Si Ri Panya News Highlights
- Jeanne Revest
- May 2
- 6 min read
Updated: May 3
Friday 2nd May
Welcome to our May newsletter.
Yesterday was May 1st , May Day in UK, which I was reminded of when sitting near a Banyan tree the other day, which is a tree that has roots which grow down from its branches and blow in the wind.
The roots were reminiscent of the ribbons on a May Pole (see above), which traditionally, dancers hold while weaving in and out and around each other until the pole in the middle, is covered in beautiful colourful weaved thread.
The dance signifies the time of year of growth and fertility in the land, spring flowers, change of seasons and rich cultural heritage.
It's a great time of year no matter where we are and a reminder that whether it's roots on a tree here in Koh Phangan or ribbon on a May Pole, we are connected at all times with the past, future and our shared present moment as citizens from all over the world, living overseas. Next year, we might try to introduce our own May Day tradition at Si Ri Panya!
At school, the weeks seem to fly by and daily school life is action packed and full of learning. As part of our ongoing theme on saving the planet, which all year groups in primary are enjoying, students have been writing poetry about nature, conducting fact files on great animals such as orangutans among other things and have once again been demonstrating to us in our weekly assembly that they embody this term’s value, which is to be respectful.
Year 2 receives extra kudos for setting the tone of today’s assembly in our beautiful new refurbished music/drama hall, which has been painted black and fitted out with a stage and curtains–play ready–for our upcoming end of term shows that we are so excited about.
The students came in ready to listen, sat up straight and you could feel a sense of pride about them, it was a beautiful sight. They set the example for the whole school and they deserve a round of applause this week for their outstanding demonstration of the values we standby.
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
We believe that being active and staying healthy are both important for wellbeing and have a positive influence on how we feel. As well as two PE lessons a week for every class, Secondary students are able to choose extra PE sessions as part of our enrichment programme.
Enrichment PE is all about movement and freedom of choice. Students chose what kind of sports activity they would like to play, the only rule is movement! In the last few PE enrichment sessions we’ve seen all kinds of sports, from Four Square to Rounders, Basketball to volleyball.
Si Ri Panya School Play - Rehearsals Well Under Way!
In the second half of Term 3 the Secondary school will be putting on our first ever whole-school drama production. After looking at various options in Term 1, the students themselves chose to put on a version of a comedy play called Harry Rings: Lord of the Potters, inspired by Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
During Term 2, students studied the text and auditioned for different acting parts, or chose to become involved in one of the many important non-acting roles including set design, props, stage management, backstage support and technical roles in sound and lighting. They also looked at ways to adapt the play, including thinking about the addition of music and dance routines.
We are very excited about the development of the school's drama facilities, with a stage, curtains and sound equipment already in place and a lighting rig on its way. As well as being able to use this space for a variety of school events across the year, this will allow us to offer Drama all the way to Year 11.
This week the year 7s, 8s and 9s have been incredibly busy in rehearsing, planning costume choices, thinking about the props and developing their stage presence. They are really enjoying practising on the new stage and organising stage directions. The excitement is building, more details coming soon so you can book your tickets!
New Vegetarian Soup Option
From this week, we are excited to introduce a new vegetarian soup option at school! Here is the weekly menu:
Vegetarian Soup Schedule
Monday: 🟢 Green Pea & Broccoli Cream Soup
Tuesday: 🤍 Chickpea & Cauliflower Cream Soup
Wednesday: 🧡 Red Lentil & Carrot Cream Soup
Thursday: 🎃 Chickpea & Pumpkin Cream Soup
Friday: 🌽 Red Lentil & Corn Cream Soup
🍴 Canteen Food Selection Rules
At lunch, students should choose one of the following options for their first serving:
🥣 Soup – served in a white bowl
🍗 Meat or Fish Option – pre-plated on a white plate
🥦 Vegetarian Option – pre-plated on a blue plate
🌶️ Thai Spicy Option – pre-plated on a pink plate
Important Reminders:
Students may not combine dishes in the first round (e.g., no soup and a main dish together).
Once they have finished their first plate or bowl, they may return as many times as they wish for the same or a different option if they are still hungry.
🥗 The Green Corner (Salad Bar) remains available – self-serve in a white bowl.
🍚 Plain rice or pasta on their own are not lunch options. All meals are either pre-plated or available from the Green Corner.
🎶 Ukulele – Y1-6 End of Term Performance Preparation 🎶
We are excited to share more details about our ukulele lessons and the upcoming end-of-term performance!
All students will be learning a song during class time as part of their music curriculum:
Year 1 & 2: One Love – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Year 3 & 4: I'm Yours – Jason Mraz
Year 5 & 6: Wake Me Up – Avicii
Band Performance: Thunder – Imagine Dragons
🎤 Performance Opportunities: There will be opportunities for students to perform their class song at the end-of-term event, or to be considered for solos or duets. To be considered, students must:
Volunteer for the performance
Complete their home practice regularly
Play confidently, with accurate rhythm and timing (appropriate to their age)
Students who meet these expectations will be invited to attend additional morning practice sessions before school in the weeks leading up to the performance.
🎸 Practicing at Home: The school has 23 ukuleles available for use during lessons. However, if your child would like to continue practising at home, we encourage you to purchase a ukulele online. They are affordable and easy to find. Regular home practice is a fantastic way to support your child’s confidence and musical development.
Thank you for supporting your child’s musical journey – we look forward to a joyful performance at the end of term!
Ongoing Weekly Reminders
Library Reminder: Please check at home for any lost books and return them to the Primary or Secondary library so everyone can enjoy them!
Bottle Cap Collection: We're collecting bottle caps for our Precious Plastic Project! Please bring your bottle caps to the collection point located inside the Primary school gate on the left. Secondary students can bring theirs to the Design and Technology Lab. Find out more about this exciting long-term project here: Precious Plastic Phangan Facebook.
Drop Off and Pick Up: Drop-off is at 8:30 am (not earlier). Pick-up times are 2:50 pm for Primary (or 4:00 pm if attending an ASA) and 4:00 pm for Secondary. Please be punctual, as some Primary children have been waiting up to 30 minutes after 2:50 pm, which can be distressing for them.
No Idling Zone: Help make the area outside our school a NO IDLING ZONE which means switching car engines off while you wait for your child. We appreciate your action for the environment and health of all.
Absence and Illness: Notify your child's class teacher (Primary) or form teacher (Secondary) directly to inform them of absence and sickness.
Head Lice Check: Continue to check your child's hair for head lice regularly and treat accordingly. Boys and girls with long hair need to tie it up.
Class WhatsApp Groups: Join the parent WhatsApp group for your child's class via the QR code HERE
Healthy snacks: Healthy snacks only. No sweets, crisps/chips or cakes at break times. Birthdays are the exception and dealt with per class policy
