GSIS - International in every sense

Highlights

• The library has 50,000 volumes, 110 journals and 30 kindle readers
• Equestrian – There are 30 thoroughbred horses
• Rifle shooting – Two ranges
• Nine hole golf course
• Tennis courts
• Two heated swimming pools
• Indoor: Badminton, squash, gymnastics, basketball and badminton
• Every year 500 students of the school are tested by Trinity College, London for their music theory and practical prowess in wind, string and percussion instruments as well as piano and keyboard
• GSIS offers Class I-XII fully residential affiliated with the CISCE (Class X and XII), CIE, UK (Class X), and IBO, Geneva, (Class XI-XII) examination boards

A group of students visited a slum to get first hand information on the lives of women and were given Rs 500 each as pocket money for the trip. Once the students returned they gave back Rs 5000 to the Principal and wanted the money to be given to the women of the slum. That in a nutshell sums up the core values of Good Shepherd International School (GSIS) says, a beaming Dr PC Thomas, founder of GSIS. Back in school the students use laptops, learn from smart boards and recently a state-of-the-art 3D printer used for model making or proto typing was introduced yet they are not away from ground realities. Whilst they are trained to become global leaders they are also grounded.

For the past 10 years, about 50 students spend a week at the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) in the United States of America. This year 49 students would be making the trip to the Marshall Space Flight Center to get an insight into astronaut training. Holistic development is what GSIS swears by, three pipe and brass bands and a fully fledged symphony orchestra stand testimony. Students are offered IGCSE, Council of Indian School Certificate Examinations and of the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Turning GSIS into one of the best 10 schools in the world is the dream of Dr PC Thomas and he is leaving no stone unturned. At present he is overseeing the construction of an international cricket stadium which would change the face of Ooty and also the school. While Thomas dreams, his better half Elsamma Thomas who stood like a solid rock right from 1977 makes sure that every minute detail is looked into. Give her a girl and she would transform her into a fine lady. At a time when a finishing school was unheard of in India, the Good Shepherd Finishing School was established in 2003 which she has nurtured with great care. Today, it is probably the only school in the country that can give a run to any finishing school even in Switzerland.

Two campuses spread over 180 acres in Ooty with facilities for equestrian, rifle shooting, tennis, golf, swimming, squash, basketball, badminton and gymnastics, along with strong focus on academic excellence makes Good Shepherd International School truly world class

‘My dream is to turn GSIS as one of the top 10 schools in the world’

Why not the best in the world you may ask, points out Dr PC Thomas. In the Asian context we want to be the best and among the top ten international schools in the world he emphasises in a candid interview with The Hans India

Good Shepherd has grown by leaps since it was started in 1977 but tell us what has not changed in all these years and also how you got the Maharaja of Baroda to sell his palace?

We have indeed grown by leaps and bounds. The one thing that has not changed is our emphasis on discipline, empathy, respect for all and excellence in academics. The yardstick will not change. It was on the April 14, 1978 that I met Lieutenant Colonel Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad. When the Maharaja came to know I wanted to start a school he reduced the price of the palace by half. There were 47 bidders including ITDC for the palace but I guess it was divine providence. Since then there has been no looking back.

The student strength in both campuses is about 800. You could easily have a couple of hundred more.We can but we do not want to. Providing quality education has been our strength and we want to keep it that way. We will continuously maintain the 1:4 student-teacher ratio. We will improve the facilities for instance we are now developing a cricket stadium of international standards and upgrading indoor sports facilities.

The school has come a long way. What next?

As a 14 year old I had a dream to start a school. Now my dream is to make it one of the top ten schools in the world. Each country has its own ethos and cultural beliefs but in the Asian context we want it to be the best.