Page 34 - DAIS Insignia 2021-2022
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CIS NEASC                                 representation  of  our  school  community.  They  visited              TECHNOLOGY                                     During the COVID-19 lockdown(s) we took the opportunity to
                                                                                                                                                                                      upgrade the school's internet bandwidth.  We also increased the
                                                               classrooms  and  co-curricular  activities  to  have  a  better
          RE-ACCREDITATION                                     understanding of school life at DAIS. At the end of the visit, the      IN EDUCATION                                   number of Wi-Fi Access Points across the school; often placing
                                                                                                                                                                                      two  (2)  CISCO  Wi-Fi  Access  Points  in  each  classroom  for
                                                               Team was very appreciative of the whole school community,
                                                                                                                                                                                      enhanced  Wi-Fi  coverage.  To  optimize  network  traffic,we
                                                               stating that 'DAIS is a vibrant and aspiring learning community
                                                                                                                                                                                      created two (2) new Wi-Fi networks:  D-STAFF and D-STUDENT.
                                                               that  is  deeply  committed  to  use  the  CISNEASC  joint
                                                                                                                                                                                      As we transitioned into hybrid school, we utilized a mixture of
                                                               accreditation  process  as  a  continuing  catalyst  for  school                                                       in-person  learning  and  our  distance  learning  tools.    Some
                                                               improvement…This  confirmed  the  school's  philosophy  of                                                              students were unable to attend physical school but were able
                                                               whole  world  family  and  happy  school  valuing  individuals,
                                                                                                                                                                                      to  participate  online.  We  had  had  a  staged  approach  to
                                                               being firmly embedded in the ethos of the school”                                                                       students  coming  to  campus  during  hybrid  school;
                                                                                                                                                                                      systematically bringing different grade levels of students into
                                                               The  Preparatory  Visit  team  felt  that  the  school  is  place                                                      physical classrooms as COVID protocols allowed.
                                                               conducive to the learning and well-being of both its students                                                          Now that we have fully returned to physical school, we use iPad
                                                               and staff, despite the challenges of the pandemic. They further                                                        trolleys to bring iPads into the primary classrooms while the
                                                               commended the collaborative nature of interactions among                                                               middle and high school students use their own laptops.  DAIS
                                                               staff and students, the commitment to high-quality teaching                      Mr. Marc Bradley                      has  an  educator  curated  assortment  of  digital  resources
                                                               and learning across the school and the development of the                      Director of Technology                  available to provide high quality teaching and learning across
                                                               definitions of Global Citizenship. The team also recommended                                                            the curriculum.  DAIS to emphasize four (4) key areas of ICT:
                                                                                                                                                                                      Microsoft Office skills, Adobe (Creative/Art) skills, Coding, and
                                                               some areas for improvement as we approach the self-study
         Ms. Swarnalatha Potukuchi    Ms. Kavita Dyas          phase of the Re-Accreditation, which include a review of the    We all know about the importance of technology.  The modern   Digital Citizenship.  Our students are tasked with maintaining a
                                                                                                                               world has technology touching almost every facet of our lives.
             Chair, Self Study       Co-Chair, Self Study      guiding statements to ensure that they remain vibrant and       Technology in education is technology that benefits teaching   healthy and balanced use of technology while keeping abreast
                                                                                                                                                                                      of evolving technological advances.
            Steering Committee       Steering Committee        relevant  to  the  needs  of  the  community,  as  well  as  the
                                                                                                                               and  learning.  Specifically,  technology  in  education  is   21st  century  teaching  and  learning  has  become  the  new
                                                               continued  unpacking  of  the  definitions  of  High-Quality
        2016 was a noteworthy year as it was the year in which DAIS                                                            technology  that  helps  learners  understand,  engage,  and   normal  at  DAIS  and  we  are  pleased  in  our  Digital
                                                               Teaching & Learning and Global Citizenship, so that they are                                                           Transformation  to  become  a  Microsoft  Showcase  School.
        as  awarded  international  accreditation  by  the  Council   fully embedded within all members of the community.      absorb what is being taught.
        of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association                                                         Technology has changed our classrooms for the better.  During   Microsoft's recognition confirms our dedication to technology
                                                                                                                                                                                      in  education.    We  have  made  solid  progress  in  bringing
        of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), making DAIS one among   DAIS is now in the next stage of the Re-Accreditation process,   the COVID-19 lockdown(s) we used technology to offer virtual   technology out of the computer labs and into every classroom
        the seven schools in India to receive joint accreditation from   which is the 18-month Self-Study. Through this Self-Study, the   classes  to  students  who  were  unable  to  come  to  physical   throughout the school, but we have more to do.  The best is yet
        these world-renowned institutions at that time. The five year   school will take a deeper look at the implementation of the   school. Over the course of the COVID-19 lockdown(s) we used   to come
        Accreditation  journey  from  2016  to  2021,  DAIS  worked   actions planned during the Preparatory Visit,  will address the   Microsoft Teams, ManageBac, and Exam.net as our distance   Mr. Marc Bradley
        on realising the actions in our Strategic Plan and implementing   recommendations listed in the report, with a special focus on   learning tools.                             Director of Technology
        the  recommendations  from  the  report.  In  2021,  we  began   the 'Major' Recommendations. Between March and early May
        the process of Re-Accreditation, which includes a Preparatory   2022, all stakeholder groups completed the CIS Community
        Evaluation Visit, which took place in October 2021, followed   Survey. The results from this survey will be used to understand                                                implementation and use of Epic, a digital reading program
        by an 18-month self-study which we are in the process of,   how  well  the  school  is  aligned  with  standards  across  all   NOTES FROM THE                                platform that can remotely track progress and monitor activity
        and  which  will  culminate  in  a  Team  Evaluation  Visit  in   domains  of  our  functioning,  to  get  a  clear  picture  of  our                                         for a student or the entire class, differentiating student reading
        September 2023.                                        strengths  and  areas  for  improvement,  and  to  inform  the     LEARNING CENTRE                                     by assigning appropriate books, easily connecting books to
                                                               creation  of  the  new  Strategic  Plan.  As  the  school  is  in  the                                                 level, genre, interest and subject areas.
        In  April  2021  starting  with  a  whole-school  CIS  Annual
                                                               pivotal stage of transitioning to the new curriculum pathways                                                          Since the school has reopened the Learning Centre space has
        Community  survey,  followed  by  a  series  of  whole-school                                                                                                                 been very active, full of busy teachers and dynamic students.
                                                               and  pedagogical  approaches,  the  survey  results  for  the
        (teaching  and  non-teaching  staff)  workshops,  the  school                                                                                                                 Students are hungry for books and the librarians have been
                                                               domains related to Curriculum and Teaching and Assessment
        community met to create definitions for High-Quality Teaching                                                                                                                  very busy providing lessons, and personalized support to satisfy
                                                               for Learning were shared with the faculty and staff in a whole
        and Learning, Global Citizenship and Digital Citizenship. These                                                                                                               the  needs  of  all.  The  librarians  are  also  working  with  the
                                                               school workshop.
        definitions were also shared with student body for their input.                                                                                                                teachers, as partners, to implement many reading activities to
        The  definitions  formalized  practices,  which  were  already   All staff were invited to express their interest in being part of                                             develop an appreciation for books and improve reading skills.
        widespread in the school and helped streamline our collective   the Self-Study committees. When school reopens, committees                                                    To meet the needs of the students now and what the school
        understanding and shared vision of these qualities, to more   for each domain will begin work on collating evidence and                                                       envisions for the future, the Learning Centre team has been
        effectively fulfil our mission, vision and strategic intent.  preparing reports in the lead up to the Team Evaluation visit of                                                 collaborating  with  the  Heads  and  the  teachers  to  develop,
                                                                                                                                                                                      renew, and enrich the entire collection of books to support the
                                                               September 2023.
        The  compilation  of  the  Preparatory  Evaluation  Report  took                                                                      Ms. Maria Pannunzio                     school values and objectives, the classroom curriculum, and
        place between June and September 2021. Committees were   The CIS NEASC Re-Accreditation process is an ideal time for                  Head, Learning Centre                   the students' reading interests and needs.
        formed for each Domain, including representation from most   reflection,  introspection  and  growth.  It  allows  us  to  better   DAIS Learning Centre aims to provide a welcoming common   The collection is being genreficated to provide easy and faster
        stakeholder groups. Domain reports for all the core standards,   understand ourselves as a school, and the evolving needs of   space that encourages reading appreciation, inquiry, research   access to favorite books, series, genres, topics, and redesigning
        along with the reflective statements about the school guiding   our community, as well as ways in which we can challenge   skills, critical thinking, and collaboration.       the organizational system of the shelves, to improve the access
        statements  and  their  implementation  were  completed  in   ourselves to grow to meet these needs.                   During  the  pandemic,  the  Learning  Centre  (LC)  team   to the books the students want to read.
        September  2021.  These  reports  and  statements  were  a                                                             supported the new remote teaching and learning demands by   The librarians also collaborate to develop research and digital
        product of detailed discussion and reflection on the work done   Swarnalatha Potukuchi            WELL-BEING            developing information and media literacy skills to support the   citizenship skills into students, to provide students with the
        at DAIS since 2016.                                    Chair, Self Study Steering Committee                            academic honesty program, and by curating a comprehensive   necessary tools they will be able to use information, and other
                                                                                                                               variety of high-quality, age appropriate fiction and nonfiction   intellectual properties in an ethical and responsible way.
        A  two-member  team,  with  representation  from  CIS  and   Kavita Dyas                                               digital  resources,  and  tools,  which  were  easily  accessed  via   Ms. Maria Pannunzio
        NEASC  visited  DAIS  virtually  and  interacted  with  a  wide   Co-Chair, Self Study Steering Committee              Destiny  Discover.    The  librarians  also  supported  the   Head, Learning Centre

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