November 2024 | The Marian Chronicles

November Month

Dear Sancta Maria Community,

As November ushers in a season of reflection and gratitude, it also marks an exciting time in our school calendar. With each passing month, I am inspired by the remarkable dedication, passion, and unity that define Sancta Maria. From the youngest members in our Early Years programme to our seasoned seniors, we have witnessed continuous growth and incredible achievements this term.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our students who made us proud by winning medals at the ISSO Games and the SFA Championships. Their accomplishments are a testament to their hard work, resilience, and determination. This month, we also look forward to hosting the Festival of Amazing Learning, an inter-school competition that promises to foster creativity and inspire excellence among participants. Additionally, the upcoming Carnival will be a special event, offering our community an opportunity to explore the environment and experience the unique learning spirit at Sancta Maria.

Together, let’s continue fostering an environment where each student feels valued, encouraged, and challenged to reach their fullest potential.

Wishing everyone a joyful and fulfilling November.

Warm regards,
Hema Sanjay

In the Spotlight

Primary Students Trip to Singapore

Our Grade 4-5 students embarked on an exciting first international trip to Singapore, blending learning with fun as they explored the city’s culture, landmarks, and educational sites. The journey fostered independence, teamwork, and curiosity, leaving students with unforgettable memories and valuable lessons.

Middle School Trip to Udaipur and Ahmedabad

Our middle school students recently returned from an enriching trip to Udaipur and Ahmedabad, highlighted by an immersive workshop at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Station. This hands-on experience sparked their curiosity and expanded their knowledge of space.

High School: A Memorable Coorg Trip

Our High School students in Karnataka’s lush ghats explored the historic Omkareshwar Temple and the Tibetan Monastery, captured scenic views at Raja Seat, and enjoyed the serene Abbey Waterfalls. A highlight was the Dubare Elephant Camp, where students fed and admired elephants. In Mysore, they marvelled at the Mysore Palace, uncovering the rich history of the Wadiyar Dynasty. The trip concluded with visits to the Open Birds Aviary and HAL, where students gained insights into India’s aeronautical innovations.

Festival of Amazing Learning Malaysia

At Sancta Maria, cultivating curiosity and confidence is part of daily life! Ms. Hema Sanjay, our Principal and Mr. Venkat, our Math Department Lead, immersed themselves in the Festival of Amazing Learning 2024 in Malaysia, joining educators from ISP Malaysia, ISP India, and ISP Vietnam-Thailand. Representing Sancta Maria, they explored innovative ways to nurture lifelong learners. Their participation underscores our commitment to educational excellence, inspiring new approaches to empower both students and staff.

Happenings in the School

Creative Clay Moulding Fun for Our Little Learners

Our young learners enjoyed a clay moulding activity, shaping transportation models with impressive creativity. This hands-on experience sparked artistic expression while boosting fine motor, problem-solving, and social skills. The classroom buzzed with excitement as they proudly showcased their colourful creations.

Annual Scientifique Science Fair 2024-25: Igniting Passion for Science

We proudly hosted the Annual Scientifique Science Fair, where middle school students showcased their scientific curiosity in a thrilling 3-round competition. With Rapid-fire questions, “Guess Who Am I?” challenges, and engaging quizzes, students from all houses brought their best, inspiring a love for science. We’re excited to see what next year’s fair will bring!

Celebrating Collaboration, Curiosity, and Global Citizenship at Sancta Maria

Our Primary assembly was a showcase of teamwork and respect for diverse perspectives, featuring an inspiring song, skit, and dance performance. Our students embodied the values of collaboration and shared decision-making, leaving us all empowered. Additionally, our Grade 4 learners, guided by Global Greg, explored global citizenship. Together, these experiences build essential life skills, preparing our students to excel in all areas.

Laurels

ISSO National Basketball tournament!

Our U-19 Boys clinched Silver in the ISSO National Basketball tournament!

National Basketball tournament!

Congratulations to our U-14 Boys for securing Silver in the ISSO National Basketball tournament!

ISSO National Basketball tournament!

U-17 Boys brought home the Bronze in the ISSO National Basketball tournament!

Joana

Joana shined with a Gold win in U-17 Taekwondo at the ISSO National Games!

Joash

Joash triumphed with a Gold medal in U-14 Taekwondo at the ISSO National Games!

Aryan

Aryan earned a Bronze in U-14 Taekwondo at the ISSO National Games!

SFA tournament

Our U-16 Football team proudly won Silver in the SFA tournament!

Prarthana

Prarthana took home Bronze in U-10 Archery Recurve at the SFA Games!

Teacher’s Corner

Laila Anil Sam

Early Years Teacher

Every morning as I step into my classroom, I’m reminded why I left my Central Government job to embrace teaching. Being here with young minds, just beginning to explore their world, is a privilege I treasure deeply. My journey started long ago under Dr. Maria Montessori’s guidance and continued with Dr. Meenakshi Shivaramakrishna in Bangalore, who both showed me that children are naturally curious beings needing a nurturing space to grow—spaces we, as educators, are entrusted to create.

At Sancta Maria, I see this vision come to life every day. Just recently, I noticed a little girl sitting quietly as her classmates played with blocks. I knelt beside her, gently inviting her to join and assuring her that learning is a journey we take together. Little by little, she reached for a block, her eyes shining as she began building alongside her peers.

It’s in moments like these that I find my purpose. Years of training teachers has only strengthened my belief in child-centered learning, where each child blossoms with confidence, creativity, and curiosity. Being with them, I feel like a child myself—discovering, step by step, this beautiful world through their eyes.

Future pathways

University Fair: Exploring Future Pathways

Our school recently hosted a vibrant University Fair, bringing over 50 prestigious Indian universities to our campus. This event provided students with an invaluable opportunity to explore diverse career paths and academic programmes, directly engaging with university representatives. Students and parents gained insights into courses, admissions, scholarships, and campus life, empowering them to make informed choices about their future. The fair was a significant step in guiding our students toward achieving their career aspirations, sparking curiosity and excitement for the possibilities ahead.

Safeguarding

Responding to online abuse

Any child or young person can experience online abuse. If you’ve noticed something worrying, are concerned about something that’s happened, or a child or young person has spoken out about abuse, then it’s important you respond appropriately.
The guidance on this page will help you recognise and respond to online abuse, helping keep the children and young people you work or volunteer with safe.

What is online abuse?

Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the internet, using technology like computers, tablets, mobile phones, game consoles and other internet-enabled devices.

Children and young people may experience several types of abuse online, including:

bullying or cyberbullying
emotional abuse (including emotional blackmail)
harassment, stalking or other threatening behaviour
pressure or coercion to send sexual images
sexual abuse
sexual exploitation.

Children and young people may also be exposed to online harms, such as inappropriate behaviours or content online.

How online abuse happens

Online abuse can happen anywhere that allows digital communication, such as:

social media
text messages and messaging apps
email and private messaging
online chats
comments on video or live-streaming sites
chat in games, including voice chat
immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality

Perpetrators exploit digital technology to initiate, maintain and escalate abuse. They may also groom children and young people online, using online platforms to build a trusting relationship with the intention of abusing a child or young person.
Perpetrators will often try to engage with young people across a variety of online platforms. They may also encourage children to move conversations to platforms that use end-to-end encryption (NSPCC, 2021). This means only the sender and recipient can see the content of messages which makes it harder to identify threats to child safety.

Online abuse may:

be part of abuse that’s also happening face-to-face such as bullying or an abusive relationship
happen only online
start online then develop into contact abuse.

Children and young people can be at risk of online abuse from people they know offline, or from people they have only known online. Children may have a false sense of safety online, which means they’re more likely to talk to strangers. Perpetrators may also create anonymous profiles or pretend to be another child. This means children and young people may not realise who they’re speaking to (Hamilton-Giachritsis et al 2017).

Children and young people can also experience further abuse, or be revictimised, if abusive content is recorded, uploaded or shared by others online – whether the original abuse happened online or offline.

Our research has shown that the impact of ‘online’ and ‘offline’ abuse is the same, no matter how the abuse took place. (Hamilton-Giachritsis et al, 2017). However it happens, it can feel relentless and like there’s no escape.

Keeping children safe online

Make sure your staff and volunteers understand how to keep children safe online and know how to respond appropriately to concerns. This e-learning course covers topics including new and emerging online harms, sex and relationships online, keeping children safe from sexual abuse online and online bullying.