“May you become the architect of your future
And… your entire life be a work of art.
May your dreams transcend reality
May you turn tiny sparks of opportunity into flames of achievement
May you live life with unbridled exhilaration
And…
May God always hold you in the hollow of his hand.”…These words convey the ardent wishes of every educational institution….its team of teachers and staff, for every child who traverses his/her educational sojourn and one day crosses the portals of his alma mater carrying dreams and cherished memories. For us at R.N.Podar School each child is precious and if we could, we would handhold him/her for the rest of life. But…the school of life beckons and we let go with a heavy heart. We move on with renewed vigour, firm in our belief that we have done our best, our intentions were always pure; may life shower its choicest blessings on all our students.

Nothing could generate as much enthusiasm among school going kids as learning mathematics, English, environmental studies, outside the four walls of the classroom, on the playground playing dodge ball , throw ball and having a field day quite literally ‘on the field’.

Education through sports is the latest watchword in the field of school teaching.  PEC-INDIA (Physical Education Cards--India programme) is an outcome of the collaborative efforts of The Governments of India (under CBSE-Board) and the United Kingdom (specifically the British Council) to strengthen the delivery of the Primary Physical Education Curriculum under the International Inspiration Programme. 

 R.N.Podar School was privileged to have been chosen by the CBSE, to pilot an exhibition event to demonstrate the impact that PEC Activity has been able to make on young students through the power of sports. 5 schools from Mumbai with 20 students each were part of the event which was held at PODAR GROUNDS, on 4th December '09.

Apart from students of R.N.Podar there were teams from Gopi Birla High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya Bhandup, KV 3 Colaba and DAV Panvel. Armed with bean bags, hoola hoops, rings, balls etc. the energetic bunch of youngsters demonstrated agility, balance and coordination through specially designed age-specific activities. The activities reached completion with a recap of all that was learned in the process of playing, such as names of body parts, factors in Mathematics, States and their Capitals, spellings etc.

Iken Scientifica 2009 - Making Science Make Sense

Bayer and Axiom Education provided a unique opportunity for scientific quest to students of Classes V and VI by introducing them to the internationally acclaimed program, 'Making Science Make Sense'. The program involves a fundamental change in how science is taught; shifting away from the text book approach to one that is hands-on, inquiry-based and experiential.

A plethora of student –friendly, engaging and interactive methods were employed to help students explore science on topics such as Finger print and paper chromatography, Hydraulic Bridge and Air Zooka. Students were introduced to the concept of hydraulics; reasons for using liquids and gases in transmitting power etc. They also learnt to make rockets using a normal soda bottle and water as fuel. Detailed information was given on important subject matter like gravity, aero dynamics and use of fuels to oppose the force of gravitational pull.

In addition to making students scientifically literate, the program has aided in the development of analytical skills, critical thinking, problem solving and team working. It goes without saying that our youngsters are looking forward to more such sessions in the near future.

‘Creative Craft,’ an initiative of Pidilite Industries Limited, conducted an art and craft contest on 16th December ’09 for students of Classes I to IX to create further awareness, knowledge and skill in the field of Art& Craft.

The theme of the contest was ‘My Mother My World’ wherein participants were encouraged to express love for their mother through the creative medium of art and craft. It was a visual treat to witness creativity in various forms and expressions; Classes I and II made greeting cards thanking their mothers for showering them with selfless love and compassion; Classes III and IV made attractive photo frames to capture their special moments with loved ones. Reduce, reuse and recycle was the theme for classes V &VI as they were taught to make attractive tribal mask wall hangings out of waste material. Senior classes learnt the fine art of designing Madhubani paintings on neatly crafted multi-purpose cloth bags.

Children and books are inseparable. Stories of childhood leave an indelible impression on children because these ‘minds alive on shelves’ are Echoes of the Heart. The little sheets of paper speak to them, comfort them and open their hearts to them; just as siblings do. R.N.Podar’s annual event could not have found a better theme than books…. ‘Kitaabein’ … Kyunki -- “Kitabein kartein hain batein…”

The literary rhapsody held on December 23rd 2009 traced the growing years of children in the companionship of books they read; the medium of music, dance and visual art, were used to bring alive the world of children through the eyes of books they read......"kitabein kuch kehna chahtein hain, tumhare paas rehna chahtein hain."

The programme touched base with a poignant power point presentation that sought to drive home the truth that there comes a point in children’s lives when books become a source of stress, as the clamour for marks takes an ugly turn.  Educational reforms are geared in the right direction and hopefully will bring back the pleasure of reading into the lives of our youth.

 Podar Grounds burst into life with each performance and portrayal executed with poise, grace and oodles of confidence by students from classes I to X. There was 100% participation with 100% perspiration executed to 100% perfection.

An outstanding event as this required the august presence of distinguished dignitaries; it was none other than Mr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman & Secretary CBSE who was the Chief Guest for the occasion, along with Ms. Sadhna Parashar (Education Officer, CBSE), Dr. Pawan Podar (Trustee Podar Group), Principals of Podar group of schools and of course the most important guests, our parents who came in large numbers to witness the event.

“Right attitudes are caught, not taught”. The school assembly when properly directed furnishes life situations, unifies the school, reveals new talents, reflects community interests, widens the student’s horizon and contributes towards building responsible citizenship.

Special Assemblies at R.N.Podar School have always been important occasions that warrant hard work, good planning and flawless execution. The months of January and February saw an extremely interesting array of assemblies put forth by various classes on diverse, thought provoking and socially relevant topics.

PRIMARY

Makar Sankranti celebrations across the different states of India was the theme of Class III-A’s assembly; some students explained the scientific reason behind the celebration of this festival while others depicted the movement of the Sun into the northern hemisphere. The medium of music, dance and drama added gaiety to the celebrations along with specially cooked traditional food (from various parts of the country) which forms an integral part of the festivities.

Class II-C chose to give a fillip to every child’s confidence with their carefully chosen subject matter, ‘Every Child is a Hero’. The assembly reiterated the fact that there is a hero within each one of us; all we need to do is to have faith in ourselves and wonders will happen. Students gave examples of some of the leading lights of our world such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Barack Obama, Sachin Tendulkar, to name a few.

‘Recycling’- an excellent way of saving energy and conserving the environment; this was the message conveyed by Class IV C’s assembly. These young advocates of environment protection attempted to acquaint the audience with the Three R’s: recycle, reduce, reuse; if practised by every denizen on this planet, can help conserve resources and reduce the amount of pollution generated.
 In today’s age of eating predominantly fast food often termed as junk food where taste has overtaken nutrition for many, it becomes imperative to underline the importance of ‘Healthy Eating’, which Class II D undertook as an important mission in their assembly.  The benefits of a balanced diet were put across very effectively. Eating junk food was declared a big NO!

The importance of electricity in our lives cannot be undermined; at the same time we need to use it judiciously-this was conveyed by Class III C in their special assembly titled, ‘Save Electricity’. Students enacted a skit to portray the marked difference between the lives of people in cities and those in villages, all due to the presence or absence of something as essential to livelihood as electricity.

‘Laughter is the best medicine’, this maxim was proved true in every respect when students of Class II A used every day incidents, jokes and videos to hold the audience in splits during ‘Laughter’, which was the theme of their assembly.

Students of Class VIII C emphasized the importance of budget making, expenditure, pocket money and charity, in their assembly titled ‘Value of Money’. Putting into practise their theme, several representatives of the class visited an old age home and an orphanage where they distributed clothes, stationery and sweets.

 ‘Unity in Diversity ’was beautifully portrayed by VIII D students as they sought to promote the idea of  ‘One in Mind’ which if realized by mankind can help us overcome differences of caste, creed, race, religion and thereby cultivate the spirit of humanity.

Class VIII A conducted their special assembly on the theme ‘India-Down the ages’. Held on the eve of the 61st Republic Day, the assembly took its audience down memory lane, revisiting the freedom struggle in an effort to infuse patriotic sentiments in the present generation of Indian youth.

Students of VII B touched upon the most subtle subject-‘Appreciation’. To quote Alan Cohen-- ’Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts’.

The assembly drove home the point that we are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey, especially the goodness of people we meet on the way.  So let us resolve to appreciate the beauty of life thereby life itself shall become a gift of discovery.

With educational reforms making headlines almost every day could our assemblies leave the subject unattended? Certainly not!  VII D had decided on Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation as their theme, which required them to do in-depth research on the importance of this new system of formative and summative evaluation; its benefits and advantages .The medium of role play was adopted to personify various subjects such as MCQ, LIFE SKILLS, GRADING SYSTEM, PROJECTS etc. A carefree, light-hearted boy who posed himself as CCE grabbed everybody’s attention and was successful in delivering  the golden mantra of today’s education i.e. ‘Learning should be knowledge based and not just for the sake of marks.’

19th January 2010: Students of VII- C spread the message of determination through the subject ‘Resolution’. The assembly emphasized on the meaning, importance and need for making resolutions in our lives.

1st February 2010: This was the day when Class VI-B conducted its ‘Special Assembly’ based on the theme ‘Tolerance begets peace’. It drove home the point that tolerance needs to be practiced in one’s day to day life. The interesting mix of role play, power point presentation, quiz, song and oath taking ceremony compelled the young audience to introspect on their personal level of tolerance.

VISION 2010

In a bid to make experiential learning a practical reality, with heightened focus on knowledge creation and interdisciplinary learning , VISION 2010 was a step into the future which would prepare Gen’Y’ to face the new millennium.

On Republic Day 2010, celebrations had acquired a new meaning in the dictionary of Podar CBSE Secondary students as they opened the floodgates of learning (in this case their classrooms) to the multitudes of parents who came in large numbers to perceive young scientists, mathematicians, historians and literary enthusiasts exhibit their skills of experimentation, business acumen, archaeological skills and game planning, all under one roof.

From fire fighting robots, to an economically designed sound system to R.N.Podar’s indigenously produced telescope, students had done their own research, experimented, innovated and applied their skills to deliver outstanding results. Visitors to the school marvelled at the confidence of youngsters who spoke with confidence about their projects, prepared perfect presentations and appeared well versed with every topic of study. The exercise did wonders to their self esteem.

Not to be outdone, our Primary kids of classes I – V greeted Republic Day with a display of their educational aptitude on the playground. This time the integration of sports and learning was demonstrated to parents at Podar Grounds with the excellent support of PEC cards; synonyms, antonyms, area and perimeter, countries and their flags, all became an integral part of this distinctive learning exercise.

We are immensely proud of our young achievers who ceaselessly hone their talents and test their mettle against all odds to emerge winners. 

Amulya Nanda of Std. II-A, added yet another feather to her cap and made us immensely proud by winning two gold medals in the under-8 category of  the National Skating Competition held at Chandigarh.

It was a matter of immense pride for the entire school when our taekwondo experts belonging to Std. III, IV and V stood first and won the Grand Trophy in the ‘25th Asian Jeet Kune - Do Championship 2009’ organized by the World Jeet Kune-Do Federation at Goregaon Sports Complex.

Vineet Thakker (I A) stood first in the State Level 12th Annual Cycle Race organised by Nerul Gymkhana Club.

Our girls have declared their presence in the football arena with the formation of the All Girls Football Team whose teamwork and consistency will see them making their mark in football matches at various events across the city and beyond.

FAREWELL

                By Noopur Sen

“Don't be dismayed at goodbyes.
       A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. 
                                    And meeting again, after moments or lifetime,
                                                    Is certain for those who are friends. “
                                                                                                            ~~Richard Bach

16th January 2010, a date that sparked frenzied debate over dress or saree, agonizing discussions over the right accessories and deeply contemplative conversation about the “good old days”; finally rolled around on a wintry Saturday. The occasion was a solemn one, with Class XI truly heartbroken at the idea of bidding their seniors goodbye. However, as the evening unfolded, the mood became anything but melancholy. The outgoing twelfthers chose to arrive fashionably late and… when they came it was an enchanting combination of rich gold and black that held everyone bewitched. Podar Grounds wore a well groomed look as a bevy of beautiful girls sashayed about in sarees and dresses while boys had donned sophisticated attire instead of the usual tee –shirts; some dressed in formals for the first time. Class XI entertained the audience with dances, songs and a skit, while our teachers got everybody sniffing with their heart warming speeches.  Let us always remember that,”Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I'll miss you until we meet again!”

On 21st January 2010, students of Class XI were invited by the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, to attend an exhibition planned under collaboration with various companies in the oil sector such as SPE International, CAIRN, and Halliburton etc. The objective was to provide awareness on latest processes in oil exploration as well as about career opportunities available in the oil and gas sector.

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you... while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

“A new adventure starting,
Filled with sun, sea and sand,
we’d like to wish you luck,
as your horizons now expand,
It’s time to say Adios.”

 A Good Luck party – conglomeration of joys and tears, dismay and ecstasy, thrill and excitement, solemnity and frivolity, was organized at Podar Hall for Class X and XII students on 17 February 2010. The hall wore a spectacular look with students and staff clad in royal blue and black-the colour code of the day. The occasion commenced with lighting of the lamp followed by prayer ceremony and good luck blessings.
 Mrs. Avnita Bir, the Principal, wished students the very best in life. Her message to them was simple yet memorable,” Wherever you may find yourself and whatever challenge you may have chosen to follow and explore - hold true to what shaped your yesterdays; acknowledge and appreciate what you are today and dare to be all that you can be tomorrow! This is the challenge that lies before you. Dare to be all that you can be. Dare to chase your chosen career, to excel ,to go the extra mile, to make your mark in the world, to have empathy and dare to be the best you can be... and then DO it.”  Teachers could not help but reminiscence the wonderful experience of guiding and mentoring their students. A visibly overwhelmed group of young men and women shared the rollercoaster rides they had undertaken at R. N. Podar School campus.

Outdoor exploration spells excitement, exhilaration, anticipation and joy in abundance especially for the precocious group of primary kids of Classes III and IV, who were taken to the Mangrove Wetlands of Vikhroli and Sewri Fort in the last week of February 2010.The study of mangroves is a part of the primary curriculum and the trip organized by Trailblazers-The Outdoor School, proved to be a firsthand experience of the mangrove wilderness. This biologically rich area boasts of 205 species of birds, 15 species of mangrove plants, 33 species of reptiles, seven species of prawns, 15 species of crabs, 22 species of fish, numerous other organisms, including mammals like mongoose, jackals and jungle cats, all within the municipal limits of a metropolis like Mumbai!

The area is also a bird’s paradise with over a million birds flying this way for winter migration, chief among which are the flamingos. Students were wonderstruck with all this information and enjoyed watching the fiery red spectacle that flamingos provided. A memorable trip was made delectable with quality lunch at Pizza Hut! Once back in class the next day, teachers guided students to make charts displaying all the information that had been collected.

• The onset of notifications of various entrance exams brought about an increase in the number of parents and students seeking information and guidance on different career choices.
• An orientation program for the parents and students of Std X was organized wherein admission criteria and the CBSE curriculum for Std.XI were addressed.
• Parents and students of Std. XII science stream were given a detailed presentation on various careers, application processes and entrance exams. Options and scope for studying in Singapore was also discussed in detail.
• Alerts regarding entrance exams for various professional courses are continuously being sent. The same can be accessed on the website – www.rnpsmentor.org .