NEWSLETTER AUGUST TO NOVEMBER 2008

BHAVAN’S GANDHI VIDYASHRAM, KODAIKANAL NEWSLETTER – AUGUST – NOVEMBER – 2008 Editor: Mrs. Leela Madhusudan From the Principal, With the Academic year 2008-09 half over and onset of the holiday season, we can honestly look back once again and be pleased with some of our accomplishments to date. It is clear that the support, dedication and enthusiasm of parents are also important factors for the continued success of our school. Now the children are back home for enjoying their holidays. Take time off from your busy schedule to spend quality time with them. Talk to your child about his/her school experiences. Our school is committed to creating a safe environment where there is respect for differences in other people, customs and cultures. Please use opportunities in your homes to draw attention to the pillars of character. We have given some holiday assignments in all subjects. This is done to help your children develop discipline, independence and a solid work ethic and also to stay in touch with academic subjects. While we request you to see that your children do their work independently you can give them a deadline to complete a piece of work. This can teach them time-management skills. You need to help them in homework only with the resources and your child should be doing the work. Or else, give only as much help as is appropriate for the child’s age. Also send them back to school on the reporting day/reopening day of the school itself. Parent’s respect for school rules and giving school attendance a priority help us a long way in establishing a healthy behaviour among our students. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts. I also take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy new year. CCA Festivals and celebrations: Keeping with our culture and traditions there were many occasions to celebrate in the Vidyashram. On August 15th Independence Day was celebrated. Speeches in English, Tamil, Sanskrit and Hindi by the students highlighted the importance of the day. Patriotic songs and dances marked the celebrations. Varalakshmi Virutham was also observed on the same day. Raskshabandan was celebrated on 16th August. On 23rd August Gokulashtami was celebrated. A cultural programme and pot breaking ceremony added colour to the occasion. Also students offered prayers to Lord Krishna. On 3rd September Vinayagar Chathurthi was celebrated. Vinayaka Pooja was performed. Teacher’s day was celebrated on 5th September. The day witnessed a role-reversal with the teachers taking the assembly proceedings and students playing various roles of teachers. Fun games and an entertainment programme were arranged. Class XII students served a special dinner for the teachers. Onam, the popular festival of Kerala was celebrated on 12th. The traditional pookalam (floral arrangement), Thiruvathirakali and Puli kali (Tiger dance) marked the occasion. Gandhi Jeyanthi was celebrated on 2nd October. Shri Vijai Iyenkar and Smt Shivani Iyenkar were the guests of this occasion. Shri T.K.Ramasubramaniam IAS, Director of the school was present. A group discussion on ‘Relevance of Gandhiji’s ideas today’ was conducted. A few students and teachers participated in it. A cultural programme consisting of songs and dances made the day splendid. Navarathri was celebrated. Saraswati Pooja was observed on 8th October with a special pooja in the Saraswati temple. All students sought the blessing of the Godesses. Deepavali was celebrated by a few students who were in the campus during the time. Others from nearby places preferred to go home for the festival. Children’s Day was celebrated on Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday. A cultural programme was organized in connection with it. A Health Quiz was conducted to created health awareness. Other Events organized by C.C.A department AD-MAD, a competition to test the skill of students in bringing out creative ideas for advertisements, was conducted. On 23rd August, ‘If These People Meet’ was conducted. Students played the roles of eminent personalities from various walks of life. On 30th August a Quiz competition was conducted. On 4th October an English Vocabulary Quiz was organized. On 18th September and 1st November a competition titled ‘Turn coat’ was conducted in Junior and senior category respectively. Participating students were required to speak both in favour and against the topic given for one minute each. Students from classes IV to VIII went on an Educational Tour to Coimbatore and Palghat for three days. They visited Malampuzha Dam and a few industrial units in Coimbatore. Also they had a refreshing day full of fun and entertainment in Black Thunder Theme Park. Guest Speakers On 2nd August Mrs. Preethi Revindran gave a talk on ‘Social ethics’. On 6th September Mr. Prasad spoke about ‘Stress Management’. On 18th September officers of SBI Kodaikanal branch, organized a tree plantation ceremony in the school campus. On 19th September Mr. Judson, conducted an awareness programme on Road Safety. He also selected a few student volunteers to carry forward the mission. On 16th October Mrs. Brinda from the United States Educational Foundation in India gave a presentation on undergraduate courses in U.S for the senior students. On 23rd October a representative from Charles University, Prague interacted with the students desirous of pursuing courses in medicine abroad. On 6th November EXNORA INNONATORS CLUB gave a presentation on making compost pit and adopting organic farming methods. Mr. David Hogg and Mrs. Nirmala John spoke about the club’s activities in waste management in the locality. Interschool activities On 24th August Jayasurya of Class IX and Gopi Krishnan and Sunnihit of Class VIII participated in the C.B.S.E Heritage India Quiz Competition held at Trichy. On 11th September our students participated in the Elocution and Essay writing competition conducted by Rotary Club of Kodaikanal. In English Elocution competition Vivek Class XII and Gayatri Class VIII won 2nd and 3rd prizes respectively. In Hindi elocution Ashish of Class IX got 3rd place. On 7th September two of our students appeared for an interview conducted by AIR India for the RANK (Race for Awareness and Knowledge) Award. Gayathri Madhusudan of Class VIII was declared the District winner. The prize consisting of a Trophy and a certificate will be received during an Award function held in Chennai. On 18th September Asvene XII, Sushma XII and Gopikrishnan VIII participated in the Quiz competition conducted by Rotary Club of Kodaikanal and got First place. On 6th October four of our students Gopikrishnan, Praveen Prasanth, Kuberan and Navendu participated in the Aqua Regia (TIME) Science Quiz competition held at Madurai. Our School participated in the Hindu Young World Quiz competition held at Madurai. Our team comprising of Gopikrishnan and Praveen Prasanth were adjudged the ‘Best Outstation School Team’. In the audience round our students Govind Singh and Sunnihit got prize. Workshops and Enrichment Programmes Three of our teachers Mrs. Leela Madhusudan, Mrs. Reeta Cheriyan and Mrs. Meera Rajkumar attended a seminar for school teachers conducted by INTACH Coimbatore Chapter in Kodai Club on Heritage Awareness. A Heritage club was also formed in the school with class VII students as members. These students were supplied with a heritage passport, hands on activity sheets and badges. Two of our Mathematics teachers Mr. Prakash and Mr. Balakrishnan participated in a workshop for Mathematics teachers conducted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kochi Kendra. Sports Annual Sports Meet 2008 On 15th August 2008 25th Annual Sports meet was conducted. Shri. Vijayan Soans was the Chief Guest of the occasion. Director Shri T.K. Ramasubramaniam was present on the occasion. Individual Champions: Sub junior Girls - Athisrinika (Pandya Sangam) Junior Girls - Shobini (Pallava Sangam) Senior Girls - Priyadharshini (Chola Sangam) Suvabnasri (Pallava Sangam) Sub junior Boys - Rashid Manzoor (Chera Sangam) Junior Boys - Dhamodhara Santhosh Kumar (Pandya Sangam) Senior Boys - Marshal (Chola) Super Senior Boys - Athul Ranjan (Chola) Overall Sangam position: I - Chola Sangam II - Pandya Sangam III - Chera Sangam IV - Pallava Sangam Friendly matches with other schools: • A Volleyball match was conducted on 14th September between Brindhavan public school, Kodaikanal and our school. Our school won by 2-1. • A Volleyball match was conducted on 28th September between St. Peter’s school, Kodaikanal and our school. We won by 2-1. • Our football team played on 13th September against Sholai School, Kodaikanal. We won by 7-4. • Football match was conducted on 20th September between St. Peter’s school, Kodaikanal and our school. We won by 5-3. • In the Football match on 27th September between between St. Peter’s school, Kodaikanal and our school. St. Peters won by 6-4. CBSE CLUSTER V VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Our students participated in the CBSE CLUSTER V VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT hosted by Asan Memorial Senior Secondary School, Chennai from 13th to 15th October. 25 schools from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry took part in the Tournament. Our school reached up to quarter finals. In the third round our school lost the match to PSBB K.K Nagar Chennai. CBSE CLUSTER V FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT Our students participated in the CBSE CLUSTER V FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT hosted by St. Josephs Residential School, Chennai from 28th to 30th October. CBSE schools from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry took part in the event. INTERSANGAM COMPETITIONS Intersangam matches in Kabaddi, Basketball, Cricket, Shuttle badminton, Football, volleyball were conducted during these months. PTA: The first P.T.A. meeting of the academic year was held on 18th November. Many parents and teachers expressed their views. Academics: These were times of vigorous academic activity in the Vidhyashram. For classes X and XII students who are appearing for their board exams, whole portions for the year has been completed. They are only left with revision and model tests before they take up their final examination. In the lower classes too, the teachers have created interest and enthusiasm among the students to stay focused on studies. Hope the half yearly examination will truly reflect the same. After the unit tests in which the students had got only smaller volumes to study, this examination can judge where they stand in terms of understanding the concepts taught. Special lectures on various academic subjects are held for senior students from time to time. We are also trying to bring more and more technology in to the classrooms to felicitate learning in the coming months. We have taken it as our motto A-E-I-O-U – Academic Excellence is our Ultimate Goal. Quotes: We are not what we know. We are what we are willing to learn. If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problem, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather a dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities. At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame with in us. The best education in the world is that got by struggling to get a living.