Relationship building is often considered a by-product of being a part of any community. On the contrary, at VIS, this stands to be a foundation stone for our curriculum. When there are secure and nurturing relationships, children learn to develop integrity, be empathetic, and eventually to communicate their feelings, reflect on their own wishes, and develop their own relationships. The school thus creates a relational climate that is intentional, inclusive, and equitable.

At Vandya, we aim to support our children to grow into confident, caring, and responsible young citizens, both in school and within the wider community. By learning about their rights, our children also learn about the importance of respecting the rights of others. Conflict can arise through personal differences between individual students, problems from outside school becoming interwoven with school life, or difficulties arising from the breakdown of relationships between individuals or groups of students. Students are actively taught conflict resolution methods by:

• Being offered the opportunity to discuss any such experience with the School Counselor or a skilled member of staff from the academic team or another reassuring student
• Being offered continuous support as required
• Laying importance on the restoration of self-esteem and confidence
• Giving importance to root causes
• Establishing any wrongdoing and need to change
• Peer mediators- Support children in resolving minor conflicts in the day-boarding. If this is unsuccessful, Peer Mediators know how to escalate to adults for further support.

In case a student is found to be a part of any conflict, the school takes active measures to resolve it and keeps parents in the loop at all necessary times.

When John Donne said, “No man is an island, separate unto itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”, he summed up the importance of having a service aptitude in each one of us. Vandya believes that none grows unless each one grows. Active community service programs are planned by the school for students during Bodh, Srijan, and Ojal for them to be experienced, empathetic, relevant members of society. Students work in different areas, as per the cause they support the most ranging right from:

• Adult Literacy
• Conservation & Ecological Project
• Fundraising For a Specific Purpose
• Helping At Orphanage/Children’s Helping at Old Age Home Looking After Old/Sick/Handicapped Hospital Volunteering work
• Organizing a collection of magazines, clothes, books, medicines, etc. to meet community needs.
• Remedial Coaching
• Tribal Welfare work
• Partnering with and offering services to Orphanages, Homes for specially-abled children and other NGOs.

Vandya is a perfect blend of education and experience at both local and international levels. In order to make the students have the right exposure, help them embrace the similarities and differences between cultures and nationalities and promote appreciation for the increasing interconnectedness of the world, Vandya encourages international partnerships and opportunities for its students and the larger community. Exposure and experience are ensured through:

• Well-planned Student Exchange Programs
• International conferences and forums
• Competitions and Quizzes
• Model United Nations etc.

Caring for the environment is about understanding one’s place in the universe, the forces that shape our surroundings, and the impact we have on those surroundings. The school acknowledges an appreciation of the interdependence between human beings and the planet highlights the fine balance needed to make that relationship a healthy one. To this end, the school manifests learning about and actively preparing its learners to be changemakers for an increasingly sustainable world. The School is earnestly working with Orphanages and Homes for Specially-abled children to provide quality education and is also involved with women of tea gardens for their good health and hygiene.

Such interest and concern in all environments develop awareness and understanding of imminent and prevalent issues thus leading to recognition of the importance of tending to the future of the planet, protecting and preserving threatened habitats, and creating sustainable communities. Ultimately, each citizen accepts and prepares for their destiny to be a future guardian of human society and the global environment.