October 2015
60th Birthday Celebrations for H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Assumption College English Program (ACEP) • ACEP Bowling 2015 52 Jessadavhitee Road, Phan Tai Norasingha Sub-District, Muang District, Samut Sakhon 74000 • 2015 ACEP Games Tel.: 0-3487-2040-43 Website: www.acep.ac.th • Summer School Programs Facebook: www.facebook.com/ACEPschool During Term 1, almost 20 boys from Rooms to develop brain activity, together On Saturday 8th August, Assumption College English Program students, Director’s Message Year 4 - 12 classes have lived happily with thinking and academic skills. parents and teachers gathered together at TPD Bowling in Bang Bon for together in the dormitory. The majority of We continually review and improve a very special activity to celebrate the 60th Birthday Anniversary, and 5th Cycle, the boarders are from Bangkok or other our academic programs to ensure that of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. All members of the “ACEP family” surrounding provinces and stay at the students are well prepared for the wore purple shirts to the event and this unity in colour could also be seen in dormitory for five nights per week. Typically, challenges ahead. As you will see in the spirit and goodwill amongst everyone who competed in the competition. the boys are dropped at the dormitory this magazine, we are encouraging our The event began with a short ceremony during which Bro. Surasit on Sunday evening and then go back to students to compete in external academic stay with their families on Friday evening. competitions, and they certainly compare Sukchai (Provincial Brother), together with ACEP’s three Brothers, Bro. Pisutr By doing this, the students avoid daily well to others which is helping to develop Vapiso (Director) and Bro. Kriangsak Mayod and Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice travel between their homes and school, the reputation of ACEP. Directors) cut a ribbon to symbolically open the family tournament. The day have more energy and time for study and Although ACEP is only in its fourth was divided into categories for VIP, Family, Student and “Open” teams. A total recreation, and most importantly, they year, our school’s history can be traced of 122 teams competed in friendly, well-spirited competitions for various Cups are learning to become independent in back many centuries. This Term we have named in honour of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. a caring environment. I encourage other commenced activities to commemorate In addition to celebrating the birthday of Her Majesty, “ACEP Bowling th parents to consider this option for their the 300 anniversary of the death of 2015” raised 600,000 baht which our school’s three Brothers presented to sons in the future. Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, student representatives during the Mothers’ Day ceremony the following week. After their trial use throughout Term 2 the Founder of the Montfort Brothers of This money will go towards the Student Development Fund, which already had of the previous academic year, our St. Gabriel. The anniversary of Montfort’s been allocated 500,000 baht from the school’s 2015 budget. The fund, which swimming pools in the Saint Peter Sport death is a time that we reflect on his now contains 1.1 million baht, supports a variety of special educational activities Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, Ph.D. Club have been fully utilised by students spirituality and follow his example in his for our students including external academic, sporting, music and other Director since May. Timetables have been commitment to care and concern for the rearranged to enable all primary classes poor. In the Montfortian spirit, the ACEP extracurricular competitions as well as tutoring for FSG, O-NET, GAT, PAT, October 2015 to have one designated swimming period community has donated money to the university and other international exams. each week. Secondary students also have people of Nepal who suffered from the access to the pools during “club” and devastating effects of earthquakes earlier after-school times. We have employed this year. Our senior students have also Welcome to the first ACEP Magazine three additional swimming teachers who led activities for less-fortunate children for the 2015 Academic Year. I would like also offer special classes during school at local schools and the Brothers have to reflect on our achievements and share holidays. provided educational scholarships for our our vision and commitment to improving The visionary aim of ACEP is to create workers’ children. There will be various the quality of teaching and learning, a school which develops students in other activities to pay tribute to Montfort. academic excellence, range of pastoral all dimensions. ACEP’s extracurricular It is our firm belief, that academic activities and school governance within programs have improved greatly this excellence will only produce well a moral and ethical framework. term. Recently we have employed six balanced young and successful citizens Firstly, I would once again like to new Thai activity staff (trained Physical for Thailand, if it is in conjunction with praise and congratulate our “pilot” Year 12 education teachers) to lead various moral and ethical guidance. students from the 2014 Academic Year. They special activities to develop our students’ The “ACEP spirit” shined particularly have all been accepted into engineering, skills around our spacious campus. Our brightly on two memorable days during business, architecture, medicine and Student Development Centres on the top Term 1. Firstly, in early August, 122 teams many other bachelor degree programs at floor of both classroom buildings also made up of students, parents, teachers, Thailand’s most prestigious universities. enable students to learn about various administrators and other community When our Summer School commenced styles of arts, music and dance with members, joined together for “ACEP in March this year, we welcomed the first passionate and well qualified teachers. Bowling 2015”. The event celebrated the students to live in the All Saints Dormitory. We have also opened two Board Games 60th Birthday of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and raised 600,000 baht for our Student Development Fund which supports a variety of special educational activities. The “2015 ACEP Games” in late August was also another colourful and exciting day which encouraged goodwill and friendship amongst members of the school community. Finally, I’d like to thank our readers for taking the time to look back on ACEP’s events, learning activities and achievements during Summer School and Term 1. We hope that the magazine brings a smile to your face as we share the ongoing success of our school. Of course, nothing within this magazine would be possible without our students, teachers, parents and support staff. I thank you all for your ongoing trust and support of Assumption College English Program. May God and our Lady of Assumption bless us all. Contents
New Foreign Teachers 2 12 Teachers’ Seminar to Open the 2015 Academic Year 2 Special Extracurricular Activity Staff 2 Student Orientation Meetings 3 Parent Orientation Meetings 3 Thai Teachers’ Trip to Cambodia 4 ACEP Helps Nepal 4 “Charity Begins at Home” - Scholarships for Workers’ Children 4 Blessing of ACEP’s New Statues 5 First Holy Communion for 11 Catholic Students 5 Student Health Checks 6 Fire Safety Training 6 MERS Information for Students 6 “F. Hilaire” Movie Outing 7 World Environment Day 7 Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers 8 24 KET English Examination for Thai Staff 8 External Teacher Observations 8 Smart Card Implementation 9 M.o.U. Signing Ceremony with True Corporation 9 2015 Book Fair 10 Lunchbreak Music Program 10 Campus Visitors 11 Our “Pilot” Year 7 become Senior Students 11 Goodbye and Good Luck to Year 10 Students Leaving for International Exchange Programs 11 Our Students’ Achievements 12 UK Summer Course 19 Teacher Training & Student Exchange Programs in Adelaide, Australia 20 Summer School in China 21 iStudy Teacher Training in the USA 21 28 2015 ACEP Summer School 22 The Tercentenary of the Passing of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort 24 All Saints Dormitory 26 ACEP Games - Swimming Competition 27 2015 ACEP Games 28 Academic Excellence, Extracurricular Activities Awards and Cambridge ESOL Examinations Certificate Ceremony 30 Teacher Appreciation Day Ceremonies (“Wai Kru”) 31 60th Birthday Celebrations for H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn 32 Queen’s Birthday Celebration 33 Catholic Ceremony for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary 33 Paying Respect to the Mothers of ACEP Students 34 Buddhist Activities 35 Celebrations for the Life and Poetry of Soonthorn Phu 36 National Thai Language Day 37 52 ACEP Scout Troop 38 ACEP Science Fair 39 ASEAN Fun Fair 40 The Value of Meditation 41 Board Games Rooms added to the Student Development Centre 42 Year Level Assemblies for Primary Students 43 Developing Students’ Photography Skills 44 Techniques to Encourage Students’ Artistic Skills 45 Computer Coding for Primary Students 46 Our Student Council - Important Lessons for all ACEP Students 47 The ACEP way of Developing Tomorrow’s Artists 48 Preparing Students for Tertiary Study 50 Bell English Centre 51 ACEP Bowling 2015 52
Advisors: Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, Bro. Kriangsak Mayod & Bro. Kittisak Charoensri | Production Coordinator & Editor: Mr. Graham Lonie | Production Assistant: Mr. Pumepat Akkharamahawong | Contributors: Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, Mr. Graham Lonie, Ms. Kanda Luekanjanavanich, Ms. Siriporn Srisomwong, Ms. Piyaporn Saensaeng, Mr. Kitti Laokham, Mr. John Daxton Ward, Ms. Pimrucharad Somsak, Mr. Andrew Corey, Ms. Salinla Pinyosnit, Mr. Paul Barry | Proofreader: Mr. Richard Hill | Main Photographers: Mr. Pumepat Akkharamahawong, Mr. Graham Lonie, Mr. Chaiyasit Pitichat, Rachapol Suriyaprapadilok, Chayanun Ussawadisayanggoon, Pattarawadee Hansiripongsakul, Pattaratida Hansiripongsakul, Natat Jenvittayatorn, Apichaya Techanitisawad, Warit Ittisomboon | Design and Printing: Plan Grafik Company Limited ACEP MAGAZINE | 1 New Foreign Teachers
During a meeting for Thai staff in mid-March, ACEP welcomed 11 new foreign teachers from: England (4), Australia (3), America (2), Canada (1) and South Africa (1). Their Orientation commenced with Bro. Pisutr Vapiso (Director) and Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice Director) presenting them with flower garlands. During the day they were given information about ACEP’s history and ethos, academic and administrative matters and Thai culture. These teachers began working with our students during the Summer School.
Teachers’ Seminar to Open the 2015 Academic Year
On Friday 15th May, ACEP’s Thai and foreign teachers joined together for a seminar to prepare them for the 2015 Academic Year. After a short reflection, Bro. Pisutr Vapiso welcomed all teachers back to school and encouraged them to work together for the benefit of our students and to meet the school’s target policies for the year ahead. Afterwards, the teachers were divided into four groups for a seminar, “Technology in 21st Century Learning Environments” which was led by Thai and foreign experts in this field from around Bangkok.
Special Extracurricular Activity Staff
During Term 1, ACEP employed six additional Thai teachers to work in the Student Affairs Department. The newcomers are qualified Physical Education teachers who will lead various sporting and other extracurricular activities to develop students around our spacious school campus.
2 | ACEP MAGAZINE Student Orientation Meetings
During the first few weeks of the 2015 Academic Year, all ACEP students joined a Student Orientation Meeting. The meeting for Year 1 - 3 students was held in the courtyard of the Ave Maria Building and the meetings for older students were held in the Multipurpose Hall of the Trinity Building. The information presented in each of the Orientation Meetings was adapted for the students’ developmental level. Generally, the students were told about the locations of important offices, introduced to key staff and reminded about rules and procedures. The matters outlined to students were mostly based on the contents of the 2015 Students’ Handbook. The meetings were a positive way to encourage all ACEP students to work together in a happy school environment during the 2015 Academic Year.
Parent Orientation Meetings
This year’s Parent Orientation meetings were conducted in late June. Due to the larger number of students learning at ACEP in the 2015 Academic Year, there were three separate sessions for the parents of students in Year 1 - 3, 4 - 6 and 7 - 12 classes. When registering for the meetings, parents were given a copy of the 2015 Students’ Handbook which outlines ACEP’s systems and expectations for this academic year. After being presented with information by administrators in large meetings in the Trinity Building, parents moved to classrooms in the Ave Maria or Regina Coeli Buildings for smaller meetings with their child’s Thai and foreign homeroom teachers. We sincerely thank the large number of parents for showing their support by attending these important orientation meetings. ACEP MAGAZINE | 3 Between 28th April and 1st May, the school’s Thai Teachers’ Trip to Cambodia Human Resources Department invited Thai teachers and administrators to join a four day, three night tour of “Unseen Cambodia”. The trip, which was led by ACEP’s three Brothers, was intended to provide teachers with a chance to relax, bond and develop morale as they prepared for the 2015 Academic Year. The ACEP group travelled from Bangkok to Siem Reap, via Poipet. Some of the trip’s highlights were visiting Angkor Wat (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the National Museum of Angkor and the Tonle Sap River Cruise. The teachers also experienced various aspects of Cambodian culture and shopping opportunities. The staff who joined the tour are very grateful to the Brothers and administrators for providing them with this opportunity.
ACEP Helps Nepal
At the beginning of the school year, our school initiated the “ACEP HELPS NEPAL” appeal to assist the victims of the recent earthquakes. A total of 85,000 baht was raised through generous donations from students, parents and teachers. On the day that the cheque for 85,000 baht was presented to Father Vittaya Ladloi, from Saint Anna’s Church in Samut Sakhon, Bro. Pisutr Vapiso spoke with students in English and Thai about the importance of a charitable heart. Bro. Pisutr used the following quote from the Bible to reinforce this point with students. “Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40)
Towards the beginning of the school year, “Charity Begins at Home” - Bro. Pisutr Vapiso (Director), Bro. Kriangsak Mayod and Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice Scholarships for Workers’ Children Directors) arranged a meeting with all of ACEP’s cleaners, canteen staff, guards and gardeners to inform them about the school’s policies for the year ahead, and to encourage them to do their best for our school and its students. At the end of the meeting, the Brothers provided the workers with financial support to assist them with the education of their children. The money donated was from the Brothers’ ACEP community budget. The donations will assist with the education of a total 38 children who are at various stages of schooling, from the early stage of basic education to Year 12 level or its equivalent. 4 | ACEP MAGAZINE Blessing of ACEP’s New Statues
During Term 1, there were two Catholic ceremonies to bless new statues which have been placed within the Assumption College, Rama II Campus. Firstly, before the First Catholic Mass for the 2015 Academic Year on 5th June, our school’s new statue of Mother Mary (Our Lady Help of Christians) was blessed. In addition to ACEP’s Catholic community, special guests on this day included Father Wichitr Likhitham from Abraham Senior Priests’ Home in Nakhon Pathom, Bro. Kevin Hoare (Marist Brother from Bendigo, Australia) and Bro. Meesakdi Wongprachanukul (Director of ACC). Before the Catholic Mass on 3rd July, ACEP’s Catholic students, parents and teachers congregated for a short ceremony to bless a new statue of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. The new statue of Mother Mary has been symbolically placed in the centre of the roundabout after the Phanthai Norasing Bridge on the school’s entrance road. In this position, the statue will both welcome and protect students, parents, teachers and visitors to our school. The new statue of Montfort has been placed in a peaceful place near the banks of Khlong Khok Kham facing the main entrance of The Trinity Building. It is a replica of a Montfort statue within St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican in Rome, and has been placed in this location in preparation for activities to commemorate the tercentenary of the death of the Saint Gabriel’s Brothers’ Founder, Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, in 2016. Both of the ceremonies were led by the Fathers from Saint Anna’s Catholic Church in Samut Sakhon. Bro. Kriangsak Mayod (Vice Director), who oversaw the addition of the statues, provided details about them and spoke of their importance for our school. Students also spoke in English and Thai about Mother Mary and de Montfort.
First Holy Communion for 11 Catholic Students
During the Catholic Mass on 4th September, 11 students from Year 3 and Year 4 classes made their First Holy Communion. Many proud parents and grandparents joined the ceremony, making the congregation larger than normal to witness this special event in the students’ religious lives. Thank you to Father Vittaya Ladloi from Saint Anna’s Catholic Church, for leading the ceremony. ACEP MAGAZINE | 5 Student Health Checks
On Tuesday 23rd June, all primary and secondary students had their annual Health Check in activity rooms on the ground floor of the Ave Maria and Regina Coeli Buildings respectively. The health checks were arranged by staff from ACEP’s Service Department and were carried out by doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from Ekachai Hospital.
Fire Safety Training
During September, officers from Samut Sakhon Disaster Prevention and Mitigation visited ACEP to conduct Fire Safety Training for students. After the sounding of fire alarms and students evacuating their classroom buildings, the officials provided students with information about various aspects of how to prevent fires, and demonstrations of how they can be extinguished if they do occur.
In mid-July, staff from Ekachai MERS Information for Students Hospital provided primary and secondary students with valuable information about the background and symptoms of MERS and what precautions they can take to ensure that they remain healthy and avoid contracting the disease. The MERS information was particularly important for ACEP students and their families as news of the disease was quite topical in Southeast Asia. At the conclusion of their presentation, staff from Ekachai Hospital were given ACEP souvenirs to thank them for their time.
6 | ACEP MAGAZINE “F. Hilaire” Movie Outing
In late July, ACEP arranged for Year 4 - 11 students to watch the recently released “F. Hilaire” movie at Major Cineplex, Central Plaza Rama II. The movie pays tribute to Bro. Francois Touvenet Hilaire, one of the first five Catholic Brothers to come to Thailand in 1901, who worked at the original Assumption College in Bang Rak for more than 67 years. Bro. Hilaire is remembered for being extremely dedicated to his Thai students and for mastering Thai language so well that he was able to write the Darun Suksa Thai Language textbooks. These are still used in many schools to teach Thai language to children. F. Hilaire is set in modern times and having the chance to watch the movie was important for ACEP students as, to some extent, it shows the history of their school and the Brothers of Saint Gabriel. The movie is also meaningful as it tells the story of a role model foreigner, who truly understood Thai people and their culture.
World Environment Day
On Friday 5th June, a group of Year 10 students presented posters and made speeches on the ground floor of the Regina Coeli Building to mark World Environment Day. The senior students’ work was based around this year’s motto, “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.” The activity was intended to make students aware of the environmental crisis going on around the world. ACEP MAGAZINE | 7 Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers
During Term 1 there have been numerous professional development opportunities for ACEP’s Thai and foreign teachers to equip them with skills and knowledge to provide the very best learning opportunities for students. Some of the training sessions that have been made available for foreign teachers include an Overview of the British Curriculum, a Jolly Phonics Training seminar and Cross-Curricular IELTS Training. Thai teachers have also joined various training workshops both at ACEP and off- campus. These have included the “Thai Language Thai Nation” seminar (to celebrate HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s 5th Cycle Birthday), “Seven Habits for Education”, Curriculum Development with Information Technology and a “Garage-Band” app training for Thai Music teachers.
KET English Examination for Thai Staff
Shortly before the 2015 Academic Year opened in May, a group 26 Thai staff sat for the Cambridge “KET” ESOL Examination. The staff who took the examination were chosen by teachers from ACEP’s Bell Centre, following their performance in special English lessons during the previous academic year. The examinations were supervised by specially qualified Cambridge English Examiners from the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Centre (Bangkok). The school was very pleased with the results of the 26 Thai staff and looks forward to the further improvement of English ability to best enable effective communication between Thai and foreign staff.
Throughout Term 1, professors from various External Teacher Observations faculties of Chulalongkorn University, Assumption University, and Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep Bangkok Technical Campus, together with senior teachers from Assumption College and Assumption College Thonburi, have been welcomed to our school to conduct External Teacher Observations. The External Teacher Observations are a part of ACEP’s Professional Development Program for Teachers which is coordinated by the Foreign Affairs and Academic Department. All of the lesson observations were followed by feedback sessions when teachers were given comments about their teaching strategies, classroom management, lesson content and planning. 8 | ACEP MAGAZINE Smart Card Implementation
On 28th July, ACEP’s Director Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, together with Bro. Dechachai Sripicharn and Bro. Sakda Sakonthawat (Directors of Assumption College and Assumption College Primary Section respectively), signed an agreement with Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited to enable students of the three Assumption schools to use their student ID cards (Student Smart Card), with compatible hardware from the bank, for purchases within the schools’ retail areas. During Term 1, ACEP has encouraged students to use their Student Smart Card when making purchases in the school’s canteen, snack shops and stationery shop. The “test run” has been highly successful and from the beginning of Term 2, students will be expected to use their smart card for almost all purchases. In preparing for the changeover to the new smart card system, a new top-up booth has been built in the canteen in the Trinity Building and students also have that option in the stationery shop upstairs. Our school’s Vice Director, Bro. Kriangsak Mayod, has also designed numerous posters to promote the cards and inform students, teachers and visitors about how to use the system. Most importantly, throughout the term, the school has conducted computer training sessions for canteen staff to enable them to confidently use the new system when it is fully activated in Term 2.
M.o.U. Signing Ceremony with True Corporation
On Friday 11 t h S e p t e m b e r, Assumption College English Program hosted a ceremony in The Trinity Building for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (M.o.U) with True Corporation Public Company Limited. The agreement was for the ongoing provision of wireless data communication system (Wireless LAN) and internet services for our school and will result in upgraded signal coverage, and internet speed, in all ACEP buildings. ACEP MAGAZINE | 9 Written by Ms. Kanda Luekanjanavanich (Librarian) 2015 Book Fair
The 2015 ACEP Book Fair was held on the ground floor of the Ave Maria Building in early August. The fair was in conjunction with four book companies - Scholastic Books, Asia Books, Nanmee Books and Kinokuniya Books. When combined, the range of English and Thai, fiction and non-fiction books, was enormous and it certainly was popular with both primary and secondary students. After the three-day book fair had concluded, the total sales of the four book suppliers was 329,850.00 baht and ACEP was able to use commission from this amount to buy 143 books for our libraries and as prizes for students during the remainder of the 2015 Academic Year.
Lunchbreak Music Program
Throughout the term, groups of Year 9 students have joined together to form bands and perform on the ground floor of the Regina Coeli Building during their lunchbreak. Like last year, the second ‘season’ of the Lunchbreak Music Program has drawn large and spirited crowds of secondary students and teachers for a few days each week. The program requires all Year 9 students to perform in front of their secondary peers as a part of their music study. Lunchbreak Music is arranged by Mr. Saksomnean Shookumpang (ACEP Music Teacher) with the support of Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice Director) who opened the event in July, and regularly watches and encourages the Year 9 performers.
10 | ACEP MAGAZINE Campus Visitors
ACEP has welcomed various groups of visitors during the school term from institutions located both locally and abroad. The visitors have ranged from high-ranking university professors to students from other Thai schools. Typically, ACEP’s administrators provide visitors with information about specific aspects of our school before they are taken on a tour of the school campus. Some of the groups who have visited ACEP this year have included students from Assumption University, staff from a Chinese university and students from Chakham Kanathorn School in Lamphun. The focus of the visit for Master’s Degree students from the Graduate School of Education at Assumption University was various aspects of the school’s management of teaching, learning, facilities and general administration. Staff from Kunming University of Science and Technology visited Assumption College English Program to observe our school’s expanding Chinese Language Program. Teachers and students from Chakham Kanathorn School in Lamphun visited ACEP to learn about our Student Council and the activities arranged by our Student Affairs’ Department. The visits are very valuable to both the guests and teachers and students from ACEP who benefit from exchange of information and educational cooperation.
Our “Pilot” Year 7 become Senior Students
During their Wai Kru Ceremony in June, students who are studying in Year 10 classes were granted an “ACEP Pin” to mark their transition to upper secondary school and acknowledge their importance as senior students. This year there are over 60 students learning in three Year 10 classes. Many of these students were in ACEP’s “pilot” Year 7 classes in 2012. We congratulate them on their progression to their final stage of secondary education and look forward to watching them develop as good students and role models for their younger peers over the next three years.
Goodbye and Good Luck to Year 10 Students Leaving for International Exchange Programs
During July and August, eight Year 10 students commenced a year’s leave from ACEP to enable them to join International Exchange Programs in the USA and Canada. We wish these students good luck as they embark on their adventure. We are sure that ACEP has prepared them well, both academically and socially, for their time abroad and that they will be fine ambassadors for Thailand. The students are due to resume study at ACEP in July - August 2016, and we look forward to them sharing their experiences with our students and teachers when they return. ACEP MAGAZINE | 11 Compiled by Academic and Foreign Affairs Staff Our Students’ Achievements
University Entrance Offers for ACEP’s “Pilot” Year 12 Students
No. Faculty Number of offers Percentange When our “pilot” Year 12 students finished their secondary1 Engineering studies at ACEP in January,20 teachers46.51 and No. University Number of Offers Percentage administrators were very confident that they would all be successful2 Business in their pursuit for places at12 universities.27.91 The group 1 Mahidol University 10 23.26 3 Chinese study 2 4.65 of students2 Thammasat far University exceeded expectations,10 with all 2323.26 of them being offered places in bachelor degree courses at some of 4 Food Science and Technology 2 4.65 Thailand’s3 King Mongkut’sfinest University and of mostTechnology reputable universities.8 In18.60 fact, some students were offered places at up to six Thai universities. 5 Medical School 2 4.65 4 AssumptionThonburi University 5 11.63 Congratulations again to our 2014 Year 12 students! The tables below6 Architecture summarise (Industrial their Design) university offers by2 university 4.65and faculty. 5 Thai – Nichi Institute of Technology 4 9.30 7 Communication Arts 1 2.33 6 Chulalongkorn University 3 6.98 8 Information and Communication 1 2.33 7 Siam University 2 4.65 9 AppliedTechnology Chemistry 1 2.33 8 Bangkok University 1 2.33 Total 43 100.00 Total 43 100.00 Table 1: Offers by university: Table 2: University offers by faculty:
10 10
8
5 4 3 2 1 12 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
Siam se Mahidol Bangkok e Applied University Thammasat Assumption University University Business University University Chulalongkorn Medicine University in and Chemistry Thai – Nichi Ch Study Information Architecture Arts King Mongkut’s Food Science Thonburi Communication Institute of Technology (Industrial Design) and Technology University of Technology CommunicationTechnology
ACEP’s First Doctors
Thanakorn and Parinthorn, who have IELTS scores of 7 and 7.5 respectively, were offered places in many university courses as summarised in the table:
Thanakorn Thanapairin Parinthorn Runggeratigul
1. Chulalongkorn University 1. Chulalongkorn University 1.1 Aero Space Engineering Nano Engineering 1.2 Applied Chemistry 2. King Mongkut’s University of 2. King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi Technology Thonburi Environmental Engineering Chemical Engineering (International Program) (International Program) 3. Mahidol University International 3. Mahidol University College Biomedical Engineering Food Science and Technology 4. Siam University 4. Siam University While we are very proud of all Year 12 School of Medicine School of Medicine 5. Thammasat University Twinning students from the 2014 Academic Year, we Engineering Program (TEP), would like to make particular mention of two Thammasat – Nottingham students who are now studying to become Program, Chemical Engineering medical doctors. Thanakorn Thanapairin (ID 63) 6. Sirindhorn International and Parinthorn Runggeratigul (ID 160) are now Institute of Technology (SIIT) Chemistry Engineering studying in the School of Medicine at Siam (International Program) University.
12 | ACEP MAGAZINE Outstanding O-NET English Examination Result
In March 2015, we were advised that Nopparuj Charoenratthakarn, a student now in Class 7/1, scored 100% in the 2014, Year 6 O-NET English Examination (Ordinary National Educational Test).
Bronze Medal for Outstanding Year 6 and Year 9 O-NET Examination Results
Assumption College English Program received a bronze medal from The Office of the Private Education Commission for our Year 6 and Year 9 students’ outstanding results in the 2014 O-NET Examinations. Assumption College English Program also received an award from Samut Sakhon Office of Education. The average score of ACEP’s Year 6 and Year 9 students in the O-NET examinations were above the national average for English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Health and Physical Education and Arts.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 13 Exceptional SAT Examination Results
During Term 1, Apisapol Intharakanchit (Class 12/1) achieved the following results in the highly acclaimed American SAT Examinations. • Chemistry: 800/800 • Mathematics 2: 790/800 • Mathematics 1: 800/800 • Physics: 780/800 The average of the four SAT Exam results above is 99.1%, which is a truly commendable result both for Apisapol and ACEP.
ASEAN Language Communication Skills Competition Awards
On 18th and 19th July, a group of nine students received the awards below at the ASEAN Language Communication Skills Competition held in Ratchaburi province. Primary English: • Phiraphol Yingjamsiri (Class 6/1) – Gold award • Sontanat Kunplome (Class 6/3) – Gold award Primary Thai: • Buthsatree Hemhongsa (Class 6/3) – Gold award • Ajchara Wongjareanwanich (Class 6/3) – Gold award • Wisalsaya Sahakitpinyo (Class 6/3) – Gold award Secondary English: • Chuttama Luangpatomaram (Class 10/3) – Gold award • Ratinun Simsakul (Class 10/3) – Gold award • Apisapol Intharakanchit (Class 12/1) – Gold award Secondary Thai: • Palita Trakranvichit (Class 9/2) – Silver award • Chuttama Luangpatomaram (Class 10/3) – Gold award • Ratinun Simsakul (Class 10/3) – Gold award • Apisapol Intharakanchit (Class 12/1) – Gold award Secondary Chinese: • Palita Trakranvichit (Class 9/2) – Bronze award
14 | ACEP MAGAZINE Saint Gabriel’s College 2015 Thai Speech Contest Winner
Thaenrak Asavalertlak from Class 9/5 competed in the Thai Speech Competition at the Saint Gabriel’s College Academic Excellence 2015. She won this competition for her speech on the topic, “Do Thai youths use technology creatively?”
National Young Reading Leader
Paritchaya Wongprasertkan from Class 8/3, participated in the 15th Nanmee Books Reading Club. She was selected a National Young Reading Leader, and in this role she is assigned to promote reading among ACEP students.
Brand’s Crossword Game King’s Cup
15 secondary students competed in the “Brand’s Cross- word Game King’s Cup” on 4th and 5th July. The competition was joined by over 7,000 competitors from Thailand, USA, England, Scotland, Australia, Singapore, Poland, Nigeria, the Philippines, Malaysia, UAE, Canada, and Japan. Apisapol Intharakanchit (Class 12/1) received the 3rd runner-up award for his efforts in the upper-secondary boys’ IQ Word-Up competition.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 15 2015 Petch Yod Mongkut Chinese Competition Awards
On 9th August, the following students received awards at the Petch Yod Mongkut Chinese Competition: • Ning Siyuan (Class 2/6) - certificate (level 11 - 50) / Prize: 1,000 baht • Khanisorn Wu (Class 4/5) - certificate (level 11 - 50) / Prize: 1,000 baht • Kanitta Lin (Class 7/2) - certificate (level 11 - 50) / Prize: 1,000 baht • Thawiphorn Kiratiarankun (Class 9/1) - certificate (level 11 - 50) / Prize: 1,000 baht • Kornchanok Triyakul (Class 3/6) - certificate (level: 51 - 100) • Phumin Khamnim (Class 6/1) - certificate (level: 51 - 100) • Sutthipat Siangchin (Class 8/2) - certificate (level: 51 - 100)
HSK Chinese Standardised Examination
A group of ACEP students from Year 8, Year 10 and Year 12 classes sat for the HSK Examination at Chulalongkorn University on 28th March. The HSK Examination is an official international standardised exam that tests and rates Chinese language proficiency. The students below achieved level 1 (HSK1) and level 2 (HSK2) results: • Intaj Suwannaporn (Class 8/3) - HSK1 • Phee Wongpanakit (Class 8/1) - HSK2 • Kananchapong Pongpichatorn (Class 8/3) - HSK2 • Salin Hatakaroon (Class 8/1) - HSK2 • Thanadet Pakornthanut (Class 8/1) - HSK2 • Paritchaya Wongprasertkan (Class 8/3) - HSK2 • Sarita Hatakaroon (Class 10/2) - HSK2 • Punchita Kurjirattikan (Class 9/1) - HSK2 • Bhumiphat Phattanachotchuang (Class 12/2) - HSK2 • Wattanai Simsakul (Class 12/2) - HSK2 • Wongsatorn Tantisirikulchorn (Class 12/2) - HSK2
16 | ACEP MAGAZINE Beijing Singing Award 2015
On 27th June, two students made it to the final round of the Beijing Singing Award 2015 competition at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Bangkok. Sitanan Laosuraphon (Class 7/1) received the “Most Potential Award” in the Junior Division (7 - 13 years old), which included a cash prize of 2,000 baht. Amarin Chanwattanasin (Class 10/1) was awarded 6th place for his rendition of the song “Yangcong” in the Youth Division (14 - 22 years old).
International Youth Robot Competition 2015
On 4th July, students from the ACEP Robot Club won awards in three categories of the final round of the International Youth Robot Competition Thailand 2015 (IYRC Thailand) at Seacon Square. Because of their achievements they have been invited to represent Thailand at IYRC 2015 in South Korea. Delivery on Time: • Pirawit Techapanyarak (Class 3/1) - winner • Mira Temsoonthorn (Class 5/1) - 3rd place 3 vs 3 Robot soccer (team of 3 students) - 2nd place: • Noparut Suksuratchai (Class 6/2) • Sasapol Sasanon (Class 6/3) • Intouch Arunepunlop (Class 6/3) Individual Category: • Noparut Suksuratchai (Class 6/2) - top 10 (out of 82 students)
“Image of The Future” Competition
Kesara Chaoworawinyu (Class 4/2) and Krisanat Chaoworawinyu (Class 2/6) competed against 665 students in the 30th PTT “Image of The Future” Competition. Kesara’s drawing was selected one of the five best drawings in 9-years- old category, winning the prize of 7,000 baht.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 17 US Kids Championship Qualified 2015 - 2016
In early July, Teethad Suparatnodom from Class 1/1 was the winner of the 7-years- old category of the “US Kids Championship Qualified 2015 - 2016.” The competition was held at the Royal Hills Golf Resort in Nakhon Nayok province.
ACEP Go Cart Star
Pongpawat Waichana (Class 12/2) had a highly successful season competing in the Truesport - Toyota Junior Kart Championship Thailand 2014, receiving the following awards: • Round 1 at Saraburi International Circuit - 3rd place • Round 2 at Bira Kart Pattaya, Chon Buri - 3rd place • Round 3 at Bira Kart Pattaya, Chon Buri - 1st place
Samut Sakhon Scouts’ Marching Competition 2015
On 5th June, the ACEP Special Scout Troop were selected as the “Senior Scout Champions” in the Samut Sakhon Scouts’ Marching Competition 2015, held at Wat Rat Bamrung School.
18 | ACEP MAGAZINE UK Summer Course
Between 13th March and 11th April, 27 ACEP students joined the “Vision UK VIP English Summer Course 2015.” The group was accompanied by Ms. Lawan Phoomprasert and Ms. Nuchjaree Sesai. The students and teachers spent the majority of their four weeks abroad in England where they studied English, learned about British culture and enjoyed sightseeing in various places around London, Brighton and Oxford. Some of the tourist sights which they experienced were the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Buckingham Palace, the University of Oxford and Chelsea Football Stadium. After completing their study in the UK, the group spent their final days abroad touring Belgium, The Netherlands and France, before returning to Bangkok.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 19 Written by Ms. Piyaporn Seansaeng (Thai Language Teacher) Teacher Training & Student Exchange Programs in Adelaide, Australia
During March and April a group of students joined a five week student exchange program at Henley High School in Adelaide, South Australia. Also during this period, two groups of Thai teachers from ACEP travelled to Adelaide to gain experience through a teacher training program. The group of students was in Adelaide for five weeks between 8th March and 11th April. Ms. Piyaporn Saensaeng and Anchalee Srisuwan joined the training program between 8th - 15th March and, Ms. Kanokkarn Chukanchang and Vorranun Vongsurapaitoon joined the program between 3rd - 11th April. During their time in Australia, the students and teachers each lived with Australian families (home stay). The unique thing about this exchange program for students, is that they learn at Henley High School, a regular government school, with regular Australian teenagers. The school has 140 teachers and approximately 1,200 students from Australia and many other countries including China, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong and Africa. The program offered students the opportunity for complete immersion into Australian society, with real opportunities to practice their English language each day while experiencing a new culture with their Australian friends and host families. During the teacher training program, the Thai teachers were impressed by the warm welcome they received when observing classes and facilities at various government schools including Henley High School, West Beach Primary School and Allenby Gardens Primary School. The teachers and students who joined the exchange programs in Adelaide had a real opportunity to learn about the Australian lifestyle and education system. They enjoyed observing the attitudes and vision of their Australian hosts and can use this experience to develop themselves and ACEP.
20 | ACEP MAGAZINE Summer School in China
A group of 12 ACEP students, together with Ms. Arunrak Kerdle and Ms. Nalatthaporn Kaewpatumrassmee, traveled to Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province between 8th - 30th March for our school’s first Chinese Summer Program. The students attended Rong Wai International School, which is a boarding school for more 10,000 students from several countries around the world. Each weekday morning the students learned Chinese language and in the afternoon they engaged in Chinese cultural activities like paper cutting, playing Mahjong, playing musical instruments, singing, calligraphy and cooking. During their time in China, the ACEP students also went sightseeing in Shanghai and Hangzhou where they saw places like Nanjing Pedestrian Road, Oriental Pearl Tower and Jin Mao Tower.
iStudy Teacher Training in the USA
Between 29th March and 6th April, Mr. Prasert Sawaddeemongkol represented Assumption College English Program at a teacher development program in the American state of San Francisco. This program was sponsored by iStudy who prepares Thai students for International Student Exchange Programs. ACEP MAGAZINE | 21 2015 ACEP Summer School
The 2015 ACEP Summer School ran for four weeks during March and April. In addition to students who had learned at ACEP in the previous academic year, many of the students who attended the summer school were new to the “ACEP family” and teachers were very impressed with the way that new students in Year 1 and other Year Levels adapted to their new school. The summer school was a particularly special time for the parents of our Year 1 students as it was the first month of primary school for their son or daughter. Planning for the summer school allowed students to learn academic subjects in the morning to consolidate lessons learned in the previous school year and prepare them for the year ahead. The more academic lessons integrated hands-on or outdoor learning activities around ACEP’s spacious campus wherever possible.
22 | ACEP MAGAZINE The afternoon activities offered to students included swimming, a football academy, Taekwondo training and various other sports. They also had the opportunity to engage in drawing and craft classes, various styles of dance groups, music classes and Chinese painting and games. The newly opened ACEP Board Games Rooms provided many different activity options for students. The two big events for the summer school were the Songkran activity and Activity Day concert. The Songkran activity was held the day before the Thai New Year holiday, which divided the Summer School. It began with a more traditional ceremony which included performances and rituals in which students poured rose scented water over a Buddha image and their teachers’ hands, as a sign of respect. Afterwards, a modern-day water fight took place on ACEP’s centre courtyard. This good-spirited activity involved not only students of all Year Levels, but also teachers and our Brothers! Students and their family members celebrated the last day of the 2015 ACEP Summer School with the Activity Day concert which was filled with wonderful performances by students from all Year Levels. There were performances in Thai, English, and Chinese, that included songs, dances and even a puppet show. An impressive display of students’ work was also displayed for parents and certificates were awarded to star students. The 2015 ACEP Summer School was a great success and planning is already underway for an even better summer course next year!
ACEP MAGAZINE | 23 The Tercentenary of the Passing of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort
Although Assumption College English Program is less than four years old, our school’s history can be traced back many centuries. ACEP is administered by the Brothers of Saint Gabriel, and this year, our students are preparing to celebrate the tercentenary of the death of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, the founder of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel. Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was a French Roman Catholic priest who was born in 1673. After completing his schooling and whilst studying philosophy and theology, Montfort was inspired by priests to use his strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary to preach to the very poor. In June 1700, Montfort was ordained a Priest and some years later he joined the Third Order of the Dominicans. Around the time he became a priest, Montfort wrote, “I am continually asking in my prayers for a poor and small company of good priests to preach missions and retreats under the standard and protection of the Blessed Virgin”. This initial thought eventually led to congregations of priests, sisters and brothers around the world in three religious orders - The Company of Mary, Daughters of Wisdom and the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel which came into existence in 1842. The Three Montfortian congregations carry the charisma of their Founder. As a Montfortian Family they share and collaborate to strengthen and transmit Montfortian spirituality. During his relatively short life, Montfort kept himself extraordinarily busy, traveling on foot between preaching missions to make a great impact on the poor. Some people considered the heated style of his preaching to be strange, and on one occasion he was poisoned. Although the poisoning affected his health, Montfort continued preaching and established free schools for the poor boys and girls. Worn out by hard work and sickness, Montfort fell ill and died on 28th April 1716. He was 43 years old and although he had been a priest for only 16 years, he risked everything for his beliefs. Some years before his death he wrote, “If we do not risk anything for God we will never do anything great for Him.” 24 | ACEP MAGAZINE While travelling to preach and during extended periods of solitude for prayer and meditation, Montfort wrote numerous books and hymns expressing his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. His works include “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, “The Secret of Mary” and “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”. Many of his stories and hymns are now compiled into “God Alone - The Collected Writings of St. Louis Marie de Montfort” and “God Alone II - The Hymns of St. Louis Marie de Montfort”. Since 1842, the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel have grown and spread, first in France, then throughout the world. The first five St. Gabriel’s Brothers arrived in Thailand in 1901 to operate Assumption College Bangkok, as a school for boys. The Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Pius XII, canonised Montfort on 20th July 1947. In July each year, students who learn in schools administered by the Saint Gabriel’s Brothers around Thailand join ceremonies to remember the anniversary of his canonisation. As ACEP students celebrated the 68th anniversary of Montfort’s canonisation in July 2015, they also commenced a year of celebrations for the tercentenary of his death on 28th April 1716. During the year ahead, all members of the “Montfortian Family” from around the world will join together to celebrate and remember the life of their founder, as it is 300 years since he passed away. ACEP has unveiled its new Montfort statue, and our students will be encouraged to proudly remember the origin of our Brothers’ Congregation. The Tercentenary celebration is really an occasion of thanksgiving and an opportunity to spread Montfortian Spirituality. We encourage students and members of the ACEP community to live their life, and carry the vision of Montfort into their future. Even though Montfort is dead, he is more than alive among us.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 25 Written by Mr. Kitti Laokham (All Saints Dormitory Staff) All Saints Dormitory
The start of the 2015 Summer School was a significant period in the history of Assumption College English Program, as the All Saints Dormitory opened and began to offer on-campus accommodation for male students learning in Year 4 - Year 12 classes. During Term 1 of the 2015 Academic Year, almost 20 students have lived in the new dormitory. The students are cared for by three Thai staff members who work closely with the school’s Brothers to ensure that good systems have been put in place to ensure the students’ social, emotional, physical and academic development. A support network, similar to a family, has developed between the students who live at the dormitory. The activities which they typically engage in together include sports, games, bike riding and swimming. The students also have set times for meals, study, daily meditation and other normal daily routines. Various teachers from the school have been selected to assist students with their homework each evening. The majority of the students who stay at the All Saints Dormitory are from Bangkok or other provinces which are relatively close to ACEP. These students normally stay in the dormitory for five nights per week, arriving at the school on Sunday night, and returning to their families on Friday evening. Currently, there are only three boarders, from more distance provinces, who live at the school as full-time boarders (seven day per week). The first term for the All Saints Dormitory has been a great success and the school looks forward to welcoming more students to the facility. 26 | ACEP MAGAZINE ACEP Games - Swimming Competition
Since the St. Peter Sport Club opened in October 2014, the swimming pools have been used for various swimming competitions involving students from both ACEP and other schools. The biggest competition so far was the 2015 ACEP Games Swimming Competition which was held over two afternoons in late August. The competition for Year 1 - 4 students was held on Tuesday 18th August and the competition for secondary students was held on Friday 21st August. On the event days, students competed enthusiastically in various individual and relay swimming events. There was a great atmosphere, as students were encouraged by the cheers of parents and fellow students. Winners and placegetters were awarded medals on both afternoons for their efforts. All primary students have one swimming lesson per week as a part of their timetable and the pools are available to secondary students during after-school classes. They are also used for weekend and school holiday swimming classes. There will be a blessing ceremony for the St. Peter Sports Club, together with the All Saints Dormitory, during Term 2.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 27 The 2015 ACEP Games were held on 2015 ACEP Games the ACEP Field on Saturday 29th August. The grand, annual event opened with a very colourful ceremony joined by all of ACEP’s primary and secondary students and teachers and hundreds of parents. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Sontaya Kunplome (Thailand’s former Culture Minister). Bro. Dr. Pisutr Vapiso (Director), Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice Director) and other distinguished guests. This year’s opening ceremony parade was led by the Assumption College Thonburi Marching Band. Members of the four colour teams followed in the parade around the ACEP Field. Each colour’s team ensemble included students, parents and teachers dressed in a great variety of themed costumes, making it quite a sight for onlookers. A report was read by Bro. Kriangsak Mayod (Vice Director) before a “torch relay”, the lighting of the ACEP Games flame, and competitors taking the athlete’s oath. A highlight of this year’s opening ceremony was Year 1 - 3 students performing two dances with theme of “ACEP is ready for ASEAN”.
28 | ACEP MAGAZINE Throughout the day, competition was fierce but friendly and the ACEP Field was alive with crowds of spectators cheering from the grandstands and the sides of the field. A very popular addition to this year’s schedule was a Tug-of-War competition for primary students. At the end of the day, team members assembled on the field in front of the VIP stage for the Closing Ceremony of the 2015 ACEP Games. Trophies were presented to the captains of the winning teams in the following categories: Overall Competition: Parade: • Winners: Yellow Team • Winners: Red Team • 2nd Place: Green Team • 2nd Place: Yellow Team • 3rd Place: Blue Team • 3rd Place: Blue Team Cheering Competition: Cheer Leading Competition: • Winners: Yellow Team • Winners: Green Team • 2nd Place: Green Team • 2nd Place: Yellow Team • 3rd Place: Red Team • 3rd Place: Blue Team Congratulations to our Yellow Team for being the Overall Champions of the day and thank you once again to all members of the ACEP community for helping to make the 2015 ACEP Games another special day in our school’s history.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 29 Academic Excellence, Extracurricular Activities Awards and Cambridge ESOL Examinations Certificate Ceremony
On Saturday 13th June, ACEP hosted the 2015 Academic Excellence, Extracurricular Activities Awards and Cambridge ESOL Examinations Certificate Ceremony in the Multipurpose Hall of The Trinity Building. The ceremony’s guest of honour was Mr. Pisut Verajit (Director of Samut Sakhon Primary Education), who presented students with certificates for outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements during the 2014 Academic Year. The students who sat for the Cambridge ESOL Examinations during the last six months were also presented with their certificates. The foyer of The Trinity Building was decorated with displays which highlighted the success of ACEP students in not only academic, but also sporting and other extracurricular activities. Congratulations to the students who received awards for their efforts in the 2014 Academic Year.
30 | ACEP MAGAZINE Teacher Appreciation Day Ceremonies (“Wai Kru”)
This year’s Teacher Appreciation Day (“Wai Kru”) ceremonies were held on Thursday 18th June. There were three ceremonies to cater for our growing student population - two ceremonies in the morning were for students in Year 1 - 3 and Year 4 - 6 classes, and another in the afternoon was for all secondary students. The traditional “Wai Kru” ceremonies were led by Year 11 students, with Yanawut Tantivachyanon (Class 11/2), the recently elected President of ACEP’s Student Council, leading his peers in the traditional Wai Kru chant. The main focus of the ceremonies was when two student representatives from each class presented their Thai and foreign homeroom teachers with flower arrangements in a traditional manner. Towards the end of each ceremony, Bro. Pisutr Vapiso (Director) spoke to students about the significance of parts of the traditional “Wai Kru” flower arrangements. He explained that the pointed buds symbolise sharp wit and wisdom. The Bermuda grass, which is very resilient and grows rapidly, symbolises perseverance and the ability to learn. Popped rice symbolises discipline and eggplant flowers, which bow low when they bear fruit, symbolise respect and humility. The ceremonies concluded with teachers and students enjoying a “Wai Kru” video presentation, featuring ACEP teachers around our school.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 31 60th Birthday Celebrations for H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
On Thursday 2nd April students who attended our Summer School assembled in the courtyard of the Ave Maria Building to celebrate the 60th Birthday of Thailand’s beloved Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Students from various primary and secondary Year Levels paid tribute to Her Royal Highness in Thai, English and Chinese. The tributes spoke of the Princess’ duties for the people of Thailand and her international achievements and connections which have brought credit to Thailand. There were also Thai dance performances by groups of students and Thai teachers as marks of respect. Various activities to celebrate the very significant birthday of Her Royal Highness will continue at ACEP throughout the entire 2015 Academic Year. All staff also wear purple polo shirts, the colour of Princess Sirindhorn, each Thursday to display their loyalty and respect for Thailand’s greatly loved member of the royal family.
32 | ACEP MAGAZINE Queen’s Birthday Celebration
This year, the ACEP community celebrated Her Majesty the Queen Sirikit’s 83rd Birthday on 11th August. The short, majestic ceremony incorporated various traditions associated with this special day in Thailand. ACEP’s Brothers, together with representatives of the school board, Thai and foreign administrators and parents presented a portrait of Her Majesty with traditional Thai flower arrangements before all students, parents and teachers joined together to sing the Thai Royal Anthem. Students dedicated a beautiful traditional Thai dance to Her Majesty, and speeches were delivered in Thai, English and Chinese to pay Her tribute.
Catholic Ceremony for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
On Friday 15th August, our special Catholic ceremony to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven commenced with a procession from ACEP’s new statue of the Virgin Mary on the school’s entrance road, to the courtyard of the Ave Maria Building. The procession’s route was lined by Year 7 - 9 students and students from Year 10 carried a small statue of the Virgin Mary and Catholic flags, followed by Catholic members of our school community. During the ceremony, which was led by Father Vittaya Ladloi and Father Yuttana Wittanurak from Saint Anna’s Catholic Church, representatives of teachers and parents led prayers for our school, the King and Queen of Thailand, ACEP mothers and ACEP students. Flower arrangements and roses were also presented to the statue of Mother Mary by all members of the school community.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 33 Paying Respect to the Mothers of ACEP Students
On Tuesday 11th August, the day before Thai Mothers’ Day, all primary and secondary students, together with many other members of the ACEP community, joined a celebration for Thai Mothers’ Day to pay respect to all ACEP mothers. The ceremony incorporated speeches by students in Thai, English and Chinese to pay tribute to the mothers of ACEP students. One of the ceremony’s highlights was the performance for ACEP mothers which incorporated Sunkachome Theppadungporn (Class 2/2) confidently singing “Rao Rak Mae” (“We Love Mom”) while Lipda Chantayasakorn (Class 6/2) performed a ballet dance. Their performance was supported by a “choir” of Year 1 students and more traditional Thai dancers. The ACEP Vivace Chorus also performed throughout the ceremony. The main focus of the special Mothers’ Day ceremony was when one mother from each of ACEP’s 48 classes sat on the stage to receive flowers from their daughter or son in a traditional Thai manner. Mrs. Pathra Komolchokthavee (mother of Chatprapat Baikloy - Class 1/1) also spoke to students in English and Thai on behalf of ACEP mothers.
34 | ACEP MAGAZINE Buddhist Activities
Towards the end of July, activities were arranged to coincide with two important days on the Buddhist calendar - Asarnha Bucha Day and the start of Buddhist Lent. On Tuesday 28th July, nine monks from Khok Kham Temple located near ACEP were invited to lead a special Buddhist ceremony in the courtyard of the Regina Coeli Building for our secondary school students. The ceremony involved various Buddhist rituals, including presenting offerings to the monks and the blessing of students and teachers. During the ceremony, students, teachers and parents poured wax into a mould to make a large candle for the monks. The candle, along with other offerings for monks, was taken to Khok Kham Temple by senior students in a procession that afternoon. Also on that day, students from Year 7 - 9 classes listed to a sermon by a monk from “Wat Thong” temple to encourage reflection and good morals.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 35 Celebrations for the Life and Poetry of Soonthorn Phu
Teachers from the Thai Language department arranged a colourful activity on 26th June to encourage students to remember their nation’s most celebrated poet, Soonthorn Phu. During the Soonthorn Phu activity, student representatives read tributes about Thailand’s epic poet in Thai, English and Chinese. This was followed by a parade of students dressed as Soonthorn Phu’s most famous characters. There was also a modern Thai, acoustic musical performance, which incorporated Soonthorn Phu’s poem “Plaeng-yao-tawai-wor-harn” as lyrics. 36 | ACEP MAGAZINE National Thai Language Day
ACEP’s National Thai Language Day activity on 29th July made our school a particularly colourful place as many students, teachers and our three Brothers, wore costumes from various eras of Thai history. The celebration was to encourage students to feel proud of their language and contribute to the preservation of Thai culture and traditions amongst young Thais. The activity, which was held in the courtyard of the Ave Maria Building, comprised a series of speeches, traditional Thai clothing parade and musical performances. Students from all Year Levels were also presented with awards by our Director, Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, for their achievements in Thai language assignments.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 37 ACEP Scout Troop
On 1st July, students from Year 1 - 9 classes assembled on ACEP’s centre courtyard, between the Ave Maria and Regina Coeli Buildings, for a ceremony to mark National Scout Day and the Opening of ACEP’s 2015 Scout Troop Activities. The ceremony was presided over by ACEP’s Vice Director, Bro. Kriangsak Mayod, who led rituals to pay tribute to King Rama VI (King Vajiravudh) who is fondly remembered as the “Father of Thai Scouting.” Student representatives from the six Scouting Troops were presented with their Troop’s flag to symbolise the opening of the Scout activities for this academic year. During Term 1, all Year 1 - 9 classes have participated in Scout activities for one period per week. In early September, Years 1 - 3 each had a Scout Day Camp at the ACEP Campus. Year 4 - 6 students also had a two day/one night camp at the school, during which they stayed in the student dormitory. The Scout Camps each included formal opening and closing ceremonies, as well as various activities. The leaders provided students with the opportunity to develop important survival and teamwork skills.
38 | ACEP MAGAZINE ACEP Science Fair
Thailand’s National Science Day is held on 18th August each year. To celebrate this special occasion, ACEP’s Science Department launched the three-day “2015 ACEP Science Fair” with an opening ceremony in the courtyard of the Regina Coeli Building. The ceremony, which was joined by all Year 6 - 12 students, firstly paid respect to King Mongkut (Rama IV), who was proclaimed as Thailand’s Father of Science in 1982. It also incorporated a series of experiments conducted by senior students and their teachers to fascinate the audience and stimulate their interest in Science. Towards the end of the ceremony, there was also a modern dance performance inspired by the movie, “Mission Impossible”. This year’s National Science Day slogan was “STEM for Life” as it focussed on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. ACEP’s three-day Science Fair incorporated a range of interesting Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Technology activities and competitions for primary and secondary students. The activities were led by senior students, who had carefully planned them with their teachers. It was particularly pleasing to see our younger students from primary classes very interested and genuinely engaged in the Science Fair activities led by secondary students and Science teachers on the final day of the Science Fair.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 39 ASEAN Fun Fair
ACEP’s “ASEAN Fun Fair” was arranged by teachers from the Social Studies department and conducted shortly before ASEAN Day in early August. The activity commenced with the ACEP Vivace Chorus singing the ASEAN Song, “Song of Unity” as the blue and red ASEAN flag was raised in the courtyard of the Ave Maria Building. Highlights included a very colourful ASEAN fashion parade and groups of students performing a play from the Philippines and a Vietnamese dance. After the official activity had concluded, all students were given time to explore stalls managed by groups of secondary students. Many stalls were selling ASEAN drinks, snacks and games.
40 | ACEP MAGAZINE The Value of Meditation
“If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” -Dalai Lama-
Every Wednesday morning, the courtyards of the Ave Maria and Regina Coeli Buildings become very quiet and peaceful places as all primary and secondary students take part in a 10 - 15 minute meditation session. The meditation sessions are guided by Student Affairs and are accompanied by quiet, calming music. ACEP administrators believe that encouraging students to meditate from a young age will benefit them throughout their entire lives. The skill of meditation, which has been traditionally practiced by Thai people, can help children in a variety of ways. It helps to reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, improve relationships at home and at school, decrease aggressiveness and anxiety as well as improve behaviour, attitude, focus, memory and concentration while promoting self-confidence. In today’s rapidly changing world, young Thais are losing certain parts of their culture as they have greater access to technology and consumerism. While many people consider these changes make life easier they can put people, especially children, under more stress as relationships with friends and family become less personal. ACEP hopes that by learning to meditate from a young age, students will be empowered to use meditation as a means to clear their thoughts, relax and better function as members of society. ACEP MAGAZINE | 41 Board Games Rooms added to the Student Development Centre
ACEP’s Student Development Centres (SDC) are located on the upper floors of the Ave Maria and Regina Coeli Buildings. The centres include areas which have been especially designed for students to develop interest and skills in Chinese Language, Art and Music. During the 2015 Summer School two designated Board Games Rooms were added to the “umbrella” of the Student Development Centre. The new Board Games Rooms are both located on the ground floor of the Regina Coeli Building. Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice Director), who oversees the Student Development Centre, recognises that playing board games encourages brain activity, together with thinking and academic skills. The rooms include games which will assist students’ English, Mathematics, Science and Thai Language skills like Crossword, Sudoku, A-Math, Word Up, Chinese Chess, Thai Chess and other matching games. The board games rooms are open for students during lunch breaks and after school each day. They are also used in Club periods. ACEP students have already competed in some external board games competitions and we look forward to our school’s success in these in coming years.
42 | ACEP MAGAZINE Year Level Assemblies for Primary Students
All primary students have regular Year Level Assemblies. The assemblies, which are normally held during Morning Homeroom periods in a quiet area of the Ave Maria Building, provide a chance for all students in the Year Level to join together as one group. The assemblies are an alternate English language environment for students. They aim to encourage school spirit and cooperation, reward good achievements and are a chance to provide students with important safety and behaviour reminders. During assemblies, students from all classes are recognised for their recent achievements. Individual students have the chance to receive Merit Awards for good or improved work and behaviour during lessons. “Shields” are also awarded to whole classes for things like the best lines, tidiest classroom and best manners during the past week, as well as a shield for the class which is the best behaved during the actual assembly. Assemblies are an enjoyable time of the week for students and teachers. When time permits, other activities may include celebrating birthdays, singing songs and listening to student presentations.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 43 Written by Mr. Dax Ward (Secondary I.T. Teacher) Developing Students’ Photography Skills
The lush and colourful ACEP campus’ environment, together with the school’s high-tech learning areas, combine to make the ideal learning environment for young photographers. Each Thursday, a group of secondary students who are interested in photography meet together with Mr. Dax Ward. The students learn and practice the basics of digital photography, such as composition, manual settings, and adapting to different environments and light conditions. They also learn to post-process their shots using Adobe Lightroom. During the Photography Club sessions, students also spend time shooting photos around the ACEP campus to experiment with and practice new photography methods. The enthusiasm and skill shown by students during Term 1 has been very impressive. Their photography and image editing skills are developing incredibly well and the school’s public relations team greatly appreciate their assistance with photography during ACEP’s ceremonies and activities. Some of the images below are photos taken by photography club students.
44 | ACEP MAGAZINE Written by Ms. Pimruchada Somsak (Art Teacher) Techniques to Encourage Students’ Artistic Skills
ACEP’s Art teachers aim to guide students to understand and appreciate art produced by both Thai and international artists. The teachers provide various opportunities for students to experience design principles and associated skills for creating different types of art. During their Art classes, students discuss the work of famous artists and its relationship with society in order to understand the artist’s concept. These background discussions serve to encourage students to be creative. Year 9 students have recently applied design principles to create two-dimensional artwork. They first studied the work of impressionist artists from the 19th century like Pierre - Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro and Edouard Manet. The impressionist artists pushed the boundaries of their era to create art which was considered unattractive by many at that time. They often painted outdoors rather than in the studio like other artists, in order to vary the light and colours in their work. Their influence can be seen in the work of ACEP’s Year 9 students.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 45 Written by Mr. Andrew Corey (Primary Mathematics and Computer Teacher) Computer Coding for Primary Students
Each week, a group of upper primary students meet together for “Computer Coding Club.” Through activities on the website “code.org”, students are learning about computer programming and basic computer coding knowledge. The “code.org” website has been developed by American business, education and political leaders to address a world shortage of qualified computer programmers. It provides a series of courses that allow students of all ages to learn real programming in a fun way. The courses are colourful and fun, and students learn by designing their own games, solving puzzles and making artwork. Students have also watched videos featuring Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg that explained why learning how to program was important for their future. The programming language used is called Blockly which does not require students to type every instruction. Instead, they can move around “blocks” to create their programs. With the help of tutorials, videos and hints, students quickly understood the basics of Blockly. Although they often found the activities difficult, students were very determined to pass each level. They learnt that while programming could be frustrating, it is very rewarding to solve a challenging problem in a clever way. We look forward to introducing coding to more of our primary students in their Computer lessons this year.
“From phones to cars to medicine, technology touches every part of our lives. If you can create technology, you can change the world.”
-Susan Wojcicki, SVP, Google-
46 | ACEP MAGAZINE Our Student Council - Important Lessons for all ACEP Students
The Student Council Election on 9th June resulted in the “Guard ACEP” party forming the ACEP Student Council for the 2015 Academic Year. During the weeks before the election, three parties had campaigned for the privilege of forming the student council. Students from all Year Levels were also taught in class about the value of democracy and the election process. ACEP’s system of electing the Student Council serves to teach students lessons about society and the democratic process. These lessons include the importance of expressing personal rights while respecting the opinions of others. The senior students who take on leadership roles also develop valuable leadership skills and learn to recognise the need to be selfless when in a position of responsibility. The members of “Guard ACEP” who formed the 2015 Student Council: 1. Yanawut Tantivachyanon (Class 11/2) - President 2. Nattaporn Dejsakulrit (Class 11/1) - Vice President 3. Pattarawadee Hansiripongsakul (Class 10/2) - Treasurer 4. Chatapat Sridumrongruk (Class 10/2) - Academic Matters 5. Napatsorn Punyawanich (Class 11/1) - Activities 6. Nathat Janewittayatorn (Class 10/3) - Secretary 7. Chalee Limprapas (Class 10/1) - Public Relations Officer In early July, the ACEP Student Councillors attended the “Student Leadership Development Camp” at Assumption College Siracha. The camp was joined by the student leaders from all of the schools administered by the St. Gabriel’s School Foundation in Thailand and served to strengthen their leadership skills to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 47 Written by Ms. Salinla Pinyosnit (Music Teacher) The ACEP way of Developing Tomorrow’s Artists
ACEP’s specialised music, dance and art learning areas are located within the Student Development Centre. The facilities in the Student Development Centre for primary students are a Thai Classical Music Room, International Music Room, General Music Room, Thai Dance Studio and Art Studio which are all designed to instill in students a love of the arts from a young age. Students in each Primary Year Level have lessons in each of these learning areas during a school year. The ACEP Music, Dance and Art curriculum assumes that students begin school with minimal knowledge of the arts and steadily develops their skills and interests in an environment which is fun, attractive and safe with highly skilled and passionate teachers.
The Thai Classical Music Room allows students to practice on real Thai instruments which greatly enhances their motivation to learn about an important aspect of their culture. While learning in the Thai Classical Musical Room, teachers aim to instil in students the joy of playing music through a simple, uncomplicated approach. Lessons focus mainly on the development of emotional intelligence (EQ) which can also increase the attention span of young learners.
The International Music & General Music Rooms (Piano and String Music) are places where students develop skills through fun individual and group activities. Students are encouraged to express their own creativity as they develop skills on instruments such as pianos and ukuleles. The International and General Music Rooms also offers opportunities for students to develop music listening skills (Perfect Pitch).
48 | ACEP MAGAZINE Lessons in the Thai Dance Studio (Performing Arts) promote the importance of preserving unique aspects of Thai culture. However, they also offer opportunities for students to develop in the following areas: • Physical development through body movement and muscle control to keep in time with the music’s melody and rhythm. • Emotional development as students develop the confidence to express themselves creatively. • Social development as students engage in activities which require unity and leadership roles. • Cognitive Development as students are required to memorise dance moves in conjunction with peers.
Lessons in the Art Studio encourage students to develop their creativity in ways which are proven to promote personal happiness through activities involving imagination and colour.
Learning Music with iPads ACEP’s Music teachers also use iPads as an innovative and engaging tool to teach primary school students. Using apps such as “GarageBand” enables students to play and mix a variety of instruments to create music. With this technology, our primary students are able to have their own music band. In fact, our music teachers have created the iPad music band called “iXylo band.”
ACEP MAGAZINE | 49 Preparing Students for Tertiary Study
The role of ACEP’s Guidance Department is to prepare senior students for tertiary study. The school follows a carefully developed plan which empowers students to make informed decisions about their future career and take the path that they need to follow to do appropriate tertiary study. During the 2015 Summer School and throughout Term 1, special tutoring classes have been arranged to prepare senior students for standardised, internationally accredited examinations like IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and the S.A.T. examination for Mathematics (Scholastic Assessment Test). These classes were taught every afternoon by highly accredited instructors from universities and private tutoring schools. During Term 1, Guidance staff have worked with secondary English teachers to prepare students for their IELTS examinations. Year 12 students sat for mock IELTS Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing with external examiners. After the mock speaking examinations, the examiner provided feedback to both the students and their teachers to advise them on how they can continue to prepare for their real IELTS exams. Year 9 and Year 10 students sat for English Proficiency Tests with examiners from the Institute of Education International (iStudy) in June. The majority of students did very well in the examination which is a prerequisite for students who wish to be considered for an international exchange program. University Campus Tours have been arranged for students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to Thammasat University (Thaprachan Campus), Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University International College. The faculties which they visited include Economics, Engineering, Arts, Communication Arts, Science and Business Administration. While at the universities, the senior ACEP students were given advice from professors and current students about course structures and the admission’s process. Also during Term 1, Guidance staff have developed a database to store information about each student’s favourite subjects, IELTS score, SAT (Mathematics) score and details of the universities and faculties where they would like to study. The new system is already proving to be an effective tool to help our Guidance staff support senior students as they prepare for tertiary study.
50 | ACEP MAGAZINE Text written by Mr. Paul Barry (Director of Studies, Bell English Centre) Bell English Centre
In the 2015 Academic Year, several changes have been made to best ensure the effectiveness of Bell English Centre lessons for students. Regular meetings between the Bell English Centre teachers and ACEP’s foreign teachers are conducted to identify areas that are most beneficial to our English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. Peer observations between Bell teachers and ACEP teachers have also been encouraged to allow teachers from both departments to learn from each other. The method in which students’ progress in Bell classes is reported to parents has been improved. As the focus of Bell classes is the communicative ability of students, assessment projects require students to use language in creative ways to communicate information about various topics. One of the most important changes to the Secondary school assessment is that 10% of most English courses has been allocated to Bell teachers which encourages students to focus more on their class work and to push themselves that little bit harder during their Bell classes. During June, two management staff from Bell UK conducted a quality assurance assessment of the Bell Centre at ACEP. Their extensive inspection involved observation of Bell teachers, a review of lesson plans and teaching materials, interviews with Bell teachers and talking to students and ACEP representatives. Additional training has also been provided for the Director of Studies and Bell teachers. Bell teachers are providing lessons which are engaging and provide opportunities for students to be active. Whilst we try to incorporate an element of fun in the lessons, the idea that the Bell classes are just English games is a misconception. Bell teachers must write detailed lesson plans for each lesson with clear learning aims which will be checked by a senior member of staff. The aims are taken from a syllabus specially designed with the students of ACEP in mind. We understand that the students do not have much time to spare given their busy schedules, and this is why we have to take care to ensure their learning time is used effectively. Teachers from the Bell Centre are very grateful for the support we have been given and are continuing to ensure that ACEP students receive quality and effective English communicative language lessons.
ACEP MAGAZINE | 51 ACEP Bowling 2015
In addition to celebrating the birthday of Her Majesty, “ACEP Bowling 2015” raised 600,000 baht which our school’s three Brothers presented to student representatives during the Mothers’ Day ceremony the following week.
52 | ACEP MAGAZINE During Term 1, almost 20 boys from Rooms to develop brain activity, together On Saturday 8th August, Assumption College English Program students, Director’s Message Year 4 - 12 classes have lived happily with thinking and academic skills. parents and teachers gathered together at TPD Bowling in Bang Bon for together in the dormitory. The majority of We continually review and improve a very special activity to celebrate the 60th Birthday Anniversary, and 5th Cycle, the boarders are from Bangkok or other our academic programs to ensure that of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. All members of the “ACEP family” surrounding provinces and stay at the students are well prepared for the wore purple shirts to the event and this unity in colour could also be seen in dormitory for five nights per week. Typically, challenges ahead. As you will see in the spirit and goodwill amongst everyone who competed in the competition. the boys are dropped at the dormitory this magazine, we are encouraging our The event began with a short ceremony during which Bro. Surasit on Sunday evening and then go back to students to compete in external academic stay with their families on Friday evening. competitions, and they certainly compare Sukchai (Provincial Brother), together with ACEP’s three Brothers, Bro. Pisutr By doing this, the students avoid daily well to others which is helping to develop Vapiso (Director) and Bro. Kriangsak Mayod and Bro. Kittisak Charoensri (Vice travel between their homes and school, the reputation of ACEP. Directors) cut a ribbon to symbolically open the family tournament. The day have more energy and time for study and Although ACEP is only in its fourth was divided into categories for VIP, Family, Student and “Open” teams. A total recreation, and most importantly, they year, our school’s history can be traced of 122 teams competed in friendly, well-spirited competitions for various Cups are learning to become independent in back many centuries. This Term we have named in honour of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. a caring environment. I encourage other commenced activities to commemorate In addition to celebrating the birthday of Her Majesty, “ACEP Bowling th parents to consider this option for their the 300 anniversary of the death of 2015” raised 600,000 baht which our school’s three Brothers presented to sons in the future. Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, student representatives during the Mothers’ Day ceremony the following week. After their trial use throughout Term 2 the Founder of the Montfort Brothers of This money will go towards the Student Development Fund, which already had of the previous academic year, our St. Gabriel. The anniversary of Montfort’s been allocated 500,000 baht from the school’s 2015 budget. The fund, which swimming pools in the Saint Peter Sport death is a time that we reflect on his now contains 1.1 million baht, supports a variety of special educational activities Bro. Pisutr Vapiso, Ph.D. Club have been fully utilised by students spirituality and follow his example in his for our students including external academic, sporting, music and other Director since May. Timetables have been commitment to care and concern for the rearranged to enable all primary classes poor. In the Montfortian spirit, the ACEP extracurricular competitions as well as tutoring for FSG, O-NET, GAT, PAT, October 2015 to have one designated swimming period community has donated money to the university and other international exams. each week. Secondary students also have people of Nepal who suffered from the access to the pools during “club” and devastating effects of earthquakes earlier after-school times. We have employed this year. Our senior students have also Welcome to the first ACEP Magazine three additional swimming teachers who led activities for less-fortunate children for the 2015 Academic Year. I would like also offer special classes during school at local schools and the Brothers have to reflect on our achievements and share holidays. provided educational scholarships for our our vision and commitment to improving The visionary aim of ACEP is to create workers’ children. There will be various the quality of teaching and learning, a school which develops students in other activities to pay tribute to Montfort. academic excellence, range of pastoral all dimensions. ACEP’s extracurricular It is our firm belief, that academic activities and school governance within programs have improved greatly this excellence will only produce well a moral and ethical framework. term. Recently we have employed six balanced young and successful citizens Firstly, I would once again like to new Thai activity staff (trained Physical for Thailand, if it is in conjunction with praise and congratulate our “pilot” Year 12 education teachers) to lead various moral and ethical guidance. students from the 2014 Academic Year. They special activities to develop our students’ The “ACEP spirit” shined particularly have all been accepted into engineering, skills around our spacious campus. Our brightly on two memorable days during business, architecture, medicine and Student Development Centres on the top Term 1. Firstly, in early August, 122 teams many other bachelor degree programs at floor of both classroom buildings also made up of students, parents, teachers, Thailand’s most prestigious universities. enable students to learn about various administrators and other community When our Summer School commenced styles of arts, music and dance with members, joined together for “ACEP in March this year, we welcomed the first passionate and well qualified teachers. Bowling 2015”. The event celebrated the students to live in the All Saints Dormitory. We have also opened two Board Games 60th Birthday of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and raised 600,000 baht for our Student Development Fund which supports a variety of special educational activities. The “2015 ACEP Games” in late August was also another colourful and exciting day which encouraged goodwill and friendship amongst members of the school community. Finally, I’d like to thank our readers for taking the time to look back on ACEP’s events, learning activities and achievements during Summer School and Term 1. We hope that the magazine brings a smile to your face as we share the ongoing success of our school. Of course, nothing within this magazine would be possible without our students, teachers, parents and support staff. I thank you all for your ongoing trust and support of Assumption College English Program. May God and our Lady of Assumption bless us all. October 2015
60th Birthday Celebrations for H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Assumption College English Program (ACEP) • ACEP Bowling 2015 52 Jessadavhitee Road, Phan Tai Norasingha Sub-District, Muang District, Samut Sakhon 74000 • 2015 ACEP Games Tel.: 0-3487-2040-43 Website: www.acep.ac.th • Summer School Programs Facebook: www.facebook.com/ACEPschool