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St Andrews International School hosts its first Model United Nations Conference
An opportunity to understand.
Hannah Carrodus, Freelance Journalist
Students from three local international schools tried their hand at
solving the world’s problems recently during the region’s first tri-school
Model United Nations conference.
Organised and hosted by St. Andrews International School Green Valley, with
students from Garden and Regents also participating, the event demanded the
teens be well-informed on complex global issues; publicly argue a point of
view and work together to establish resolutions.
Each of the 25 students represented an assigned country, and the aim was to
debate and vote on motions, as in the actual UN.
St. Andrews English teacher Mr. Brandon Jenvey, who oversaw the event, said
the insights gained from the experience encouraged students to be
socially-aware global citizens.
“It teaches them the attributes needed for compromise, the skills of debate
and forces them to look at an issue through a range of different
perspectives,” he said.
Participant Year 10 student Edward Varnes said the day gave him the
opportunity to make new friends and develop his debating skills.
“MUN was a great experience. It enabled me to gain confidence with speaking
in front of others and also build my knowledge of the world,’ he said.
Simulated United Nations conferences have been taking place in schools and
universities across the world since the organisation was founded, in 1945.
Mr. Jenvey added that as St. Andrews International School Green Valley
educates students hailing from over 45 countries, the conference was a
“perfect fit”.
Students try their hand at
debate.
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Regent’s students make
a flying start to the year
Antonia (left) and Elizabeth have
joined almost 100 other boarding students at The Regent’s School.
Tim Eaton
Head of Admissions & Marketing
In the last week of August, 940 students aged between 2 and 19 returned
to The Regent’s School Pattaya to begin what promises to be an outstanding
2013-14 academic year. They were welcomed by some 115 teaching staff, 40
teaching assistants, 8 full-time boarding staff and 100 support staff who,
between them, ensured that the school was ready for the first day of the year.
Amongst the students returning to the Regent’s, or transferring over from other
schools, were those who received their GCSE qualifications just two weeks ago,
and who now move on to the International Baccalaureate Diploma course. Over the
next two years the IB Diploma will present those students with the academic
challenges and opportunities which will see them strive for places at top
universities around the world.
In total, almost sixty students start this year’s International Baccalaureate
Diploma course, once again making it the most popular IB course on the Eastern
Seaboard. Students have the chance to select from 25 different subjects, ranging
from English Literature to Economics, Mandarin to Design Technology, and History
to Music.
Sangmin from Pattaya begins the
two-year IB Diploma course, with his sights set on a university degree in
Herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles).
Antonia, who has flown in from Germany to join The Regent’s
IB course as a boarding student, commented: “The school is great. The people are
very open-minded and friendly and care for each other. I like that the teachers
want to get to know the new students. Of course, I do feel a little homesick,
but I think I will be able to settle into the Regent’s very quickly!”
Sangmin, a day-student from Pattaya who has also just transferred onto the IB
course, commented: “The first few days at the Regent’s have been fantastic. All
the staff members have been kind enough to go out of their way to help me, and
all of my classmates have been really supportive.”
The new Head of the Secondary School, Garry Russell, who joins from a leading
independent day and boarding school in England, commented: “Congratulations to
those students who have achieved a fantastic set of examination results. The
Regent’s is clearly an exceptional school that not only offers a nurturing and
supportive environment but also produces some of the best academic results in
the world. The challenge is to reach even higher levels of attainment, both in
and outside of the classroom.”
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St Andrews students achieve sensational success
100% pass rate for our IB students!
Kevin McGee, Head of Secondary, St. Andrews
International School
St Andrews year 13 graduating students once again achieved the very impressive
record of a 100% IB Diploma pass rate. St Andrews students average diploma score
of 32.33 compares very favourably to an international average of just under 30.
Additionally, the students’ average subject score of 5.2 far exceeded
international averages. Since its first graduating class in 2010, St Andrews has
established a 95% Diploma Pass rate compared to an international average of
approximately 78%.
It was not, however, only at IB level that St Andrews excelled academically. St
Andrews students results at IGCSE level (end of year 11) were also outstanding.
Grades at IGCSE level are awarded from A* - G with grades of A* - C being most
valued. St Andrews students achieved grades of A* - C 89.2% of the time compared
to a UK average of 68.1%. St Andrews students also achieved grades of A* and A
44.3% of the time compared to a UK average of 21.3% with every student studying
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, French, Dutch and Mandarin achieving either and A*
or A.
St Andrews also prides itself on being an innovative school which pushes the
boundaries and academically the students are pushed to take exams early whenever
possible. Each year St Andrews Year 9 students sit the Cambridge English as a
Second Language exam two years before the normal time. This year 96% of the Year
9 students passed this exam with grades of A* - C. An outstanding achievement!
Kitty achieves all As and
A stars in her IGCSE exams.
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Over 300 students receive Happy Family Scholarships
Queen Sirikit Naval Medical Center Deputy Director
Vice Adm. Chumpol Thienchai hands out scholarships to children of government
employees and navy personnel.
Patcharapol Panrak
Queen Sirikit Naval Medical Center awarded more than 200,000 baht in
scholarships to outstanding Sattahip-area students.
St. Andrews hosts first ever Summer Stock Drama Camp
Campers practicing fantasy sword role playing.
During the week of August 12th through August 16th, St.
Andrews International School, Green Valley launched their very first ever drama
camp! The St. Andrews Summer Stock Drama Camp housed 24 excited young thespians,
all vying for their place in the spotlight.
The weeklong, intensive 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. program consisted of drama
workshops to hone students’ acting skills and demanding rehearsals for a unique
production of “Cinderella” which wowed audience members on the last day of the
camp.
Some of the cast preparing for their
performance.
Campers practicing fantasy sword role playing.Campers
practicing fantasy sword role playing.
Led by experienced directors, Chris Parsons (St. Andrews Theater Teacher &
Founder/President of Pattaya Players Community Theater) and Nick Lewis (Regents
School Theater Teacher & former West End star), this fabulous foray into the
world of theater gave students the chance to study the craft of acting,
physicality, musical theater, costuming, make-up and more!
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Meet Garden’s Perfect Prefects
Humanities Prefect Trisha gets a special white GIS
wristband from her mother.
Garden International School (GIS) held a whole school
assembly to mark the inauguration of the school’s first ever group of Prefects.
The Prefects, who all come from IB1, will be responsible for different topics
and will be promoting them throughout the coming year.
The Prefects are Sarah (Creativity), Pam (Languages), Robert (Action), Kunal
(Science), Taya (Service) and Trisha (Humanities).
They have already come up with several ideas, such as marking Roald Dahl Day and
organising a sports event at the start of the school year
Creativity Prefect Sarah signs up to
help GIS.
The new GIS Prefects.
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