Ruamrudee International School will be known globally as a hallmark of international education, nurturing intellectual development, moral character, and physical well-being, while fostering compassion through action and shaping the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.
OUR MISSION
Ruamrudee International School is a Catholic school that provides an interfaith, inclusive, and academically rigorous education for students to be balanced, successful, and compassionate individuals.
OUR PRINCIPLES (Principles of Phoenix aka PoPs)
Welcome from our Head of School
I am proud to be a member of the Ruamrudee International School - Ratchapruek community.
I have had the pleasure and honor of working in or consulting with many schools throughout the world, and there is no school that outshines the work that we do here at Ruamrudee.
As the Head of School at the Ratchapruek Campus, where we serve students from ages 2 through Grade 6*, there are so many aspects of the RIS education that I am always delighted to share with parents and other visitors. From the exceptional quality of our educational programs, our highly skilled teachers, the leadership role that RIS takes in regards to Professional Development for teachers throughout the world of International Education, or our focus on rigorous and global education for each and every student no matter their family background or prior educational experiences, perhaps most important is the fact that RIS is a diverse and inclusive community focused upon teaching our students to be deep and creative thinkers as they develop into the leaders of tomorrow.
I am confident and proud of the work that our teachers do each and every day to support the success of our students. Students that not only succeed in the classroom, but who succeed in athletics, the arts, coding and robotics, languages, and so much more. You might assume that is the case at any school - and it should be. However, at RIS, I believe that it happens more consistently and at much earlier ages, with far greater success and joy. My own daughter is an RIS student, so I have witnessed firsthand not only as an educator, but as a parent, the way that our students evolve and develop their thinking and leadership skills.
Come visit our school and see for yourself what makes the RIS - Ratchapruek community a place for all students to flourish and succeed.
Dr. Joshua Fritts
Head of School
*We’re growing, and we will offer Grade 7 and Grade 8 for the 2021-2022 school year!
PreK
Our Pre-Kindergarten program starts with our youngest RIS students—our 2-year-olds. RIS is proud of our purpose-built Pre-K Pod here at the Ratchapruek Campus. With classrooms, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, a soft-play motor room, and even a swimming pool designed for our youngest learners, students ages 2–5 receive a gentle introduction to school in a warm and welcoming environment.
Early Childhood is a very specialized area within education, requiring very special teachers. All of our PreK teachers are certified and trained in Early Childhood education. Each grade level (Pre-K 2, 3, and 4) has a certified Early Childhood Special Educator on its team, as well as Instructional Assistants, and they all assist in meeting the children’s developmental needs. Teachers are trained in the Reggio Emilia approach to learning and continue to study with ongoing professional development. RIS believes in a low teacher-to-student ratio, and this is especially important for our Pre-Kindergarten students. Pre-K 2 classrooms are limited to 12 students with 3 adults in each room. PreK 3 classrooms are limited to 12 students with 2 adults in each room, and PreK 4 is limited to 14 students with 2 adults in each room.
Elementary School
Elementary School includes our students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. These are especially crucial years for building a strong educational foundation. RIS provides a rigorous academic program that integrates students’ social and emotional development. All of our elementary school teachers are highly qualified and certified within their specific subject areas. Many of our teachers have additional certifications in reading, language development, and learning support. But that is not what makes our Elementary program such a special place; it is the warm, caring environment that facilitates learning and builds character, preparing our students for middle school, high school, college, and life. We take pride in nurturing the student-centered learning environment we provide for our children.
Student Support
English Language Development
The English Language Development Program (ELD) recognizes that one of the top priorities in a quality international education is the attainment of an academic-level of English fluency. English language learners are designated by their level of proficiency, from beginner to advanced, and each level requires matched instructional strategies to facilitate rapid skill development. At RIS Ratchapruek, ELD students are immersed in a rich English-speaking environment and selectively enrolled in core mainstream subjects to give them frequent opportunities to interact with classmates and teachers. ELD students also get individualized support to accelerate their academic success.
Small-group pull-out and language support classes provide specialized learning time where content instruction and the development of English skills are closely integrated. Push-in support gives English language learners help within mainstream classes.
RIS uses MAP NWEA and WIDA MODEL testing to track progress in English skills development. Students who progress to higher proficiency levels receive adapted curriculum and assessment accommodations based on their individual needs throughout the year.
Click here to learn how the ELD program at RIS is further tailored to each section—ES, MS, and HS—to meet the specific needs of students at different ages and developmental stages.
Curriculum and Innovation Overview
RIS Ratchapruek is committed to excellence through creativity and inspiration. We strive to develop balanced, successful, and compassionate thinkers who seek to make a difference in the world around them.
RIS Ratchapruek believes that students learn best in an environment where classes and programs are structured around an intellectually stimulating curriculum that is suited to each student’s ability, achievement, motivation, and interest.
Instructional Technology
RIS Ratchapruek promotes instructional and extracurricular activities that use innovative approaches and technological resources to nurture students’ development. We care how our students grow and mature, therefore we seek to understand the impact that technology has on our students’ lives, both in the classroom and outside of it. While RIS Ratchapruek views technology as an essential resource, we endeavor to instill a sense of responsibility for its use in our students’ lives—one full of opportunity and distraction. One way we do this is by defining purposeful and proper use of technology through Learning Innovation Markers. These markers outline a comprehensive framework that enables students to identify the purposes and skills behind the technology and strategies they use in their learning and in their daily lives. Innovation markers integrate and reinforce existing RIS Ratchapruek programs and values, such as the schoolwide Principles of Phoenix.
We further define the proper use of technology through our Responsible Use Policy, known as RIS-CARES. This unique policy seeks to guide students’ growth and maturity by building constructive dialogue with students and parents at each grade level and in each class. Our goal is to help families negotiate and practice appropriate digital health so that when our students leave RIS Ratchapruek, they have a concrete understanding of how to use available resources and innovative tools in creative ways to contribute unique, long-lasting solutions for their own communities and wherever they go.
