Page 99 - EW December 2020

GSIS main block: superb campus. Inset: Jacob Thomas SCAD World School, Coimbatore. Inset: Dr. John Abraham

humanity,” says Dr. Craig Cook, co-curricular and sports education of the relatively recently promoted
principal of Woodstock, Mussoorie. options of any school worldwide, (2012) Cambridge International
An intercultural studies and theology and an unprecedented 1:4 staff-pupil (UK)-affiliated SCAD (Social
alumnus of Biola University, Califor- ratio that ensures every child receives Change and Development)
nia and Ateneo de Manila University, individual attention and excellent World School (SWS), sited on a
Philippines, which awarded him pastoral care in a ‘home away from 120- acre campus within the 500-
a Ph D in sociology, Cook brought home’ environment. Moreover, our acre Scad Knowledge City on the out-
over 30 years of teaching and admin already excellent infrastructure will skirts of Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu),
experience in schools and commu- soon improve further as several proj- is satisfied to be numbered among
nity development projects in the US, ects started by Dr. Thomas on our India’s Top 10 high-end interna-
Philippines and Indonesia, when he major Pallada campus are nearing tional schools and #3 in Tamil Nadu
was appointed principal of this top- completion and we look forward to (pop.67 million).
ranked school in 2019. welcoming students to an upgraded “We are a relatively new institu-
Ranked runner-up for the fourth integrated campus next year,” says tion and therefore pleased to be
consecutive year is the Good Shep- Jacob Thomas, the newly appoint- ranked among the country’s best,
herd International School, Ooty ed president of GSIS. much older international residential
(GSIS) followed by Kodaikanal A business administration gradu- schools. Drawing on their example
International School #3 for the ate of the University of Massachu- and best practices, we have spared no
third successive year. Founded in setts, Lowell who built a successful pain or cut any corners to transform
1977 by extraordinary visionary Dr. career in the US in the IT sector (se- SWS into a thoroughly contempo-
P.C. Thomas (1943-2020) who nior director, NetApp Inc, a Fortune rary, globally benchmarked interna-
passed on in June, the superbly 500 company), Jacob was persuaded tional school. I dedicate this award
equipped campus of GSIS sprawls by his mother Elsamma, co-founder to our hardworking and committed
across 180 acres which host junior of GSIS, to return from the US and teachers who have risen enthusi-
and senior schools, an organic farm help her realise Dr. Thomas’ dream astically to confront the challenge
and dairy which supplies the school, to develop GSIS into a global Top 10 of delivering personalised online
excellent residential accommodation wholly residential school. learning to our children. The annual
for students and staff, the larg- Beyond the Top 3, in this category EWISR and the healthy competition
est music school countrywide and of high-end, capital-intensive inter- it promotes in each category under
several huge playing fields. GSIS has national residential schools, UWC 14 parameters is a roadmap for our
been awarded top scores on the pa- Mahindra College, Pune, ranked continuous and sustained develop-
rameters of co-curricular and sports #4, Hebron, Ooty #5, Cathe- ment,” says Abraham, a geography
education, individual attention to dral Vidya, Lonavala #6, SCAD graduate of Bangalore University and
students and community service, and World School, Coimbatore #7 former principal of Comorin Interna-
the second highest score for infra- and MIT Pune’s Vishwashanti tional School, Kanyakumari, who was
structure. Gurukul #8 have all retained their appointed principal of SWS, which
“GSIS, lovingly nurtured over 2019-20 rankings. has 103 students and 20 teachers on
four decades, offers the widest Dr. John Abraham, principal its muster rolls, last year.

DECEMBER 2020 EDUCATIONWORLD 99