Page 28 - DAIS Insignia 2024-2025

FROM THE
LEARNING SUPPORT
IB DESK

Nurturing Hearts and Minds: The Student Care Department's
Guiding Role in a Compassionate Community

Excellence, At NMAJS and DAIS, we are committed to creating an inclusive and compassionate
learning environment where every child is encouraged to thrive. Recognizing the
Supporting strong link between academic success and emotional wellbeing, we have built a
robust support system to ensure students feel seen, heard, and valued.
At the heart of this commitment is our 14-member Student Care Department
—comprising seven learning support specialists, five counsellors, and two
The IBDP Office takes pride
in being at the heart of the occupational therapists—who work together to uphold inclusion and wellbeing.
journey of our Year 11 and The team provides tailored academic and emotional support for students with
Year 12 students. Students temporary or long-term challenges, including those with special educational
coming f rom different needs (SEN), and offers counselling and pastoral care to address emotional or
Mr. Sunil Makwana Ms. Soma Basu Ms. Nitika Gupta boards are not only guided behavioural concerns. Ms. Rachana Shah
through the rigours of the
Assistant IBDP Coordinator IBDP Coordinator Associate IBDP Coordinator International Baccalaureate Working closely with educators, families, and external professionals, the Head of Learning Support
Diploma Programme but department supports students in developing lifelong skills for resilience and self-
also to support their holistic development—academically, emotionally, and socially. confidence. This collaborative approach strengthens our culture of care and
This year, 111 students from the Class of 2025 appeared for the IBDP May board examinations. We are confident in their ensures no child feels alone in their journey.
performance and look forward to celebrating their well-deserved success. The IBDP Office has worked closely with the academic A key pillar of our efforts is our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, which promotes values like respect, resilience, and
departments, student care team, and college placements office to ensure that each student is supported to meet their potential. inclusion. This year, our team co-facilitated lessons across grades on inclusion, conflict resolution, and perspective-taking. To
Beyond academics, our students have actively pursued a wide array of co-curricular and extracurricular passions. From intense extend this shared understanding, we hosted workshops for parents and educators on topics such as Wellbeing of Parents and
participation in competitive sports and robotics, to eloquent debates in Model United Nations, winning highest awards at World Students, Expectations and Pressure, and Nurturing Curiosity, all tailored to developmental stages. A highlight was a session
Economics Cup our students continue to showcase remarkable balance. We are especially proud of our Year 11 students who
chaired committees at the prestigious THIMUN Hague 2025 conference—a testament to their leadership and diplomatic skills. by the psychiatrist Dr. Somil Savla on Self-Esteem and Body Image for secondary parents.
We also celebrate the exceptional achievement of three Grade 11 students who received Grand Awards at the Regeneron Our newly introduced occupational therapy services, including our Sensory Room, further support students in applying
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2025 as their investigative research project focus on human and animal health functional skills to the classroom—deepening our holistic approach.
and environment. In academic competitions, students appeared for examinations like Avogadro, Physics Bowl with several
achieving perfect scores—an extraordinary feat. The CAS programme of year 11 enabled students to tailor their own experiences as This year, we proudly shared our wellbeing philosophy at two significant platforms. At the NEASC Leadership Conference in
they visited personally relevant NGOs thus making service more meaningful. In grade 12, students collaborated and showed a Boston (Nov 2024), we presented our subjective wellbeing approach alongside school leaders. In April 2025, we participated in
strong engagement with global issues such as access to financial education, fundraising through sport and online events and the IB ZEN DEN SEL Meet hosted by Aditya Birla World Academy, where I joined a fireside chat on AI and SEL, exploring the
raising language proficiency in their CAS projects. The DP core has strengthened the reflective and critical thinking skills amongst responsible use of AI to enhance students' emotional growth.
the DP students contributing to the transformative learning journey. Through collaboration and care, wellbeing is woven into the fabric of school life—where compassion, inclusion, and belonging
Our teachers and mentors have worked relentlessly behind the scenes, ensuring that every student is nurtured and encouraged. guide everything we do.
The IBDP Office remains a pillar of support for students and parents alike, characterized by empathetic leadership and a deep
understanding of the evolving educational landscape.
We are particularly proud that diploma students have upheld the values of academic integrity, especially in the ethical use of AI in
their learning. Their triumph is not just in results, but in character. The Library is a welcoming
Our students continue to inspire us with their drive, and we remain committed to walking alongside them—every step of the way. hub for students from Grade 1
to Grade 12. This year, we were LIBRARY
e xc i te d to e x p a n d o u r
CURRICULUM & ACCREDITATION services through satellite
libraries across the campus, making reading and learning more accessible to all.
These curated collections bring books and resources closer to students in every
The 2024–25 academic year at DAIS and NMAJS division.
has been defined by a shared commitment
to aligning our educational vision with the Our libraries offer a wide range of reading materials, including multilingual and
DAIS-NMAJS Strategic Plan 2023–2028 and culturally diverse titles, as well as spaces to showcase student work. We celebrate
recommendations from recent IB programme (PYP, MYP, DP) evaluations and CIS- global citizenship through engaging displays that reflect our school values and
NEASC reaccreditation. highlight literature from around the world. Special events like International
Mother Language Day and Reading in Difficult Times brought our community
At the heart of this effort have been Academic Team meetings, led by our Vice-
Chairperson, which fostered shared curricular expectations and system-level together to explore language, culture, and empathy.
alignment across both campuses. A strategic review of curriculum handbooks from We also continued to build strong connections with families and teachers. Our
Lower Kindergarten to Grade 8 was completed to ensure vertical continuity and annual Book Exhibition invited the school community to discover new titles and
coherence, with backward mapping used to link IGCSE and IBDP outcomes. These celebrate literature. Librarians worked closely with faculty and students,
efforts reflect our commitment to Domains C (Curriculum) and D (Teaching and Ms. Lorna Mac Iver supporting research skills, academic integrity, and book exploration. In the Junior
Assessing for Learning) of the CIS-NEASC framework. Head of Library school, the Read Your Way event was a highlight this year, with specialist teachers
Four key academic policies—Assessment, Language, Inclusion, and Academic sharing their love of stories by reading aloud to primary students.
Dr. Swarnalatha Potukuchi Integrity—were updated and disseminated, establishing unified expectations
Whole School Curriculum Coordinator around curriculum, instruction, and digital learning. Simultaneously, the school A major milestone this year was the Western Region Librarians' Meet, organized and hosted by the library teams of DAIS and
NMAJS. Bringing together librarians from 23 IB schools across western India, the event offered workshops and presentations
& Accreditation Coordinator advanced its whole-school wellbeing agenda. Monthly Parent Workshops fostered on literacy, research, and innovation, including the use of AI in libraries. The conference celebrated the vital role librarians play
strong school–home connections, while the Wellbeing Pilot Project saw the
finalisation of the Secondary Student Wellbeing Survey and the development of a Teacher Perception Survey. The professional in student learning and sparked an ongoing network of collaboration.
learning session "Co-opt, Corroborate and Co-create" further reinforced our evidence-informed, student-centred wellbeing Throughout the year, students were encouraged to explore the collection, make resource recommendations, and develop as
practices. Policy development continued to evolve through deep collaboration. New and revised policies—on Wellbeing, confident, curious readers and seekers of information. Research and digital literacy were integrated into the curriculum
Responsible Use of AI, the Pastoral Framework, Behaviour and Discipline, Gifted and Talented Education, Curriculum and through lessons in the library and classrooms, helping students navigate print sources, databases, websites, and online tools
Instruction, and School Trips—reflect a dynamic, forward-thinking approach to leadership and community engagement.
Together, these initiatives exemplify our ongoing strategy of Reflection, Review, and Realignment, ensuring a unified, future- with skill and responsibility.
ready vision for academic excellence and holistic growth at DAIS and NMAJS. It's been a year of discovery, learning, and connection in the Library. We look forward to the chapters still to come!

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