Dear Students and Parents,

Greetings from School!

We ended the term on a relatively high note after our IGCSE March 2020 series result was declared. We concluded the term with two assemblies on the 28th and 29th of May, 2020. It is evident that the prevailing circumstances have allowed us to approach learning and teaching with a very different perspective. We are grateful to all our students and parents for their constant feedback which helped us evolve our programme through the term gone by.

Phase wise return and important dates:-

As a School we are adapting a proactive framework of approaching the Autumn term 2020. Though our planning is still underway, the overall schedule of the term ahead leading to the end of the academic year in March 2021 is in place. The School will only permit travel back to campus once we are convinced that it is absolutely safe for our students to do so.

Online Classes will begin from the 20th of July. The dates of return for students will be communicated in due course as the situation is still evolving. These will be subject to the Covid-19 risk assessment, travel and quarantine advisory from the authorities in the weeks ahead. The proposed phase-wise return is designed and spread over 28 days and the exact dates will be inserted once we have a clearer picture. The plan is as follows:-

Day 1 - A and SC Forms return

Day 7 - S Form returns

Day 14 - B Form returns

Day 21 - C Form returns

Day 28 - D Form returns

You can access the important dates for the Autumn term 2020 to help you with your planning here.

Re-opening of all offices in School and precautionary measures:-

All offices in school have begun functioning on a limited scale wef 18th May. All precautionary measures and guidelines are being adhered to and the process of putting in place detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is underway for the Autumn term 2020. Different teams in school are working in a coordinated manner to ensure that we are able to cater to the safety and well being of all in our community. We must at this stage acknowledge that the concept of social distancing is not inherent to human nature and our approach is to clearly distinguish between physical distancing and social distancing.

Engagements during the vacations:-

There are a number of activities and initiatives which are taking place during the vacations through online platforms. These include Round Square collaborations,the internship programmes organised by the Careers Department and the Development and Alumni Relations office in school, Model United Nations (MUN) engagements,various clubs and society programmes such as NEST, etc.

Sessions conducted with cyber expert :-

The School organized two webinars with Mr. Rakshit Tandon, a cyber security expert, with the A and B forms and the S and SC forms, along with their tutors, on two consecutive Saturday mornings in the month of May. Mr. Tandon spoke about cyber safety and cyber laws that every digital user should follow and be aware of. His address was followed by an informative and interactive Q&A session which allowed the boys to clarify their doubts and get a better understanding of what responsible digital citizenship means.

BIDDING FAREWELL

Ms. Aanchal Negi joined the School as a Career Counsellor on 1st October 2013 and will be leaving on 25th June 2020, after almost 7 years of service at The Doon School. She has worked as a Career Counsellor and is currently the Coordinator of the Careers Department. Over the last few years she has successfully organized the Careers’ Fair on campus and developed a robust outreach programme of liaising directly with university admissions officers.

Mr. Ankur Khare joined the School as a Master of Design & Technology on 11th July 2013 and will be leaving on 31st May 2020, after almost 7 years of service at The Doon School. Ankur in his initial years taught the D and C Forms. With the introduction of the IGCSE, Ankur also started teaching the B and A Forms. His ability to inspire the boys in his class to create beautiful works of design was evident at every Founder’s Day exhibition.

Ms. Sarabjeet Sandhu joined the School as Dame of Kashmir House on 27th July 2009 and retired on 7th April 2020 after 10 Year and 9 Months of Service at The Doon School. During her time here, Ms Sandhu oversaw several Doscos pass through not only Kashmir House but also through the School.

Ms. Anita Sabharwal joined the School as a Secretary to the Bursar on 15th January 1991 and retired on 17th May 2020 after almost 29 years and 5 months of service at The Doon School. During her tenure she served as Secretary to the Bursar, Secretary to the Head of Finance, Secretary to Director Administrative Affairs and Secretary in the Headmaster Secretariat. She has in the last 3 decades worked with many staff members and has always been a pillar of strength for the community.

Mr.Jaglal joined the school as Garden Mali on 1st January 1984 and will be retiring on 30th June 2020 after 36 years and 6 months of service at The Doon School. We will always cherish the memories of walking through the lovely estate of Chandbagh and seeing Jaglal cater to the gardens with passion and excitement in all seasons.

On behalf of the entire School community we thank all five colleagues for their contribution over the years and wish them and their families all the best for the future.

During the vacations, all lines of communications are open and the team in School will be providing regular updates. Once again we thank you for your patience, resilience and understanding you have all shown. The past few weeks have only strengthened our resolve to deliver the best learning and teaching experience for everyone in the days ahead.

Yours sincerely

Kamal Ahuja
Acting Headmaster

The Doon School
Mall Road
Dehradun- 248 001
Uttarakhand
India