Rugby School Thailand eNewsletter

Matters of Principal

Whole School

Announcements

RSTPA COOKING CLASS
Our RSTPA is excited to announce that the next cooking class will take place on 15^th January from 08:15-10:30 and will be hosted by our Filipino community.

We have a maximum of 24 places, so if you are interested, please reserve your place via QR code / irbis2002@bk.ru / Line: Helen Cool / 0907694661.

There will be a small fee of 300THB per session to cover the costs of ingredients and you will need to bring some empty containers to take your food away.

Christmas Fair

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
A final call for more lovely volunteers to help at our charity Christmas Fair next weekend. The RSTPA team are looking for some more people to give just 1-2 hours of time on Saturday, 2^nd December.

If you can help, please contact christmasfair@rugbyschool.ac.th

SPONSORS
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital have kindly sponsored the Christmas Fair again this year. The hospital team will be on standby during the event, and they have also contributed two health checks to the raffle!

Our friends at Wisdom Fit are also generous sponsors for the Christmas Fair and in the raffle you'll have the chance to win one of five WeFit memberships and twenty class vouchers.

The gym facilities are world-class and will give your fitness regime a great start in 2024!

The Andaz Hotel in Pattaya is a lush tropical retreat in a tranquil seaside neighbourhood near Pattaya. The hotel has generously sponsored the Christmas Fair for the second year in a row and have offered two vouchers for a one-night stay with breakfast for 2 people as raffle prizes, each valued at 15,000 THB.

CHRISTMAS FAIR RAFFLE TICKETS
Christmas Fair raffle tickets will be on sale next week. There are lots of amazing prizes to win, including an iPhone 15 and 5* hotel stays, so buy your tickets before the event to make sure you have a chance of winning!

You will be able to buy the tickets on the following days and times:

Pre-Prep Entrance
Tuesday, 28^th November (3-3.45pm)

Prep Entrance
Monday, 27^th November (4-5.35pm)
Wednesday, 29^th November (4-5.00 pm)
Thursday, 30^th November (4-5.35pm)

Tickets will also be available to buy on the day of the fair at the beginning of the event.

Highlight of the Week

RSTPA COOKING CLASS
Christmas has started early at RST this year! In our RSTPA Cooking Class this week, our parents have learnt how to make a festive gingerbread house and some non-alcoholic mulled wine. Many thanks to our German parents for organising such a wonderful morning.

RUGBY READERS’ PROGRAMME
Throughout the month of November, the Senior and Pre-Prep Library teamed up to promote the Library’s Rugby Readers’ programme with the aim of fostering a strong culture of reading for pleasure among the RST community. As one of our first initiatives, we invited Sixth Form students to visit the Pre-Prep Library in their free time to read a story. It was a treat for both the Pre-Prep and Senior students involved!

Please contact Ms. Sidney or Ms. Cindi if you would like to share your reading.

ANTI-BULLYING WEEK
The theme for Anti-Bullying Week this year is “make a noise!” On Monday, students across the School celebrated Odd Sock Day to raise awareness of bullying and what we can do to celebrate kindness. Students came to School in a fantastic variety of odd - and some VERY odd! - socks, with staff joining in too!

NO SHAVE NOVEMBER
Embrace the scruff and join us for 'No Shave November'! Let those beards grow wild, and moustaches flourish - all for a good cause. It's not just about facial hair; it's a month of camaraderie, raising awareness, and supporting a great cause.

Donations will run from today until Thursday, 30^th November, and all funds are being donated to the Mahavajiralongkorn Thanyaburi Hospital Foundation, a hospital that provides support to cancer sufferers at all stages of treatment. This cause is in honour of our late friend Mr Gareth Kelly, and teachers and Sixth Form students are taking part.

Are you ready to ditch the razor and let the facial fuzz take centre stage this November?

WINTER GALA TICKETS
Tickets for the Winter Gala will be available (free of charge) from the 'Box Office' at the Senior reception on the following dates:

23rd & 24th November - Pre-sale for performers families
27th November onwards - General release

Please note, there is limited availability for this concert.

THE MARSHALL HOUSE CHARITY POP-UP SHOP
Throughout this term, the boarders in Marshall House have been working in teams to create products to sell for charity. Under the guidance of our lovely gappies, Miss Buckley and Miss Mansfield, each team has brainstormed ideas, ordered materials and spent evenings crafting in the house.

You can see the fruits (or rather, sweet treats and mini gifts) of their labours at their pop-up shop in the Prep entrance on Friday, 1^st December, from 3.30pm. All proceeds will go to Take Care Kids... so please come, spend and make their wonderful work worthwhile!

Senior

Reminders

BLOOD BROTHERS
There are only a few seats on each night available, please collect your tickets asap.

Dates for your Diary

28^th NOVEMBER: Start of Bood Brothers performance (final performance on Friday)

1^st DECEMBER:
U19 FOBISIA basketball tournament at RST
LXX Parent Teacher consultation

5^th DECEMBER: School Closed for Public Holiday

7^th DECEMBER: Winter Gala Performance

8^th DECEMBER: Final Day of term – School finishes at 4pm.

Highlights of the Week

SIXTH FORM RESIDENTIAL
The Royal Varuna Yacht Club hosted the 2023 Sixth Form Residential on 15^th and 16^th November, providing a stunning beachside setting for LXX and XX students to unwind from digital distractions. Engaging in activities like sailing, raft building, and TeamFit challenges, students honed practical skills and collaborative problem-solving. They also crafted individual pieces for a themed art installation at the Collingwood Centre, leaving a lasting legacy.

The event featured a spirited student-led quiz, hosted by Marwin and Andre, adding a competitive edge as teams vied for certificates and Scrummy vouchers donated by Mr Groves. Beyond recreation, the Sixth Form Residential served as a platform for personal growth, emphasising leadership, teamwork, perseverance, and determination. The experience fostered new friendships, creating a sense of community among peers and teachers, all within an atmosphere of enjoyment and discovery.

The residential exemplified experiential learning, embodying the essence of holistic education - 'The Whole Person, The Whole Point'.

PARENTS’ AFTERNOON TEA AND GLOBAL HIGHER EDUCATION
On 10^th November, Senior parents attended an afternoon tea at RST. They met with the Sixth Form and Higher Education and Careers team to learn about the support available for RST students as they prepare for higher education and careers. RST alumni, studying at prestigious universities worldwide, form a global network accessible after leaving the School.

Mrs Cecil, Head of Higher Education and Careers, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts between students, parents, and the School to identify personalised pathways aligning with academic, social, and financial needs. Using Unifrog, a web-based platform, students and parents can explore careers and global university courses to make successful applications.

RST parents can create their Unifrog accounts using the code: RUST2050.

Further information and support are available by contacting ccecil@rugbyschool.ac.th.

RSTMAD VISIT TO HAND 2 HAND FOUNDATION
A group of Senior School students visited the premises of Hand 2 Hand Foundation, followed by community engagement in an impoverished area of Nong Pla Lai, Pattaya. Margie Grainger spoke to us about Hand 2 Hand’s mission and guiding principles, providing inspiration for our student body to support Hand 2 Hand’s incredible service work in communities not far from our School.

RST Service Levee, Lily Suksawad, has been leading a ‘Bite-Free’ campaign in the Senior School, and this led to the purchase of 85 mosquito nets for the Nong Pla Lai slums. Our students were able to meet some of the people that live there, see for themselves the true extent of their needs, and are planning ahead for a second-hand clothes appeal in Term 2.

D BLOCK FUTURES PRESENTATION
It was wonderful to meet many of you at the D Block Futures presentation and exhibition on Friday, 17^th November.

For those that were unable to attend the session, please see a summary of the timeline below and if you click on the link, you can find more information on the process, including some important points:

D Block Futures Event

Prep

Announcements

RESIDENTIAL TRIPS
Each year we run an extensive residential trips programme for those students in Years 4 - 8. This will form a key part of our Learner Profile Week this year, which will run from 14^th – 15^th February 2024, the week before February half-term.

You can see dates for the overnight stays below.

Year 4: Marshall house sleepover 15^th – 16^th February
Year 5: Noong Nooch Botanical Gardens 15^th – 16^th February
Year 6: Beach clean up and snorkelling adventure, Sattahip 15^th – 16^th February
Year 7: Bangkok Thai and Art trip, 14^th – 16^th February
Year 8: Adventure trip to iCamp Kanchanaburi 13^th – 16^th February

These trips are at no additional cost to you and are a valuable part of our Learner Profile curriculum, which is a real highlight for our students. Further details will be provided in January.

END OF TERM HOUSE MATCHES
You are warmly invited to attend the following House Matches:

PREP SCHOOL END OF TERM CHRISTMAS CONCERT
You are invited to come and listen to the students creating music together in an afternoon concert of ensemble performances.

This concert features the Prep ensembles, including wind, percussion, guitar, brass, Years 3-5 choir, Years 6-8 choir, string orchestra, prep orchestra, and rock bands.

The event will take place on Thursday, 30^th November in the Veraphan Theatre.

Doors open at 4:20pm and the concert should conclude by 5:30pm.

Dates for your Diary

25^th NOVEMBER:
08:45-10:00 Session 1 of the Saturday Enrichment Programme (SEP) - Sign-up on SOCS
10:15-11:45 Session 2 SEP
ESAC U9 & U11 Football @St Andrew's
09:00-12:00: Open Day: Y6-8 & Boarding
NIST Swim Meet

27^th NOVEMBER:
ESAC U11 Basketball v Regents
U10 Football v Piing Girls @FC Planet Stadium

28^th NOVEMBER: Loy Krathong: Please read this letter

30^th NOVEMBER: (16:30-17:30) End of Term Concert in the Veraphan Theatre

1^st DECEMBER: (08:00-09:30) Y3 Father's Day Event in the Veraphan Theatre

2^nd DECEMBER:
08:45-10:00 Session 1 of the Saturday Enrichment Programme (SEP) - Sign-up on SOCS
10:15-11:45 Session 2 SEP
16:00-21:00: RSTPA Christmas Fair at Wisdom Valley
U9 & U11 BISA Netball Tournament

Highlights of the Week

YEAR 5 SCIENCE
We have been learning about the lifecycle of frogs in Year 5 science. After searching all around the campus, we were so excited to finally find a pond full of tadpoles! We will keep them in a special habitat in the science lab for 2 weeks while we study their growth as part of a project.

Thank you Mina (5E) for this wonderful summary.

INKTOBER
Inktober is an art challenge that happens in October. Its name comes from two words – October and Ink. Every October, artists all over the world take on the Inktober drawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day for the entire month.

Our students in Prep participated in the challenge and were awarded points for every drawing they created, many completing the whole month! We will announce the House winners in our assembly, but for now we'd love you to see the winning drawing from each day. Congratulations to our students for showing so much commitment and creativity!

MANDARIN MATRIX WORKSHOP
Our Mandarin team hosted a Mandarin Matrix Workshop at RST last week, where Mandarin teachers from other international schools connected to share their expertise and resources. Continuous professional development is so important in ensuring we are doing the best we can for our learners.

CRAFTING ECO-FRIENDLY KRATHONG
The Loy Krathong festival is next week, and all Prep students are excited to create eco-friendly krathongs for the House Competition on Tuesday, 28^th November. We embrace Thai traditions while staying globally minded, focusing on environmental conservation.

In our effort to be environmentally conscious, we crafted our krathongs using 100% natural materials. Our flower decorations are made from corn husks, and the base is created using palm leaf. This is our first attempt at crafting this innovative style of krathong. It required a lot of effort to ensure that the palm leaf krathongs float without tipping over. We faced challenges, experimented, and problem-solved multiple times. In the end, we are proud that our krathongs not only float but also represent our commitment to global awareness.

Our krathongs allowed us to improve various skills, embracing all aspects of the Learner Profile, including being thinkers, collaborators, versatile, resilient, and, most importantly, globally minded.

Announcements

Reminders

PARKING
Please do not park or stop on the zebra crossings. These are safe places to cross for the families and must be kept clear of cars.

FATHER'S DAY BREAKFAST
Father's Day Breakfast is for one adult per child. We will have Wake and Shakes at 8:30 for KS1 and 8:45am for EYFS

LATE ARRIVALS
If you arrive after 8:30am you will be directed to the office to sign the late book. Children will either then be taken to class by staff or sent to class by themselves (Rec, Y1 and Y2). This is so we can update the registers accurately and limit disruption for the teachers and other children starting lessons.

LOY KRATHONG CELEBRATION
Our Loy Krathong celebration this year will take place on Tuesday, 28^th November. The theme this year is about Phaya Naka or Lord of Nāga.

In Thai beliefs, Nagas are considered the patrons of water and are believed to live in either water or in caves.

Please click on the link below for more information on the day's schedule:

Loy Krathong

END OF TERM
We finish School on 8^thDecember at 3:15pm.

Dates for Your Diary

28^th NOVEMBER: LOY KRATHONG celebrations
Parents welcome to join from 8:30-9:00am for a short celebration. Please feel free to wear traditional clothing.

4^th DECEMBER: Father's Day Breakfast (or family member) 8:-8:45am

5^th DECEMBER: School closed

6^thDECEMBER: Year 2 Christmas Show at 9am.

8^th DECEMBER: Christmas dress up day - 100THB for charity

Highlights of the Week

YEAR 1 CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME
After an action-packed term learning all about Jack and the Beanstalk, we were thrilled to present our Christmas pantomime to our friends and families.

We thank you all for coming to share our learning and the joy of Christmas. Everyone should be feeling like a Proud Peacock after an amazing performance!

ODD SOCK DAY DONATIONS
Thank you very much for the generous donations of shoes for Odd Sock Day. We are certain that these shoes will bring joy to someone else's life!

The MAD Juniors organised all the shoes and separated the boys' and girls' shoes. The shoes will be donated to Hand 2 Hand this weekend.

Thank you so much for your support!

MAD Juniors.

COBIS ART COMPETITION
Casper from Year 1 Bilbys class won this year's Cobis Art competition themed "A future to be proud of". Casper has a unique way of looking at "A future to be proud of" as he visualises people travelling in rockets searching for other planets. He also used some excellent art techniques: great mixture of colours, excellent colouring skills, good use of black outlines and patterns with a detailed design.

You can watch the video below for a collage of all the different Pre-Prep entries:

Useful Links

Learner Profiles

Boarding News

Last weekend, some of our full boarders headed down to Rayong to spend the day at Elsie Evans Art Retreat, where they were taught how to capture the colours and textures of leaves and foliage.

Everyone had a lovely and relaxing afternoon being creative, and some beautiful leaf studies came back to the boarding houses!