"Children
excel at whatever they do if they enjoy
doing it. Therefore, our goal is to
make their learning experience vibrant
and enjoyable and their quest for knowledge
never ending" |
Nita
M. Ambani |
|
We set out on an exhilarating journey in the year
2003, with new directions and new dreams, to make
a difference to the lives of our children. Our overarching
objective has been to enable children discover the
world in enjoyable ways, while imparting values
and attributes that would stand them in good stead
and help lead productive and fulfilling lives. We
believe that children should be encouraged to aim
high and guided to do their best in everything they
do so they achieve full potential. We see academic
excellence as an outcome of what we do every day
here. While focusing on their areas of interest,
it should help them explore a wider horizon and
acquire new wings. At the heart of each of our endeavours
has been this noble aspiration, this exemplary quest
- to imbibe excellence and develop an all-round
personality in our children. This is embodied in
the school's motto: 'Dare
to Dream… Learn to Excel'.
Children blossom when they are encouraged and
challenged to think critically and creatively. It
is when they grow being aware and appreciative of
their own history, culture and traditions, while
being willing to welcome alternative views of the
world, that they expand their horizon and empower
themselves to cope with and rise above every challenge.
It is by infusing in them the spirit of enterprise,
emotional resilience, moral uprightness, strength
of character and by facilitating their physical
well-being that an educational experience becomes
enriching and sustainable. Children will make a
difference when they are developed to be incisive
thinkers, confident communicators, self-directed
learners and well-balanced human beings.
We believe this goal of a holistic education can
be best achieved by providing education opportunities
that synthesize internationally acclaimed pedagogical
practices with India's rich educational heritage.
These are the inspirations for our offerings across
classes LKG to 12 - the ICSE, the IGCSE and the
IB Diploma programmes. The membership of the Cambridge
International Primary Programme further helps the
school in enhancing the breadth and depth of the
curriculum.
We feel gratified that all these years, the school
has successfully prepared our children to enjoy
and excel both in the classroom and outside it.
These are exemplified in their outstanding performance
in the examinations, the eclectic mix of activities
they engage in, the ability to work individually
and in teams, and their celebration of diversity
and internationalism, among other attributes and
accomplishments.
The first five batches of our IB Diploma students
have achieved remarkable results in their examinations,
with scores well above the international average.
The Class of 2009 achieved an average Diploma score
of 37. Our graduates have gained admission to the
world's top universities such as Oxford, Cambridge,
Imperial, London School of Economics, Harvard, Stanford,
Princeton, Yale, U-Penn, Carnegie Mellon, Brown
and Northwestern, to name a few. Our graduates from
the Class of 2009 have earned admission offers from
32 of the world's top 50 universities (World University
Ranking by the 'Times Higher Education Supplement').
Our students have also joined India’s leading
colleges. Several reputable universities, which
include Stanford, Brown, Princeton, Yale, U-Penn,
NYU-Stern, LSE, University of British Columbia,
McGill, University of Alberta and University of
Hong Kong, have offered scholarships to our students.
The first four batches of our ICSE and IGCSE students
have also achieved outstanding results. In the IGCSE
examinations held in 2009, 52.7% of all grades earned
were A* grades (95% or better) and 34.5% of all
grades achieved were A grades. Thus, 87.1% of all
grades achieved were A* and A grades, whereas the
world average for 2009 is 33%. In the ICSE examinations
of 2009, the school's average score was 91%; our
topper has scored 96.14% and 71% of our students
have scored 90% or above.
The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model
United Nations (DAIMUN) plays a key role in fostering
students' leadership potential and commitment to
civic engagement. In 2006, our school received affiliation
to The Hague International Model United Nations
(THIMUN) which marks a significant achievement for
us, being the only school from India and the whole
of South Asia to achieve this honor. The ‘Paigaam’
Peace Conference at the school works towards building
a harmonious relationship with people from across
the border and it has significantly contributed
to our students’ leadership attributes and
global-mindedness. Through the Annual Day “I
Have A Dream” our children have eloquently
portrayed the several challenges like climate change
and socio-political conflicts that the world faces
and how we should gear up to address them.
In 2008, the school earned Regional Membership
of ‘Round Square’ – a global organization
that aims to develop every student as a whole person,
founded on international understanding, democracy,
environment, adventure, leadership, and service.
Our students participate in the International Award
for Young People (IAYP) which focuses on overall
development of young adults by challenging them
in four areas - physical recreation, skills, service
and expeditions. The Regular Membership of the Council
of International Schools (CIS) that the school received
in 2008 is yet another proof of our focus on delivering
the highest standards of education.
We believe that children must grow up with a sense
of care and concern for society and the environment.
The school encourages a wide range of activities
including service to the community through the Creativity,
Action and Service Programme and the Socially Useful
Productive Work Programme. Our children work with
several NGOs which include Advitya, Akanksha, CCDT,
Muktangan, Pratham, Goonj and Ishara. This spirit
of caring and service is resonated in the school's
efforts to facilitate the education of children
in slum areas through the "Dhirubhai Ambani
International School Akanksha Centre". The
‘Across the Road’ service project also
supports children in the slum areas adjacent to
the school in their educational and developmental
needs. The CASa de Fiesta ‘United for Mumbai’
organized in 2009 elicited wholehearted participation
of every constituent of the school community, raising
substantial funds for the NGOs our students work
with.
In 2008 we set up the Dhirubhai Ambani International
School Study & Activity Center at Matheran on
a lush green, sprawling 18 acre campus. Today this
centre is in full bloom, giving our children the
opportunity to experience exciting outdoor environment,
to share moments of reflection and to excel in sports.
In a fitting tribute to our sporting accomplishments,
in 2008, the school was adjudged the best co-educational
school in sports in Mumbai by the Mumbai Schools
Sports Association.
Our students have done their best to excel and
fulfill their dreams by making the most of their
potential. What our school has achieved is a celebration
of the aspirations and commitment of every member
of the school’s community and our extended
family of well-wishers. Parents aspire to provide
the best of education for their children: a firm
foundation in knowledge and skills and enduring
values. Parents are therefore integral to the realization
of our goals and their overwhelming trust in what
we do has always been a great inspiration.
The school’s focus on attracting the finest
of faculty from India and across the world is a
testimony to our belief in and practice of merit.
Nurturing the talent in every child, awakening and
illuminating their intellect in many ways and helping
them develop extensive interests, our teachers enrich
and enhance our children’s learning experiences
in multi-dimensional ways. As our school continues
to define new benchmarks and scale new heights to
make a difference to the lives of our children,
and through them, to make the world a better place
for everyone, we look forward to building on this
culture of excellence and embodiment of values.
We welcome you to Dhirubhai Ambani International
School, to a world of learning in enjoyable ways,
to a world where every child is encouraged and challenged
to grow to his or her full potential.
Nita M. Ambani
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