Dear Samakee Community,
This week has been filled with exciting events, and next week is set to be just as thrilling. Some activities are open to just the students and their teachers, and others we invite you to be part of the excitement. Here’s a quick look at what is coming up:
Monday, 3rd June
HM Queen’s Birthday
It is a public holiday, and school is closed.
Tuesday, 4th June
Year 8 Thai Trip
Year 8 is off on an exciting and educational trip to Ayutthaya, which will include visits to the Foreign Settlements in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, the Ayutthaya Historical Study Center, Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram. This trip is designed to enhance their understanding of Thai history and culture, and we’re thrilled to provide them with this enriching experience.
Thursday, 6th June
Middle School Production – Years 3-4
Students from Years 3-4 will perform in ‘Scheherazade’ – a colourful musical based on classic stories from the ‘Tales of the Arabian Nights’. The show is a rich blend of music and drama; we can’t wait to see it!
Thursday, 6th – 7th June
The World Scholar’s Cup – Upper School
The World Scholar’s Cup is an academic competition with regional rounds held over two days. The students taking part will fly to Panyaden International School, attend the competition, stay at a nearby hotel, and attend the second day before directly returning to Bangkok. We wish them the best of luck!
Friday 7th June
Swimming Gala – Years 3-9
To celebrate our students’ progress in the pool, we are hosting a second Swimming Gala this year on Friday, June 7th. Warm-ups will begin at 8:00 a.m. The Upper School will start longer races at 8:15 a.m., then the Middle School at 8:30 a.m., concluding at 10:00 a.m.
Students will be seated in their houses. We warmly encourage parents to join us, whether sitting behind or watching from the balcony. This is a community event, and we want everyone to feel a part of it.
The gala will culminate in the thrilling house relay races, a fun and competitive event in which a teachers’ team will compete against the students. We’re also hoping parents will form their own teams and join in on the excitement!
Parent Consultations
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents who participated in the Parent Consultations this week. Your involvement and dedication are invaluable in supporting our students’ growth and development. Your insights and collaboration help us create a more robust, nurturing learning environment for our children. Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment!
Talent Showcase
On Tuesday morning, we were delighted to host the Samakee Talent Showcase, an annual highlight in our school calendar. This year, we were thrilled to feature 25 talented performers from Year 1 to Year 9. Each act was a testament to the diverse and impressive talents within our student body.
The event was a resounding success, filled with moments of awe and inspiration as our young stars took to the stage with confidence and enthusiasm. Their performances not only entertained but also underscored the hard work and dedication they have put into honing their skills. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the participants and a big thank you to the teachers and staff who helped make this event possible.
As we look forward to next year’s showcase, we are excited to see what new talents await us. Bring on next year’s event—it’s sure to be even more spectacular!
Move-on Morning
Move-On Morning on Thursday was an exciting event during which students had a sneak peek into their next school year. During this time, the children visited their new classrooms and met their future teachers. This helped ease the transition and build excitement for the year ahead!
Art Showcase
We are thrilled to celebrate the tremendous success of our Art Showcase and auction today! The event was filled with a beautiful atmosphere, showcasing our students’ incredible talent, hard work, and pride in their achievements. The artwork on display was nothing short of superb, captivating everyone who attended. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the young artists, teachers, and supporters whose participation made this event a resounding success. Thank you for making our Art Showcase an unforgettable experience, and to those who were successful in bidding for piences, we hope you enjoy these unique artworks.
We were also delighted by the impromptu musical accompaniment from a group of children on the piano! Their spontaneous performance added a charming and lively touch to the event and an unexpected surprise that everyone enjoyed!
Teaching and Learning Highlights!
EYFS – Bench Painting
Our little artists are busy transforming benches into masterpieces for the upcoming art exhibition! These tiny Picassos are splashing colours, spreading joy, and painting dreams one brushstroke at a time. Their creations are bursting with imagination and creativity, turning everyday benches into magical works of art!
Inclusion – Practical Life Skills
We recently engaged the children in a practical life skills experience. We took a trip to Villa Market to buy ingredients and then returned to school to use these ingredients in making delicious smoothies. It was a fun and educational activity that everyone enjoyed!
Key Stage 1 – Coding and LEGO
KS1 is on fire with coding and LEGO! They’re not just building stuff, they’re making awesome vehicles that come to life with WeDo kits – it’s like LEGO with superpowers! Keep this up and who knows, maybe we’ll be taking home a LEGO League trophy in 2025! Get ready for the future, KS2 – these coders are unstoppable!
Upper School – Yoga
At Samakee, mindfulness is at the core of everything we do! Here are our Upper School students finding their centre with yoga during key-values time. Our goal is to promote mindfulness for stress reduction, focus, and overall well-being.
Year 8 & Year 9 – Spanish Cultural Trip
Learning Spanish isn’t just about mastering grammar and vocabulary in a classroom; it’s about immersing yourself in the vibrant culture that brings the language to life! Last week, Y8 and Y9 took their studies beyond the walls and dived straight into the heart of Spanish traditions.
First stop: A tantalizing tapas tour @taberna_jamon_jamon! We savoured a variety of delicious small plates, each bursting with unique flavours that tell the story of Spain’s rich culinary heritage. From mouthwatering patatas bravas to delectable chorizo ibérico, our taste buds travelled across regions with every bite.
But the adventure didn’t stop there. After filling up on these culinary delights, we moved to the rhythm of Spain with a passionate flamenco lesson @balletflamencothailand The clapping hands and the soulful dance moves were an electrifying experience that connected us deeply to the Spanish soul.
This journey reminded us that language learning is most powerful when it’s lived. So, if you’re studying Spanish at Samakee, we will step outside the classroom! Explore, taste, and dance our way through the culture. It’s an experience the students never forget and a lesson that resonates far beyond words.
Awards and Achievements
Samakee Growth Mindset
He is flexible and strives to adapt when faced with immediate challenges in the Thai Shadow Puppet Project. He can change his role to ensure the group’s success and makes a dedicated effort to learn the lines of new characters assigned to him without giving up. Well done!
Upcoming Important Events
June
- 6th – Middle School Production – 18:00
- 7th – 2nd Swim Gala
- 13th – Key Values Award Ceremony (AM)
- 13th – Year 9 Leavers Assembly (PM)
- 14th – Last day of term 2 (Early finish at 13:00)
SAS Swim Gala June 2024
To celebrate students progress in the pool there will be a second Swimming Gala this year on Friday 7th June.
Warm Ups will begin at 8.00am. Upper School will start longer races at 8.15am and Middle school from 8.30am finishing at 10.00am.
This is a team event where students will be sat in their houses. Parents are encouraged to sit behind or watch from the balcony where there will be the Fitness Room to cool down.
We will finish with house relay races. There is a teachers team to compete with students. We hope there will also be enough parents willing to join and make a team or teams too!
School Calendar 2024-2025
Please click here: SAS_School Calendar 2024-2025
SAS LINE Communication Platform
LINE is a widely used communication platform in Thailand, and it’s a platform that Samakee has been utilizing for quite some time. We encourage all our families to connect with our official SAS LINE account to ensure we can easily disseminate important school-wide updates to our entire school community. Click to add
Monica L Sudhirak
Head of School
Head of School, Monica L Sudhirak: msudhirak@standrews-samakee.com
First School Phase Leader, Tabietha Sudhirak: tsudhirak@standrews-samakee.com
Middle School Phase leader, Hannah Riddi: hannah.ridd@standrews-samakee.com
Upper School Phase Leader, Nicky Page: npage@standrews-samakee.com