Around the sundial

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January

The new year began with considerable concern in the region about the devastation and loss of life of the Dec 26 tsunami, though thankfully none of our staff, students or alumni were personally affected. Later in the year, the Student Council raised over Rs.1 lakh for tsunami relief. The hillside, usually very peaceful in January as many residents leave for warmer climes, was rocked by the loss of three long-term community members within three snowy weeks: Mrs. Diana Biswas (Jan 14), Miss Goody (Jan 22) and Mr. Joseph Smith (Jan 29). Mrs. Biswas' death was especially difficult for returning staff and students, her absence coloring the beginning of the term. New staff members were delayed by the snow and orientation proceeded at President Hotel in Dehra Dun.

February

We were thankful for the safe return of our Nepali students despite the state of emergency in that country. On the first Sunday chapel, Feb 13, the school paid a heartfelt tribute to the life of Mrs. Diana Biswas. Alumni, close friends and the broader community also joined together for a memorial service in Parker Hall. As Diana would have wished, the services were full of music and even some humor. Three staff babies were born at LCH within 10 days, two in the same hour, by candlelight on a stormy night. On Feb 16, Josef Krishna was born to Radha and Lorenz Petters and Jemima Anne to Jasmine and Ashish Gill. On the 25th, Kinley Cedar was born to Jodie and Darryl Deboer. The court case that has delayed construction of the new gym was settled on Jan 31. The school moved ahead with the approvals process and began detailed planning with the architect. The second half of Ridgewood was completed in time for staff and students to move in at the start of the semester. As the dust settled, students and staff appreciated the quiet after years of continuous construction at dorm level that began with the renovation of Midlands.

March

Winterline Scholar-in-Residence Carol Hotchkiss spent two weeks consulting with residence staff to develop a mission statement and common philosophy and program for this critical element of Woodstock life. We acquired two new school vehicles, a light-weight truck and a jeep. Both were put to immediate use for Elementary Sports Day, hauling AV and sports equipment to Hanson Field via the Dhobi Ghat road. Yes, one can now drive to Hanson Field! However, after a full day of competition and cheering for their houses, the poor Elementary students still had to trudge wearily back up to Edgehill dorm.

April

A Model UN Conference, organized by senior MUN students, engaged over 100 students in mock UN committee meetings. Students applied their knowledge about the country they represented to negotiate solutions to current global issues that the UN contends with. At the April Board meetings, the strategic plan for 2005-2010, Achieving Excellence, was finalized for adoption and planning begun to implement its objectives. The Board also considered how to sustain and build the alumni and development efforts in North America; this resulted in a recommendation to the KWI Board that it consider reorganizing into two separate foundations. While Board members were assembled, Principal Jeffery took the opportunity to present Dr. Prakash Masih, President of the Board and TZ Chu '52, Board Member and President of KWI, with the Award for Promotion of International Education from ECIS (European Council of Int'l Schools) for their exemplary voluntary contributions to enhance the scope and quality of international education worldwide.

Over quarter break the Woodstock Orchestra traveled to Delhi for two benefit concerts in memory of Diana Biswas. Their performances at the Hungarian Cultural Center and the India International Center were both warmly received. Proceeds went to the Women's Retirement Home at Christ Church Mussoorie, a project dear to Diana. That weekend, the WOSA-India Annual General Meeting was held in Delhi and attended by Principal David Jeffery. A new President, Bhuvenesh Kumari Patiala '50 and Council members were elected. The 6th annual Win Mumby All India Basketball Tournament took place on April 21 - 23. Eight boys' and eight girls' teams participated, including Woodstock. It was the first time Woodstock boys have not won the tournament and they were understandably disappointed.

On April 29, renowned author and political commentator Nayantara Pandit Sahgal '43 was presented with the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award. At this all-school assembly, Guest speaker Vinod Mehta, Editor of Outlook magazine, called her one of India's greatest writers. Earlier Mrs. Sahgal joined Mr. Mehta and writer Stephen Alter '74 in a panel discussion about the craft of writing as part of the senior class World Literature Symposium.

May

May is the month of Advanced Placement and IGCSE exams. Grade 10 and 12 students were forced to stay inside studying, missing May's beautiful, balmy days. This year, 98% of the senior class took AP exams, offered for 18 subjects, with an average of 3.2 entries per student. 39 of them scored 3 (pass) or above in at least 3 subjects, including 10 who scored 3 or above in 5 or more subjects. AP examinations are considered equivalent to a fi rst-year college course by many colleges and universities in the US. On May 21, the community gathered in the Quad for a memorable Jazz Jam and send-off for jazz instructor Nathan Craft. The band also performed for a highly appreciative audience of students and staff at the Tibetan Homes Foundation in Happy Valley.

After finishing the AP's and symposium, the senior class was loaded into buses and whisked away to the Brentwood Sanctuary for three days of STAR (Senior Transition and Adjustment Retreat). 82 seniors participated in the many workshops, skits and sessions that were designed to smooth their departure from Woodstock. Due to the hard work of 13 staff leaders, the topics were productive and varied and the feedback from the student participants was positive.

June

June is the month of assessment, completions, endings and farewells. It is also a time to welcome parents and alumni for a series of special events, including final concerts, an International Expo, WOSA Tea, Final Assemblies and Going Down. The International Expo, an addition to the calendar, gave Grade 10 and 12 students a chance to work together for two weeks on a project outside their normal studies and to present their work to the whole school. Projects ranged from the physics of music to improvisation; from DNA experiments to the greenhouse effect. The annual WOSA Tea gives alumni the chance to welcome the newest batch of WOSA members into their worldwide network. Speakers included WOSA-India President Bhuvnesh Kumari Patiala '50 and Mark Wagner '67, whose daughter Anjali was in the senior class.

June belonged especially to the graduating class, this year calling itself Eminence, as the community celebrated their achievements and gave them a warm farewell. This class was particularly known for its musical talents as demonstrated at the Senior Recital, Parents' Dinner, Baccalaureate and Graduation. We welcomed Dr Kanti Bajpai, Principal of Doon School, as graduation speaker. After many hugs and tears, the Class of 2005 departed to the four corners of the world. In late June, Principal David Jeffery traveled to the US to attend an historic KWI Board meeting in Hartford, CT, during which the KWI Board voted to set up separate foundations for Kodaikanal School and Woodstock School in the US He then attended the WOSA-NA reunion in Silver Bay, NY, the highlight of which was a special function at which WOSA-North America honored Jane Cummings, Executive Director of KWI (and honorary member of the WS class of '57) for her many years of service to the Woodstock alumni community.

July

The Staff Retreat was a time to welcome new staff, plan implementation of the new block scheduling system and most significantly, to explore as a staff community the Christian character and mission of the school. This discussion touched on the core of the school's identity and mission and was continued through the Fall by over 35 staff volunteers who formed the Religious Life Task Group. They examined the school's program, mission, policies and aspirations to try to articulate a shared understanding of purpose and goals. They also surveyed the entire staff body. This discussion will continue during 2006.

Five Woodstock staff members returned from their break as newlyweds: Marcus Johnston wed Isobel Stasheff, Stephen Anderson married Christine Govan and Anshuman Singh married AnneMarie. Staff and students were welcomed back during a particularly misty monsoon to be greeted by a new pilot food services program, run by the Mars Group, a Mumbai-based hotel and restaurant chain headed by alumnus Sanjay Narang '81. Mars Group took a group of kitchen staff to Mumbai for special training, tested new foods and menus, updated the kitchen, improved hygiene and re-trained all the kitchen employees. They also helped plan the renovation of Alter Ridge dining hall and kitchen: the new food court offers a choice of four different cuisines, encouraging students to choose school food over the bazaar. Imagine that.

High School offices were relocated to what was their original location at the top of the High School ramp, to be more accessible and make space for additional urgently-needed classroom space. Room 28 was converted into offices for the three college counselors and the registrar while the old offices were turned into two bright classrooms. Less noticeable were the improvements to the campus-wide water, power and sanitary systems.

School began smoothly on July 27 with the focus being on helping the 130 new students and 29 staff settle into their new home away from home. Enrollment increased to 486, including 7 juniors studying in the US on the PAX exchange program. 23 nationalities were represented, with the highest numbers from India, Nepal, US, South Korea and Bhutan. A large increase in SAGE enrollment brought 13 students from North America, joined by one on exchange from Carey Baptist Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia.

August

Hurricane Katrina dominated the news as word from friends and family in the region trickled in. The new Burgoyne Campground at the Hanifl Center was put to the test during the Grade 9 retreat, when the entire class spent the weekend sleeping under the stars. The new Robert Fleming Nature Trail was completed and classes began to make good use of it. The school was able to purchase the Edgehill Estate from Interserve. This will allow for the eventual renovation of the main Edgehill buildings, home to Elementary boarders for the past two decades. The learning assistance program entered its second year with a return visit from Winterline Scholar Barbara Gard. She reviewed the progress made by students that she had previously assessed, developed new Individual Educational Plans and consulted with Learning Assistance Specialist Aparna Das.

During Indian Culture Week, which culminated on August 15, Indian Independence Day, we hosted the Darpana Performing Group, led by Mrs. Mrinalini Sarabhai and Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, together with Tom Alter '68. The visit of the 22-person troupe was sponsored by a Class of '58 grant. The Group, based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, conducted student workshops and presented performances ranging from dance to martial arts to drama. The highlight was a reading by Tom Alter and Mrinalini Sarabhai of "The Mahatma and the Poetess", based on the letters exchanged between Sarojini Naidu and Gandhiji during the struggle for independence. We were able to share this special experience with employees' children, students from several neighboring schools and special guests.

September

September featured the Inter-House and Inter-School cross-country races; during the latter, sub-junior Brett Mann set a new record. The NHS organized Big Brother Big Sister Day, when younger students are matched up with high schoolers for games, face painting, eating and dancing. Junior-Senior Banquet (JSB) was magical, despite having to move indoors due to pouring rain. The evening ended in a beautifully decorated Parker Hall where seniors showed just how much fun dancing can be.

Six members of the MUN (Model United Nations) High School group, chaperoned by teachers Angie Sauer and Ethan Van Drunen, traveled to Bangkok to participate in a 3-day Harvard Model Congress, a hybrid between a MUN conference and an American government simulation. Participants met in the Bangkok United Nations building to discuss a wide range of topics. Woodstock was in the news on Sept 6 when the Times of India credited the school, particularly former teacher Dick Wechter, with pioneering the fight to ban the use of polythene bags in Mussoorie.

October

The beginning of the month found staff and students scattering for Quarter Break. They returned to an unusually cold October, but settled in for a busy second quarter. The earthquake in Pakistan on the morning of Saturday 8th shook the campus, though it caused no damage this far away. Seniors were in Parker Hall taking the SAT, in the midst of the new essay section and found the tremor a bit unnerving. Over the rest of the semester, the student body organized several fundraising activities for the relief and rebuilding effort. The Community Center, home for Grade 9 boys, held a "Bad Taste Party" open house, much appreciated by students for its inventive games, snacks and contests. Then came Sports Day at Hanson Field, from which the Eagles emerged victorious. Much to the disappointment of the athletes hoping to participate, this year's Inter-School Sports Day at Wynberg Allen, a long-standing Mussoorie tradition, was cancelled by Wynberg.

At the Board meetings, Lois Neumann '44 and Li Chu '59 were awarded honorary Woodstock Diplomas in recognition of their contributions to the Woodstock 150 celebrations and campaign (neither had been able to complete High School at Woodstock). Dr Prakash Masih, outgoing president after a 5 year term, was thanked for his 20 years service on the Board. Presiding during one of the most eventful times in the school's history, he has done so with grace and commitment. David Canfield, consultant to the WS150 campaign, was also recognized for his patient mentoring and unflagging encouragement of Woodstock staff.

As October drew to a close, the entire school scattered once again for Activity Week. Hikes, cultural and natural history trips to Corbett and Dharamsala and service trips to local villages gave everyone a chance to learn through hands-on experience outside of the classroom. Groups prepared presentations for sharing in assemblies.

November

November is always packed with activity. The girls' soccer team took part in a 3-day tournament at the American Embassy School in Delhi. No schools in the region have girls' soccer programs, so this was a chance to compete against their peers. Elementary students just kept on running - the "Run India" club measures their collective distance on a map of India and has topped 1250 km. They hope to reach Cape Comorin by the summer!

This year the Middle School residences, Alter Ridge and Ridgewood, combined open houses to host a spectacular "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme. Funds raised went to the "Poor People's Fund" at Landour Community Hospital. The annual Employee's Day fell on Nov 9, which was also Uttaranchal Day. Students and staff filled in for employees to thank them for their service to the community, giving them a day off to participate in athletics and celebrations with their families. Grade 5 held a special open house to mark the 5th anniversary of the establishment of Uttaranchal for which they prepared exhibits, presentations and skits.

At the end of October 2005 the final diversion tunnel at the controversial Tehri dam was closed to create the reservoir required for electricity production, to begin in March 2006 - 12.5% will be used in Uttaranchal. The reservoir is rising at 80cm per day and on Nov 28 Tehri city disappeared underwater. The Grade 8 Indian Culture and Social Studies classes were privileged to tour the dam site and learn more about this historic event. On November 7, the community joined Tom Alter '68 at Woodstock's front gate to launch his book, "The Longest Race", a tale of a young Rajpur boy with a passion for marathon running. In his speech Tom paid tribute to several coaches, including Mr. Brij Lal and PE teacher Ajay Mark. Three staff were invited to serve on MSA accreditation team visits: David Jeffery led the team at Hillcrest, a mission school in Nigeria, Richard Reid went to the Aramco schools in Saudi Arabia and Chris Cooke was part of the team at the American School, Lahore. These visits are a service to MSA and these other schools, but also provide our staff with valuable experience. Richard Reid commented: "This was the best training I have ever had".

Over 30 leaders from nearby villages gathered for a day-long conference on Kala Bhassa, a non-indigenous invasive plant that threatens native plant species. Hanifl Center staff Chris Taylor and Darab Nagarwalla were able to inspire them to spread the word about the need to combat its encroachment. The conference was sponsored by Winterline Foundation. The last weeks were packed with a production of Harvey, concerts and the Advanced Student Recital. The Concerts in Parker Hall are always a favorite. Over half of our students receive private music lessons in western and Indian music. Most participate in an ensemble - there are currently three levels each of orchestra, choir and band as well as a Jazz group. Many of these musicians were involved in the Joint Christmas Service held at Christ Church and in the Woodstock Christmas Chapel.

December

Angels and mortals games spiced up the last week of the school which was full of exams, Christmas presentations, a Christmas sale to benefit local non-profi t groups, Going Down Day assemblies and final meetings. The staff banquet deserves a special mention: called Northern Lights, the evening was hosted by staff from Canada, Scandinavia and the northern US. The décor, food, music and entertainment all made for a magical beginning of the winter break. Many staff stayed for the wedding of Deepa Lal '96 and Henry Nathan in St. Paul's Church on the Dec 12. As we looked forward to 2006, we couldn't help but reflect on how challenging 2005 has been for so many across the world and how fortunate we have been.