys Coach Orestes Jackson @ BPS; Girls Coach Charoen Saendej @ ASB U15 Rugby- Coach Will Hayman @ BPS U13 Basketball – Boys Coaches Clare & Tim McDermott @ SHB; Girls Coach Onsa Saleenuan @ RIS U11 Boys Basketball – Coach Mathias Sanders @ ISB
SEASAC sees our U19 teams participating in Football, Volleyball, Golf and Cross Country this semester. Both our Football teams travel to UWC East in Singapore for the Division 2 Championships. Both our Volleyball teams remain in Bangkok for Division 1 Championships to be held at NIST. The Golf tournament this year is hosted by Alice Smith School Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia Nov 26-29. Cross Country heads to CDNIS in Hong Kong. BISAC action begins Oct 4 with Varsity Volleyball and Football in various locations around Bangkok. The remaining age groups will have their championships the last weekend in October following the break.
Sunday Oct 4
Varsity Football- Boys Coach Sean McMahon @ RIS; Girls Coach Prapohj Unpudsa @HIS Varsity Volleyball – Boys Coach Danupol Nuengchang @ SHB; Girls Komson Penpoo @ BPS
Sun Oct 11th
Open Cross Country @ ISB – Coaches Joshua Kern & Will Hayman U13 Singles Tennis with Coach Sorachet “Arm” Uayporn Boys @ BPS; Girls @ HIS
November BISAC Events Sat Oct 31
Sun, Nov 1st
U11 Girls Basketball – Coach Linda Lund @ SHB JV Volleyball: Boys Coach Joei Janjira Khaosa-ard @ ICS; Girls Coach Kom Komson @ ISB JV Football @ BPS – Boys Coach Pracharat “Jib” Thammawong & Girls Coach Supachai “Golf” Suriyapattaratham
SEASAC Events
October 30 – November 1 Football: Division 2 @ UWCE Singapore – Coaches Sean McMahon for the boys & Prapohj Unpudsa for the girls. Volleyball: Division 1 @ NIST – Coaches Danupol Nuengchang & Komson Penpoo for the boys & girls respectively
Nov 27-28 Golf hosted by The Alice Smith School Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Coaches Joey Scott & Walter Koertge That’s it for Season 1 but stay tuned for full results.
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By Shirley Gamble, Service Learning Coordinator
Baan Nok Khamin T
he orphans from Baan Nok Khamin are avid football fans and several HS students were happy to take 26 of them to see the live match Thailand VS. Afghanistan at Rajamangala Stadium on September 3rd. It was great fun being able to play with the children and sponsor their dinner before the match. A couple of days later, RIS also sponsored their Friendly Celebrity Football Tournament here at Godbout Field on Saturday, September 5th, in order to help raise funds to further the children’s education. The opening was a friendly match played between the Baan Nok Khamin children aged 9-14 years and our RIS students in the same age category followed by the tournament played between 6 adult teams. Our “Kaya FC” Team and “RIS UNITED FC” Team played against Muay Thai boxers, Look Thoong singers, local DJ’s, and actors with every team having their very own Fan Club supporting them. Not only was RIS able to donate 30,000 baht at the end of the tournament, but congratulations are due, as well, to the “RIS United FC” Team led by Fr. Bird in taking home the 2nd Place Trophy! A big thank you to RIS UNICEF Club for fundraising, Khun Ngoh Sovikul for sponsoring all of the water, and to Khun Siripakorn Ryback for sponsoring the fried chicken and ice cream for the orphans that day. It was wonderful to see all 3 sections help make this event such a success.
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tudents have chosen several different projects to support under the theme of “Learning to be Global Citizens”. Throughout the month of September, collection boxes were placed in the MS & HS Breezeways for: • Donating aluminum cans and pull tabs for prosthetic limbs under Prostheses Foundation of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother • Donating used notebooks for making new notebooks under www.paperranger.in.th
• Donating milk and juice boxes for recycling and making notebooks under Thai Border patrol police schools www.thaibcg.com • Donating used towels and bed sheets for homeless dogs under www.soidog.org • Donating used backpacks & stationary for students up country http://donationthailand.com
HS students joined in and helped by collecting a total of 18,002 aluminum pull tabs, which they donated to the MS at their assembly. 30
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IS showed its support for Peace One Day on September 21st by having an all school assembly in Godbout Hall. ES shared two poems and sang the “Kid’s Peace Song”, MS interviewed various students and faculty about peace and put together a wonderful video presentation, and HS shared their message of how to approach peace together with love and compassion throughout the 6 great faiths in the world. Everyone was invited to visit each section’s breezeway to enjoy displays by all our students, which included Peace Art, a Peace Train and a Peace Tree with wonderful messages encouraging us to create a more peaceful world together.
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Photo by Tapatt Tanaboriboon (Por Por)
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his past summer 20 students had the opportunity to visit Bhutan as part of their summer school credit for Art, PE or Values. Bhutan is a deeply Buddhist land in the Himalayas with many monasteries, dzongs, and protected national parks. Students spent ten full days visiting Thimpu, the capital, as well as Punakha, the former capital, the town of Paro, and listened to guest speakers on topics ranging from Bhuddhism, Ecology, Environment, Traditional Medicine, to how Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product. As well as learning about Bhutanese culture and history, students also had opportunities to play basketball and soccer with the students at Yangchenphug where their king attended high school, camp outside surrounded by cows, raft past the PunakhaDzong, make their own butter and cheese, learn to play traditional archery and darts, and attend classes at the School of 13 Traditional Arts & Craft. Not only did our students make it to the top of Tiger’s Nest, the most sacred place in Bhutan, RIS was given the special privilege of being the only group to have ever been given permission to plant cypress and magnolia trees right above the monastery. Ask any of them about Guru Rimpoche and Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and they will be able to tell you awesome stories!
Amp: “Never before have in my life have I been exposed to such a simplistic lifestyle. The most interesting 32
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experience I had was the presentation given by a professor about Gross National Happiness (GNH) and being able to use the facilities at the Traditional Medicine Hospital. I was able to apply my knowledge of statistics (shout out to last year’s AP Stats class!) to the presentation. I’ve always had problems with my left knee (ACL injury) and the herbal medicines and sauna treatment helped so much with my left knee. It was undeniably one of my favorite summer moments. I’ve learned to throw Bhutanese darts, roast potatoes by the campfire, and connect to nature”.
Por Por: “Climbing up Tiger’s Nest was really challenging
and scary. I really enjoyed visiting a Bhutanese school one whole day to see how they learned. I would recommend the trip to other students because it is an awesome cultural country with a lot of Buddhism in it. The camping was a lot of fun also!”
Ket: “My most interesting experience in Bhutan was going to the monastery to interact and play with the little monks. It is a country filled with beautiful scenery, architecture, and very unique culture. Imagine experiencing it with your friends; you won’t want to leave Bhutan when the time comes.”
Yod: “It took me a total of 19,069 steps for the whole
Tiger’s Nest trip. I was really tired but it was all worthwhile and a lot of fun. Words fail me as I try to describe the inestimable experience I had here at this holy place where every Buddhist wants to come.”
Minnie:“I enjoyed doing activities together such as
rafting, archery, and teaching monks at the monastery because you get to connect to each other more. The most interesting experience I had on the trip was hiking up to Tiger’s Nest. It is fascinating to see the world from a different view.”
Move: “I loved sticking my head out of the van to greet the locals and high-fiving the children going to school. I could greet anyone passing by and all of them would smile and wave back in return like I was someone they knew. The smell of incense and the serene atmosphere compared to the busy life below the cliff transported all of us into another world.Nowadays we are so caught up in our work and our technology influenced lives that we don’t appreciate the beauty of the world. Bhutan made me value happiness more than materialistic objects.”
Pattie: “I really enjoyed visiting the Bhutanese school;
attending their classes and playing soccer with their students was fantastic! I experienced a whole new, unique, and amazing culture. Bhutanese food and their way of living were shaped by their surroundings.Not only have we learnt new things that can be adapted to use in our real lives but we also built closer relationships with our friends.
Meg: “I enjoyed the tea in Bhutan the most and camping
at Punakha was definitely one of the highlights of this trip. Without any technology, electricity, or running water, I got a lot closer with my friends, learning things I’ve never known about them. You can never get such pure air or witness genuinely satisfied people living simplistic lives anywhere else. Especially with the activity packed schedule, we got to explore and appreciate all sides of Bhutan.
Poppy: “I really enjoyed the day we spent at
classroom discussions and listened to their opinions. The most interesting experience I had was hiking up the Tiger’s Nest. I was very exhausted even before we reached halfway, but it was worth all the effort. The view up there was really breath-taking. Besides a summer school credit, this trip offers a great opportunity for students to interact with the Bhutanese people through various activities.
Ms. Shirley: “I agree with all the students that this has been an unbelievable experience shared with an amazing 20 RIS students whom I am so proud of. I really enjoyed the fact that not having Internet and modern technology allowed us all to interact with each other in a more personal way. A big thank you to Ms. Nancy who helped chaperone the trip with me!”
Yangchenphug School. I got to participate in their Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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D
uring the summer holiday months of June and July, a group of RIS parents, students and alumni dedicated themselves to a valuable pilot project for the Father Ray Children’s Home. Located several kilometers from the city center, the Father Ray Children’s Home provides a safe haven to former street kids and children who have lived a life of poverty, neglect and abuse. The group’s goal was to assist the foundation in improving the lives of the former street children who live at the home. Their project was to increase the selfsufficiency of the house by helping to ensure a readily accessible supply of quality food for the residents. The creation of a hydroponic vegetable garden not only enabled them to achieve their goal, but the students involved in the project also benefitted by integrating and applying the environmental science knowledge they had learned in their classes to a real life community-based situation. Thank-you to this team of community-service minded individuals and to the Father Ray Foundation for their continued work in improving the lives of children in need.
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ights, Camera, Action! We are honored to have RIS alumnus Vorakorn (Kung) Sirisorn return to campus. After winning The Star in 2014, Kung’s dancing and singing ability have propelled him into stardom. Kung is filming a documentary about his experience at RIS and how the school developed him into the man he is today. Kung has many fond memories of Ruamrudee, especially while singing and dancing in our Performing Arts Center. We captured a video of our own with the GMM TV crew filming a segment featuring Kung in his RIS uniform playing his favorite sport, Ping Pong.
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hen two major earthquakes struck Nepal in April of 2015, communities from all over the world mobilized to help the Nepalese people. Our students initiated, lead and executed a fundraising project called “Pray for Nepal” to help those suffering in the wake of the tragedy. In collaboration with the Thai Red Cross, students raised over 1,517,000 baht for emergency relief. Pray for Nepal began with five students designing, producing and selling t-shirts revolving around the concept of “happiness.” The group wanted the t-shirts to represent joy, “which they hoped to deliver to the quake victims through their fundraising efforts.” Though the project began on campus with a modest goal of selling 600 shirts, the t-shirts quickly spread all over Bangkok. Taking the city by storm, students created an effective
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marketing plan based on banners, advertisements, and social media to promote “Pray for Nepal.” The students were so successful that their biggest challenge became matching the insatiable demand. The group sold 3,500 shirts and donated 650,000 baht, but more importantly, they inspired the entire RIS community to help Nepal. When our entire community got involved, the project experienced exponential growth. Students, faculty and parents rallied in support of Nepal and utilized their individual and collective gifts to help the victims. They sold water bottles, homemade pencil cases, hats, baked goods, nachos, CDs and held concerts. Just through Support Nepal CD sales alone, The New Generation Philanthropists raised a total of 200,000 baht with 20,000 going to the RIS Nepal Relief Fund, and another 180,000 going to the Thai Red Cross.
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his summer, RIS students Suntara Jumreornvong and Piyadej Wongsirikul received awards for their community service project “Share Dream Share Love� The two students were able to share their love of badminton with at-risk youth at Ban Ka Ru Na Juvenile Center by building two courts. Always seeking ways to volunteer in their community, these two found an opportunity to help make Bangkok a better, safer place through sport. Along with Ruamrudee International School, these young men were awarded a certificate and a trophy thanking them for their outstanding contribution and effort. True role models, they hope their community service inspires the younger generations to use their passions to improve the world around them.
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it. That feeling still comes, but not often, mainly because Sai herself has been optimistic, and together we have moved on,” the 55-year-old Wipawee said. After a year, Sai became the first blind student at RIS, which provided strong support for students with special needs. In the first year at RIS, Wipawee was at school with Sai to help her to get around.
Kirin Techawongtham, or Sai, and her mother Wipawee at Rocky Mountain National Park, in the US, in June.
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his is an article posted in the “Bangkok Post” dated on Aug. 12, 2015, about our 2015 RIS graduate Sai who was the Faculty Senior Award recipient. Due to her positive thinking and the support of her mother, losing her eyesight within less than a month because of optic nerve damage was not a misery for the 13-year-old Kirin Techawongtham, nicknamed Sai. Now, Sai is 18 years old. After graduating with honours from Ruamrudee International School (RIS) in Bangkok, she is about to start her university life at Hendrix College in Arkansas, in the United States. She plans to study psychology. “We were shocked, but we knew what we had to do. Sai didn’t cry or waste energy or time feeling sorry for herself. She just went forward,
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doing what needed to be done and then more. If Sai hadn’t been that strong and resilient, it would be much harder for me. Her strength and resilience gave me mine,” said Sai’s mother, former journalist Wipawee Otaganonta. After a brain tumour damaged her optic nerves five years ago, her parents Wasant Techawongtham and Wipawee put Sai through various kinds of treatment for about a year. However, her sight did not return. Meanwhile, Sai got on with her life as she relearned her way around the house and completed her studies at the Panyotai Waldorf School. She also learned Braille, computer studies and piano. “In the first few years, there were many times I felt sad. And I told myself it was OK to feel sad, but don’t waste too much energy doing
According to Wipawee, Panyotai School’s hands-on learning style made her daughter practical and resilient while RIS’ commitment to special-needs students allowed her to explore the world. Moreover, she acquired several important skills and a positive attitude about her blindness whilst twice attending the Colorado Centre for the Blind (CCB)’s summer programme in 2012 and 2014. “Sai is not scared. This allows her to do a lot of things. She would try doing something first to know if she can. And we give support to her and try not to let our fear block her,” Wipawee said. Sai loves learning new skills. She continued gymnastic training and took up the piano, singing, selfdefence and muay Thai. She also practised typewriting and learned how to use the computer with a blind programmer using software like Jaw and Tha Thip which can read for those with visual impairment. Her mother acknowledged that Sai sometimes felt upset, such as when not seeing shows onstage. However, Sai is optimistic and has a sense of
humour. She found the positives to becoming blind, making remarks such as: “If I had not become blind, I would not have met these wonderful people.” Wipawee added that the strength both of them have must have come from all the training and also from her supportive mother, a paediatrician who is now 91 but still full of life. “I am not a supermum who alone made my daughter successful. Both of us got a lot of help from so many people. And I am very thankful,” Wipawee said. Sai added: “No one can say I am amazing or inspirational if they do not know how much my success is attributed to the support of my mum and my dad.”
According to Wipawee, parents of children with special needs should stay with the present and take joy in every little triumph of their child. When things get hard, they should reach out in support. “I think she already knows what I’ll tell her, that I love her, and will support her the best I can,” Wipawee said of her Mother’s Day message to her daughter. When asked to say something to her mother, Sai wrote: “Mum, you are the best mum ever, both in your actions and attitude... Without you, I would not be standing here, would not have a chance at all. I apologise for having hurt you many times, but please know I’m trying to be a better person, always. Thank you and I love you.”
Sai enjoys a rope course in Little Rock, in the US.
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by Madeleine Bystrom
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he culture of RIS inspires professionals to seek individual and collective professional growth. Professional learning is an important means by which teachers can develop new knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to better meet student learning needs and raise student achievement. Apart from ongoing professional learning through professional learning communities, section conducted workshops, and outside workshops, we were very lucky to welcome Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger to RIS from September 7-11, 2015 for some in-house professional learning. Sara and Michael are both published authors and presenters at schools around the world and came to RIS with a wealth of knowledge focusing on strategies to improve writing and speaking skills across all content areas. Together they have been to over 200 cities in over 35 countries. During the week, Sara and Michael worked in classrooms with students and teachers and on Friday’s Inservice day they presented to teachers
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Sara Holbrook
Michael Salinger
in section workshops. They were able to get into classrooms from Preschool to grade 12 and share some strategies that make learning visible and improve vocabulary. Some of the comments from teachers included “We found a lot of ways to apply these techniques immediately and we think it’s going to enhance and support the current curriculum we teach” and “I have already used some of these strategies in my science lessons to help check for and deepen comprehension”.
Our educators are truly life-long learners and all in all it was a great week where teachers got to be the students.
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n Saturday, the 26th of September, the Physical Education department hosted Ruamrudee International School’s first Family Fun Day. The Family Fun Day aims to encourage students to be physically active alongside their parents outside of school hours, while promoting healthy choices and lifelong participation in sport. We had 70 students and parents attend this community event where we focused on football. Our next Family Fun Days will alternate sports and can be added to your calendar on December 12th, February 27th and April 23rd. All will begin at 9:30 am and end by 11:00 am. Our Eco Merits club will be selling breakfast at these events with the proceeds being donated to charity. Save the date! Our next Family Fun Day will focus on Dodgeball and we hope to see everyone there!
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he evening of July 3 was a time for the classified staff to see and feel the “Rainbows”; performances, welcome for new staff and goodbyes for retiring staff were all lined up to kick off the evening. Staff headed off to the River Kwai Village wearing “I Love RIS” T-shirts symbolizing solidarity and unity. Entertainment for the evening included Fr. Yuthana Sriprapha rendering some songs and the new staff, Janesucha Boonmasak, Akapol Yamthap, Panumat Pilajan, and Thanawan Kaewngarm, performing “Noom For Sao Fiao”. On July 4th it was serious work that involved defining SWOT Analysis. Mrs. Sudarat not only designed the activities but also led the entire process. The analysis was done in departments where each group analyzed their strengths “S”, weakness “W”, opportunities “O” and threats “T”. There were various stations that tested the skills of the group members in the areas of critical thinking and problem solving. The activities encouraged team building and cooperative learning. Apart from these, the trust factor was a focus at all times. The staff left the seminar knowing and understanding the future directions for their department goals. The staff were pleased that the Redemptorists Fathers, Rev. Fr. Meechai, Fr. Apisit and Fr. Yuthana took equal part in the activities and offered not only their wisdom but also contributed to the fun. The overall feelings were that this seminar was an empowering, rewarding and fun experience for all. Ad Astra Volume 15 October 2015
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RIS: Photo of the Day: 28/09/2015 We would like to honor Mr. Matt and his ES Swim Team. The squad competed in their first swim meet this weekend at BPS. The students swam 50 meters in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. The team also competed in a relay. At this morning’s ES assembly, the students were awarded medals in front of their peers and teachers. Congratulations to these young swimmers! RIS: Photo of the Day: 25/09/2015 RIS is definitely ahead of the communication curve today with the launching of our very own RIS app available now on Apple IOS and Android devices. Here we see RIS technology coordinator, Mr. Dan, at this morning’s ES Coffee talk, along with some happy parents who now have a single source for all RIS digital media. The app will also ensure that our school community receives notification of important upcoming events, news items, etc. The following is a link to this morning’s presentation. Download the RIS App today and share the news ! https://docs. google.com/…/1cRR0lV4YOFJFFOkXb_ DSHt98VhA…/pub… RIS: Photo of the Day: 17/09/2015 This past weekend RIS hosted the Phoenix Friendship Invitational. Our Varsity Boys Volleyball and Football Teams competed alongside our Varsity Girls Volleyball and Football Teams in the tournament. Both our Varsity Football teams won gold and were in excellent form. Congratulations to Coach Sean, Coach Prapote, and their squads for representing RIS so well and defending our home turf. Also, a big thank you to Mr. Gerry, Ms. Joei, and everyone else who helped organize and run the Invitational. Go Phoenix! 44
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RIS: Photo of the Day: 13/08/2015 Who says our students are all work and no play? Here are some 8th graders shooting hoops during their lunch break. For the record, his shot was nothing but net!
RIS: Photo of the Day: 11/8/2015 Although it is only the second day of school, RIS students are hitting the books. The library is already bustling with activity as students research topics for papers and projects. Here is a photo of our new librarian Mr. Garrett guiding students on how to organize data from print sources.
RIS: Photo of the Day: 4/8/2015 New faculty members are jumping for joy in anticipation of the upcoming school year!
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Six Decades of Shaping Young Lives = A Definitive Formula for Success
RUAMRUDEE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Boarding and Scholarships Available E-mail: info@rism.ac.th Website: www.rism.ac.th Tel. +66 (0) 2791-8900