Newsletter
Ms. Menaka Kumaran
Ms. Menaka Kumaran
School Leadership Update
A Journey of Growth and Passion
I joined CS in 2015 as a Science teacher, unaware of how truly transformative this journey would be. Over the years, I have been privileged to grow alongside the school, and today, I proudly serve as the Head of the Primary Division – International Stream, as well as leading the Department of Science and Global Perspectives.
Teaching at CS is far more than a profession—it is a passion that continues to inspire me every day. Our students consistently amaze me with their insights, curiosity, and fresh perspectives. With each new cohort, I am reminded of the excitement of discovery and the importance of creating learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.
My approach as an educator has always been to foster classrooms where learning is engaging, enjoyable, and meaningful. I am fortunate to work with a team that shares this vision, and together, we strive to make every learning experience at CS impactful and memorable.
Beyond the classroom, I have had the honour of playing an active role in shaping the Regional Association for International Schools (RAIS) in the Coimbatore zone. This initiative has provided a valuable platform for international students to participate in sports and cultural activities, encouraging collaboration and a strong sense of community.
In my role as Boarding House Coordinator, I have the opportunity to engage with students across year groups, which has deepened my understanding of their individual needs, aspirations, and personal journeys.
Being part of the CS community continues to be an incredibly rewarding experience. I am proud to belong to a school that values not only academic excellence but also the holistic development of compassionate, well-rounded individuals.
Here’s to many more years of learning, growth, and shared success!
-Ms. Menaka Kumaran
Talk of the School
The Grade XII Entrepreneurship students had a timely and enriching opportunity to visit the Nehru Group of Institutions.
A journey where words held power and creativity had no limits! From Verbal Potpourri that tested spontaneity to Extempore
The Science Expo at CS Academy International brought together 500+ parents and students
From thrilling theatre performances to vibrant art explorations and action-packed sports challenges, every moment is designed for fun and growth.
Event was a heartfelt tribute to our nation's heroes! Organised by the English Department and Team Inaivom
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
CS Broadway
This year, CS Academy had its first Broadway, and it was a huge success. This show featured extraordinary singers and musicians performing songs from well-known musicals. The purpose of CS Broadway was to raise funds for Street Child United (SCU), so through selling tickets, we were able to raise around 100,000 INR!
As a cultural captain, I had the opportunity to direct one of the musicals, Aladdin. The whole experience was unforgettable. Not only did the Aladdin performers present songs such as ‘A Whole New World’ and ‘Speechless,’ but they also exhibited an optimistic dance for ‘Prince Ali.’ Organizing and carrying out each aspect of the show was both enjoyable and fulfilling.
From overseeing dance and music rehearsals to the selection of costumes and music, I was able to develop my project coordination. During practices, I assisted the choreographer to conduct sessions before the show and worked with the theatre director on the monologue.
Moreover, exposure to this event aided in the development of my leadership skills.
The students also showed active participation toward the preparation of the show. They were all so dedicated and eager during practices and spent their spare time further refining their performance. To add on, both the singers and dancers were very enthusiastic and amiable and wouldn’t hesitate to help. In spite of having limited time to practice, they were able to work diligently throughout the sessions. Balancing academics as well as this musical allowed the students to improve their time management. The singers learned to refine their skills and feel more confident performing, and the dancers relished the challenge of mastering new choreography.
During the performance, each performer went above and beyond. Broadway consisted of four shows: Hamilton, Aladdin, Mamma Mia, and The Greatest Showman. The execution of all the musicals was extremely vibrant and dynamic, capturing the hearts of the audience as they cheered for the singers. The audience sang along to the band’s heartfelt songs and were able to connect with the performers through their music. Broadway featured beautiful duets, including ‘A Whole New World,’ ‘Rewrite the Stars,’ and ‘Million Dreams,’ along with eloquent and energetic solos, namely ‘Speechless’ and ‘Never Enough.’ Overall, they put on an astounding performance.
We’d been preparing for this performance for a few weeks, and watching each individual component—singing, dancing, and costumes—come together during the show felt highly rewarding. I loved putting the show together, meeting new people, and being able to help students showcase their talents. I’m so grateful to have been a part of this whole new world.
- Soumitha, AS level
A Seashore Of Peace
A pitch dark whirls into a sea of a million colours,
A foe and a foe love themselves and others,
Kids play freely at the park,
Where there is peace and beauty near the mark.
A thousand ripples bubbling in a pool,
A doe grazing beside a tree which is rather cool.
Glistening flowers exaggerating in a farm,
Sunshine dancing in a bush which speaks in a tone which is rather calm.
The terra is a holy villa of peace,
Let flowers and colours be symbols of peace.
A pianist singing a melodic ode,
Calmly did the flute blow.
A snow dove carrying an emerald leaf,
A sardine shoal voyaging beside a vibrant reef.
A green sapling emerging from a healing strand of soil,
Lads and lasses gaining education without toil.
Red poppies dazzling in the bright hues,
Lavender poppies singing amidst the neon bamboos.
Euphoric waves tapping the supporting seashore.
And plenty of differences and races are more.
A dynasty where life flourishes with no worries,
Especially a place which is rid of crazy eeries.
Honeybees fluttering in the mystical garden,
Freedom from loathing wardens.
I dreamt of a peaceful planet, a beautiful backyard, kind creatures
Finally a PEACEFUL UNIVERSE!
- Harini K, 8B
The Guardian’s Sacrifice
The radiance of the sun was brimming in the sky. The rays had spread appealingly in the azure. They came directly to the window, passed through the glass and hit slam-bang on his face. The round bright eyes now opened, yawning as his round face turned into a charming expression. Harshiv, a thirteen year old lad, woke up as he adjusted his beautiful straight tresses to fall into place.
His house was situated on the foothills of Mahendragiri, which opened to the entrance of a magnificent forest. The forest was massive and was covered with green carpet of plants, bushes and trees. Flowers bloom every other day attracting honey bees and butterflies.
People of Mahendragiri were friendly towards the animals and they all had a good acquaintance with each other. Harshiv spent most of the time in the forest. He grew up with the animals and could apprehend every single sound from them. He never gets fatigued when it comes to the case of the forest.
It was indeed an exciting day for Harshiv, as it was a holiday and he had planned to go into the forest along with his friends. They raced with the monkey from tree to tree, and enjoyed watching elephants bathing in the river. While playing, Harshiv was hiding near a cave and sensed something distinct, something very unusual and unrelatable.
The tone of the birds changed, the sun vanished suddenly and darkness encircled him. He began to sweat and a feeble voice came from the pothole, “A curse has been cast upon the jungle, hence it will lose its life and get destroyed soon.” Rapidly, the sun came back, birds became normal and voices faded. Harshiv was dumbstruck. He thought it was some kind of a deception. But, as days passed by, he was able to witness the forest losing its life little by little. Leaves started to wither, ponds dried up and animals went into hunger. Harshiv was not able to take this anymore.
He decided that he must act immediately, and went inside the forest without the notice of his friends. Harshiv went to the same cave, where he heard the voice the other day. He tried calling it and waited there for hours. The sun was about to set. He decided to leave, while he saw a glowing figure inside the cave. He was taken aback. The shadowy figure started to grow as it came in front of him. He got jitters all over, but stood there bravely.
The shadow posed an astonishing question, “Are you willing to make a sacrifice to save the forest?”. Determined to rescue the forest, the offer was accepted by Harshiv, but little did he know that there would be dire consequences for this decision. The enchanted figure gave him a magical seed and instructed him to plant it at the heart of the forest. As he planted the seed, he felt a gush of energy coursing through his body, and could perceive that the forest would be retrieved.
Time flew by, and the forest began to proliferate again. The trees reacquired their colours and animals returned. However, he noticed that he was slowly losing his connection to the forest, and discovered that the sacrifice he had made was his own association with the wild. In the end, the forest was forever changed. He had saved the woods, but at the cost of losing his connection to it.
- Thanvin, 9 B
The Lake of Tranquillity
Ah, this tranquil lake of mine,
Is surely not restive like thine!
For ev’ry stone that falls with zeal,
Yours its wrath can’t quite conceal.
Mine, howbeit, is not the same,
For its quietude none can maim!
Even the wickedest of them all,
Can hardly expect to see it bawl.
Thus is my dearest lake’s conduct,
And its gait I wish you’d induct-
For if you heartened your mind’s peace,
All your hardships would shortly cease.
- Meenakshi, 10B
The Wayfarer’s Requiem
The lion paced its cage, restless to be gone
But sadly it was born this horrid world upon
The lion stared at me, his face unceasingly wan
“Open this cage of yon, and to that extremity begone!”
I thought he might have said, as he scratched a thorn
But into this world of cages he was born.
A child’s red balloon popped nearby
We winced, took a sigh, and looked eye to eye
And turned to see the craters where they lie
Where so many did die of that terror from the sky
The tiger, his master, dead beneath the blue, blue sky
And I wondered why it had happened, why?
Fate had cast us off like boots too sma
In the crater the tiger had stood tall till he had fallen the great fall
Into the chasm of death, blocked off by a wa
Blocked off by a wall, caged in Death’s own ha
He had once been great, he had heard the call
Of the wild. But beneath our feet did he crawl.
I was a silent man, they had been born dumb
The war and the bomb had left us all numb
We were toys, playthings under the tyrant’s thumb
Marchers to the hum of freedom’s requiem
One of that poet’s hollow men I had become
Into the world we monochrome creatures had come
It had not been this way, but that world had burned,
That world had burned, full of life it had once churned
The lion, bored, yawned, and sighing to the street I turned
The doctor, if he heard of this, would be concerned
A lion talking to me, a friend for which I yearned
So that together we could talk, in this world we had spurned
I could see him there, the doctor, his notepad at the ready
Insinuating at my sanity, getting me in a hospital already
As I thought of him, the madman, the ground beneath me held steady
To the ground I thought was steady, I fell, and realised it was unsteady
The road so black and coarse, seemed to me a dead sea
Their bodies I could see as though I stood in an eyrie
I looked up gently, and I saw from the heavens falling a light
It was not quite right, I knew, in the middle of the night
It crashed upon me like a wave, full of heat, a blight
The world seemed to ignite, the bomb set the world alight
I heard a call within me, to shores somewhere more bright
I hope the doctor wasn’t right, delude myself I might
But those shores are so quiet, so full of delight
And to the silence I succumb. No more under tyrant’s thumb.
- Adithya, 10A
World Topper in Mathematics
Achieving the top rank in the world for Mathematics was a result of the thousands of singular moments of passion, hard work and support.
Consistency was the key to my success. I made it a habit to solve a past paper almost every day, no matter how busy I was. This daily practice helped me refine my problem-solving speed, recognize patterns, and develop an instinct for approaching even the toughest questions. Over time, mathematics became second nature.
Beyond practice, my passion for mathematics played a huge role. I never viewed it as just a subject to memorize formulas for—I enjoyed thinking of different ways to approach each problem, pushing myself to find solutions that were not just correct but efficient and elegant.
None of this would have been possible without the support of my teacher, Chaithanya Sir, who had been guiding me since Grade 9. He not only taught me mathematics but also made me believe in myself, constantly pushing me to strive for perfection. His encouragement transformed my approach to the subject, instilling in me the discipline and confidence needed to achieve at the highest level.
Finally, the healthy competition from my brilliant classmates played a significant role. Being surrounded by such talented peers kept me motivated to improve, ensuring that I never became complacent. Their drive and dedication inspired me to push my own limits, and together, we created an environment where we all thrived.
I learned how to aim high, and how to strategically and consistently work toward a goal, which are skills I will always carry with me.
-Shivi Vikram, A Level
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
A peep into my school garden
Leader In Me- The incredible source that enriched my personality and evolved into my Student Council project.
What if there were a pathway to become as efficient or productive as possible? What if a particular custom could mould us into better people? Better leaders? How can we balance our personal, social and academic spectrums?
Like many, I grappled with these questions, however, my life altered after getting familiarised with the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Having that said, Leader In Me is a revolutionary initiative by Stephen Covey, the author of the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His vision was to empower children to discover the leadership potential they have within themselves. The ultimate secret is that we have a good leader embedded and hidden inside the depths of our souls, waiting to be excavated.
To unleash that leader, it is crucial to believe that we have it in us. Although I was entrusted as a class leader almost every year, my understanding of true leadership and what it takes to be good at it took a toll after various transformative experiences. It took me repeated lessons from frequent adverse consequences in life to realise that a leader is not someone who just commands, makes people graze around with different tasks without taking responsibility or gives up and chooses ignorance after a complete team burnout. A true leader leads his/her group and follows it at the same time. A leader takes input from everyone and recites their own later. A leader mitigates inequality in their group. A leader stays accountable and instils inner peace and confidence in their group. A leader is a vivid learner and a relentless seeker of knowledge and wisdom. One does not need a title to define their role on earth. Every one of us could unlock the leader within us.
“The world thrives by compassionate individuals”. A leader is compassionate towards his/her fellows yet stands resolute on behalf of their group and guides them through decision-making.
The 7 Habits of Leader In Me are as follows.
1. Be proactive - Reacting to situations can only make them worse. Instead, try responding to them to implement a mature approach towards heated situations.
2. Begin with the end in mind- Plan realistically, set goals that drive you to success and establish your purpose in this world. However, make sure to not over plan and struggle with procrastination. Balance is key.
3. Put first things first- Prioritize your tasks into important and urgent, unimportant and urgent, important yet not urgent and important and not urgent. Smart work is not always effective. A combination of smart work with hard work is essential for personal growth and the accomplishment of dreams.
4. Think Win-Win- Judging one’s inability to perform is always an underestimation. The thought that everyone can win works magic to promote inclusivity within your team and enhance your competitive potential at the same time.
5. Seek First to Understand and then to be Understood- Listeners turn out to be legendary. Cumulative yet distinct perspectives could be formed by knowing others’ opinions and views on the same matter, resulting better understanding of the same matter. Communication is the password for the locker filled with gems.
6. Synergize- Everyone is unique, and that creates diversity. When diverse people work together, more reliable, valid, inclusive, effective and efficient decisions can be made.
7. Sharpen the Saw- We need a healthy heart, soul, body and mind to follow the habits above in the first place. Self-care is necessary.
Aditi Rajendran
- AS 2
ACHIEVER’S GALLERY
CS Academy secured an impressive Runner-Up position in the Coimbatore District Cricket Association Inter-School Under-12 Tournament, held at PSG IMS C Ground, Coimbatore. The tournament featured 10 participating schools from both CBSE and Matriculation streams, making this achievement a noteworthy milestone for the team.
