Dr. James O'Malley, High School Principal
Doctor of Education, Florida State University
Master of Science, University of Central Florida
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Florida State University
I couldn’t be more excited to be the High School Principal at Ruamrudee International School. The passion and pride that come with being an RIS student, parent, faculty, or staff member can be felt the minute you walk onto our incredible campus. There is a feeling of warmth and welcomeness that you feel instantly.
It’s a family affair for the O’Malley’s; my wife, Cristina, teaches here, and our children Tyler, Megan, and Caleb are students at RIS. We love the academic program that RIS gives our children, the quality of life that Bangkok and Thailand provide for our family, and the professional opportunities that RIS offers for my wife and me.
When someone asks me what I like about RIS a variety of things come to mind. Without a doubt, though, my answer always starts with our students. At RIS, we live by the Principles of the Phoenix (PoPs)—our heads, hands, and hearts. As a school, academics obviously plays a significant role in everything we do, and our students are some of the most academically responsible students I’ve known. They take pride in their schoolwork and never cease to amaze us. While there are several components that fit into our head principle, the obvious would be our students’ academic talents.
While there are many ways our high school students reflect the hands’ principle of our PoPs, one that jumps to the forefront is the seemingly never-ending opportunity for our students to compete in athletics, activities, and our extended day program. When I consider the heart principle, I think of all the service-oriented activities that most of the high school clubs provide for our students. Whether it’s the Soi Dog Club, the Red Cross Club, RISing Coffee, or the countless other ways our students choose to give back to the community, you can always find RIS students making a difference. They are hard-working, high performing, genuinely fantastic human beings, and we enjoy working alongside them every day!
After the students, what I admire about RIS is the incredibly talented teaching staff that serve our students each day. They are passionate about what they do, constantly looking for the best ways to engage our students in learning, and they are dedicated to providing the best learning environment for our students. Our high school program challenges students in a variety of ways, including offering more than 230 courses, including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP), AP courses—including the new AP Capstone program, as well as general courses. There is truly an ideal track for just about every student. I could not be more proud to be part of the high school at Ruamrudee International School!
If you are looking through our website and wondering if RIS is the right fit for you and your family, come see our campus in action. Trust me, stopping by will certainly help you make the decision to join RIS.