This coming week, we invite Thailand’s most popular and best universities to an STA Thai University Fair. Also, the STA community will be celebrating neurodiversity in light of World Autism and Down Syndrome Awareness days. We would also like to thank everyone who came to the first PTG Coffee Morning of the year and look back on a very successful Busking Week in Primary.
Last week it was great to see so many busking talents being shown on the Primary School campus. There were some great performances and a real excitement at each break or lunchtime as to what students could go and see happening around the school.
A huge thank you to everyone who came to the first PTG coffee morning last Thursday. It was great to meet everyone in school and enjoy the coffee from STEPs. It was great that so many parents want to get involved in organising and helping the school get back to a new normal so we can move together to create events the whole school community can enjoy especially as we look at and plan the new academic year’s calendar.
There continues to be lots happening this week. The sports are going from strength to strength and the last ECA makeup activities are taking place. It is great to see so many children and high school students have signed up for next term's Extra Curricular Activities programme. This week is Autism Awareness Week and there will be a Thai University Fair in High School.
In light of World Autism Awareness and Down Syndrome Awareness days this month, the STA community across Primary and High School will be celebrating neurodiversity. Here at STA, we offer placements to students who have Autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, specific learning difficulties, ADHD, OCD, depression and anxiety. Some of these are lifelong conditions with which our students need specialised support or skills development, whether that be in terms of academics, social inclusion or their personal health and well-being. Every child has the right to education and the right to learn in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.
Embracing Differences Week, being held in High School this week, isn’t just an opportunity to raise awareness of these conditions but also to celebrate how diversity is the foundation of our STA community. It’s an opportunity to thank every STA student, parent and staff member who acts in support of this community.
Staff will be working with our students across the week to help them recognise that everyone has differences in how they learn and function and that all people have special talents and areas they struggle with. We hope to engage our community in conversations and activities that teach us to reflect on the meaning of inclusion and be mindful to ensure we value, accept and create a sense of belonging for all members of our diverse population.
Our STARs and Embracing Differences students will be operating their business enterprise initiatives selling wristbands and treats to raise money for organisations such as the Rainbow Room Foundation and Autism Thailand Foundation. A huge thank you to the Rainbow Room Foundation for their contribution for their continued support for us to develop a greater understanding across our school community of inclusion and what it means to us all.
We will be asking staff and students to write about what inclusion means to them and share their differing perspectives with others to challenge and build a greater culture of understanding of what it means to be inclusive. Also, look out for performances from our STARs children and a ‘Rock Your Odd Socks!’ dance event happening this Friday at the High School.
There has been a huge amount of hard work, time, and effort supporting our Year 13 students' applications to colleges, universities, and programmes worldwide. Many of our students hold places on courses and majors of their choice at great universities in America, Canada, Thailand, the Netherlands and especially, the UK. The High School has two highly qualified Careers and Higher Education Counsellors who are specialists in career planning, as well as college, university and other programme applications. They work with a dedicated group of Year 12 and 13 tutors to support all the senior students and their families as they make important decisions about the next stage of their education once they graduate from St Andrews.
This coming week there will be a Thai University Fair in the High School on Thursday 31st March. In the morning, students from Year 10 to Year 13 will have the opportunity to listen to a talk about Thai universities and the Thai application system by the TCAS manager from the Council of University Presidents of Thailand.
In the afternoon, the Sports Hall will be set up with a large number of the best universities in Thailand, showing the range and high-quality courses/majors/programs they offer, including some opportunities which involve a combination of study in Thailand and an overseas university. High School students will have the opportunity to go and visit the individual university booths and gain more information about the opportunities on offer. At 2.45 pm on Thursday afternoon, High School parents are invited into school to attend this Thai University Fair so they can speak to the Thai university representatives and understand what Thai universities can offer as their children graduate from St Andrews in the future.
Thai Universities Participating in the Fair (in alphabetical order)
With the goal of providing meaningful help to the flood victims in the northern regions of Thailand, our entire community at St Andrews Bangkok came together to raise funds and donations for the affected families. In the span of a few short weeks, added to donations of food and clothing, we managed to raise an astounding total of 386,676.50 THB in donation funds. To all students, teachers, parents, and staff who participated in our efforts and contributed to this cause—thank you!
