Notables

Ruamrudee International School grew from humble beginnings in 1957. It began as a non-profit elementary school as part of the service of Holy Redeemer Church. Movable blackboards separated two classrooms for a Thai school and two classrooms for children of expatriate parishioners. The Redemptorists of Thailand founded the school with assistance from the Sisters of Holy Infant Jesus who were the original teachers and administrators.

In 1963, new property was purchased behind Holy Redeemer Church to give each section its own campus. The English section was renamed “Ruamrudee International School” (ruam rudee meaning “united hearts”). RIS was officially chartered under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and licensed under the Thai Ministry of Education.  RIS continues to have a close relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Charter under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, was completed in the year 2008 with ownership of RIS being returned to the Foundation of the Redemptorist Fathers in Thailand. The Thai section retained the name “Holy Redeemer School.” New buildings were constructed in 1964-5 to replace the wooden classrooms. Originally RIS followed the British system, changing to an American curriculum in 1966.

The year 1973 marked a milestone in our history. It was the year accreditation was granted for the High School by the Accrediting Commission for Secondary Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Burlingame, California. RIS is a college preparatory school modeled on the US curriculum. The Thai Education Ministry recognizes the RIS diploma as equivalent to the Thai Secondary School Certificate (Grade 12), allowing graduates the option of enrolling in Thai Universities. Our current WASC accreditation term runs from May 2002 through June 30, 2008. The Swiss Association School merged with Ruamrudee in 1984 to become the RIS Swiss Section.  The language of instruction is German, and it follows a Swiss curriculum.

August 1992 marked another significant event as RIS moved into its new home in Minburi.  At this new campus, with spacious playing fields and separate buildings for the Elementary, Middle and High Schools, we serve approximately 1,700 students yearly from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students from about 35 nations make RIS truly international.  Expatriate members come from Taiwan, India, Korea, Japan, and from the US and UK.

In August 1997, RIS opened the Intensive English Section which was later renamed the Intensive Learning School (ILS). Expatriate students with minimal or no English were enrolled in this section with the vision that, after one or two years of accelerated English study, they might cope as a student of RIS. Following the educational successes of ILS, the Redemptorists sought a separate license from the Thai Ministry of Education to establish Redeemer International School Thailand (RIST) in 2003. RIST is a model English acquisition school employing the latest technology and educational practices. As a sister school located adjacent to RIS, it accommodates up to 400 students from first through twelfth grade. RIST is fully accredited by WASC from Grades 1-12.

RIS and RIST hire fully qualified teachers possessing recognized teaching credentials and at least a Bachelor’s degree. Over half of our teaching staff has advanced degrees. The ratio between teachers and students is closely monitored to be 10 to 1. The school employs around 90 trained personnel for the Classified Staff assigned to various duties around the campus.

Approximately 180 students graduate from our schools each year. With very few exceptions, RIS and RIST graduates go on to study at colleges and universities around the world, many earning scholarships and reporting success in their continuing education and careers.