A Junior School Day to remember!

The first time I attended a Junior School Day (JSD) function was when my first child Kavitha was studying in LKG in Sishya school in Chennai, in 1977.  All my three children and Kavitha`s two children studied in Sishya. As an Air Force officer`s children Sowmya`s two kids attended Kendriya Vidyalaya School, mostly in Bangalore. The last time I attended a Junior day School event at Sishya was in 2006 when Kavitha`s daughter Nila was performing on the stage. After 17 years I had the opportunity to attend a JSD at Sishya to see my resident grandson, Balaji`s son Thavam, studying in UKG, performing on the stage. What a performance it was! He danced with grace and total focus not faltering even one step. God bless him.

Junior School Day functions are events looked forward to by families with small kids. Because that would be the day when their child- a boy or a girl - would be going on the stage for the first time. The whole family including the thathas , pattis, uncles , aunts and cousins would be there at the function to cheer the child.  To see their ward positioned in one corner or the other of a group of at least 20 kids from his/her class.  While the seniors would shout with excitement “ there.. there… he is third from left on the second row”, it was not unusual for the kid to stop in the middle of his act looking for his parents in the crowd. The excitement in the audience was palpable judging by the screams, catcalls, whistling that reverberated   when ever children of a particular class entered the stage.  

Those days it was not unusual  to see the exit of families from the auditorium as soon as their ward`s performance was  over. The auditorium which would be overflowing with families of performing kids in the beginning  would be half empty by the time the kids from  the 4^th or 5^th standard in the junior school were performing.

I realize Sishya has come a long way since then. The school has grown in size and numbers. They have also learnt lessons from every show. It was evident from the way the whole event this year had been meticulously planned and executed. The entire programme was divided into two parts. The first part of 60 minutes mainly  belonged to the children  from LKG & UKG. There was restriction on the number of people who could attend the programme- In addition to the parents only two extra passes per family were issued. There was different colored passes for families of LKG & UKG students and  for students of 1^st to 5^th class. Instead of families of small classes leaving in batches, the entire audience watching the programme of small kids had to leave the auditorium to make space for families of children performing after the  show by the kiddies. There was a big shamiana put up in the open space outside the auditorium where people could sit and watch the programme on a big digital screen. Even the music chosen for the dance numbers were good and helped keep up the tempo of the show. While the crowd management was brilliant, the management of incoming cars and parking facility ensured smooth flow of hundreds of cars coming into the school.

Kudos to the  Sishya  management and all the teachers and volunteers from Sishya PTA who were responsible for the well planned and executed event. It brought back memories of my own involvement with the school as a Past President of Sishya PTA in 1991-92. Mr.Kit Thomas, the founder of Sishya used to refer to me as the only `male gender` Past President of Sishya PTA. Before and after me only ladies have been Presidents of the PTA.

As one who  had the longest association  with Sishya as a parent first and grand  parent later I wish Sishya , which celebrated its golden Jubilee this year all the best in providing quality education and ensuring all round growth of its students, which is what Kit Thomas always  believed in!