Page 57 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 6 | August - September 2024

One of the key factors in delivering impactful education
is how it is facilitated. What does the KIS Reignwood Park
campus offer, and how does it help nurture and develop
young minds?
First and foremost, it’s the teacher standing in front of the students. As
for any other high quality school in the world, we are all competing
to hire the best teachers. Thailand already has the advantage of
being an attractive place to work and live, but we make sure that
our candidates have at least 10 years of experience with advanced
degrees and plenty of experience in the International Baccalaureate
(IB) curriculum. Subsequently, this makes a significant difference
in how the curriculum is delivered.
We believe that the IB programme is the gold standard in international
education. So, when we go through the process of hiring the best in
the field, we are clear on our expectations of them; they are expected
to support students to be the best they can academically and to
nurture students’ personal development. But we also want them
to know that even though there is a lot of hard work behind it, the
work is also very rewarding. The process of hiring usually takes about
eight weeks, and since we are starting with a clean slate, it’s crucial
that we discuss and highlight what is required at a very early stage.
We also believe in helping teachers advance their careers through
professional development and a career path, and we support their
needs if they wish to move on from KIS.
The professionals we have already hired continue to learn their craft
by taking courses to upskill or learning new skills, which becomes
a model for students. It’s important that our students are aware of
how dedicated their teachers are and how they continue to better
themselves. We also talk a lot about personal goal setting. The idea
is, that if we are taking good care of the teachers and they align with
the institution’s goals, then work becomes fun. If you want the best
teachers, you have to hustle for them. It’s a matter of knowing what
you need early, advertising it widely, and clearly making the benefits
of working and learning at KIS Reignwood Park known.
Elizabeth Hammond Barry Sutherland One of those main benefits is the sense of community we have here
Director of Boarding Head of School at KIS Reignwood Park. Since we are not in central Bangkok, the
location in Pathum Thani may seem a bit out of the way. That is
where the boarding and community come in, for students, families,
and faculty. Not only do we try to provide all the learning and teaching
tools for the classrooms, but we also maintain a sense of belonging.
he success of an advanced educational institution is based on
various factors, from state-of-the-art facilities to high-quality What are some of the resources and practices utilised to
learning programmes and higher-standard curricula. However, create a safe and secure learning environment for students
the greatest impact is delivered by a passionate group of educators at this campus?
who tread the extra mile to secure the futures of the younger You will be able to see and feel the security around campus. The
generation and accelerate their growth in the process. The key Reignwood Park complex itself has its own levels of security with
figures at KIS International School Reignwood Park have made checkpoints throughout; the golf course, the boarding area, and
it abundantly clear that no matter how impressive an educational of course our 60-acre campus. Additionally, our teachers live just
campus may be, the people are the true cogs of this finely-oiled outside the campus, and there is a layer of security around them.
machine. There are facial recognition systems at certain entry points, standard
ID cards that provide limited access, and an extensive network of
From an outsider’s perspective, a case in point is the Reignwood CCTV cameras. We also have security courses in place for all staff,
Park campus entrance, welcoming visitors with statues of Ancient to train them in child protection and safeguarding.
Greek warriors and all 12 bronzed signs of the zodiac, framed by
grand arches between Ionic pillars. But as you approach the actual We don’t just depend on technology; there also needs to be a human
campus, you see contemporary architecture paying homage to Thai understanding of keeping everyone safe. We are very aware that
design, from the main administration office to the impressive sports children cannot learn unless they feel safe, and that comes down to
facility mimicking a modern football stadium. Taking a step further, how we handle bullying and the development of positive relationships
we learn how valuable the experience at KIS International School between everyone on campus. Students being students, difficult
Reignwood Park truly is. Barry Sutherland, Head of School; and situations will arise so it’s necessary we have processes in place,
Elizabeth Hammond, Director of Boarding; paint a better picture such as teaching conflict resolution. It’s our responsibility to make
of what KIS International School Reignwood Park has to offer and the environment safe, secure, comfortable and nurturing, and take
highlight its potential impact on young students. advantage of teachable moments.