Don Bosco Primary School, Dabolim

The DDGYFF screening, held at the Don Bosco School Dabolim, commenced with an inaugural ceremony. Teacher Sneha Sawant hosted the event and introduced the Guest of Honour, Fr. Bolmax Pereira. She emphasized the significance of the day to all attendees. A Class 3 student, Ms. Durva, delivered a speech in her mother tongue Konkani, highlighting the importance of conserving the planet for all living beings.

To further set the tone for the event, a promotional video was screened. Following this, Ms. Tracy Fernandes, the School In-Charge, introduced Fr. Bolmax Pereira, who holds a Phd. in Ecology. His passion for nature shines through his activism for environmental causes in Goa. He shared three important messages with the students: save and conserve water, protect forests and keep Goa clean and green.

An interactive session with the students followed, concluding with a vote of thanks. The Don Bosco School Anthem and the National Anthem were sung to mark the end of the inaugural ceremony.

The first round of the screening featured Grade 1 and 2 students watching the film Echoes of the Earth. Class Teachers Samidha and  Priyanka, along with Tr. Simbran, assisted with audio-visuals and event coordination. The synopsis of the film was discussed with the students prior to screening, followed by a group discussion.

For the second film was Kamshola.  Teachers Sneha and Yashwant, alongside Tr. Simbran, conducted the screening for the 3rd and 4th graders. They began by discussing the film’s synopsis, followed by the screening and discussion, based on reflection points. The students displayed enthusiasm throughout the event, even requesting a second screening of the film. They actively participated in discussions, led by their Teachers.

International Girl Child Day is celebrated all over the World on the 11^th of October and was celebrated in our School as well, with a programme incorporated within the school Assembly.

The UN’ s theme this year is ‘Girl’s vision for the future’ and our programme was planned accordingly.

Teacher Sayeda presented a brief introduction and welcomed the Guest speakers.  A grade 4 student, Jashmita delivered a speech, highlighting the key aspects of the day.

The students, led by Tr. Natasha, showcased various professions that they could adopt in the future as they walked the ramp as part of the Lady Professionals Fancy Dress Display.

This brought us to the segment of the celebrations where the guests were introduced and felicitated and each guest shared her unique experiences, words of wisdom and inspiring messages. Lt. Col. Mary Barbara Joseph (Retd.), Mrs. Manisha Prabhu, Entrepreneur in the Educational Field, Mrs. Kelly Ann, a Speech therapist, Dr. Navneet Kaur, a Dentist, Mrs. Venisha D’Costa , Don Bosco Primary School Accountant, Mrs. Vrinda Agarwal, an artist, art therapist and art educator as well as a soft skills trainer and Mrs. Jacinta D’silva, A special educator, gave the students valuable inputs.

The students gained immense inspiration from these well-established, successful women.

The School In-Charge, Tracy Fernandes, thanked the Guest Speakers and the coordinated efforts of all the teachers and acknowledged the important role that they play in shaping the lives of our girls and students in general.

The Fire Department Officer Mr. Dilip Bicholkar, a former Army official, and his team of fire fighting cadets conducted a programme for our School on basic fire fighting techniques. Mr. Bicholkar, who has extensive experience in assessing safety standards for various institutions, including Schools, shared valuable insights from his background in the armed forces.

The programme commenced with a presentation by Mr. Bicholkar and his team, where they discussed the different types of fires and the importance of identifying their sources for effective management. For instance, they emphasized that water should never be used on electrical fires, as this could create additional hazards.

Mr. Bicholkar demonstrated essential precautions to take during a fire emergency:

1. Wet a handkerchief.
2. Cover your mouth with it (this helps with breathing).
3. Crawl low on the ground (as smoke rises, crawling allows you to breathe cleaner air).

Following this, the cadets conducted a live fire extinguishing demonstration. They set up a controlled fire scenario, showcasing the proper use of a fire extinguisher. Several student volunteers, along with teachers, were given the opportunity to practice extinguishing the fire themselves.

The session concluded with an emergency evacuation drill. Mr. Bicholkar explained the evacuation steps clearly, leading participants through a simulated emergency exit procedure. A vote of thanks was delivered by Tr. Sneha, expressing gratitude for the informative and engaging experience.

On Saturday, September 28, 2024 a Special Assembly was conducted to observe Poshan Maah 2024. The assembly commenced with a prayer and a pledge, by Std. 3 students.

Teacher Yashwant led the Assembly, focusing on the importance of nutrition in preventing iron deficiency and hemoglobin-related issues. He posed thought-provoking questions to the students, encouraging them to think about the causes of these problems.

To address these issues, Tr.  Yashwant emphasized the importance of consuming nutritious food, particularly green leafy vegetables rich in iron and vitamins. He listed examples such as spinach, fenugreek leaves (methi), radish leaves, amaranth leaves, and Basella Alba. Visual aids as well as physical specimens of drumstick leaves were shown to the children.

A student contributed to the discussion by highlighting the nutritional value of creeper vegetables.

Tr. Yashwant stressed on the significance of incorporating these healthy foods into daily meals and avoiding junk food and snacks such as biscuits, drinks, chocolates and chips, which can lead to health issues like anaemia, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, chest pain, and yellow skin.

Tr. Samidha then invited students and teachers to take a pledge to adopt healthy eating habits.

The Assembly concluded with the School Anthem and the National Anthem.

Don Bosco Pre-Primary and Primary School, Dabolim carried out the Government mandated initiative of ‘Swacchata Pakhwada’ with a variety of activities, engaging students from the Nursery to Grade 4 and involving every student. The Teachers prepared the students for various Assemblies, with live demonstrations and audio visual aids, on topics related to personal hygiene and cleanliness.

They organized competitions and activities revolving around the central theme of ‘Swachhata’(cleanliness), such as slogan writing, painting, model and chart-making, and collage work.  

To promote awareness, rallies were held in the surrounding areas, encouraging local members to participate in the cleanliness initiative. The SMS/PTA Executive Committee emphasized the importance of hygiene, particularly hand washing techniques and oral hygiene practices that children should be taught.

Class teachers collaborated with students to create informative charts as part of classroom activities. Additionally, parents supported their children by helping them construct various models pertaining to the cleanliness drive at home.

The culmination of ‘Swacchata Pakhwada’ was a school-wide exhibition, providing students a grand opportunity to showcase their presentations to parents and peers.

This initiative was an exciting and informative journey for the entire school community.

Teachers’ Day, observed on 5^th Sept.  in honour of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday, was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Don Bosco School Dabolim! The event took place in the school auditorium, which was beautifully adorned with flowers and ribbons, setting a festive atmosphere for the occasion. Both Teachers and students participated eagerly in the programme.

The school In-charge, Ma’am Tracy, inaugurated the programme by placing a garland on the image of Dr. Radhakrishnan,

The Morning Assembly featured a special school prayer led by Shreesha Kharande from the HKG class, followed by a prayer service conducted by the students of Class III, which focused on offering thanks to the Teachers for their guidance and dedication. Roshni Mhankali from Std. 4 delivered a speech, highlighting the significance of the day.

Ma’am Tracy expressed her deep appreciation for the Teachers’ commitment to the holistic development of each student. The programme included a range of cultural performances by the children. Each teacher was presented with a rose.

After the children had gone home, a special celebration was held for the Teachers, which included engaging games with prizes and lunch. The School Manager, Fr. Joel D’Souza, and Ma’am Nirmala Rebello presented each staff member with a token of appreciation.

On August 21st, 2024, the Teachers of Don Bosco Primary School, Alto Dabolim, participated in a transformative workshop led by our esteemed resource persons: Fr. Banzelao Teixeira sdb., Fr. Sredny Antao sdb., Bro. Neil Fernandes, Bro. Darryl Chenadil, Bro. Godwin Naik, Bro. Winston Pinto, and Bro. Samson Ribeiro.
Mrs. Tracy L. Fernandes the School In-Charge, welcomed the Resource persons.
The workshop focused on two critical areas: the Salesian Preventive Method of pedagogy and Conflict Management & Effective Communication.
“One of the greatest gifts that we can give any human, children included, is the gift of our presence” was the underlying theme of the workshop.
The sessions were both inspiring and practical. The first session delved into the life, mission, and vision of Don Bosco, emphasizing the Salesian way of pedagogy with three key skills for educators:

1. Love what the young love so that later they will love what you love.
2. They must know that they are loved.
3. Familiarity breeds confidence.
   In the second session, Fr. Banzelao provided valuable insights on Relationship Management within an organization, shedding light on the nuances of teamwork.
   Teacher Sneha said a warm Thank You on behalf of the Staff to the resource persons and participants for making the workshop a success.
   Together, we continue to empower our educators and, in turn, our students.

The Welcome Day celebration for the Pre Primary children at Don Bosco School, Alto- Dabolim on 6^th June was marked by warmth, excitement and a sense of belonging for both new students and old and their families as well. The event aimed to create a welcoming environment and introduce newcomers to the school community in a memorable way.

The day began with a lively Welcome Assembly. Teachers and other staff members greeted the students and their parents, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. The Assembly featured songs and a beautiful welcome dance by the Teachers to welcome and entertain the young audience.

Don Bosco Primary School, Alto – Dabolim organized a special Welcome Back Assembly on the 5^th of June! The Hall was decorated with balloons and a photo booth was created to make the event exciting and attractive.

 Tr. Priyanka hosted the programme, which began with a prayer, led by Master Devansh Bandodkar of Std 4. The Students from Std 4 performed a wonderful action song to welcome Std 1 and the new comers to School.

The School In – Charge, Tracy Fernandes interacted with the children and expressed her pleasure at having them back after the vacation.

After the National Anthem the Students of classes 2, 3 and 4^h welcomed the Std. 1 students by showering flower petals on them and they accompanied them to their classroom with joy and enthusiasm!