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Note from the Principal's Desk - April to June 19-20

From The Principal’s Desk

June 30, 2019

Dear Parents, Staff and Students

Welcome back to the session 2019-20 after a much needed summer break  !

Whilst for most students and all of us the break was a one month off site learning engagement through assignments , summer camps and travel to exciting destinations, having your family around and being  able to be the master of your own wake up and sleep time is a joy  in itself !

Let me take you through all that’s been happening in these two months on campus :

Learning  Enrichment :

  • Post the celebration of success in the Boards , our Pride – the first batch- our Brave hearts , did something spectacular - they committed to spending the weeks before their exit to ‘College’ as interns on campus , volunteering to support and assess the various learning programmes, learning administrative functions and documentation work across departments . Their resilience, commitment and their innovative ideas are an immediate evidence of the School vision in action : “…our students will be ethical , respectful, happy and purposeful citizens of society. “ Here’s a report by Ms. Anju Soni, the Deputy Head , Senior School. Report on Internships
  • The batch of 2019 has given us enough reason to be proud of and I am happy to share that almost all of them have secured their dream college and course for further study . The interview calls are still coming in and the DU admissions have just begun ( attached is a snapshot released by Ms.Nitina Dua , our Head of CGC- Career Guidance Cell ). CGC UPDATE
  • The new twelfths have with all maturity donned the mantel of the ‘senior most’ and the  Elevenths pursued their fortnight long Internships in prestigious companies and organizations. They are ready to churn out some exclusive student led initiatives such as the Dialogue, the Art Fest, the Science Conclave  and more. A few students have attended Leadership Camps in prestigious institutions .
  • The IBDP- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Batch of 2019-21 ( grade 11) has been successfully launched. Congratulations to the IBDP Coordinator Ms. Jyotsna Gaur and her Team .  Glimpses of the Introductory session along with all details of the IBDP Click here  
  • Our Students and Staff have been on study missions across the globe : Japan, Australia, US of America, Europe (Italy, Austria  ) , Switzerland ( CERN, Geneva ), UK, Singapore,  performing, learning, exploring and studying the disciplines of Science, Arts, Sports, Technology – Robotics - strengthening 21st century Leadership skills towards  Sustainable Development Goals , as a collective commitment. The Robotics team has been preparing relentlessly for their world challenge in Australia.  Do Click here to see.
  • Our Staff has been engaged in Continuous Professional Development programmes with an intense May 24 to 29 and June 24 to 29 session (including  off site modules ) with multidisciplinary and domain specific training  across all  levels , taking stock of student learning and progress, studying the 2019 National Education Policy Draft, writing research papers for NCTE – National Council for Teacher Education, GOI , and working out time, space and teaching learning resource implementation for the term July 01 onward. Catch a glimpse here. Professional Development  and Presentation to NCTE
  • A comprehensive stocktaking and sharing  of the purpose, plan and implementation of the 1:1 technology programme  for middle school parents paves the path for a smoother phase of blended learning ahead. SEQTA , the LMS for grades 6 and 7 now has a Parents Bulletin with all relevant updates such as Timetables, Calendar , Tasks and Announcements and more  on a daily basis.  Mr. Ivulich and Ms. Chowdhry have shared.
  • The newest professional development programme launched by Shiv Nadar School is the Future Leaders Fellowship programme for staff members ,  in keeping with the institutional vision of nurturing and growing  leaders who make a difference to Education and to  the world we live in .  Congratulations  to the Fellows who embark upon this journey this year !

 

Enrichment of Infrastructural Environment  :

  • A brand new state of the art learning space for Primary School awaits the learners  of  years  2 to 5 . A new library and reading and research space , an exquisite in door conference space, new homerooms for years 3 to 5 , in addition to the new activity Centre  and Dining space , new creativity hubs- the Makers Lab and the Art rooms will all be ready by the next month .
  • The extension of the sports fields and the brand new tennis courts and skating rinks are  ready to be offered to our children July 15 onwards !
  • There is an ongoing enrichment of the exteriors,  peripheries  in alignment with the purposefully and meaningfully planned activities in all dimensions – extension of learning programmes,  incorporation of teaching learning resources,  strengthening of sports, sciences , arts , life skills , guidance and counselling programmes .
  • Facilities across the campus have been given required replenishment and attention.
  • However, long term work in areas of administrative block and the entrance gate number 3 are bound to continue beyond July. The construction work in this area is scheduled for after school time hours. All required safety measures are being ensured through competent agencies . No construction related work happens during school time – 6:30  AM to 4:30 PM.
  • Our School is on a journey from Good to Great and in the second phase of gestation ( after a validation of our philosophy , intent and action  by the outcomes of the  first batch)  we strengthen and deepen existing learning programmes and take on newer relevant programmes , the enormous infrastructural upgrade has been instrumental in  seeing the fruits of our labour emerge during the year 2019- 20. Attached are the images of how the Campus would look like in a year’s time, here. ADMIN UPDATE We have an extremely generous Foundation and with your support and good wishes, we are resolved to ‘leaving no stone unturned ‘ literally, in garnering the best educational opportunities for our learners who have embarked upon their journey of ‘Education for Life’.
  • All entry, exit , arrival, departure, school and private transport protocols remain the same. Arrangements in terms of ‘ waiting time and space ’ for parents and students have been modified towards the best interest of children and escorts. A directive from the respective Heads and the Head of Administration towards all administrative processes and arrangement that need clarification has been shared.

Enrichment of Physical, Social, Spiritual , Emotional, Ethical Wellbeing :

  • This is our foundational surface and source on which we implement  our curriculum across Nursery to Secondary School.
  • Nursery onward, a distinct time and module for physical, social , emotional and ethical wellbeing is incorporated in the weekly time table and as per individual and collective student needs across ages and levels of engagement. Here is a video by Ms. Noora Sinha and her Wellbeing Team to give you a glimpse. You may contact the respective Homeroom teacher/ Head to seek details of your child’s Wellbeing programme. Well Being Curriculum
  • Outward-bound Learning Experiences, OLE is an integral part of the curriculum, just as is AHA Sports and Arts . It is being observed that a few parents have not been able to understand and acknowledge the importance of this educational programme and students miss out on participation in this travel and self- nature-nurture exploration based adventure and community service programme .  Here is a link put together by Deeksha Bhatia who facilitates the Social Integration programme , to share a few glimpses of this summer’s OLE trips. OLE 2019 International Learning Journey and CERN VISIT
  • A series of critical thinking, creativity enabling, beyond school activities are organized across the year. An entire Student Editorial Board and a Film Club operates silently and committedly with a robust programme and here’s a report by Ms. Kirti Kaul , the Resource and Research facilitator to give you a glimpse of these programmes in the past couple of months.

Blog for Library  and Library Led Programs

  • ‘ Education for Life’( EFL) is an exclusive School programme , beyond prescribed curriculum, that engages learners in knowing and understanding the immediate, practical, deeper and  more relevant issues that establish a cause and effect understanding of socio-economical, socio -cultural , socio-historical, geo- political, self and society related  realms that enable analysis, reflection and new perspectives of the world we live in.  Grades 9 and 11 engage in a focused ‘ EFL’  programme on a weekly basis with the best internal and external resources. The clubs and societies that are an integral part of the curriculum are included under this learning design. Here is a glimpse. Education for Life
  • MUN- Model United Nations is a grade 7 to 12 Learning programme where students and teachers engage with the most relevant aspects of the world ,  modelling  the UN framework. Every student under this programme is an ambassador of Human Rights and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the world. As a School that champions an Earth-minded curriculum being a no plastic zone dedicated to Environmentally sensitive practices ( recycle , reuse and reduce ) of resource consumption , we partner with the best MUN Mentors in the world – the Alma College , Michigan, USA. As I write in to you there are Seven Ace College Interns training our students in the academics of negotiation, writing with a purpose, learning about developed and developing economies, studying patterns of migration and climate change as citizens of the tiniest to the most influential nations of the world. I congratulate those who have had the wisdom to opt for the specialized trainings.  Ms. Jaya Sharma Singh, Convenor MUN shares a glimpse of our yearly Global Challenge training with staff and students, MUN Update 
  • My note is an addendum to the welcome mail sent out to you by the Head of the Learning Programme your child is a part of. The School Leadership Team- Ms. Sumita Malik , Head of Early Years, Ms. Soniya Mawani, Head of Primary Years, Mr. Matthew Ivulich , Head of Middle and Senior Years and our IBDP Coordinator Ms. Jyotsna Gaur - is represented by the Teaching Learning Council , TLC.

 

An important message – the principal’s room is under maintenance so I will be available in the meeting room adjacent to my  room when not on my classroom observation rounds ,  leadership conversations across the campus or on offsite  meetings .

Wishing you , children , your extended families a great year ahead !  We look forward to a term full of joyful learning, wellbeing and a step further, deeper and higher into making a difference to our immediate world by environmentally wise and relevant practices such as mindful consumption and disposal of water and all other natural resources .

With a lotus of gratitude and kindness for all that we are blessed with – our children, our planet Earth, the only home we have ( Titan is a distant possibility !) and our ability to choose what is best for us as individuals and as a community of inter-beings !