Journey

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…”

It was a spectacle to behold, nothing short of a scene from a thriller movie! Six years ago, on a drizzly day in July… we teachers waited anxiously with our eyes fixed on the threshold waiting for the first batch of students to step in. Nervous toddlers met equally nervous teachers to embark on the journey of learning, discovery and passion for life and dreams.   Soon the sounds of laughter in the corridors, cheers of jubilant victors on the field, chants of math tables in the classrooms, the hustle bustle of busy teachers and the juicy gossip in the staffroom breathed life into the once inanimate school building.

I distinctly remember how much we teachers looked forward to the welcome mails from HR introducing new teachers on board. ‘Friday whole school meeting’ used to be a welcome respite from the stressful week where we teachers unwound from the daily routine to relaxing sessions of yoga, art, music, dance, games, reading, expert talks etc. It has always been a sacrosanct time kept aside for teachers to have a heart to heart sharing session that would leave us truly inspired by the ideas and talents of our colleagues. Over the years we celebrated many unique events, one of which was ‘Past meets present’ where children invited their grandparents to recreate the experience of their heydays. The grandeur of NIS events caught the media attention quickly and in no time we made news in notable press media like My Powai, DNA, the Times group and the likes. It was a momentous feat for our school to get featured in the ‘Great Indian Schools’ segment on the Republic World channel.

Just as the seasons change, the school transitioned from the seasons of field trips to assessments to report cards to open houses to sports days to cultural days and so on. A school that had started off with a meagre number of forty in 2014 grew on to offer IBDP and A levels in 2020, now accommodating over 1000+ students. The journey was marked by many incredible milestones that included winning global recognition through the ISA award and being awarded as the Top International School in Mumbai by Times Education.

Being one of the veteran teachers I visualise our school as a huge banyan tree held firm in its place by the strong roots of the core attributes laid by the senior teachers upon which the new generation thrives and flourishes, experiencing the true freedom of creativity and bringing about the reformative change in society. The sporadic recruitments of new joiners bring fresh energy and ideas to the school ethos. It is amazing to see how effortlessly and naturally the young educators are able to bond with children. To me NIS has come to become not just a progressive school but the way of life. With its ever evolving culture and ample professional development opportunities, NIS is ‘the place’ for the educationists who are looking to satiate their thirst for knowledge and personal growth. In all these years if there is one thing that has stayed constant, is our belief in the unique strengths and potential of our every child and the zest to stay committed to our mission of providing global opportunities to learners so that they can realise their dreams.

Priyanka Laad

February 2020