Back in 1955, when good education was the need of the hour for a newly independent India, Springdales Schools came into existence as a progressive educational institution that resolved this need. The school was the labour of love of Dr. Rajni Kumar (Padma Shri), a British Educationist, and Yudhister Kumar, Founder Manager. With its commitment to national revival and internationalism, its motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – meaning the world is a family, taken from the Upanishads in 1956, encapsulates the vision that has guided the school over the years and indeed is deeply etched in the heart of every Springdalian. The biodiversity of the living world, the culture of peace, building a scientific temper, and moving into the future is what this motto symbolizes.
A Multi-Dimensional Curriculum
Springdales is known in diverse educational circles for the innovative ideas and practices it has introduced into the educational process, which now form a part of the curriculum in many progressive schools of India. The curriculum is multi-dimensional including an academic programme of high quality, a wide range of co-curricular activities, a comprehensive programme of sports and physical culture, and training in manual skills and education for social awareness and action. The students of Springdales participate in music, dance, drama, and debate competitions and wherever they go they make an impact. The school itself hosts many contests in the field of poetry recitation, quizzing, and science symposia during the school year. Despite multiple co-curricular activities being organized, the school’s academic results remain excellent and in the top range of schools anywhere in the country.
A Pleasing Learning Environment
The school also provides a pleasing learning environment with a spirit of sharing and caring and with close bonds between teachers and students. Its learning spaces offer innovative ways to students that seamlessly link them with the world outside, which will further help them to connect the global with localized communities. Clearly, Springdales is a school with a “difference” because for them education is one of the “Head, Heart and Hand” as practised by Mahatma Gandhi. To create a high happiness quotient among the students, the school follows No-Examination policy up to class VIII, using Grades for Assessment instead of marks and ranks in the classes.
With the New Education Policy and the emphasis on multiple assessment methodology, every subject involves exposure to labs which every student enjoys for ideation, innovation, creative and reflective thinking. Especially, the Atal tinkering laboratory of the school gives an opportunity to every student from the primary to the senior secondary school to use his/her scientific aptitude, knowledge of robotics and computing to design out-of-the-box apps that could bring-in social reforms.
Springdales’ students have successfully completed many investigatory projects suggesting solutions to problems related to environment and an alternative to plastics using plant polysaccharides. Undoubtedly, the school’s efforts have been to provide the children with learning experiences that are interdisciplinary and multisensory. The establishment of a Teacher’s Resource Centre, a Holiday Home for students and the staff in the picturesque hill station of Mussoorie, a work experience farm at Chattarpur where children learn the dignity of labour and working with the soil and living in the community, are a few examples for the same.
At Springdales, the challenge of a technology-driven global economy has taught them to provide a diaspora that retaliates, recalibrates and resonates so that children can be empowered by their critical thinking skills, compassion and talent towards timely action. No wonder, the school has been bestowed with the prestigious IDA Education Award for the best school across India in fostering inclusive education, the highest National Scorer Award in the Math Premiere League amongst 450 leading schools across India, Outstanding School in Zone 28 of the Central District of New Delhi, and many others.
The School with a Heart!
Springdales is a school with a heart as a result of its various community initiatives and literacy programmes. The Delhi Schools’ Literacy Project is run at the school which began in 1989 with the objective of involving student volunteers to impart Literacy through an “Each One Teach One” programme. The school’s Vocational Centre, ‘Haath Mein Haath’ has helped hundreds of women and young adults get placement after completing the basic courses in Computer Application, English Speaking, Beauty Culture, Food Preservation, Paper Bag and Chocolate Making, thus empowering them. Moreover, the students of Springdales have been relentlessly working with two government schools – Swami Dayananad SKV & NP Girls School, two adopted communities – Dasghara and Todapur for the last 30 years, two old-age homes and other hospitals as a part of the compulsory Sewa Programme.
Under the RTE scheme, the school has integrated 512 students into the mainstream providing free education, books and uniform. They are given equal opportunity to participate in various inter and intra school programmes and competitions and supported by remedial teaching. Under the adult education scheme, the students have made thousands literate each year. To facilitate effective learning and reduce learning gaps, cluster groups have been introduced, which is a special programme where the teachers under ‘Let’s Learn’ take remedial classes for students who need extra and individualized attention.
Mission Ahead
The mission of Springdales School for this year is to work very closely with Sustainable Development Goal numbers from 10 to 15 where it aims to increase the green cover not only within the campus but also on the ridge area to facilitate the population of visiting Avians and to put into practice its own waste disposal system. All its stakeholders have been seamlessly working towards building a zero-waste generating institution soon. This reiterates the fact that Springdales is unique, a school with a heart!
