Si Ri Panya News Highlights (issue 33)
- Nicola Bunchuay
- 17 hours ago
- 8 min read
Jan 9, 2026 - ...
Welcome back to school for Term 2! The start of this term was unseasonably celebratory thanks to a setback we experienced at the end of Term 1, when rain put a dampener on our planned Christmas Dinner.
We could have soldiered on at the start of the new term, but we'd been really looking forward to this special soiree, so teachers put on their festive aprons, helped set the tables with lovely red table cloths, fancy napkins and party cups and we went ahead and had our Christmas, or should I say New Year dinner, on our first day back.
It's always nice when we begin a term on a positive note and this worked a treat. We'd like to give a big shout out to Chef Bank and his team, as well as expert roast potato maker, Jon, our Head of Secondary Jeanne's husband, for making hundreds of rosemary infused roasties. They were delicious!
The New Year brings us three teacher interns from university in Denmark. The ladies are with us to complete their final teaching practicums and we are delighted to host them for the month and benefit from their fresh ideas and input.
Year 4 is hosting Teacher Viktoria, Year 2, Teacher Nikol and Year 6 have the pleasure of Teacher Lucie accompanying them. We will post more about the work they are doing with our students over the coming weeks and you can learn more about them once they've settled in. You will also get to meet them during our upcoming Parent/Teacher Progress Meetings, in Week 3 and Week 4. So please look out for them and say hello!
Year 1 Play 'Phonics Word-slap' as they Enter Phase Three
Year 1' have been busy this week playing the game Word-Slap, a game of sound recognition which enables students to identify letter sound combinations and practice CVC (consonant/vowel/consonant) word recognition, as they begin Phase 3 phonics.
What better way to learn to read than sounding out letters and having fun slapping the ones they hear/read correctly.
Our teachers are always looking for ways to bring their various subjects alive and this is a good illustration of enjoyable learning in the classroom.
Students are engaged, on task, learning new words and concepts and having fun!
Playing this phonics game, all students got a chance to guess the word correctly and to have a go.
We encourage our students to take Learning risks early on and to know it is safe and a perfectly normal part of the learning process to make mistakes.
We want students to feel relaxed, not fearful about learning and we want them to feel valued for their effort they make and their participation.
Here are Year 1 showing patience, teamwork and impressive phonic skills during this activity.
📅Have Your Say, the Si Ri Panya Way ☕️
We warmly invite all parents to the Term 2 Parent & Friends Committee Meeting on Tuesday 20th January 2026, 9:30–10:30am at Baan Manali Resort (map link: Baan Manali Resort).
This is your chance to share ideas, raise concerns, and stay connected through your Parent & Friends Committee—a vital link between families, teachers, school management, and the Executive Board.
Your current parent representatives are:
Mr. Doron Yariv (Y4 & Y6)
Ms. Idit Reizner (Y3, Y7 & Y9)
Ms. Phavika Palsingh (Rupa) (Y8)
Mr. Brian Jay (Parent of former pupil)
Thank you to all our dedicated parent reps for their continued support. We hope to see many of you there—your voice matters!
Alumni Spotlight: Job’s Journey from Thailand to the UK 🎓
From strong foundations in Thailand to an international future — we’re incredibly proud of Job, a former Si Ri Panya student whose journey reflects determination, resilience, and global ambition.
Job built his academic foundations in Thailand, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from Thammasat University in 2023, before continuing his studies in the UK.
In 2025, Job successfully completed his Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at the University of Exeter — an achievement supported closely by his family at every stage of the way.
Stories like Job’s remind us that with the right foundations, encouragement, and values, young people can take their learning far beyond borders — carrying confidence, character, and purpose with them into the world.
Children's Book Author Visit - Primary and Secondary
We were very fortunate to be visited this week by Suzanne Younan, author of the Green Dragon series of children's books. She is based in Hong Kong and Koh Samui, and writes engaging stories for younger readers with an important environmental message.
Students from Year 9 have been thinking about future study choices and careers options, so this visit was a perfect opportunity for them to hear from an author about their journey into the world of publishing, and their motivations for creating children's books about the environment and pollution. The students had prepared questions but asked many more as they listened and learned, it will be interesting to see if this has sparked an interest in a literary career among our talented group.
Year 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 students got to delve into these topical environmental issues by following the wild adventures of The Green Dragon.
"The idea for a children's story about environmental issues surfaced after creating a volunteer organisation in the Dragon Boat community in Hong Kong.
Green Dragons HK raised awareness to local and international dragon boaters about the amount of plastic brought to the beaches for training and festival events. I noticed the gap in environmental knowledge and realised the topic should be introduced to children from an early age," she said.
"Environmental stories are important to empower children to take action in small, daily decision making. Everysmall action they take will be a step in the right direction."
A proud Year 2 student shows off his new books! Don't forget to 'get caught reading' this term, everyone!
If you'd like to buy a copy of any of these beautifully illustrated books, you can find the order form HERE.
For more information about Suzanne Younan and her Green Dragon series, check out her website HERE.
Back to School Gallery - Week 1, Term 2...
Enjoyment and achievement go hand-in-hand at Si Ri Panya International School
Year 6 Art Lesson with Teacher Lucie
My name is Lucie, and I come from a small village in the north of the Czech Republic. For the past three years, I have been studying International Teaching in Denmark, as working with children has been a part of my life for many years.
In my free time, I tend to lose track of time while practicing yoga, painting, or dancing. Being at Si Ri Panya as an internship teacher is a wonderful opportunity for me to experience the teaching profession and everything that comes with it. I am very excited about all the experiences I will have here, as the first days have already felt truly welcoming and inspiring.
Year 6 designing characters with interesting colourful facial features using this fun collage-like technique, with our teaching intern, Teacher Lucie.
Nature around the campus...
For those of you with green fingers, you'll enjoy this weeks spotlight on our Chom Phu Ma Miew tree otherwise known as Rose Apple to some of us, which has flowered for the first time since it was planted, ten years ago!
On our campus you'll find Lotus flowers, Tamarind fruit from the almighty Tamarind tree, Mangoes and much more.
If you're visiting the office on school business, be sure to check-out our Photography Club's new exhibition, which you'll find just inside our foyer (entrance).
Chum Phu Ma Miew, Tamarind, Mangos, Lotus...Just some of the beautiful things you'll spot around Si Ri Panya's abundant campus.
Key Dates at a Glance
Looking Ahead: Key events and special days for the school year are published on our homepage.
Year 1 September 2026 admissions
See Newsletter Issue 26 for full details
Term 2 Parent & Friend Committee meeting
See Newsletter Issue 33 for full details
Birthdays Made Simple: Cupcakes and Candles
To keep birthday celebrations simple and enjoyable for everyone, we follow a cupcakes-only approach.
Parents are asked to send cupcakes and candles only — no cakes, knives, plates, or extras. We will still sing Happy Birthday and celebrate together as a class.
When birthdays are celebrated
Primary (Years 1–6): Primary birthdays are celebrated on Fridays during the enrichment lesson. If a child’s birthday falls earlier in the week, it will be celebrated with others on Friday.
Secondary: Secondary birthdays continue to be marked during tutor time at 9:00 am, using the same cupcakes-only arrangement.
This helps us celebrate birthdays in a joyful, shared way without interrupting learning time. Thank you for your support.
Celebrating a New Arrival
We are delighted to share some wonderful news from our leadership team.
Our Thai Director, Jidarut Chataloed (Kae), welcomed her beautiful daughter, Faye, on 2 Jauary 2026. Both mum and baby are doing well, and we know many of our families will join us in celebrating this very special moment.
We send our warmest congratulations to Kae and her family, and wish them a joyful and gentle start to life together. 💛
🚦The Fast & The Courteous: Drop-Off & Pick-Up Rules
To ensure a smooth and safe experience for all families during drop-off and pick-up times, we kindly ask parents to follow these guidelines:
🚗Drop-Off (Morning Arrival) between 8:30 and 9:00 am.
The road in front of the primary gate is for quick drop-offs only—drivers must remain in their vehicles while students exit safely to keep traffic moving.
Parents are welcome to wait with their child in the playground before the school day begins or pop into the library to borrow a book.
If you need to speak with a teacher briefly, you are welcome to do so as part of our morning open-door policy. For longer discussions, please book an appointment.
If you need to park your vehicle or bike, please use the designated parking spaces past the primary school gate to avoid blocking traffic.
🚙Year 1-6 Pick-Up (14:50 – 15:05)
Arrive promptly and stay in the vehicle queue outside the primary school gate.
Please switch off your engine while waiting to reduce emissions and noise.
A staff member will approach your vehicle to ask for your child’s name and class, then radio their teacher to send them out.
Drivers must remain in their vehicles while students exit safely.
🚙Year 1-6 After School Activities (ASA) Pick-Up (16:00)
Arrive promptly and come to the primary school gate, where your child will be waiting with a member of staff.
🚙Year 7-11 Pick-Up (16:00)
Arrive promptly and stop near the secondary school gate, where your child will be waiting outside.
Drivers must remain in their vehicles while students exit safely.
🚦IMPORTANT – One-Way Traffic Flow at Pick-Up Time
🚫Cars should NOT U-turn—this blocks the road for others and can be unsafe for pedestrians.
✅Instead, please drive up the hill, turn left at the top, and exit via the Hammock Shop on Bantai Road.
🌟 Weekly Reminders
🎂 Birthdays: Primary birthdays (Years 1–6) are now celebrated every Friday at 2:00 p.m. during Enrichment Time. Secondary birthdays (Years 7-11) are celebrated during tutor time.
📖 Library Books: Please check at home for any school library books and return them to either the Primary or Secondary library.
♻️ Bottle Cap Collection: We’re collecting bottle caps for our Precious Plastic Project. Collection point outside the primary gate. Find out more about this exciting long-term project here: Precious Plastic Phangan Facebook.
🐞 Head Lice Checks: Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat if needed. Children with long hair (boys and girls) should keep it tied up.
👕 Uniform Orders: Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform each day. Uniform orders can be placed online:🔗 Secondary Order Form 🔗 Primary Order Form
🍎 Healthy Snacks: Healthy snacks only at break times. No sweets, crisps/chips or cakes.
🚗 Drop-off & Pick-up:
• Drop-off: from 8:30 a.m. only
• Pick-up:
– Primary: 2:50 p.m. (or 4:00 p.m. for ASA)
– Secondary: 4:00 p.m.
Please be punctual, as some children have been waiting for extended periods.
🌬️ No Idling Zone: Please switch off engines while waiting outside school to support a healthier environment for all.
🤒 Absence & Illness: Please notify your child’s class teacher (Primary) or form tutor (Secondary) if they are unwell or absent.
Si Ri Panya News Highlights — Previous Issues
Explore earlier issues of Si Ri Panya News Highlights via our school blog archive.
