End of 2025–2026 Section Update
The High School continues to work toward building the Portrait of a Phoenix in ways that are visible, practical, and connected to the lived experience of students, teachers, and families. We continue to use it as a shared language for the kind of learning community we want to cultivate: one that develops curiosity, integrity, communication, innovation, global-mindedness, and balance.
Much of this work is already happening through the structures, traditions, and experiences that are part of High School life. Advisory continues to provide a responsive space for student reflection, belonging, and support. Our academic programming continues to be strengthened through student town halls, course planning, and ongoing conversations about challenge, opportunity, and readiness. Our celebrations and community events, including Convocation, Games Day, Knowledge Bowl, Homecoming, Songkran and Loy Krathong, Chinese New Year, Easter, Peace Week, and major performing arts productions such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Frozen, all contribute to the culture we are trying to build. The same is true of our athletic endeavors, which continue to provide students with opportunities to practice commitment, teamwork, resilience, leadership, and school spirit.
These are not side pieces to the High School experience. They are part of how students come to understand community, identity, responsibility, joy, and belonging. As we take on additional initiatives, we want to be clear that the goal is not to replace or diminish what is already strong. We intend to continue these experiences, protect them, and build from them. The work ahead is additive, not substitutive. #ReflectiveBalancedIndividual #PrincipledLearner #GloballyMindedLeader #VersatileCommunicator
One major area of continued development is the High School Program of Studies. We are continuing to build a strong and flexible academic program that allows students to pursue rigorous pathways, explore interests, prepare for university, and make intentional choices about their future. For next year, we are especially excited to add AP Precalculus and AP Business with Personal Finance, two very new courses from the College Board. These additions strengthen our AP offerings in both mathematics and applied business/financial literacy. We are also excited that we will be able to run IB Environmental Systems and Societies next year, giving students another meaningful IB option that connects science, sustainability, ethics, systems thinking, and responsible global citizenship.
In addition, we are looking forward to offering IB Music next year and continuing to develop Contemporary Band classes. This is an important example of how the Program of Studies can support the full life of the school. Students who perform at events such as Homecoming, assemblies, and community celebrations need time, structure, coaching, and practice. By creating space within the academic day for students to study music, rehearse, collaborate, and earn credit, we are helping students grow not only as performers, but as disciplined, creative, and versatile communicators. These courses also validate the arts as a meaningful part of student learning and school culture, rather than something that only happens outside the academic program. #CuriousScholar #InnovativeThinker #GloballyMindedLeader #VersatileCommunicator
We have also continued to work on the development of an AI at RIS policy and guide. The draft is grounded in the idea that AI is not about the tool; it is about the learner. This has been an important philosophical anchor. The goal is not simply to decide which tools are allowed or blocked, but to help students develop judgment, responsibility, and ownership of their learning. The policy recognizes that AI can support learning, organization, communication, brainstorming, revision, and efficiency. At the same time, it can reduce effort, shortcut thinking, undermine integrity, and interfere with cognitive and social-emotional growth if misused.
The draft policy uses the Portrait of a Phoenix to frame responsible AI use. Students are expected to discern which tools are useful, when to use them, how to use them in ways that strengthen learning, and why a tool is appropriate for a particular task. The guide also introduces a shared schema for teachers and students: Encouraged, Allowed, Limited, and Not Permitted. This gives teachers a clearer way to design assignments and communicate expectations, while helping students understand that AI use depends on the purpose of the learning. The professional practice section also emphasizes that AI may support teachers with planning, differentiation, feedback language, communication, and workflow, but it does not replace teacher judgment, professional discernment, or human connection. #PrincipledLearner #InnovativeThinker #CuriousScholar #VersatileCommunicator
Career Day has been another significant initiative. The event is designed to help students connect learning to life beyond RIS by engaging with alumni and professionals across a range of industries and career pathways. Students participate in industry snapshot sessions and alumni talks, giving them opportunities to hear professional stories, ask questions, and imagine possible futures. The value of Career Day is not only career exposure; it also helps students understand that pathways are rarely linear. Alumni can speak honestly about what they thought they wanted in high school, what happened after graduation, how their goals evolved, and how they navigated uncertainty, opportunity, and challenge. #CuriousScholar #GloballyMindedLeader #VersatileCommunicator
We have also continued the Active Parenting series as part of a larger effort to strengthen family partnership. The sessions create space for parents to reflect on adolescent development, communication, boundaries, encouragement, responsibility, and the changing role of parenting during the high school years. This work supports our belief that student growth is strongest when school and home share language and work together. It also reflects a broader goal for the High School: to grow communication with parents beyond grades and concerns. We want families to hear more about student growth, program development, advisory themes, school culture, opportunities, and the positive work happening across the High School. #ReflectiveBalancedIndividual #VersatileCommunicator #PrincipledLearner
Although we were not able to run the 9th and 10th grade retreats this year, we remain interested in trying again next year. The purpose of those retreats remains important: giving students time and space to think about identity, relationships, belonging, purpose, and the transition into high school. In the absence of the retreats, we have continued to use advisory and other school structures to respond to student needs and support connection. #ReflectiveBalancedIndividual #PrincipledLearner #VersatileCommunicator
As we look ahead, the High School will continue strengthening the Program of Studies, refining the AI guide, expanding parent communication, developing meaningful student experiences, and using advisory as a responsive structure for student growth. We will also continue protecting the traditions, performances, competitions, celebrations, and athletic experiences that already give the High School much of its energy and identity. The work is ongoing, but the direction is clear: to help students graduate not only with credits and transcripts, but with curiosity, integrity, empathy, communication skills, innovation, resilience, and a clearer sense of how they can contribute meaningfully to the world.
