News Letter - January to March 2019
Here is the News Letter From January to March 2019. Some of the glimpses of who we are and what we do.
Learn * Explore * Innovate * Evolve
World Dance Day
"Have feet, will dance". Give the world a reason to dance.
On account of World Dance Day all the AHA dance basket of Grade 1 &2 students with the teachers gathered to shake a leg accompanied with different kind of music..Every move they made was adorable going with the flow of the music lost to the world
Spic Macay
Shiv Nadar School’s endeavour has been to promote different art forms, be it dance, music or visual arts. We invited the famous Odissi dancer, Ms. Vidushi Kavita Dwibedi, who captivated the young audience with her graceful movements and expressions. She started with a small introduction to the Odissi dance form, one of the oldest surviving dance forms of India. History tells us that like some of it’s contemporaries, Odissi too was a temple dance performed by the "Devdasis". The "tribhangi", i.e., the independent movement of the head, chest and pelvis is what sets this dance form apart.
Newsletter Vol 4- From The Principal's Desk
Here is the Newsletter for April-May 2019.
Beat The Heat - Nursery & Kindergarten
Beat the Heat day was a day of fun and frolic for pre-primary students. Children had a bundle of activities to beat the scorching heat. For making this day memorable, parents had volunteered to
organize and conduct games and activities for children They kick-started the day by with a craft activity, in which the children decorated a popsicle stick. They went on to capture their fun day by
taking a picture at the photo booth followed by two amazing games that were set up at a double height area. Last but not least, the children moved towards the football ground to have a gala time to
splish-splash some water in the water games. The event wouldn’t be complete with the cool ice-creams which were served in their respective classrooms before they bid adieu to make more memories
during their summer holidays.
Beat the Heat day turned out to be a memorable day. Children were all smiles and set for their holidays.
Culture Fox Trip to Milan and Vienna
This year trip to Italy and Austria was curated especially keeping in mind the interests of the participating students from all three campuses of Shiv Nadar School.
The 8-day long trip covered the cities of Milan in Italy and Vienna in Austria. A total number of 16 students and 4 teachers went on the tour guided by Culture Fox leaders.
MILAN
The days were divided into Architecture Day, Fashion Day & Visual Art day at Milan.
Architecture Day
Our students learnt about perspectives and gained tangible skills in drawing 3D on 2D. The experience was special as they sat in front of iconic monuments on a beautiful, sunny day and attempted sketching what they were seeing on paper while being told about the historic significance of the sites. They were taken to the Arco Della Pace and Castello Sforzesco.
It was a great beginning. The students enjoyed the first activity at the Arco Della Pace immensely. The activity became a little long and repetitive at the second location. Castello Sforzesco houses a museum, which had an exhibition of works by Leonardo da Vinci. The day concluded with a walk through the College of Art, Botanical Gardens and some shopping in the city centre.
Fashion Day
Most students were looking forward to exploring fashion in Milan and the day began with the much-awaited visit to Armani/Silos Museum. The students learnt a lot about the famous designer as they walked through the museum with expert cultural influences in fashion designing.
Visual Arts Day
The workshop on this day was led by Ms Silvia Fiani, a Milanese artist, at her quaint, little studio. The students learnt various watercolour techniques and were encouraged telling them about the significance of weaves, fabrics, colours, lights and diverse to express their inner emotions using this medium on paper.
VIENNA
The days in Vienna were divided into Theatre Day, Photography Day & Music Day
Theatre Day 
The students were introduced to ‘Theatre of the Youth’, the largest theatre for children in Europe. At the Renaissance, Theatre students were given a guided tour of the stage specially designed for their ongoing production of Robin Hood. They learnt about stagecraft, projections, props, music, costumes, make-up, wigs and all that goes into making a musical theatre production. The stage tour was followed by a brief description of the storyline of the play. They then watched the entire three-hour-long production in German with a house full of children of all ages. Even though they did not understand the language, it was easy to follow the story and was very exciting to see all the tricks unravel on stage.
Photography Day
On photography Day in Vienna students went to Metro Kinokulturhaus to see an exhibition of Polaroids taken by German filmmaker and photographer Wim Wenders curated by Filarchiv Austria. Here the students attended a workshop on Polaroid cameras. This was followed by an outdoor mobile photography workshop led by Mr Rafael Haider. Despite the fact that it was raining and dark outside, the students enjoyed learning about photography from their mentor and walking through the city, taking pictures of beautiful buildings and of each other. On photography Day in Vienna students went to Metro Kinokulturhaus to see an exhibition of Polaroids taken by German filmmaker and photographer Wim Wenders curated by Filarchiv Austria. Here the students attended a workshop on Polaroid cameras. This was followed by an outdoor mobile photography workshop led by Mr Rafael Haider. Despite the fact that it was raining and dark outside, the students enjoyed learning about photography from their mentor and walking through the city, taking pictures of beautiful buildings and of each other
Music Day.
The students went to the House of Music, where they were given a guided tour by the museum representative. Each floor of the museum had a different theme and presented knowledge about the history, science and art of music in a very interactive manner. The students were introduced to the great composers of Austria and they playfully learnt scientific facts about sound and music.
The House of Music was followed by attending an Organ concert in Baroque St. Peter’s church. This was a unique and very calming experience. The tall, intricately decorated walls of the church resonated with the sound of the Organ and everyone consumed by the mesmerizing music. The day ended with a visit to the Summer Palace. The rain finally stopped and we could enjoy the breathtaking view of the city of Vienna and take a walk in the royal gardens of this beautiful historical site.
Visual Arts Day
On Visual art day, the students visited Kunst Haus Wien designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. A unique and colourful building showcasing the works of this artist and environmental activist was a window to understand the need for immediate attention to our environment. The guided tour familiarized students with the life and journey of this important Austrian artist and thinker, which was culminated with a brief drawing activity.
Joy Of Sharing - 2019
“Your abundance is not measured by what you have, it is created by
what you share.”
Heidi Catherine Culbertson
THE FUNDRAISER -Culmination of Joy of Sharing Week
Raising Proceeds through Sale & Karsewa
On the culmination day, the artistic talent of our students could be seen in the beautiful things that they had made over the week. The wish-cards, bookmarks, book chompers, envelopes, pencil holders, coasters and pebble paperweights are to name a few that were recycled out of waste resources. The colourful tie and dye scarves and wool lanterns were a treat to the eye.
The visual treat was balanced well with a (food) treat for all! Of course all at a good cost for a good cause!!
The food stalls with various savoury delights kept the taste buds tickled. Nachos, samosas, ice tea, corn salad, popcorn, jaljeera, lime-squash, masala peanuts, ice lollies and coconut laddoos were relished by one and all.
The Karaoke corner kept everyone entertained with melodious songs and requests. The exciting games’ stalls added to the thrill quotient and enjoyed thoroughly by all and sundry.
Last but not least, our young car wipers made the day of many who got their vehicles ‘Gleamy Clean’ at the car wash stall.
The White Elephant Sale
The students across the school enthusiastically contributed towards the White Elephant Sale by bringing in many things from home. Needless to say, it was a huge hit and a great way to recycle and reuse resources!
The students of grade 10 have collaborated with Varitra Foundation (Capstone Project) and are training / grooming the rural women to market and sell their merchandise using the modern IT tools. The students put up a stall to spread awareness about the creative skills of the rural workers and the merchandise that is available on sale (through social platforms).
Building Compassion - Passing the baton to the generation next
A sum of Rs 20,000 was donated by the organising committee of Battle of Bands. Vansh Kapoor, Head Boy and also a member of the organising committee shared “We have grown up being a part of Joy of Sharing and want to continue to be a part of this”.
The proceeds from the sale made on the day of culmination will be contributed to helping the NGOs - Varitra Foundation and Ritinjali, who have been working in Gurgaon and rural areas of our country to accomplish the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of Education, Good Health & Well-Being, Gender Equality, Decent Work & Economic Growth, Industry Innovation & Infrastructure.
Preview to Joy Of Sharing culmination
We plan and schedule events in each academic year aiming to bring about changes in the attitude(s) and behaviour(s) of our students. These events are planned to inculcate and strengthen values in our students in a manner that they form an integral part of their character, defining their behaviour.
Not only does the event promote the feeling of ‘caring’ and ‘sharing’ but also helps them appreciate the importance of service and labour. The ‘Joy of Sharing Week’ at Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon was organized from Monday, 15th July to Saturday, 20th July 2019. The whole school came together to experience the ‘Joy(s) of Sharing’ through a series of well-planned activities. We are delighted to share a few glimpses from the week that upheld and reinforced our core values, Integrity, Respect and Compassion, Sense of Purpose and Responsibility, Commitment to Excellence, Life Long Learning, Openness and Transparency.
SHARING CLEAN & A GREEN ENVIRONMENT
Nurturing Mother Earth
(Nursery and Kindergarten)
Making Paperweights made out of Clay
Planters made from used plastic bottles
Young Earth Saviours (Grade 1)
Bowls, bird feeder and paper bags made of recycled paper and other materials
The senior school students have adopted the ‘Pahari Road” outside the school and are working to make it a clean and green space. The school has been granted permission from the MCG for the purpose.
RECIPROCATING LOVE & CARE!
The Lil’ ones of Nursery helped their class did by taking up the cleaning responsibilities of their classes.
The students of Kindergarten made nutritious chocolate balls for their Didis and Bhaiyas.
The Joy of Sharing began with the ‘Circle Time’ in the primary school where students discussed how to be ethical, respectful, happy and purposeful citizens of society.
The students brainstormed ideas for putting up different stalls to make the event a success. As the week progressed, students collaborated to make posters for their stalls, brought material and created beautiful art and craftwork.
It was a humbling experience for the students of grade 6, as they served breakfast to Didis and Bhaiyas during the Joy of Sharing.
The didi and bhaiya enjoyed the hot idlis, vermicelli, poori aloo, pickle-parantha served by the happy and eager students. The sixth graders enjoyed serving them as a gesture of gratitude for the around the clock service rendered by the housekeeping staff.
LEARNING TO SHARE ABUNDANT RESOURCES!
The students from Ritinjali School visited the students of Nursery and Kindergarten. A fun-filled day with story-telling, games, music, dance and a goody bag as a parting gift made the day memorable for all! They played outdoors, shared snacks and enjoyed art-craft activities. The ‘Joy of sharing’ week continues next week too as children plan to visit ‘Neev’. They will present books and pencils to the children of ‘Neev’.
The middle school students created toys that work on scientific principles for students from the Ritinjali Basti School. Rover craft, Water sprinkler, a Balloon rocket, Spectroscope, Dancing doll, Flying rocket, Balancing puppet, Humpty Dumpty boy are a few toys that were presented to the students from the Ritinjali school. The gesture allowed the students from both the school to build a warm and affectionate bond.
The students of Sshakt, a community club basket have made many things to raise funds for the culmination day of ‘Joy of Sharing’ (week). Handmade paper bags, multi-coloured crayons, gift tags, price tags, earrings, decorative pom-poms, woollen posters etc are to name a few.
Investiture Ceremony -2019
“Great leaders don’t tell you what to do. They show you how it’s done.”
An effort to cultivate transformational leaders who would don the mantle of excellence in all that they do, culminated in the Investiture ceremony held at the Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon on 12th July 2019.
Members of the Student Council, appointed through a rigorous process of nominations, interviews and democratic elections marched with their best foot forward and were formally invested with responsibility. All students were inspired to adopt the principles of collaboration and cooperation.
The Senior Council students were badged by the Principal and Heads of the school. The school flag was handed over to the new council by the old council. The magical moment was badging of the junior council by the newly elected Senior Council. The Oath taken by the young leaders was an acknowledgment of their roles and responsibilities in the days to come. The Principal asked them to remember LEAD as they went about doing their duty. To LEAD is to listen then you talk; Envision your goal; Align your team to your goals; Do your work with Integrity.
Camp Kanechi -Grade X
The Grade X students went on an OLE trip to a Camp located in the scenic Village Kanechi in District Chail at an altitude of about 5100 ft. perched on a ridge. They reached Kanechi via an overnight bus journey starting on the last working day of the school before the summer vacations.
The first day began with a trek to the Government Senior Secondary School in the village. It was almost an hour-long trek that helped the students understand the daily struggle of the village students to reach their school. They repaired and painted the school walls. The students had collected and carried 250 books to be donated to the local school in the village. The students sorted and prepared a list of all the books and handed it over to the Principal for the library of the school.
The students took up the task of cleaning the hills. They collected garbage like plastic bottles and wrappers that are choking the hills while on an early morning trek. To cool down after the trek, they took a dip in the waterfall in the midst of the wilderness. After reaching back at the camp, they prepared a simple meal from scratch for the students of the village school who had been invited for lunch. The students learned how to build a chulha (stone stove) with stones and collected wood for the fuel. They were taught how to light the fire and keep it going. The students fetched water from the spring to wash the vegetables which they chopped themselves. They prepared a meal of noodles, fried rice, sweet and sour veggies, salad and lemonade. The students played host to the village school children and engaged them in interactive games like Antakshri and two truths & a lie. The guest students relished and enjoyed the lovely meal prepared and served by the children which was followed by ice cream.
The evening saw the children enjoying zip lining, crossing the Burma Bridge, etc. At night, the students went for a night trek to observe the night sky and enjoy the stillness and nocturnal sounds of the mountain. The next day the students participated in the local school assembly. They performed a Nukkad Natak on gender discrimination to sensitize the local students on the importance of gender equality in all spheres of life whether it was education, employment, etc.
After a sumptuous lunch, the students headed back home on the long bus journey. It was an enriching and memorable experience for the students.
Trip to Land of Thousand Lakes-Finland
With enormous zeal and enthusiasm to see the happiest country of the world, our students boarded the plane to Helsinki, Finland.. Post their exhausting 9-hour flight, they were welcomed with freshly baked buns from the countryside and a comfortable and scenic bus ride to Iloranta.
Nestled in the midst of a gigantic lake and a plush forest, Iloranta offered a dreamy escape from the humdrum of city life. Students immersed themselves in activities that kept them immensely close to nature. They explored the forest and had an 'Alone-Time' experience where they had to listen to their inner sense and find their way through the forest populated by Birch and Maple trees. They learned forest survival basics- using the matchstick economically, sharpening wood, making fire, and boiling water. On the trails, they learnt about mushroom and berry picking- a favourite hobby of most of the Finns. They were taught to be careful to steer clear of the poisonous ones! The splendid silence of the environs was an excellent opportunity to listen to the sweet tunes of the birds, and what better to do than to ensure they stay!
Students learned how bird-houses were made and also planted one in the forest. The scenery was complete with wildflowers (which they wove into garlands), and sheep (that they fed). They attended a workshop hosted by a local, that taught them the process of spinning and felting wool. Considering this was a hands-on experience, they also got personalized souvenirs. Our students also went to the sauna, which is an integral part of the Finnish culture, and which is accompanied by a dip in the icy-cold lake!
A very appealing education system was being eagerly looked forward to. Students got the opportunity to visit a high school, a vocational school, and the HAMK University (Hameen Ammattikorkeakoulu) It was rather exciting for our students to interact with the Finnish students, and know about their subject choices, the environment in school, their co-curricular, the student body, school spaces, etc. They were quite surprised at the rarity of exams and of course, the fact that they didn’t have to wear uniforms!
One of the elements that made this trip unforgettable was the gastronomic adventure. While they got Indian food during all meals, the Finnish chefs prepared exquisite Finnish delicacies at all times. Students tried a variety of fish from the neighbouring lake, a fun selection of home-made jams and bread, and mouth-watering delicacies made from fresh produce.
It was heart-warming leaving the lovely hosts behind. But, students were all full of stories to bring home!
How To Raise Smarter Kids - Dr Inderbir Sandhu
To understand and help them attain their ward's true potential, PRG held an interaction with renowned Psychologist Dr. Inderbir Sandhu for the. parents of Grade Nursery to V which was attended by more than 100 enthusiastic parents. Dr. Sandhu shared her valuable inputs with parents and educators on how to unlock the true potential of a child – her talk was based on her recent book The Secrets to Raising a Smarter Child and she took the audience through several tools to make the best of your child’s natural abilities and harness all the dormant talents. These included valuable tips such as keeping the body hydrated to improve brain activity and how physical games especially table tennis and juggling maximize brain development. She also spoke about the effects of unstructured play, music, sleeping, and neuro-aerobics has on developing all parts of the brain.
