Global Schools Foundation GIIS Silicon Valley Dubai

MAY 2010 volume 1 issue 2 myGlobalschool.orG

New Silicon Valley School is enrolling students now from K-8

opening in Fall 2010, the Global School of Silicon Valley offers a 21st century education to prepare young people to become citizens

of the world. First of its kind in the south bay, the Global School will ensure that its students are empowered to develop to their full potential.

Nestled against the Santa Cruz Mountains, and conveniently located on the border of Los Gatos and Campbell, the Global School takes advantage of its 11 acre campus to educate students beyond the four walls of the classroom. The School’s network of 21 campuses in eight countries affords students and staff the unique opportunity to connect and share with peers internationally. With their wisdom, experience, creativity, and compassion the teachers will motivate students to take ownership of their education and become the kind of problem solvers we need in our global community.

Global School teachers bring their passion and individual approaches to ignite intellectual curiosity among the students so that every individual recognizes his or her own strengths. All the teachers have had extensive experience in the classroom and they infuse their multiple talents into the learning environment. Many of them hold advanced degrees and have taught and travelled internationally.

The Global School program is based on a unique tailoring of the curriculum of our network of international Global Schools to incorporate the California Standards and best practices of high performing Independent Schools in the U.S. This blend provides a comprehensive program that aims to live up to the School’s goal, which is to provide “Learning Beyond Boundaries.” Students will receive a well rounded curriculum in their daily schedule (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) that includes Math, Science, Language Arts, History, Multi-Cultural Studies, along with

the choice of three languages, performance and visual arts, technology, PE, and homework support and tutoring. Starting in kindergarten, students can choose between Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindi. Also, hands-on learning will take place daily in the new science lab that provides a thought provoking environment where students employ their natural curiosity as they learn and explore. With small class sizes, teachers can use innovative approaches that address the individual learning style of students.

In addition, the Global School will provide an extensive extra-curricular program which will include speech and debate, sports, crafts, outdoor, and leadership opportunities. The Global experience will ensure that students become strong oral communicators who possess the confidence to express their views and convictions. Team building, character development, and interpersonal skills are valued highly at the Global School.

The Global School Faculty and Staff form a team of committed individuals who share a passion for building a

Local School with Global Perspective

Global Perspective continues on page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE: Why Global School is best for your Children’s Future?...3 GSSV Sets Out To Raise The Standardsof Excellence...4 How to tell Good School Math from Bad?...5 Meet our Teachers, Staff & Executives...6-7

ENROLL NOW! School Tours Available Monday-Saturday • Call us at 408-358-4773

paGe 2 GlobAl GAzETTE MAY 2010

School Tours Available Monday-Saturday • Call us at 408-358-4773

The vision of the Global School of Silicon Valley is to educate students to be independent

thinkers, confident in expressing their convictions, and ready to embrace the challenges that living in today’s world brings.

Our beautiful 11 acre campus, nestled in the shadow of the Santa Cruz Mountains, provides a learning environment that complements our comprehensive academic curriculum. In the courtyard, eleven trees from around the globe encircle a custom designed mosaic of the world, creating the perfect setting for cross-disciplinary learning: As they sit studying plant biology, shielded from the sun by the branches of the Chinese Fringe Flower tree here in Silicon Valley, our students are able to cultivate an innate awareness of cultural harmony.

Beginning in Kindergarten, our staff encourages the students to develop personal responsibility for themselves and their community. Essential skills in writing and communication are reinforced in a global context across the curriculum. In order to strengthen cross-cultural understanding, students are encouraged to learn Mandarin, Spanish or Hindi.

The use of the latest technological teaching tools within every classroom affords our students the opportunity to

build relationships while collaborating across continental boundaries. Technology takes students beyond the four walls of the classroom.

Our tutoring programs, woven into the daily schedule, support student success and allow each of them to achieve their full potential.

The Global School team of experienced and dedicated teachers brings wisdom, compassion, and creativity to each classroom, and to students, preparing them to take ownership of their education, building on their strengths, stimulating their natural curiosity and inspiring a love of learning.

Global School TeamGlobal School of Silicon Valley Campus Address:

1921 Clarinda Way, San Jose, CA 95124

our messaGe

new community where students learn to effectively use their education for personal and real life applications, as well as to prepare for the demands of a changing, global, technological society.

Parents are included and encouraged to form a partnership where their views and concerns are valued as essential to the development of the individual child.

The Global School of Silicon Valley welcomes students. The Admissions Process is designed to help families learn all about the exceptional education offered at the School.

Parents are encouraged to initiate an inquiry by calling 408.358.4773 or emailing [email protected] and arranging a tour of our campus and a conference with the Director of Admissions or by registering through our website online for our next Open House.

As appeared in May, 2010 edition of M Magazine

Global Perspective from page 1

About GlobAl SChool of SiliCon VAlley: the Global School of Silicon Valley is an independent, co-educational day school offering an international based curriculum for kindergarten through grade 8, which is initiated by a Singapore based non-profit foundation. located on eleven acres of land in Silicon Valley, on the border of los Gatos and southwest San Jose. the Global School plans to get fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

GlobAl GAzETTE MAY 2010 pAgE 3


Endorsements:Tina Benitez “In real life, we

have a need for sensibility to our environment and to each other, the Global School sets the stage for developing that mind set. The Global School philosophy accentuates opening the minds of these children to a broader responsibility to each other.”

Tam Gaskell “I believe the education from Global School to be a new and better alternative for my children. Hands on science and language offerings make it very attractive.”

Rashmi Patel “The challenging curriculum of the Global School builds my daughter’s knowledge and confidence. Learning from her peers in the classroom and in other countries gives her an awareness of how and what children across the other side of the world are doing.”

Global perspecTive1. – connect with students around the world and exchange ideas.academic curriculum2. – designed and implemented to meet standards anywhere in the world.socializaTion3. – an environment where children learn to cope and communicate with confidence.arTs4. – draw, sing, design, perform and express yourself every day.ForeiGn lanGuaGe5. – learn to read, write and speak a second language from kindergarten.TechnoloGy6. – get lessons about technology and computers every day.physical educaTion7. – vital to train and serve the physical as well as intellectual self every day.environmenT 8. – grow and nurture your own garden of plants and greens at school.place 9. – a brand new beautiful campus to enjoy and be proud of.help10. – know you have tutoring and homework support available at school every day.

Why Global school is best for your

children’s Future?

GlobAl SChool MiSSion: the Global School of Silicon Valley is committed to providing students an exemplary educational experience that focuses on holistic development, creativity and entrepreneurship, while nurturing them into globally aware and responsible citizens committed to the spirit of excellence.

pAgE 4 GlobAl GAzETTE MAY 2010


By Dr. Rick Bhandari, uC berkeley

The change has already come. By the 1990s, Americans changed our industrial systems to meet

the new standards of Japanese just-in-time production. This decade, we have begun to change our accounting systems in accordance with European and international standards. In the next

decade, it is possible that biotechnological innovation will be dominated by those scientists operating in less restrictive national regulatory environments.

The point is that to do the best we can no longer be certain that leading edge or internationally accepted practices will have been innovated within our national boundaries. No one doubts that America will remain an innovative leader, but the future will belong to those who are free of our once well-justified hubristic assumptions. Yet our openness to the world is not like a suit that one can put on at the appropriate age. It has to be built into the dispositions, comportment and common sense from childhood on.

It has already been found that children have an unfortunate tendency to congregate more with those whose accents are similar to theirs than even with those who look like them. Children have to be taught to be comfortable with differences from their first school years so that they are open to the world rather than comfortable only in fixed territories and closed spaces.

The Global School of Silicon Valley (GSSV) aims to give children a disposition to openness in the service of the highest standards of excellence. Children will grow up loving the surprise of a new accent, the smells of a new

dish, and the colors of a new fashion. This may seem trivial but it is not, for what is at stake is the development of internal mental structures and schemata which condition the child to find pleasure in the novel and the different rather than in what has already been experienced.

For a mind to be revolutionary its basic internal structure has to dispose it to finding experience and knowledge that do not confirm what it already knows. The best way to do this is to put children in complex environments of cultural and global difference. These are the students who will be able to look at the limits of their own cultures from the perspective of what the great Adam Smith called an impartial spectator and push their cultures to new heights of innovation and excellence.

The Global School of Silicon Valley is part of a world wide archipelago of schools. We are confident that it will be the place where some of our greatest future leaders and global citizens will be formed.

Gssv sets out To The standards of excellence



Dr. Keith Devlin, Stanford university and Academic Advisor to Global School

The US ranks much worse than most of our economic competitors in the mathematics

performance of high school students. Many attempts have been made to improve this dismal performance, but none have worked. To my mind (and I

am by no means alone in thinking this), the reason is clear. Those attempts have all focused on improving basic math skills. In contrast, the emphasis should be elsewhere.

Mathematics is a way of thinking about problems and issues in the world. Get the thinking right and the skills come largely for free.

Numerous studies over the past thirty years have shown that when people of any age and any ability level are faced with mathematical challenges that arise naturally in a real-world context that has meaning for them, and where the outcome directly matters to them, they rapidly achieve a high level of competence. How high? Typically 98%, that’s how high. I describe some of those studies in my book The Math Gene (Basic Books, 2000). I also provide an explanation of why those same people, when presented with the very same mathematical challenges in a traditional paper-and-pencil classroom fashion, perform at a lowly 37% level.

The evidence is clear. It’s not that people cannot think mathematically. It’s that they have enormous trouble doing it in a de-contextualized, abstract setting.

So why the continued focus on skills? Because many people, even those in positions of power and influence, not only are totally unaware of the findings I just mentioned, they don’t even understand what mathematics is and how it works. All they see are the skills, and they think, wrongly, that is what mathematics is about. Given that for most people, their last close encounter with mathematics was a skills-based school math class, it is not hard to see how this misconception arises. But to confuse mathematics with mastery of skills is the same as thinking architecture is about bricklaying, or confusing music with mastering the musical scale.

Of course basic skills are important. But they are merely the tools for mathematical thinking. In the pre-computer era, an industrial society like the United States

needed a large workforce of people with mastery of basic math skills who could carry out tasks assigned to them by others. But in today’s workplace, the coin of the realm is creative problem solving, making use of mathematical thinking when it is required.

If you are a parent working for an innovative, competitive company, there is a simple litmus test to see whether your child’s school is approaching mathematics education in a way that at least stands a chance of being successful. Call by and ask to look in on the math class. If what you see looks very much like your workplace, with people sitting round tables talking and trying out ideas, or grouped round a white board arguing, then there is a good chance your child is being well prepared for life in the twenty-first century. If what you see are rows of students facing the teacher, supposedly listening to her words, or else working silently at their desks, then it’s likely your child is being prepared for a world that is long since gone.

Of course, there is more to it than that. But as a quick and dirty first test, it does remarkably well.

Want to know more? Check out the talk math teacher Dan Meyer gave at the TED conference in March of this year, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlvKWEvKSi8 and read my colleague Jo Boaler’s book (aimed at parents) What’s Math Got to Do With It?

Mathematician Dr. Keith Devlin is a co-founder and executive Director of Stanford university’s h-StAR institute and a co-founder of the Stanford Media X research network. he is a World economic forum fellow, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and “the Math Guy” on national Public Radio. he is also an academic advisor to Global School.

how to tell Good schoolmath education from bad

paGe 6 GlobAl GAzETTE MAY 2010


meeT our Teachers & sTaFFmarianne KenT-sTollPrincipal

Marianne has dedicated the last twenty-five years of her life to education. Prior to joining the Global School, Marianne served for the last nine years as Assistant Head of Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School. Marianne has extended her passion for education and global outreach to a remote village in Tanzania, East Africa where she and her husband work to improve education and renovate schools. Marianne is eager to assume the role of founding Principal because the Global School is a place where “devotion to global citizenship and passion for reaching one’s full potential inform all aspects of the curriculum.”

JeFF hicKsCurriculum Coordinatorfourth Grade teacher

Starting as a professional theatre and music teacher/director, Jeff ’s experiences in the theatre have brought him to over thirty public and private schools from Santa Cruz to San Francisco as a director, musical director, and drama/choir teacher. Prior to joining the Global School, Jeff taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade at Almaden Preparatory School as well as special education in Cupertino Union School District. Jeff has integrated both technology and public speaking skills into daily lessons and classroom activities. Jeff appreciates the Global School’s emphasis on strong communication skills: “Through the building of our classroom community, we all are able to feel open to express our ideas, convictions, and creativity.”

miKe sbarbaroDirector, Science ProgramSixth Grade teacher

Mike Sbarbaro is a passionate, kid-at-heart teacher who has been in the Middle School classroom for thirteen years. Eleven of those thirteen years were focused on science and social studies in an accelerated private school program. For the past two years, he has been teaching science and math in a charter school for at-risk children.

Mike’s role as science instructor will include seeking new and innovative ways to teach science in the context of real-life applications. Mike looks forward to teaching students in the new science lab where he can “naturally employ students’ curiosity to explore and ask questions.”

mina marmolArt & Spanish teacher

Mina brings us more than twenty years of experience in teaching Art and Spanish. She has worked to develop art programs that focus on world cultures and allow students to experiment with a variety of mediums. In addition to teaching Spanish, Mina has also translated texts for bi-lingual students. Mina looks forward to developing an art curriculum at the Global School where “art is valued as a vital means for developing confidence through self expression and as a way to appreciate other cultures.”

deborah leveridGeSecond Grade teacher

With twenty five years of teaching experience and a Bachelors Degree in Education (Ohio State), Deborah comes to the Global School of Silicon Valley ready to offer her wisdom and innovation. Her past experiences include creating an emergent Pre-K program for a top Fortune 500 company, and nine years of teaching kindergarten, first, and second grades for a private elementary school in the Silicon Valley. Deborah’s dedicaation to teaching is reflected in her statement: “I believe that I owe it to my students to bring consistency, diligence, and warmth to my job”

maria Jonesfirst Grade teacher

Maria Jones has been working as an international educator for over 12 years. Graduating with a B.Ed. Honours (Education and Philosophy) from the University of Wales, she was schooled in and trained under the British National Curriculum. Her professional range of experience is as equally diverse as the countries in which she has worked. She has held a multitude of positions: classroom teacher (grades 1-6), World Religion Curriculum Co-ordinator, Teacher Trainer, and Special Needs Unit Manager. Maria says she can’t wait to start teaching at the Global School, a place where “teachers instill a love of life-long learning.”

debra elricKKindergarten teacher

Debra comes to the Global School with over twenty-five years experience in early childhood and elementary education. Her passion and dedication to the development of children are evident in the harmony that she creates in the classroom. Debra balances teaching essential skills with allowing room for students to explore and develop their creativity. At the core of Debra’s teaching lies the belief that, “Children need to come to school happy and leave happy. I want a classroom where children look forward to coming and learning. I want the children to learn to be eager and hungry for more.”

Admissions inquiries:[email protected]

or 1-408-358-4773

nidhi Khannafifth Grade teacher

Nidhi Khanna began her career in education in 2002, working in the Bay Area with leading private schools. Nidhi holds a BA in International Management from American College in Dublin, Ireland. She was educated all around the world while growing up in South America, Europe, and Asia. Nidhi has worked extensively in educating children from rural communities in India.

Nidhi comes to the Global School with a unique cultural perspective and fluency in multiple languages, including Hindi and Spanish. She is excited about teaching the 5th grade and helping to develop a comprehensive language program that includes cultural appreciation and interactive learning.Nidhi believes that “The purpose of education is to open the door to ideas and thoughts, with excitement, creativity, and above all unabashed curiosity.”

Jim burrisMusic & Drama teacher

Music and theater have been Jim Burris’ lifelong passions. Jim has over thirty years of experience in music education and theater directing. He looks forward to starting a chorus and directing plays as well as to teaching music theory and drama at the Global School. Outside the classroom Jim volunteers as a mentor and guide for troubled young people. Jim looks forward to doing what he does best which is “helping students discover their unique talent and ability to contribute to a community or a performance.”



aTul TemurniKarChairman

Atul Temurnikar co-founded the Singapore based Foundation (GIF) in Sept 2002, and is the founding Trustee

and Chairman for GIF worldwide operations. GIF has now grown to be the Largest Pan-Asian educational institution with its Global Indian International Schools (GIIS) spread over 8 countries namely Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam, India and United States. Under Temurnikar’ s leadership, the Global Indian Foundation has grown from just 48 students in 2002 to a multinational community organization with 21 schools across the world. “We are delighted to bring our proven, world-class educational offering to the world’s hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.”

narpaT bhandariCeo

Narpat Bhandari is a seasoned entrepreneur, scientist, and educator. He also serves as an advisor

and board member to several electronics companies. He has taught a range of electronics courses at numerous institutions, including UC Extension, University of Southern California, Purdue University, and Northeastern University. From 1993 to 1995 Narpat Bhandari served as a board member of the federal Indo-US. Subcommission on Education and Culture, a program of the United Sates Information Agency. Bhandari is a trustee of the University of California Santa Cruz Foundation

and the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, a San Francisco Bay Area organization. He is the co-founder and a charter member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) of Santa Clara. He held a global chair for the group from its inception until 1996. He received the entrepreneur of the Year award in 1992 from the National federation of Indian Associations. “The use of the latest technological teaching tools will enable our students to communicate and learn with other children around all 21 campuses, making Walt Disney’s dream of 65 years ago ‘It’s a Small World’ a reality.”

danny domirayDirector

Prior to entering the field of education about ten years ago, Danny worked his way through corporate ranks in networking and telecommunications ending with his last job as a Director of sales and engineering at Lucent Technologies. Later he changed course becoming a substitute math and Spanish teacher while pursuing a graduate degree in business. Subsequently, as a revived entrepreneur Danny went on to establish an accredited private tutoring program that eventually grew to 17 locations nationwide. In 2008 Danny returned to California as the West Coast Director for Kaplan Education before joining the Global Foundation in October of 2009. Speaking passionately from the heart, Danny exclaims, “teaching is happiness, and being a teacher is the pursuit of happiness.”

meeT our execuTivesvallabhi pariKh Computer technologyhindi teacher

Vallabhi Parikh’s two Masters Degrees in Psychology and Education-- Instructional Technology have given her the chance to

discover unique ways of combining education and technology.

In addition to her experience in technology education, Vallabhi has taught reading, project-based learning, multiple intelligences, and differentiated instruction to a variety of grade levels.

At the Global School of Silicon Valley, Vallabhi will teach a comprehensive computer technology curriculum that is integrated across the disciplines. Vallabhi is excited about joining the global team. She says, “It is a place where students will collaborate and learn about other cultures.”

susannah vauGhanAssociate Director of Admissions

Susannah is an advocate of providing opportunities that allow individuals to strengthen and develop their character and minds.

For the past decade, she has served several non-profit organizations where enhancing education and ensuring the health and welfare of young students has been her passion. She has voluntarily lead and supported many committees and projects that foster confidence to explore new interests, encourage mutual understanding and cultural harmony and complement the academic curriculum. Susannah holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Brighton, UK and a double honors Bachelor degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Economics from the University of Birmingham, UK. “The vision of the Global School of Silicon Valley is to educate students to be independent thinkers, confident in expressing their convictions, and ready to embrace the challenges that living in today’s world brings.”

crediTsPublisher: April Media for

Global School of Silicon ValleyEditor: Krishna Kumar

Design & Layout: Sarah DavisPhotos: Scott Lance, Jeff Hosier, Som Sharma

www.aprilmedia.comPrinted and Published in uSA by April Media, inc for Global School of Silicon Valley. All rights reserved. no material herein or portions therefore may be reprinted without the consent of the publisher. the publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily in accordance with the opinions and views of the magazine, its personnel, its agents and no liability is assumed by the publisher thereof. Advertising copy and artwork are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. no warranties, guarantees or endorsements are made by the publisher.

for private circulation only.

Imagine your child growing up global.

proven

The Global School is part of a vibrant international networkof award-winning schools preparing young people to be effective citizens of the world.

A new and exciting education alternative—successful at 21 schools in eight other countries—is coming to Silicon Valley.

ENROLLING NOW! OPENING IN SAN JOSE SEPTEMBER 2010

FULL DAY... 8am - 4pmCOMPLETE CURRICULUM K-8 ONE INCLUSIVE PRICE

Engl Math Sci Languages Computers P. E. Music & Arts

FREE Homework Support FREE Tutoring

Does your school give you all this? ENROLL NOW

Admissions inquiries:[email protected] 1-408-358-4773

Campus location:1921 Clarinda WaySan Jose, CA 95124

www.myglobalschool.org

Open House

10:00 AM

School Campus:

1921 Clarinda WaySan Jose, CA 95124

Bring your children for

fun activities.

www.myglobalschool.org

June 19th, July 10th July 24th, August 7th

1921 clarinda WaySan Jose, CA 95124

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Global Schools Foundation GIIS Silicon Valley Dubai