Secondary Newsletter
A word from the Head of Secondary
Dear parents and students,
It has been another exciting and productive month at the RBIS Secondary School, with many events and activities taking place. I am proud to announce that our students have once again participated in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge and have shown their dedication and passion for mathematics. Some amazing results were achieved!
In addition to this, we had the privilege of witnessing a monologue by renowned actor Daniel Foley on stage, which was a truly remarkable performance and the workshop it was followed by demonstrated the talent and creativity of our students.
Our Year 12 and 13 students also had the opportunity to visit the Chak Daeng temple in Samut Prakan's Phra Pradaeng district , which serves as a recycling centre. This visit provided a valuable learning experience for our students, as they were able to learn about the importance of recycling and its impact on the environment.
We also had another sport fixture this month. Our Secondary football team had a chance to play against Pinkaew School in Ayutthaya. Once again they brought a victory home! (3-2). During that same visit our sixth formers offered lots of fun activities for the children there.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for the talented and dedicated students who participated in our Secondary Talent Show. It was an excellent opportunity for our students to showcase their skills and talents, and I was truly impressed by the level of creativity and dedication displayed by all participants.
I am confident that our students will continue to thrive and excel in their studies, and I look forward to seeing the many achievements and accomplishments that they will make in the coming months.
Tom De Smet
UKMT Intermediate maths Challenge (Y.9 & 10)
Promoting the love of problem solving
The Intermediate Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple choice challenge. Students are allowed a plain sheet of paper and pen/pencil to help solve the questions; squared paper, calculators and measuring instruments are forbidden. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. The problems on the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge are designed to make students think. Most are accessible, yet still challenge those with more experience.
In early February our Year 9 and Year 10 students took part in this year's competition. Once everyone was logged in the competition began. Our ICT room was full of students independently working out strategies to answer the given questions. The hour went by quickly and the students were logged out as they used up their time. Now the wait for the results began which usually takes between 2/3 weeks.
To recognise the highest performers in the Challenge, UKMT award the top-scoring 50% of participants Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates in the ratio 3:2:1. Students not amongst the high scorers receive a Certificate of Participation.
Results
All the students in Year 9 and Year 10 enjoyed the challenges of the competition and they should be proud of their achievements. Peam and Tobias both gained Gold certificates putting them in the top 10% of the entrants worldwide. Act, Copter, Win, Teoy and Yewo all gained Silver certificates while others gained Bronze awards or participation certificates. Congratulations. We now look forward to the Junior Mathematical Challenge in April which our Year6 , Year 7 and Year 8 students will enter.
Visit to Pinkaew School in Ayutthaya
As part of our Community Service, we made a visit to Pinkaew School in Ayutthaya. The school was recently affected by the floods and is in need of assistance to repair their facilities and provide resources for their students. Some of our 6th form and footballers, visited the school to meet the children and teachers.
We began with some welcoming speeches and then the football match began. What an exciting match! Students, staff, friends, family and community members attended and vigorously cheered on both teams. There were Palhinha-worthy tackles and Ronaldo-style goals; when the score reached 2-2, it could have gone either way; big shout out to the RBIS goalie Peam who saved not two but three consecutive shots. Under constant pressure from Pinkaew's number 9, RBIS broke forward and fired a shot into the goal's bottom right, giving RBIS the victory! Final score: 3-2 to RBIS.
After the football match we held some fun activities for the children to enjoy. These were well received with shouts of excitement as they attempted the challenges. After lunch we looked around the school to see how we could help them with repairing their facilities and also what resources they needed.
Comments from our 6th form:
Hafsa - 'The trip to Pinkaew School was an insightful experience on what community service is about and I can’t wait to visit again and put into action what we have planned.'
Kenny - 'I'm so happy and excited to see the children getting snacks and participate in the activities. In June, we will renovate the classrooms and bring some of the items that the school needs.'
Awei - 'I was honestly shocked to see the state of the classrooms and it’s heartbreaking knowing that less fortunate children have to learn with no aircon or computers.'
RBIS students survey the classrooms which need to be painted.
The school has some books but could do with more books Thai or English
Outside the walls are in need of paint.
Inside the walls also need to be painted. Tiles are damaged.
An afternoon with Mark Twain
Award-winning British writer, director and actor Daniel Foley returned to Bangkok on Thursday the 9th of February to perform Mark Twain on the RBIS Secondary stage. The great author and storyteller awakened to embark upon a fascinating journey charting his life and travels and his literary masterpieces. Mark Twain read from one of his popular novels and responded to some of the numerous letters he received. This was then followed by an acting workshop. Great fun!
*Daniel Foley trained for the stage at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he won The Percival Steeds Prize and Royal Lyceum Awards. With Performance Exchange, Daniel has appeared in more than a hundred stage productions in thirty-seven countries. He’s appeared at The European Arts Festival Berlin, The London International Festival of Theatre, The Shakespeare Festival Cologne, The Seoul Shakespeare Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and many more. He has directed more than fifty productions, ranging from the classics to stage works by modern writers and in 1982 and 1983 he won awards for Best Director.
Talent show
We are thrilled to share with you that our Secondary school's annual talent show was a massive success! The children, staff and parents witnessed some outstanding performances that showcased the immense talent of our students.
From playing musical instruments like the violin, piano, harp, and guitar to singing, dancing, and even stand-up comedy, our students left us mesmerized with their skills and talents.
We would like to congratulate Chanita, Peam, Tobias, and Bianca for making it to the top 3. Their performances were truly remarkable, and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for us in the future
As a reward the top 3 performers will get to perform at this year's graduation ceremony, and we are sure that their performances will be a highlight of the event.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to all the other participants who showcased their talents today. Your efforts and dedication have made this event a grand success.
Once again, congratulations to our winners, and we look forward to seeing all of our talented students continue to shine in the future.
Visit to Wat Chak Daeng (Y.12 & 13)
We have been collecting plastics bottles for recycling since the beginning of the school year. Secondary have been supported by the students in Primary as well as the teachers. Our collection point in the Recycling corner for plastic bottles was overflowing. From the outset it had decided we would take the bottles to Wat Chak Daeng in Samut Prakan. Here they will be recycled to make eco-friendly saffron cloth which is then made into monk’s robes. As part of their ECA - Community Service - the 6th form set up the Recycling corner and they were invited to visit the temple to take the bottles and find out more about how they are recycled there. On arrival at the temple we were met by a monk who told us about recycling at the temple. He related the work done to the Lord Buddha and explained the thoughts behind the temples recycling programme. We were surprised by the range of items that the temple takes such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, aluminum cans, milk cartons, cardboard, paper and more.
Some comments from our 6th form students:
Mariha - I enjoyed the trip very much; it was interesting to see how they made a building using recycled milk cartons and floors using foam blocks and concrete
Poom - I enjoy visiting the temple because they can build a small house with recycled milk cartons.
Awei - Yesterday I found it very interesting and fascinating, I never thought plastic can be turned into diesel despite me being a chemistry student.
Hafsa - It was an exciting experience and a new look into what could be our future.
Emily - We learned the importance of recycling. This temple collects the garbage before it goes out to sea.
Korn - We learned that a lot of things can be recycled like plastic bottles can be turned into clothes.
Y.6 - 9
What's Going On?
Year 6 Music
Over the first half of this term, Year 6 have been looking at folk music, where it originated and what its key features are. We have been creating our own Sea Shanty lyrics and performing them as a pair to the class. Hey Ho, Shiver Me Timbers, Ahoy!
Year 7 Maths
This month, Year 7 looked at data collection. This was a challenging topic as we learned about relevant questions, biased questions and how to create a questionnaire as well as how collect data. We created questionnaires and collecting data frequency tables in groups. Our themes were favourite subjects, hobbies, favourite snacks and favourite sports. Once our questionnaires were ready; we spent a lunchtime asking the students in other year groups, and our teachers, to take part in the surveys.
Year 8 General Science
Year 8 students learned all about speed, distance, and time before the half-term break. They investigated what the shapes of acceleration and deceleration graphs would look like and sketched several graphs to practice and perfect their technique.
To measure the speed of falling objects, students conducted some practical investigations during their lessons. Using a toy car, a wooden ramp, and a stopwatch, each student recorded three observations of time. They then measured the length of the ramp and used those measurements to calculate the average speed of the car.
Another investigation involved using an app called phyphox to accurately measure the time taken for a marble to fall from a known height, and then using the measurements to calculate average speed. In Term 2.2 we are continuing our focus on physics and are learning about various sources and forms of energy.
Year 9 English
In English, it is essential to comprehend word choices and understand WHY the writer has chosen specific techniques or language choices to achieve a particular effect. Y9 has been focusing on the text 'Zelda Claw' by Pie Corbett and Julia Strong.
Using text mapping to transform unfamiliar words into images, Y9 demonstrates active reading skills and improves their comprehension and retention. They consolidate their knowledge by removing the transformative aspect and relying on their written skills, annotating an unfamiliar quote using words only.
Y.10 - 13
What's Going On?
What's Going On?
Year 10 IGCSE ICT
The average processor can process billions of instructions per second. Now imagine installing this tiny little hardware inside automated systems or various hardware (embedded systems) working with a bunch of sensors to achieve limited tasks in both measurement and control. Whether that is the smart lighting system in your home or a measurement system to detect pollution in a river in real-time, microprocessor-controlled devices are a very important part of computing which is a topic that usually comes up in nearly all ICT and Computer Science theory Paper 1 examinations.
With year 10, we are currently investigating how microprocessors work with sensors and other hardware such as Analogue to Digital convertors to control and measure various conditions and anomalies by capturing and converting data in certain environments.
We also recently looked at modelling or simulation, and how simulation can be used to benefit experts in learning and training in various fields such as aviation. For example, I made the Year 10 students try an online flight simulator which is used by real pilots to help them learn and train through making mistakes.
Year 11 Swimming
Before getting into the pool, students will usually perform a series of warm-up exercises to get their muscles ready for the workout ahead. This might include stretching, jogging, and other dynamic movements.
Once in the water, students will work on various swimming techniques and strokes, such as freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. They practice these strokes with the instructor's guidance, using kickboards or other training aids to help them improve their form.
In addition to practicing specific strokes, students also work on building their endurance by swimming laps of the pool. They aim to swim a certain distance or for a certain length of time, gradually increasing the difficulty of the workout as they improve.
Year 12 A level Biology
Mitosis is a key concept in Biology : it is a type of cell division used for development and growth.
Year 12 students have made models of cells to illustrate how chromosomes are shared out in mitosis and to compare mitosis with meiosis.
At RBIS, models and representations are central to how students increase their understanding of Biology. By creating models, they Think and Work Scientifically.
Year 13 HSD Digital Media/photography
Students in year thirteen Digital Media, have been studying the works of a famous landscape artist, Ansel Adams and street photographer, Henri Cartier Bresson.
They have manipulated a few famous works and printed it out to feature in their workbooks.
In a previous topic they studied the following concepts related to these artists:
Colour, Close-Ups, Patterns and Contrast.
The results will be used to create a series of street photographs and landscapes in the traditional Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier Bresson style.
HOUSES @ RBIS
4 houses
The RBIS Houses are designed to embody the values and ethos of our school and are an integral part of our school community.
Our Houses' main aim is to provide every student in each house with a sense of belonging within the school community, opportunities to develop social, intellectual, physical and practical skills, a sense of achievement both inside and outside of the classroom including through the fun and excitement of inter-house competitions.
Students are assigned to one of our four Houses when they join the EY, Primary, Middle or Senior sections of the school; entering a system which is designed to develop an awareness of individual and collective responsibility and opportunities for student leadership. Each house has two designated elected House Captains (Primary and Secondary) who will act as representatives for all the students in their house throughout the year by: helping coordinate house teams, organise activities and events and represent their house at relevant meetings.
House events at Secondary (February) :
Table tennis tournament
The aim in table tennis is to strike the ball so that the opponent fails to make contact with the ball, which earns the player a point. This can either be by sheer power, spin or other deceptive means. Luckily our participants Sinchan (Phoenix) and Win (Dragon) brought the first two to their thrilling finale; no deception here, just pure talent!
It was a closely fought match, and Sinchan (Y10) brought the trophy for Phoenix. Phoenix has risen from the ashes and risen to the occasion; this is the House's second successive win in two weeks!
Can you think of a more apt time to hold a game of table tennis other than House activity day? As you can see from the photos, each student wore their house colours with pride and cheered on their House, the atmosphere was electric.
Chess tournament
Table tennis was not the only tournament to come to a fantastic close; we also had our annual Chess tournament final. For the first time in RBIS history, two members of Phoenix House waged a battle of wits and skill to lift the trophy for their house.
Tinton (Y9) and Sinchan faced off in the tense arena of the library, surrounded by their loyal supporters and the ever-present Mr Asena and Mr Sein (Who are always there, cheering on all the houses). The tension mounted with each superbly crafted move, but Y9s very own Tinton lifted the trophy for Phoenix and gathered 5 HPs.
Well done, Sinchan and Tinton, you each played fantastically. Tinton, you are a worthy winner. Congratulations!
Football tournament
The inter-house football tournament kicked off this month for our many football enthusiasts! This type of tournament ensures and promotes team play and leadership qualities among students of all ages and abilities; as Denis Bergkamp once said, "Behind every kick of a ball, there has to be a thought."
As you can see from the official RBIS league table, Phoenix and Dragon are sitting in 1st and 2nd position, separated only by a goal difference of 3, but this can instantly change as a win for either Lion or Unicorn can put them back into the trophy race, football is like life, there are no guarantees - this is only the second week of matches. There is still a long way to go!
GO RBIS!!!!
House Point Leaderboard
(Based on the HP earned in February)
House Point Leaderboard
(Based on the HP earned so far this school year)
House ranking
(Based on the HP earned since the start of the school year)
Student awards and achievements
Freya.docxSean.docxAlice.docxAva.docxDavin.docxJericho.docxKenny.docxROUND SQUARE @ RBIS
RBIS is proud to announce it is a global member member of ROUND SQUARE which is a prestigious international organisation with schools in over 50 countries, across six continents.
It focuses on holistic education practices through the following six key IDEALS:
Internationalism: Students are taught to value and respect all cultures, religions and languages. They learn to see themselves as global citizens and are asked to look beyond gender, class, race, nationality and culture to understand human nature.
Democracy: Freedom of thought and speech is greatly encouraged and appropriate forums and channels of communication are in place for students to voice their views. Students are also taught to appreciate the importance of self-discipline and are trained and expected to share in the responsibility for development of the school.
Environment: Round Square students are expected to demonstrate concern for all natural environments, to be aware of proven problems and to play a practical role in tackling environmental issues. Students are taught the interdependence needed to maintain a healthy relationship between human beings and the planet.
Adventure: Building character through adventure, meeting physical challenges and developing an appreciation of the outdoors: these are all central to Round Square schools.
Leadership: Students are taught that true leadership is found in those whose convictions are rooted in personal responsibility, kindness and justice. Opportunities for student leadership in the school community are fostered extensively.
Service: This is the key element utilised by Round Square schools to prepare students for life through the expectation of serving others. Students commit themselves to local, regional and international service projects.
Round Square related events at Secondary (February) :
Round Square @ RBIS Secondary
Round Square @ RBIS Secondary
The Round Square activity this month was to discuss student exchange programs and inform students of the benefits of being part of an exchange program, including experiencing new cultures, opening up future job opportunities and gaining and improving confidence. Students then brainstormed ideas on how to welcome an exchange student if they ever came to do an exchange program at RBIS. Students came up with innovative and wonderful ideas and the activity was a fun way to end the week!
Community Service (February)
Our Community Service time has been fully engaged during February. Recycling has continued to be supported by the Secondary students. During their ECA the 6th form students spent time removing labels from the bottles in readiness to take them to Wat Chak Daeng in Samut Prakan; (read about the morning spent at the temple in this newsletter)
Last month we held an event reusing plastic bottle tops to create pictures. Our Year 11 students have recently started a mural using bottle tops and the theme "Life in Water." Their work is developing weekly and we are looking forward to seeing the competed creation. Our thanks to Mr Sein, RBIS Art teacher, for overseeing the mural creation.
We held a Bake Sale to raise funds for Pinkaew School in Ayutthaya. This school was recently affected by the floods and is in need of assistance to repair their facilities and provide resources for their students. We received many wonderful donations of cakes and pastries; the whole school enjoyed buying and eating them. Our thanks to everyone involved; those who donated cakes, those who bought cakes as well the 6th form and Mr. Reed for organising the event.
Community Service Point Leaderboard
(Based on the CSP earned in February)
Alumni of the month
Najakorn (Nampetch) Khajonchotpanya who graduated from RBIS in 2011
"My time at RBIS was truly unforgettable. I loved school so much that holidays felt like an eternity. Despite the school's smaller size, I was able to form close relationships with students of all year classes, many of whom remain my closest friends today. The teachers at RBIS were incredibly supportive, creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment. Thanks to their guidance, I was able to discover my unique qualities and develop a strong mindset and a thirst for knowledge. These skills have proven invaluable to me throughout my life.
After completing my education at RBIS, I went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Economics with a focus on Quantitative Economics from EBA, Chulalongkorn University, followed by two Master's degrees in Financial Engineering from Chulalongkorn University, and Operations Research and Analytics from the National University of Singapore, respectively. My studies confirmed my passion for research, mathematics, and stock trading, and I am now fortunate enough to be working as a quantitative trader, doing what I love every day.
During my school years, I excelled in two seemingly disparate subjects - Art and Maths. Choosing between the two was a difficult decision, but I eventually settled on Maths. However, art remains a beloved hobby of mine and provides a much-needed outlet for creativity and stress relief."
https://medium.com/@najakorn.k This is a link to a blog I've been working on in my free time, I plan to write about quantitative finance, maths, and programming
ECA Focus
Swimming
During the Swimming ECA we do many water activities. Students learn about various postures and advanced swimming techniques such as sprinting and jump start. Students also engage in various swimming drills designed to improve their technique and build strength and endurance. The ECA also includes training for swim meets or other competitions.
In addition to this, we also have activities to strengthen teamwork ex.: allowing students to design their own games which they can then play with others.
My YouTube channel
When you ask students what their dream job is, many will answer with “Youtuber.” This is not surprising given the fact that children and teenagers are increasingly shifting from watching TV to following their favourite channels on various streaming platforms. Our approach is: Why wait? With any kind of electronic device, anyone can start their career as a Youtuber.
With the help of our experienced coaches, the students will be carefully guided through the process of setting up and running their own YouTube channel.
The learning objectives are:
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Creativity
• Improving public speaking skills
• Mastering a range of filming techniques and camera movements
• Using a range of video editing software
• Choosing appropriate lighting setups
• Staying safe online when posting content and engaging with the audience
• Managing and analyzing their own YouTube channel
School blog post
Holistic Education and the Importance of RBIS International School Being a Round Square Member
(Written by Head of Secondary, Mr. De Smet)
(Written by Head of Secondary, Mr. De Smet)
Holistic education is an approach to learning that focuses on the development of the whole person, including their academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It recognizes that students are not just vessels for information, but complex individuals with unique needs and aspirations, and seeks to develop all aspects of their character to enable them to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.
RBIS International School is committed to providing a holistic education for its students, and being a member of Round Square, a global organization dedicated to promoting holistic education and international understanding, is a key part of this commitment. Please click the link to the school blog below to find out more...
https://rbis.ac.th/holistic-education-and-the-importance-of-rbis-international-school-being-a-round-square-member/
Health and Safety policies
We have recently reviewed and updated our school's fire and lockdown policies. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is of utmost importance to us, and we believe that it is essential to ensure that our policies are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the latest best practices and guidance.
Links to the revised policies can be found below, and we encourage you to take some time to familiarize yourselves with them. We believe that it is important for parents to be aware of the measures we have in place to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
In addition to revising our policies, we will also be conducting fire and lockdown drills each term. These drills are essential to ensure that our students and staff are prepared for any emergency situation and that they know how to respond appropriately. We will be working closely with our staff to ensure that these drills are conducted safely and effectively.
During a Fire Drill, students will evacuate the school according to the safety instructions that they are given. We will only re-enter the building when given the direction to do so by the authority that deems the building as safe.
During a Lockdown Drill, students remain in the classroom, regular activity stops, all doors are secured and the students remain inside the room until instructed by the safety authority figure to resume their regular activities. All exterior doors are locked as well and no one is permitted to enter or leave the building. Students are kept inside the school and classrooms when circumstances make it safer to stay in the classroom rather than evacuate.
Our head prefect interviews .....
Y.6 teacher Robert MacDonald
What was your first impression of RBIS?
My first impression of this school is a nice, small community school. The staff and students are really friendly, and parents are also helpful a lot. This school has a great location in Bangkok.
Are you happy to teach students in this school?
So, I started teaching at this school in January. I am really impressed by the students in my class. They're helpful, help me to know the school and made me feel very welcome. I'm happy to teach the students here. The class is very nice and well behaved.
Which school you move from?
I lived in many countries such as Qatar and The United Arab Emirates, but I just moved from a British international school in Singapore.
What is the difference between your last school and this school?
Everything is quite similar.
Upcoming events
27th February - 3rd March: World Book Week
Tuesday 7th March: Careers Day
Thursday 23rd March: World Poetry Day
Friday 31st March: Songkran celebrations
Friday 31st March: World Book Night
Throughout March: Inter-house basketball tournament
Wednesday 26th April: UKMT Junior maths Challenge (Y.6,7 & 8)
28th April: Annual trashion show
Throughout May: Inter-house debate competition
May/June: IGCSE/AS/A2 examinations
23rd June: Thai culture and studies trip (Y.6 - 13)
28th June: Prize Day / Graduation ceremony
HIGHLIGHT
Careers Day on Tuesday 7th March
We are delighted to invite you to attend our Careers Day on Tuesday the 7th of March 2023. This event is a fantastic opportunity for parents to gain insight into the many career paths available to their children and to learn about the tools and resources available to them at RBIS.
The event will take place from 8:10am until 2:45pm, and we have a variety of exciting sessions available throughout the day. Our programme includes university representatives, parent speakers, an RBIS alumni Q&A, IELTS, CV writing, information on RBIS university guidance, school tours, and much more.
To ensure that you can make the most of the event, we have scheduled three choices per time slot, allowing you to tailor your schedule to your interests and availability.
