Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Weekly Wellness Blog: November 20th, 2019

Thirst for knowledge is a never-ending pursuit, and the purpose of an oasis is to quench the thirst of the seeker who comes to it. Last week a couple of us had the privilege to attend INK Talks in Jaisalmer. While Sarah Sahr, Morgen Wettergen and I got to facilitate a session we also got to attend a couple of sessions. The sessions all explored the accessibility of knowledge, the parameters of knowledge consumption, and the creation of intrinsic learning experiences. We had the opportunity to facilitate Rick Smolan the Photographer and Storyteller, Monishwaran Maheshwaran the Tech Prodigy and Gautam Khetrapal the founder of LifePlugin. 

The talks were all so inspirational. I will post the talks on a later date once they are made public. I am posting a Ted Talk by Rick Smolan this week. We got to hear this story in person and as I could not capture it on tape I had to share it with all of you. Hope you like it. Click here.

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

The Joy of Giving

Thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. We are excited to let you all know that  "The Joy of Giving" is going to take place soon. The logistics are being worked on and we will share the details very soon.  If you didn't get a chance to fill out the survey please complete this survey 
Many thanks for your time. 
--Priya V. & Sarah S.

Marion Whisnant is the winner of the last challenge. Congratulations! This week's challenge is Post about a colleague for whom you are grateful, Post what you love about working in an international school or Post something you are thankful for living in India on Twitter. Use the hashtag #aiscwellbeing. The first 10 winners get a chance to win exciting prizes.

Wellness Academy

Click here to find out more about what your colleagues have to offer from the wellness academy.


Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions

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Click Here




Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics
 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

November Birthdays and Celebrations

Wishing you a beautiful day and many blessings for the year ahead. May your birthday be sprinkled with fun and laughter. Have a great day!

Walter Alan Basnight Jr.November 5
Amanda BrandtNovember 6
Vigneshwari CNovember 9
Lakshmi J SNovember 5
Balaji ThiruvazhiNovember 12
Chandini JudeNovember 13
Lakshmi SaravananNovember 13
Padma Priya R JNovember 16
Ryan Charles SagerNovember 20
Angela BohcaliNovember 24
Jayashree RajuNovember 24
Kristina JenkinsNovember 24
Sharon PetersonNovember 25
Susannah McGlameryNovember 27


Congratulations to Shannon and Rohan! The Prabhirkle family welcomed Athena Lee and her brother Xaden Christian on November 12. Athena weighed 5lb 7oz and Xaden weighed 5lb 13oz. 




Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Weekly Wellness Blog: November 13th, 2019


Research shows that helping others makes us happier. But in her groundbreaking work on generosity and joy, social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn found that there's a catch: it matters how we help. Learn how we can make a greater impact -- and boost our own happiness along the way -- if we make one key shift in how we help others. "Let's stop thinking about giving as just this moral obligation and start thinking of it as a source of pleasure," Dunn says.

Watch the video here

The Joy of Giving


Operation Appreciation is just around the corner and we'd like to bring back an AISC tradition. We're calling it "The Joy of Giving". Instead of bringing sweet or savory treats, we are wondering if people would be interested in bringing a small token of appreciation for a member of our support staff and his/her family. This survey is to gauge interest in this change of protocol. 



People interested would be given the name of support staff, their job, whether they are married, and/or have children. With this information, we are asking faculty and staff to give a small token of appreciation for the family. Now, here's the catch... to make this work, we need close to 100% faculty and staff participation. 



Please complete this survey by Friday, 15 November, at 4pm.  At that time, the Wellness Committee will decide whether or not we can move forward with "The Joy of Giving" initiative. If we can, HURRAY! Good for us for bringing this tradition back to life (a list of suggested gifts will be provided)! If we can't, no worries. We'll do the same sweet or savory treat exchange. 



Many thanks for your time. 

--Priya V. & Sarah S.

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings


Wellness Academy


Click here to find out more about what your colleagues have to offer from the wellness academy.

The winners of the last week's Challenge are Tiffany, Ross, Jenisha, Heather, and Vigna. Congratulations! This week's Challenge is here. The first 3 winners to get all the answers right will win exciting prizes.

Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions

Click Here


Click Here


Click Here


Click Here


Click Here


Mosaic Painting Workshop with Trishna Patnaik
Click Here



Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics
 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

November Birthdays

Wishing you a beautiful day and many blessings for the year ahead. May your birthday be sprinkled with fun and laughter. Have a great day!


Walter Alan Basnight Jr.November 5
Amanda BrandtNovember 6
Vigneshwari CNovember 9
Lakshmi J SNovember 5
Balaji ThiruvazhiNovember 12
Chandini JudeNovember 13
Lakshmi SaravananNovember 13
Padma Priya R JNovember 16
Ryan Charles SagerNovember 20
Angela BohcaliNovember 24
Jayashree RajuNovember 24
Kristina JenkinsNovember 24
Sharon PetersonNovember 25
Susannah McGlameryNovember 27






Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Weekly Wellness Blog: November 6th, 2019



Want to be happy? Be grateful.

“There are many things for which we cannot be grateful, but there is no moment for which we cannot be grateful, because in every moment, even difficult ones, we have the opportunity to do something.” — Brother David Steindl-Rast 

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, meditates and writes on "the gentle power" of gratefulness. Watch his video here

Why you should listen
Many first met Brother David Steindl-Rast through a viral video called "Nature. Beauty. Gratitude," where Louie Schwartzberg's footage of time-lapse flowers in bloom is narrated by Brother David's moving words asking us to simply be ... grateful 

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

Night Owl Update

As we are nearing the date of delivery, November 8, we have already sourced bulk orders of the following items through Mr. Mouli.
The products purchased will be packed on Friday after school in room number 3124. If you wish to help please do. If you wish to be part of the delivery crew please let Deb or Aziz know.

We intend to deliver these items over the course of the year, not all on November 8. Meaning, this is the only bulk purchasing that will be done this school year. Altogether, these items have cost around US$ 500 OR 50,000 Rupees.

You have indicated an interest in giving a monetary donation towards Night Owl. We would really appreciate any amount to go towards the cost of the above items.

Thanks for your interest in Night Owl! Kindly pass on your donations to Aziz or Deb.

Wellness Academy

Click here to find out more about what your colleagues have to offer from the wellness academy.
The winners of the last week's Challenge are Tiffany, Ross, Jenisha, Heather, and Vigna. Congratulations! This week's Challenge is here. The first 3 winners to get all the answers right will win exciting prizes.

Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions


Click Here

Click Here


Click Here


Wooden Block Printing
Click Here


3D decoupage workshop (level basic)

Click Here




Click Here




Tara25: Beyond the Page: Forms and Cultures of the Book

Click Here



Trek day: Ubbalamadugu Waterfalls

Click Here



Click Here

Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics
 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

November Birthdays

Wishing you a beautiful day and many blessings for the year ahead.May your birthday be sprinkled with fun and laughter. Have a great day!

Walter Alan Basnight Jr.November 5
Amanda BrandtNovember 6
Vigneshwari CNovember 9
Lakshmi J SNovember 5
Balaji ThiruvazhiNovember 12
Chandini JudeNovember 13
Lakshmi SaravananNovember 13
Padma Priya R JNovember 16
Ryan Charles SagerNovember 20
Angela BohcaliNovember 24
Jayashree RajuNovember 24
Kristina JenkinsNovember 24
Sharon PetersonNovember 25
Susannah McGlameryNovember 27










Thursday, October 31, 2019

AISC Wellness Matters 2019-2020



Weekly Wellness Blog: October 29th, 2019

Articles to read

How To Have A Healthy Halloween

The challenge for the week ahead is to share your favorite Halloween picture of all times. You may mail your pictures to vpriya@aischennai.org. The first 5 winners win an exciting bag of goodies. What are you waiting for? Start clicking.


Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

Night Owl Update

As we are nearing the date of delivery, November 8, we have already sourced bulk orders of the following items through Mr. Mouli.

Lungies for men
Flip flops for men, women, and kids

Small cloth bags (in different colors for children/men/women to facilitate delivery)

T-Shirts for men, women and kids




We intend to deliver these items over the course of the year, not all on November 8. Meaning, this is the only bulk purchasing that will be done this school year. Altogether, these items have cost around US$ 500 OR 50,000 Rupees.

You have indicated an interest in giving a monetary donation towards Night Owl. We would really appreciate any amount to go towards the cost of the above items.

Thanks for your interest in Night Owl! Kindly pass on your donations to Aziz or Deb

Wellness Academy

Click here to find out more about what your colleagues have to offer from the wellness academy.


Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions


Click Here


Wellness Academy Activity Offerings




Click Here



Click Here




Click Here




Click Here



Click Here


Click Here

Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics
 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

November Birthdays


Walter Alan Basnight Jr.November 5
Amanda BrandtNovember 6
Vigneshwari CNovember 9
Lakshmi J SNovember 5
Balaji ThiruvazhiNovember 12
Chandini JudeNovember 13
Lakshmi SaravananNovember 13
Padma Priya R JNovember 16
Ryan Charles SagerNovember 20
Angela BohcaliNovember 24
Jayashree RajuNovember 24
Kristina JenkinsNovember 24
Sharon PetersonNovember 25
Susannah McGlameryNovember 27