NEWSLETTER Dale Kaleidoscope 5TH ISSUE, AUGUST 2017 From the Editor s Desk Three precious gems of ours left this world in the first half of this 2017. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji un. Samina Rahman, one of the very first and former teachers of Sunnydale, had been a person with the essential traits of a truly good human being. This compassionate being passed away on January 23. Fahima Haque who created an identity of her own by touching lives as an educationist at a renowned institution was the youngest off-spring of the founding Chairman of Sunnydale, Late Abdul Mannan Khan. Taking ill in the last couple of months of her so short-lived life she quite bravely battled the last battle of her life and submitted to the Almighty on March 25. Ina Tarmin Rashid had a heart that overflowed with immense love for her fellows and her students - she left for eternal peace on June 9. Reminiscing about them we realize that they were the people of true stature and had striking similarity in their dispositions i.e. each of them had been well and truly the epitome of dedication, discipline, humility and compassion for their fellows and students. May the Almighty give us the strength to cope with the irreplaceable vacuum their departure has created. Zareen Abdullah Welcome Back! Let us begin this new school year with renewed aspirations and immense determination. Make Sunnydale and your parents feel proud of you with your dedication, your upright comportment, your modesty and your compassion for all. Sunnydale expects to be overwhelmed, yet again, with what the Super Achievers did throughout the 2016-17 session. To our unbound pleasure and pride they competed in various inter-school and intra-school events and came out victorious with loads of crests, certificates and much more accolades for their discipline and good mannerism. However, those who competed but could not win or those who were not confident must know that Albert Einstein, the great physicist, who also won the Nobel Prize in Physics, was a slow learner and was once expelled from his school; one of his teachers had even declared that he would never achieve much. His life teaches us to strive with all our sincerity and might no matter how adverse the situation is. You must believe that the Almighty has sent you to this world with some noble purpose; so just persevere and explore yourself. Wish you all a very successful learning experience. Tazeen Ahmed Principal Do not stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done. - David Goggins Sunnydale Newsletter / 1
World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) The World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) is the largest platform in English Debating for school children all across the globe, with over 50 nations taking part every year. Rifayat Zafeer Wafee, Class XI, had the glorious opportunity to be a part of Team Bangladesh 2016, which comprised of five best debaters from across the country to represent the nation in this prestigious event. Rajuk Nationals 2016, Debate Tournament Sunnydale s debate team extraordinaire, Rifayat Zafeer Wafee, Bishal Podder and Parmita Protik Das (Class XI) became Runners-up in the Rajuk Nationals 2016, a three day debate tournament held in December 2016. Wafee was adjudged the Best Debater of the Tournament while Bishal and Parmita achieved ranks among the top 10 debaters. Field Trips A quality curriculum is one that extends beyond the walls of the classroom and therefore to facilitate our students to gain a deeper knowledge of our cultural heritage and to help them relate their classroom learning to the real world, various field trips were arranged for students from Kindergarten I and onwards. In 2016 WSDC was held in Stuttgart, Germany and the experience was simply unparalleled. The pride of hoisting the red and green flag, the thrills of victories and the heartbreaks of defeat - all made this journey one of the most memorable experiences for Team Bangladesh. The places visited for field trips were Bijoy Soroni Samorik Jadughor, Shaheed Minar, Rayer Bazar Boddho Bhumi, Lalbagh Fort, Air Force Museum, National Museum, Liberation War Museum, Channel-i Station, Polar Ice cream Factory, Haque Biscuit Factory and Paragon Ceramic Industries. Sunnydale Newsletter / 2
Scouts Tour to India A team of sixteen scouts from Sunnydale Scout Group participated in the 17th National Jamboree of The Bharat Scouts and Guides held by India in Mysuru, Karnataka from December 26, 2016 to January 10, 2017. There were 146 members including high officials, rovers and staffs. After the Jamboree, all headed towards Kolkata for site-seeing and visited the Shantineketan. The students came back with lots of memories to cherish. Sunnydale Rhetoric 2017 Articulate Your Passion Sunnydale Rhetoric 2017 was an interschool English debate tournament held from January 12 to 14, organized by Sunnydale Debate Club. With around a hundred debaters from over a dozen reputed institutions across the city, this tournament had the standard format of World School Debating Championship (WSDC). Sunnydale s Adjudication Core (judges panel) ensured proper adjudication and competitive motions that were argued by the most promising young minds of the next generation. The preliminary rounds were followed by a grand event that debaters refer to as Break- Night, where participants interact, socialize and enjoy a cultural show etc. organized by the host school. At Sunnydale, a Carnival Night was arranged which included several interactive games and a stand-up comedy performance by a promising debater, Sakib Bin Rashid. Both the events were enjoyed tremendously by the participants. Academia, after a head-to-head competition with Mastermind was crowned the Champion of Sunnydale Rhetoric 2017. The event reached its climax with a grand dinner joined by the winners, other participants, both the Vice Principals and some senior teachers. Sunnydale s students who were majorly in charge of handling logistics and arrangements under the guidance of teachers definitely proved themselves and their right upbringing. The debating community who participated in this event by Sunnydale students for the first time appreciated the overall event immensely. Sunnydale Newsletter / 3
Teachers Day Out It was the time to unwind and elude the strenuous everyday routine for the whole Sunnydale family. A picnic day was enjoyed at Jol O Jongoler Kabbo on February 2. The refreshing lemonades on arrival and the winter cakes on departure make it anybody s guess to contemplate the mirth experienced in between. Sunnydale Newsletter / 4
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Winter Fair On February 6, Middle Section 1 bid farewell to the winter season by setting up a winter fair. The building went abuzz with folk music amid the stalls put up by the ecstatic students from Class I to V. Items varying from colourful stationery and multicoloured bracelets to scrumptious homemade food were offered. In brief it was a celebration of the season in its right sense. Annual Sports and Picnic The Annual Sports and Picnic was held at BKSP Ground, Savar in February. Students from Class III onwards took part in nine athletics events which included 100m Sprint, Relay Race, Shot put, Long Jump etc. Besides competing in the enlisted events the students also had fun playing badminton, cricket and football. The Picnic part of the day comprised of the customary Tug of War, refreshments, lunch and a raffle draw. Sports and Picnic Day for students from Kindergarten I to Class II was held at Women s Complex, Dhanmondi on January 25 and students enjoyed the day heartily. Sunnydale Newsletter / 6
Subject Selection Day of Class VIII for Ordinary Level Course Bashanta Mela At Sunnydale, the Subject Selection Day of Class VIII for Ordinary Level Course is held ceremoniously every year. The day is given due importance as it plays the role of the road map for the students and parents, guided by an encouraging and instructional speech from the Principal, as they get ready to step onto the final stages of their school education. This year s Subject Selection Day was held on February 19. The Parents met the teachers and discussed at length in order to make the right selection of subjects for their children s Ordinary Level Course. Spring, the much awaited and the loveliest of all seasons was welcomed by the students of Middle Section 2 with a fair arranged on February 20. The whole campus put on a lively appearance with a riot of colours everywhere. Girl students draped themselves in yellow sarees and floral bands whereas boys wore punjabis in hues of green. The students set up stalls decorated with yellow flowers. They sold lots of items, mostly homemade food, which sold like hotcakes but the supply was also abundant. The lively environment captivated the hearts of the students and teachers and they enjoyed it thoroughly. The brilliant feat of Tajrian Chowdhury Tajrian Chowdhury, (Class XII), won the 1st place in the 7th Chemistry Olympiad organized by Bangladesh Chemical Society on February 17. He became the Champion beating a mammoth number of 9,600 participants. Following this magnificent feat, Tajrian also won the 3rd Position in the 8th Biochemistry Olympiad, jointly organized by the Biochemistry Department of Dhaka University and BRAC Bank on March 11. Relating to his win, an interesting episode also took place. Soon after the competition, Tajrian left the Olympiad venue believing that he would not win any position because he could not answer one question. And therefore when his name was announced as the winner of the Olympiad and to collect the HP laptop, he was not anywhere in the venue. At this, the Principal was called and given the good news. Such was his humbleness about his own brilliance! Sunnydale Newsletter / 7
Bangla Olympiad at International Turkish Hope School Sunnydale participated in the 6th Inter- School Bangla Olympiad organized by International Turkish Hope School in February and performed excellently in every category of the Olympiad. The winning contestants were awarded cash prizes, medals and certificates. Sunnydale Newsletter / 8
Amar Ekushey The unforgettable emotions of this day when the language martyrs sacrificed their lives for the sake of our mother tongue were rekindled in the young hearts of our students by observing the day in due solemnity. Students walked past the makeshift Shaheed Minar and paid homage to the language martyrs by laying down flowers at the memorial. Prior to this patriotic songs and speeches were delivered to mark the occasion. The day was observed in equal solemnity in all the five sections of Sunnydale. The following contestants from Sunnydale stood winners in the day-long programme: Recitation Singing Painting Forum - Mir Fariyan Mehbub Class IV 1st Position Mahdia Rahman Class VII 3rd Position - Sreyonti Paul Class IV 2nd Position Saaraf Ibnat Hasan Class V 3rd Position Anila Nehreen Class VII 3rd Position Dipro Nishanto Class IX 1st Position - Mahiba Musharrat Class V 1st Position Bijoy Sen Class VII 1st Position - Md. Mohotasim Rahman Khan Class VIII 3rd Position Essay Writing - Najida Farah Aysharjo Class X 1st Position Sunnydale Newsletter / 9
Bhasha Festival Spring blooms at Sunnydale Students from Class VIII and IX organized the immensely successful intra-school Bhasha Festival - Sunnydale s first ever festival of Bengali and English languages combined. This festival commemorated the historic Ekushey February and the unforgettable Language Movement. The enthusiastic students participated with great fervor and passion in the three-day event from February 25 to 27. Their zeal and effort and impeccable talent came shining through in all events comprising of English and Bengali Essay Writing, Poetry Writing, Quiz Competition, Spelling Bee, Extempore Speech and Bangla Recitation. The event was painted with colours of success because of the laudable hardwork of Noyolee Munim and Mrinmoyee Guha, (Class IX), the dedicated Presidents of English and Bangla Clubs respectively. Theirs and the combined dedication of other volunteers is what marked this event a success in everyone s eyes. Sunnydale Newsletter / 10
Sunnydale hailed the return of Spring, the queen of all seasons, by putting up a spectacular show Esho Esho Praner Utshabe, Dokhin Bayur, Benurobe on March 2. The exquisitely cohered presentation by Middle Section 1, spoke volumes about the devotion of student thespians and singers from Grade I to V. Moreover, the tireless efforts of their mentors apparent throughout the entire programme raised the repute of Sunnydale to the next level. The presence of special guests, the pioneer of puppet show in Bangladesh, Mr. Mustafa Monwar, and Ms. Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, the most popular exponent of Rabindra Sangeet in the subcontinent, was an added attraction especially for the students. The Chairman of Sunnydale, Dr. Tanvir Ahmed Khan also graced the occasion with his presence among a host of teachers and students. This hour-long stage presentation began with the formal inauguration, lighting of traditional lamps, by the special guests escorted by the Principal, Ms. Tazeen Ahmed and the Vice Principal, Ms. Zebunnessa Mahmud. Soon after, the atmosphere was filled with the mystic sensation of Boshonto when the performers took to the stage on the reverberating beats of tabla and harmonium and the best ditties and numbers of the famous poets Rabindranath Tagor, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Atul Prasad Sen. A pair of narratives of Sukumar Ray, devotedly delivered, left the audience spellbound. The show reached its epic when the thespians stage played Tota Kahini (Story of a Parrot) by Rabindranath Tagore. This grand show came to an end with the rendering of the national anthem and a lot of encouragements for the performers from everyone. Sunnydale Newsletter / 11
The Language Fest 2017 The Language Fest 2017 was a spectacular event organised by the zestful English and Bangla Clubs of Middle Section 2. The opening show comprised of the rendering of some beautiful compositions of Tagor s evergreen songs in English and Bengali, a recital of a Bengali poem, an act from William Shakespeare s The Merchant of Venice and inaugural speeches by the Presidents of both clubs. The heartwarming speech by the Principal lifted the spirits of the participants and soon after balloons were released in the air as the ceremonial opening of the fest. The two day event included Story and Poetry Writing in English and Bengali, Quiz Competition, Extempore Speech and the most anticipated Spelling Bee conducted by one of Sunnydale s own pride - Arshiyan Alam Laaj (Class X). The rest of the competitions were conducted and invigilated diligently by the organisers. Students of Class VI and VII enthusiastically took part in multiple categories and revealed their interest, outstanding talent and fluency in both the languages. JLRC Language Festival On March 4, the future literati of Sunnydale competed with other schools in the 14th Language Festival organized by the Josephite Language and Reading Club (JLRC) of St. Joseph Higher Secondary School. In this two day event, Sunnydale students from Class VII, VIII and IX came out with flying colours. Winners from Class VII, Session 2016 2017 Abhor Ozair Abdullah 3rd Position Inter-School Spelling Bee (Junior) Ahona Saha 1st Position Handwriting Competition Winners from Class VIII, Session 2016 2017 Anoosheh Abdullah 1st Position Story Writing Competition (English) Sidratul Montaha 2nd Position Story Writing Competition (English) Khondoker Nadia Nawshin Hassan 2nd Position Handwriting Competition Jahin Kabir 2nd Position Inter-School Spelling Bee (Junior) Raphael Jibran Solaiman 1st Position English Olympiad Taimoor Rabbani 2nd Position English Olympiad Al Wasee M. Fahmidullah 1st Position Tetrathlon R. M. Shahriar Hoque 2nd Position Tetrathlon Shah Fatin Ilham 3rd Position Tetrathlon Winners from Class IX, Session 2016 2017 Nazifa Tabassum 1st Position Handwriting Competition Raiyan Ahmed 2nd Position Inter-School Spelling Bee (Senior) Sunnydale Newsletter / 12
Sunnydale Annual Interschool Science and Mathematics Festival 2016-2017 With much enthusiasm and festivity, Sunnydale, for the first time, arranged the Annual Science and Mathematics Festival in March this year. It was a two day event where a total of 288 students participated from S.F.X. Green Herald International School, South Breeze, Delhi Public School, Sir John Wilson, Dhanmondi Tutorial and Sunnydale. The categories for competition were Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Sudoku and Project Presentation. Sunnydale s Advanced Level teachers took the responsibility to assess the work of the participants. Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman All the sections commemorated the 97th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman paying tribute to his memory in the morning assemblies. Later in the day Class V visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum to learn about his life and death in depth. Rag Day (Class X & XII) Ahead of their Ordinary and Advanced Level Examinations, Class X and Class XII held their Rag Days on March 22 and 23 respectively. Songs, dances and merriment by the rejoicing students in the main campus of the school, created an atmosphere of unity among the school community. The students wore specially made jerseys and jackets to celebrate the day and also presented tokens of love to their teachers. Students autographed each other s jerseys as a souvenir for the day. Sunnydale Newsletter / 13
Independence Day Celebration The Handball Team of the school achieved Champion and Runners-up positions in the Scholastica and Sunbeams Handball Tournaments respectively. Also, in April, Sunnydale s Handball Team became victorious in the Polar School Handball Tournament - one of the biggest tournaments held in Dhaka. Sunnydale s Senior Section paid due respect to the martyrs and freedom fighters of the Liberation War through an elaborate Independence Day programme. Teachers and performers adorned in red and green made the programme colourful and perfect. The venue was aptly decorated with eloquent images of our struggle for independence. Melodious songs of patriotism moved the audience while Sukumar Ray s Obak Jolpan made them burst into laughter and vigorous applause. The movie Guerilla was shown to the children and after that, as the final event of the day, students participated in the Art Competition specially arranged to commemorate our nation s Independence Day. The other four sections also observed the day with informative morning assemblies and art competitions. Superb Performance in Interschool Sports Tournament In the first quarter of this year, Sunnydale Basketball and Handball teams pulled off fantastic victories from the tournaments they competed in. The Basketball team became Champion in The Aga Khan School, Sunbeams and Delhi Public School Basketball tournaments and Runners-up in Scholastica and St. Gregory School Basketball tournaments. Out of these tournaments, four students came through as Most Valuable Players. Raian Rith (Class XI), a gifted player, whose skills have played a major part in winning many tournaments, was declared the Most Valuable Player in both The Aga Khan Handball Tournament and the Scholastica Basketball Tournament. Wasif Ahmed (Class VII), Mansiv Hamid and Irfan Zayed Ali (Class IX) were also adjudged as the Most Valuable Players in these Basketball and Handball Tournaments. Pancha Kabi Sunnydale celebrated the works of the five great poets of Bengal - Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Atul Prasad Sen, Rajanikanta Sen and Dwijendralal Ray - by staging a programme Pancha Kabi on April 6. The programme was graced by the presence of the three founding trustees of Liberation War Museum, Mr. Mofidul Hoque, Mr. Ziauddin Tariq Ali and Dr. Sarwar Ali. The show was inaugurated by the Principal, Ms. Tazeen Ahmed, the two Vice Principals, Ms. Yasmeen Habib and Ms. Zebunnessa Mahmud and the dignitaries by lighting traditional lamps. The participating students mesmerized the audience by rendering some of the compositions of the five great bards through songs, dances, recitations and a drama, Juta Abishkar by Rabindranath Tagore. Sunnydale Newsletter / 14
Welcoming the Bengali New Year 1424 The Bengali New Year 1424 was welcomed by the teachers and students of the Senior Section with much enthusiasm on April 16. An enjoyable cultural function was held to mark this joyous occasion followed by a Baishakhi Mela. The most unique feature of the festival was the colourful theme and motifs that reflected the traditional Bengali spirit. From clay motifs to floral murals, the festival had a distinctive look. Sunnydale Newsletter / 15
Dua Mahfil for Cambridge International Examinations Candidates A Dua Mahfil was arranged on April 18 to seek divine blessings of the Almighty for the candidates of Ordinary Level, Advanced Subsidiary Level and Advanced Level Examinations of May/June 2017. At the Dua Mafil held in the school s gymnasium, students and their educators supplicated the Almighty for good results in the examinations. World Book Day Fest If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads. - Ralph Waldo Emerson World Book Day is a yearly celebration of books on April 23, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to promote reading, publishing and copyright. Countries around the world celebrate this day annually and so did Sunnydale this year. At Middle Section 1, World Book Day Fest was held to help students develop a love for reading and to indulge them in books. Two great wordsmiths Ali Imam and Raoshan Jamil Chowdhury enlightened the captivated crowd of parents and students about how important reading is for our development in all spheres of life. Rashidi and Anbarin Parisa. There was yet another prize for Best Composition on Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman given to Areebah Ozara Elham of Class V. The colossal response from parents who attended the Fest with their children made it a successful programme where children enjoyed a wonderful world of learning and exploration. Book Donation: Another interesting part of the fest was collection of old but fresh books from our students and teachers to share knowledge with underprivileged children around the country. The donated books, around one thousand, were handed over to BRAC University s UNESCO Club a few days later. The other interesting event of the fest besides a day-long book fair was the prize giving ceremony for seven best book review writers from Class V. The inspiring winners of best book reviews are: Syeda Tanshit Sarmadi, Jarin Farhat, Rafjaya Rafiq Shayaan Sayeed, Sneha Monisha, Chowdhury Jaha Zaafira Sunnydale Newsletter / 16
Ritur Ronge Sunnydale Junior Section 2 put up a grand show Ritur Ronge Sunnydale to celebrate the six seasons of Bangladesh on April 29. The programme was graced by the great dancer, Ms. Sharmila Banerjee and the popular exponent of Nazrul Geeti Ms. Sadya Afreen Mallick who is also a seasoned journalist. Traditional lamps were lit to inaugurate the programme by the special guests accompanied by the Principal and both the Vice Principals. The young performers of the Junior Section mesmerized the audience by presenting various songs, dances, recitations and role playing the six seasons individually, for an hour. Playgroup Parents Orientation Programme for the Session 2017-18 The grand show came to an end with the rendering of our national anthem. The spectacular show was highly appreciated by the audience. On May 05, Playgroup Parents Orientation Programme for the session 2017-18 was organized for the Parents whose toddlers have just begun their schooling from this July. Through this programme parents were familiarized with the unique method of schooling at Sunnydale. It was the prologue of a Book consisting of 16 chapters covering 16 years of a student s life in Sunnydale. Hopefully, in these sixteen years an unbreakable bondage with Sunnydale will silently nurture in the hearts of the students. The Orientation Programme was held in two shifts and the Principal brought awareness to parents about Sunnydale and their child s schooling. Both the Vice Principals and teachers of Junior Section 1 were also present and they together made it another successful day for Sunnydale. Sunnydale Newsletter / 17
Sunnydale Newsletter / 18 The Achievers Eve 2017
For long the students of Sunnydale have been achieving remarkable success not only in education but also in extracurricular and cocurricular activities. Their performance has been equally stellar in events such as Olympiads, Science Fairs, Sports, MUN, Debate, Scouting, etc. A grand programme titled The Achievers Eve was arranged by the school to honour, rejoice and celebrate the achievements of these talented students. The programme took place on May 06, in the Gymnasium which was attractively decorated in black and gold. Sunnydale Newsletter / 19
Sunnydale Relief Contingent Our sorrows and wounds heal only when we touch them with compassion! - Gautama Buddha When it comes to empathy and alliance, Sunnydale has always been there with broad sets of examples. As such, in order to send a little token of love and brotherhood for the affected people of haor areas who endured huge damage to their crops and fish caused by the heavy premonsoon rainfall, a couple of months ago, a relief fund was set by the Senior Section. And the Sunnydale community of students, parents, teachers and the Board of Directors came forward with generous feelings and relief for the families of Sunamganj district. On May 28, Sunnydale Relief Contingent distributed in six unions of Jamalganj subdistrict, 3 kg rice and 1 kg lentil to each of 400 families and a cash donation of Tk 500 to some fifty elderly in the Vimkhali union of the same district. The distribution was the humane effort of Md. Mizanul Islam Sir, Reza E Rabbi Sir, Debabrata Paul Sir, Md. Harun-Or-Rashid Sir and the support staff. Every day people straighten up the hair, why not the heart? - Che Guevara Sunnydale Newsletter / 20 Sunnydale Newsletter Head Office: House # 34, Road # 7, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka, www.sunnydale.edu.bd