Term II

Welcome to the Second Term of the academic year 2008-2009. The curricular activities that go on in classrooms every day that makes RBS a special school is too numerous to mention here. However, we would like to share with you events and activities that make this term even more meaningful for the RBS family. This includes the whole RBS family: students, teachers as well as parents. Please take a few minutes to read and enjoy this newsletter.

Indian Model United Nations 2008 (INMUN 2008)

Thirteen senior Rato Bangala students represented RBS at INMUN in Delhi. Hosted by Ryan International School, there were over 50 delegations representing different countries, and over 500 students participating. Besides the various schools in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia were represented. RBS represented Nepal with two delegations from Indonesia and Japan.

Abiral Pant, Ashraya Dixit, Akanchha Karki, Bibhusha Pradhan, Aditi Pandey, Shaswat Satyal, Darshan Shakya and Ayesha Shakya from A2 and Diwas Neupane, Alina Pokhrel, Bonita Singh Basnyat, Ira Regmi, Prashant P Shah from A1 participated. The team left for Delhi on Wednesday, 15 October, accompanied by two faculty members, Unit II coordinator Ms. Rekha Pandey and A level teacher Ms Shama Chettri. Abiral was a delegate of Indonesia in the Security Council.

We congratulate all the participants and particularly Diwas Neupane for being selected as the best delegate in the International Monetary Fund. Diwas was representing Japan at the conference. Congratulations!!!

SAT and PSAT

Rato Bangala is a SAT and PSAT examination center. We had about 150 students take the SAT I and SAT II in October 4, and there will be a similar SAT sitting at Rato Bangala on November 1, 2008. 108 students from grades 10 and A1 took their PSAT on Wednesday, 15 October. The PSAT is a diagnostic test where reports on students' strength and weaknesses are reported back to them.

Blogging Project

The Royal Danish Embassy has developed a project by which students in Denmark get to know students in other parts of the world by communicating with them thorough personal blogs. The Danish Embassy decided to work with RBS as the host school in had two other schools, Budhanilkantha and St. Mary's School participate. The workshop to develop personal blog sites took place during October 17-19. Experts from Denmark conducted the training, and over 40 students from these schools had a good opportunity to learn a new IT skill.

Alok Adhikari, Amrisha Vaidya, Anom Shakya, Arogya Koirala, Bibek Babu Pokharel, Bikranta Malla, Dixit Poudel, Mimansha Joshi, Pragyan Shrestha, Prajjwol Gautam, Prasoon Karmacharya, Prateek Tuladhar, Robin Sharma, Sadan Lamichhane and Shristi Ghimire from A Level participated.

After the three-day workshop, three students from each school were selected to make videos on issues they thought were important to them. Alok, Bibek and Shristi were chosen from RBS. We wish them luck.

Change makers

British Council was in search of potential Change makers to take part in the Guilford Forum, 2009. We are proud to state that this year too, two Rato Bangala students have been selected for the Forum. Congratulations goes to Akanchha Karki and Sabrina Singh. We know you will represent your country and your school well and do us proud.

Stand Up and Take Action

The Art of Living ventured to make Mission Green Earth Stand Up Take Action happen all round the world. On September 29, Grade IX students went to Mrigasthali, (the site assigned to Rato Bangala School by the organizers) and planted 550 trees. On the 17th of October, during morning assembly the whole school congregated in the Basketball Court and took a pledge to join in the Mission Green Earth. We do hope that by participating in these activities students learn to take care of the environment on a daily basis by not wasting water, by avoiding use of plastics, by recycling etc.

Assembly

Grade 8 A and 8 B carried out a combined Assembly this year. It was the first time the two grades worked together for the assembly, and that too at a musical 'The Sound of Music'. After a month long practice and rehearsals, Grade 8 was able to impress the audience with their performance, which included a Nepali skit, 'Pinda Ko Parinam'.

Kedarparitoshik Puraskar

Sangharsha Thapa of New Horizon English Boarding School, Butwal, Rupandehi got the highest marks in Nepali by scoring 93%. This award was supposed to be given during Bhanu Jayanti celebration, but because we did not receive the information from the Examination Controller's Office, we finally gave the award in September in a small ceremony during the morning assembly.

Bhanu Jayanti celebration at RBS consist awarding students for their Chanda recitation, awarding students for their best essay (Bidhya Puraskar), and awarding the Kedarparitoshik Puraskar. These awards are Rato Bangala's contribution to celebrating the Nepali language and ensuring that schools around the Valley and beyond also start giving emphasis to understanding and appreciating the nuances and richness of the Nepali language.

Mha Puja and Tihar Celebrations

We would like to thank the parents of Grade IV for organizing such a wonderful Mha Puja celebration. We know how much careful planning, meticulous organization and active participation is required to make this event a success. Without the concerted effort of the Parent Representatives, the Mha Puja Committee, all the parents and the teachers, this celebration would not have been what it was on the 22nd of October. All involved enjoyed the variety of food and appreciated the chance to learn about the Newari culture As the years go by, the celebration becomes more authentic and students as well as parents and teachers get to learn more.

Bhailo and Luxmi Puja are also a part of the curriculum celebrated by the other grades in Unit One. The Tihar festivities were celebrated in Unit One with gusto in Friday October 24. While Grade I took goodies for Luxmi Puja home in baskets they made themselves, Grade II went around the school singing Bhailo and Deusi. The other grades were involved in making Rangoli and mala. Grade V did a serious Luxmi Puja and had adequate Prasad for the whole school.

Fourth National Convention on Students' Quality Circle, 2008 (4th NCSQC 08)

Participating Rato Bangala students received second prize in both the Programming Competition and in Power Point Competition. Participants are congratulated for their good work.

Programming Competition: Apoorva Lal, Pratistha Bhattarai, Pranjal Poudel and Shrijal Pradhan
Power Point Competition: Apekshya Prasai, Niharika Pant, Nora Asha Gurung and Veda Khadka

Sports

Inter house competitions were held in girls Kickball and boys Football for Grades V to VIII. In addition, inter house table tennis for boys and girls have been held for singles and doubles. We congratulate all the participants for their effort, and the winners for their sustained effort.

Basketball within RBS

The results of the Inter-Class competitions are as follows: Boys Basketball Competition: The batch of 2007 stood first and A1 stood second. Girls Basketball Competition: Grade IX stood first and A2 stood second.

Basketball Inter-School

Mahendra Bhawan School organized the Franklin Cup 2nd Interschool Girls Basket Ball tournament 2008, and we are very pleased to note that RBS stood first. Members of the winning team were: Shagun Thapa, Nora Gurung, Niharika Pant, Athilesha Malla, Neha Pokhrel, Arya Poudel, Adhya Pandey, Shreya Joshi, Apeksha Prasai, Eishana Shah, Prakriti Sapkota and Rajswee Shah. Congratulations!

In the Father Watrin Girls' Basketball Tournament – 2008, Rato Bangala Club was the first runner up. Rato Bangala Club has been the leading team for girls and had won many tournaments in the past several years. We congratulate all players.

Swimming

Lopsang D Gurung received the first prize for Swimming competition (Breast Stroke) at two different competitions. The first event was organized by the Himalayan School and the other by Little Angel’s School. We congratulate Lopsang for being such a star, and encourage her to continue to take part in competitive events.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

First PTA Meeting for this academic year was held on 11 September, 2008. There were many important and relevant updates. The PTA, however, got the opportunity to understand and appreciate the work done by the Rato Bangala Partnership in Outreach Program (RBPOP) at great length. In keeping with the "giving philosophy", PTA members got inspired to do something about the flood victims. This idea was floated among the Parent Representatives on another meeting on September 18. PTA members Danielle Gurung and Shekher Golcha presented in that occasion. The result was a "Koshi Flood Relief Committee" in which students teachers and parents were members. The title of the effort was later named Prayas Pheri Kalam Thamaune by Parent Representative Ranjit Acharya. The intention of Prayas is to do something meaningful to provide opportunities to students instead of handing over the money to a larger kitty.

Parents: Danielle Gurung, Devika Shah, Jayanti Subba, Kabindra Pradhan, Maya Sherpa, Ramanandan P. Chaudhary, Ranjit Acharya, Saktida Singh and Shekhar Golchha.

Students: Aadyaa Padney, Aagat Sharma, Apekshya Prasai, Nihit Lal Shrestha, Niharika Pant, Niyanta Khatri, Shreya Joshi and Siddartha Pant

Teachers: Bolaram Pandey and Suman Mandal

The Prayas Committee is working with Parent Representatives to raise funds from the whole RBS parent body so that everyone feels a part of the initiative and will be able to own the work that gets done in the area.

Certain level of work has already been done to for the flood-affected area

A Level students have collected clothes from their classmates as well as from the RBS staff for the people living in the flood affected area.
Grade IX students raised Rs.35,000 funds through a talent show on September 26. They have handed over the money to the PTA to be spent on Prayas, and are also members of the Prayas Committee.
A Jazz Concert was held in Rato Bangala by the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory on the 20 September, 2008. The proceeds were shared by the KJC and RBS (25% and 75%). RBS received Rs. 75,000 from this venture. Thus, Prayas has a certain kitty that will be supplemented by the effort of the school community.

Rato Bangala Partnership in Outreach Program (RBPOP)

RBPOP is working with 10 schools each in Myagdi and in Dailekh districts and is about to complete its first phase of five years. In an effort to become more inclusive and influence all the schools in these districts, RBPOP decided to hold a three-day workshop for all primary teachers in Myagdi and Dailekh under the banner "Manoram, Trasmukta ra Sirjanseel Primary School". The workshop focused on making schools more interesting, meaningful and safe for students. A total of 1035 primary teachers in Myagdi and 1339 teachers in Dailekh received the training.

Resource persons played major role in managing these workshops by organizing and facilitating it. Visiting RBPOP staff members went to non-partner schools in these two districts after the three day workshop and were encouraged by the positive changes they saw in teaching learning in these schools.

In order to ensure that the work done RBPOP would have lasting effort, RBPOP thought that it needed to support the work and strengthen the capabilities of the Resource Persons and School Supervisors. A five-day workshop was held at RBS from 21 to 26 September, that focused on supportive supervision. There were 24 participants from Dailekh and Myadgi, and they consisted of Resource Persons and School Supervisors as well as leaders of the network of the 10 partner schools. The workshop has given them lots of energy to work on improving the educational standards in their districts. One of the main benefits of the workshop has been that they have made a work schedule for themselves and have vowed to focus on classroom observations. They have realized that changes in education can only come from improved classrooms.

Mr. Min Shahi, the RBPOP Program Officer coordinated the program, and experts from within the school and outside added the required content. One of the highlights of the program was a full day visit to Bhubaneswari Secondary School in Dhading, a RBPOP partner school which has been doing exceptionally well. The observation of the school provided lots of real material for the participants to work on.

RBPOP members and PTA members were present for the closing ceremony.

Edited by : Webmaster and last updated on : November 07, 2008
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