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Prem welcomes new Head of School
Farewells two principals
David Michaels
The Prem Tinsulanonda International School will be
welcoming David Baird as the new Head of School at the start of the
2005/2006 academic year. David is currently the Head of Middle/High School
at the United Nations International School (UNIS) in Hanoi, Vietnam, a
position he has held for the past five years. In this capacity, he has been
extremely involved in all three International Baccalaureate programs (PYP,
MYP, and Diploma). Previous to UNIS Hanoi, he was an Elementary and Middle
School Principal in Sayward, British Columbia, Canada.
Prem
staff farewell departing principals Nigel and Sean (left to right): Lister
Hannah, Michelle Forbes-Harper, Nigel Forbes-Harper, Sean Murphy, Susan
Searle, and ML Tridosyuth Devakul.
Last Friday evening, David and his wife Marie were
greeted by staff at a cocktail party held on campus. Marie will also be
working at Prem, bringing extensive experience in IB English, linguistics,
and English as a Second Language.
In addition to being a welcoming party for David and Marie, Friday’s
gathering was also a time to say farewell to Sean Murphy and Nigel
Forbes-Harper, Prem’s two principals. Sean, the Junior School Principal,
is leaving at the end of this term to become Junior School Principal of the
Istanbul International Community School in Turkey. Nigel, the Senior School
Principal, will take the position of Associate Regional Manager for the
International Baccalaureate Diploma in the IB Asia-Pacific Region. They will
be missed by the entire Prem Community.
ML
Tridosyuth Devakul and Lister Hannah welcome David Baird and his wife Marie
to the Prem community. Beginning in August, David will be the new Head of
School at Prem.
Dramatic Arts exhibition
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Resort’s Kad Dhara location
Preeyanoot Jittawong
Kad Dhara’s Art and Culture Department, part of the
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Resort, set-up an exhibition displaying
dramatic art photos by Lanna artists.
 Withi
Panichapan, former coach at the Thai Art Department of Faculty of Fine Arts,
Chiang Mai University.
Withi Panichapan, former dramatic arts lecturer of the
Thai Art Department of Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University,
performed an authentic traditional dance ritual, parting a beautifully
decorated bamboo stick with a sword, as opposed to the more regular
ribbon-cutting exercise.
The exhibition will run until June 30, and can be visited daily, located
on the second floor of the building just opposite Kad Dhara’s entrance.
Graduation day at CMIS
Thirty-one CMIS seniors were officially
launched into the wider world on June 9. Graduation Day 2005 at CMIS was a
joyful celebration of the end of classroom toil, the honoring of years of
treasured memories and the anticipation of gloriously bright futures.
 CMIS
director, Ajarn Supaporn Yanasarn, bids farewell to the graduates.
Students, their families and teachers were treated to
sage advice from the evening’s various speakers, including Principal Terry
Gamble’s comment that, “If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know it
had help getting there.” This nugget of wisdom led into the presentation
of floral garlands by each graduating student to their parents - an
emotional moment for all.
The evening’s guest speaker, teacher ElJay Erickson,
encouraged the departing students to continually ask questions in their
search for truth, to avoid becoming a clone, to find a purpose beyond their
own personal gain in life, and finally, to be “cool.”
 Principal
Terry Gamble looks on as Valedictorian Jonathan Cooper addresses his
classmates.
Other articulate and inspirational speeches were
presented by Class Salutatorian, Dominik Bar; Valedictorian, Jonathan
Cooper; School Board Chair, Heather Smith; and Director, Supaporn Yanasarn.
PTG Vice President, Patrick Roberts, presented student,
Anna Collins-Wakeman, with the annual PTG scholarship for her outstanding
contributions to CMIS in her senior year, and teacher, Jon Hartmann, lauded
the special qualities of each individual graduate before they were presented
with their diplomas.
Graduation
is official for the CMIS Class of 2005.
Many CMIS 2005 graduates have won generous scholarships to universities
at home and abroad, and are now bound for work or study in such diverse
destinations as the United States, Canada, Thailand, South Korea, Australia,
Pakistan, Germany, New Zealand, Africa and Holland. This dynamic and
exceptionally talented class of seniors will be greatly missed at CMIS, but
the school’s loss is most definitely the world’s great gain.
Lanna International School Thailand celebrates graduation
Michael Vogt
The ballroom at the Rydges Amora Tapae Hotel was packed
with parents, relatives, friends, fellow students and, of course excited
graduating students, for this year’s “Graduation and Moving On”
celebration of the Lanna International School Thailand LIST).
 Book
Kitavadhana during his address.
The Lanna Synchro Band added to the ambience with
synchronized and lively musical delights, but the atmosphere turned even
more festive when the graduates-to-be made their processional entry into the
room, with kilted MC David Blair Brown warmly welcomed everyone.
Usually, LIST invites either members of the diplomatic
corps or educational-related executives to address the graduates and
students, but this year David Brown invited Book Kitavadhana, renowned
baritone and musical personality, to reflect on his perspectives and views
on life.
Everyone
thoroughly enjoyed the slide presentation, reflecting on happenings and
occasions of the past school year.
Book, coming from the art and musical field and
representing a world of song from Opera to Pop, said that the students
should be aware that life offers chances and experiences, and that they
should not hesitate to grab their chances. He himself had to make the same
decision many years ago, when he was undecided as to whether to go for an
educational career as a teacher of English, or a musical career instead. So
he simply sat down, took a piece of paper, and wrote down all pro’s and
con’s accordingly, realizing that he had a choice in life.
 Ricky
being congratulated by homeroom teacher Amy Robertson, while H.S.
Coordinator and MC David Brown is all smiles.
An expectant mood prevailed when Thai Headmistress Ajarn Diane,
Elementary School Coordinator Eugene Clark, and High School Coordinator
David Brown presented the moving-on certificates to the various students,
and especially the Kindergarten group who showed their excitement as they
returned to their seats after having bravely faced the spectators and bowed
to their teacher and the audience. 61 students received certificates and
congratulations, a focal point being Head of School Roy Lewis’s
introduction of student Ping Hsu Pan (Ricky) of the Class of 2005. Having
thanked first and foremost his father as well as his teachers, this very
polished young man, joined by some of his friends, thrilled the audience
with a short musical performance.
“Do
you have any idea why we have to wear these funny hats?” “No clue.”
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