St Paul's High School, Hyderabad
Encyclopedia
St. Paul's High School is a private, co-educational K–12 school in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
, India
. It was established in 1954.
celebrated the completion of 100 years of education. Rev. Bro. John of God, the Rector of the school, decided to start a new school. A building was hired at King Koti Road, Hyderabad to accommodate the new St. Paul's High School, named after Bro. John of God's favourite saint.
Some of the best students of All Saints' along with a few teachers from nursery to seventh class were sent to the school, under the stewardship of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart
. At its inception it was an all-boys middle school, working as a branch of All Saints' High School. In 1955, it was shifted to the present premises at Hyderguda, Hyderabad. In 1958, St. Paul's High School was made autonomous and Rev. Bro. Stanislaus was appointed the Principal. By then the school had one section each from nursery to class 7, with 300 students.
and All Saints High School, Hyderabad
, both of which also run by the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel.
Every year in January, one of the three schools conducts the admissions procedure for Kindergarten. It involves an interview of both the student and the parents. The number of students who apply for admission far exceeds the number of positions available and hence it is a very competitive process. Students are allowed to state their choice among the three schools but their choice is not guaranteed. A twenty-percent quota is generally reserved for economically backward students.
Admission to all other classes is done by the school itself on merit basis. Students who not only have a strong academic standing but also display talent in sports, literary or cultural activities are given priority in admission.
The pre-primary division has four sections each of lower and upper Kindergarten
. The primary division has four sections each of Classes I to III (Class III is equivalent to the Third Grade
as it is called in the USA, Canada and some other parts of the world. Note that the word "Class" is used instead of "Grade" and the year is written in Roman Numeral). The pre-primary and primary divisions are housed in one building, commonly called the "Primary Building".
The Middle school has four sections each of Classes IV to VII and the High School has four sections each of Classes VIII to X. Both the Middle school and High School are housed in another building, commonly called the "High School Building". The High School Building and the Primary building are directly across each other and are separated by a public road.
At the end of Class X, the students take the State Government administered Secondary School Certificate
Examination. At the end of Class VII also, students have to take a State Government administered exam. The school has good performance in the public exams and has in several occasions had 100% pass results.
. The student body is split into four houses with an aim to promote competition among the students.
The houses are:
Each house has:
Students are inducted into the houses at the time of admission and generally remain in the same house until they graduate from the school. The four houses compete among each other for the Annual Championships in the Literary, Cultural and Sports categories. There is also an "Overall Champion" trophy awarded to the best House every year.
. The school houses a full basketball court, and two grounds for casual sports and games. The school hosts the annual Open Andhra Pradesh State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament.
Investiture ceremony
Teachers Day
Independence Day
Annual Day
The most awaited event of the school, the annual day, is a very colourful and enthusiastic event. It is also called the prize night. The parents of the school head boy and head girl are invited as the guests of honour. The event starts with the prayer song by the school choir followed by a welcome dance. The head boy and head girl along with the other school cabinet present the annual report. Prizes in various fields are given to the students:
good performance in academics
outside school and brought glory to school.
on the students (a boy and a girl) selected by the school Principal.
Late Sri V. V. Giri
for his services to the country through St. Paul's High School.
In 1959, the first batch of students appeared for the X Class Board Examinations.
The new principal was Rev. Bro. Dominic who was with the school for two years. Rev. Bro. John de Britto took over from Bro. Dominic for a year, in 1978. He added two more stories to Bro. Stanislaus Building due to the high numbers of students wanting admission into the school.
In 1979 Rev. Bro. N. C. Mathew became the Principal. He planned and executed the task of extending the school buildings such as the Central Block, the existing Administrative Block, consisting of Staff rooms, Library, Computer lab., Physical Science lab., Conference Hall, Monfort Hall, Reading Room, Table Tennis Hall, and Brothers' quarters. During his tenure the school celebrated its Silver Jubilee (1980).
In 1989, Bro. Thomas Reddy took over. Computer Science was introduced as an optional subject in 1991 and then was made a compulsory subject in 1993. After serving St. Paul's for six years, in 1995 he was elevated to the distinguished position of Provincial Superior.
Bro. Lawrence was succeeded by Rev. Bro P. T. Joseph in the year 2001. It was during his term that Centenary Celebrations of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel and Montfort Literary and Cultural competitions were conducted.
The present Principal Rev. Bro. Show Reddy took over the charge of St. Paul's in 2003. He has developed the infrastructure of the school by installing "Smart Classes" and a new computer lab. A fourth floor was added to the high school building.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was established in 1954.
Origins
In 1954, All Saints High School, HyderabadAll Saints High School, Hyderabad
All Saints High School is a Catholic school in Hyderabad, India, offering an education for children from pre-Kindergarten to Tenth Standard . It was founded in 1855 and is run by the...
celebrated the completion of 100 years of education. Rev. Bro. John of God, the Rector of the school, decided to start a new school. A building was hired at King Koti Road, Hyderabad to accommodate the new St. Paul's High School, named after Bro. John of God's favourite saint.
Some of the best students of All Saints' along with a few teachers from nursery to seventh class were sent to the school, under the stewardship of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart
Brothers of the Sacred Heart
The Brothers of the Sacred Heart are a Catholic religious congregation founded in 1821 by the Reverend André Coindre . Its Constitutions were modeled upon those of the Jesuits, while its Rule of Life was based upon the Rule of Saint Augustine. Its members bind themselves for life by simple vows of...
. At its inception it was an all-boys middle school, working as a branch of All Saints' High School. In 1955, it was shifted to the present premises at Hyderguda, Hyderabad. In 1958, St. Paul's High School was made autonomous and Rev. Bro. Stanislaus was appointed the Principal. By then the school had one section each from nursery to class 7, with 300 students.
Admissions
Though the school is a Catholic minority institution, its admission is open to all students irrespective of caste, creed, religion or gender. For admission into Kindergarten, the school follows a joint admission policy together with Little Flower High School HyderabadLittle Flower High School Hyderabad
Little Flower High School is a missionary educational institution based in Hyderabad, India. It has classes from lower Kindergarten to 10th grade level...
and All Saints High School, Hyderabad
All Saints High School, Hyderabad
All Saints High School is a Catholic school in Hyderabad, India, offering an education for children from pre-Kindergarten to Tenth Standard . It was founded in 1855 and is run by the...
, both of which also run by the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel.
Every year in January, one of the three schools conducts the admissions procedure for Kindergarten. It involves an interview of both the student and the parents. The number of students who apply for admission far exceeds the number of positions available and hence it is a very competitive process. Students are allowed to state their choice among the three schools but their choice is not guaranteed. A twenty-percent quota is generally reserved for economically backward students.
Admission to all other classes is done by the school itself on merit basis. Students who not only have a strong academic standing but also display talent in sports, literary or cultural activities are given priority in admission.
Academics
The school has over 80 teachers and supporting staff.Divisions
The school has four academic divisions- Pre-primary, Primary, Middle and Senior.The pre-primary division has four sections each of lower and upper Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
. The primary division has four sections each of Classes I to III (Class III is equivalent to the Third Grade
Third grade
In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
as it is called in the USA, Canada and some other parts of the world. Note that the word "Class" is used instead of "Grade" and the year is written in Roman Numeral). The pre-primary and primary divisions are housed in one building, commonly called the "Primary Building".
The Middle school has four sections each of Classes IV to VII and the High School has four sections each of Classes VIII to X. Both the Middle school and High School are housed in another building, commonly called the "High School Building". The High School Building and the Primary building are directly across each other and are separated by a public road.
Exams
The academic year starts mid-June and ends in early April and is divided into three quarters. Examinations are held at the end of every quarter and every month.At the end of Class X, the students take the State Government administered Secondary School Certificate
Secondary School Certificate
The Secondary School Certificate, also known as SSC, is a public examination taken by students in Bangladesh, Pakistan and in the states of Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa in India after successfully completing at least ten years of schooling. It is followed...
Examination. At the end of Class VII also, students have to take a State Government administered exam. The school has good performance in the public exams and has in several occasions had 100% pass results.
Houses
The school follows a house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
. The student body is split into four houses with an aim to promote competition among the students.
The houses are:
- Montfort (yellow) - named after St. Louis de Montfort, the Patron Saint of the school
- Stanislaus (blue) - named after Bro. Stanislaus who captained the school for 18 years
- Gabriel (green)- named after the Messenger of GodGabrielIn Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
- John of God (red) - named after Bro. John of God, the founder of the school
Each house has:
- A senior teacher in charge of supervision
- A General House Captain (generally from the X Class) who leads the house
- An Assistant General House Captain (from the IX Class)
- A house captain for every section from Classes I to X who leads the house in his/her section
- Student members in every section from Classes I to X
Students are inducted into the houses at the time of admission and generally remain in the same house until they graduate from the school. The four houses compete among each other for the Annual Championships in the Literary, Cultural and Sports categories. There is also an "Overall Champion" trophy awarded to the best House every year.
Sports
St. Paul's High School has facilities for table-tennis and basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. The school houses a full basketball court, and two grounds for casual sports and games. The school hosts the annual Open Andhra Pradesh State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament.
Ceremonies and traditions
St. Paul's Feast Day- St. Paul's Feast Day is observed in a solemn ceremony on 29 June every year. The Principal leads a prayer service with a reading from the scriptures and a brief message for the staff remembering the life and message of St. Paul, the patron Saint of the school.
Investiture ceremony
- At the start of each academic year, the newly elected School Cabinet and Class leaders take the oath of office in a colourful InvestitureInvestitureInvestiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
ceremony. All students wear the colours of their houses and cheer as their newly elected leaders march past the dais. The Head BoyHead boyHead Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system, and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth.-United Kingdom:...
and the Head Girl make their maiden speech on this occasion.
Teachers Day
- September 5 of every year is celebrated as Teachers' Day all over India in the memory of former President Dr. Sarvepalli RadhakrishnanSarvepalli RadhakrishnanSir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , OM, FBA was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He was the first Vice President of India and subsequently the second President of India ....
. In what is probably the most festive celebration of the year, students show their appreciation to their teachers. Sports and games are held for the teachers and prizes are given away. Every classroom has an individual celebration for about an hour before the whole school assembles to celebrate the event. The organization of the event in its entirety is taken up by the School Cabinet and the Class Leaders.
- Teacher's Day is also marked as "Back to School Day" by the alumni of the school who make it a point to visit the school and greet their teachers. Retired teachers are also reunited on this occasion.
Independence Day
- Independence day is celebrated very grandly. There are inter-house cultural competitions and each house is given a topic to perform- usually related to the theme "India" and then the winners are declared. This is the day for the Cabinet to show off their abilities.
Annual Day
The most awaited event of the school, the annual day, is a very colourful and enthusiastic event. It is also called the prize night. The parents of the school head boy and head girl are invited as the guests of honour. The event starts with the prayer song by the school choir followed by a welcome dance. The head boy and head girl along with the other school cabinet present the annual report. Prizes in various fields are given to the students:
- Academic Excellence: Toppers of class
- General Proficiency: extra-ordinary participation in various competitions besides
good performance in academics
- Young Achievers: Students who won various competitions in various fields
outside school and brought glory to school.
- Best outgoing student: Excellent Participation in Inter-School Competitions
- Best Science Student: Student of ninth standard who secured highest marks in science among all the sections is bestowed this award.
- Best Student: A gold medal sponsored by Justice Subhashan Reddy is bestowed
on the students (a boy and a girl) selected by the school Principal.
Principals
- Bro. John of God- Founder
- Bro. John of the Sacred Heart- 1954-55
- Bro. Martialis- 1956-57
- Bro. Stanislaus- 1958-76
- Bro. Dominic Mary- 1976-78
- Bro. John de Britto- 1978-79
- Bro. N. C. Mathew- 1979-85
- Bro. P. K. Joseph- 1985-89
- Bro. Thomas Reddy- 1989-95
- Bro. Lawrence D’Souza - 1995-2001
- Bro. P. T. Joseph- 2001-03
- Bro. Show Reddy- 2003-2010
- Bro. Sudhakar Reddy- 2010-Onwards
Notable alumni
- Sitaram YechurySitaram YechurySitaram Yechury is an Indian politician and one of the most prominent communist leaders in the country. He is a senior member of the politburo of the Communist Party of India and the party's Parliamentary group leader....
- Politburo Member in the, Communist Party of India (Marxist)Communist Party of India (Marxist)The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
. - "Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
" Prof. K. Srinath ReddyK. Srinath ReddyKolli Srinath Reddy, who goes by K. Srinath Reddy, is the president of the Public Health Foundation of India.-Career:Reddy is the former head of the cardiology department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.-External links:...
- President, Public Health Foundation of IndiaPublic Health Foundation of IndiaThe Public Health Foundation of India , is an autonomous foundation located in New Delhi, India. The foundation was created as a public-private initiative and launched by the Prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh in 2006 with the aim of enhancing the capacity of public health professionals in the...
and former Head of the Department of CardiologyCardiologyCardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
at AIIMSAll India Institute of Medical SciencesAll India Institute of Medical Sciences is a premier medical college and teaching hospital based in New Delhi, India. The Institute operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ....
. Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Medal by the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health.Royal Society for the Promotion of HealthThe Royal Society for Public Health is an independent charity formed in October 2008 following the merger of the Royal Institute of Public Health and the Royal Society of Health -- two of the oldest professional bodies in the world.... - "Padma Sri" Pullela GopichandPullela GopichandPullela Gopichand is an Indian Badminton player.He won the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001 defeating Chen Hong of China in the finals by 15-12,15-6. He became the second Indian to achieve this feat after Prakash Padukone, who won it in 1980...
- All England Open Badminton ChampionAll England Open Badminton ChampionshipsThe All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
for 2001, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna AwardeeRajiv Gandhi Khel RatnaThe Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports. The words "Khel Ratna" literally mean "Sports Gem" in Hindi. The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. It carries a medal, a scroll of honour and a substantial cash...
, Arjuna AwardArjuna awardThe Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
ee - Raj Sharma - Senior Vice President of Investments, Merrill LynchMerrill LynchMerrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
and featured on the Barron's list of top 100 Brokers. Sharma manages assets of $4.5 billion, and is ranked as the best high-end investor in the Boston area by the Boston Magazine.
1960s
Bro. Stanislaus devoted helped design and supervised the work of construction of school buildings, including the auditorium, the libraries, and the laboratories. Bro. Stanislaus was honoured with the National Award for Best Teacher in the year 1970-71, by the then President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
Late Sri V. V. Giri
V. V. Giri
Varahagiri Venkata Giri , commonly known as V. V. Giri, was the fourth President of the Republic of India from 24 August 1969 to 23 August 1974.-Early life:...
for his services to the country through St. Paul's High School.
In 1959, the first batch of students appeared for the X Class Board Examinations.
1970s
Bro. Stanislaus acquired land on the other side of the road in 1971, to house the Primary Section. He dedicated the building to the Blessed Alphonsa and named it Alphonsa Villa. Soon after the completion of the building Bro. Stanislaus died on May 12, 1976 and his long tenure as Principal (1958-1976) had ended. Alphonsa Villa was renamed 'Bro. Stanislaus Memorial Building' in honour of the Chief Architect of St. Paul's High School.The new principal was Rev. Bro. Dominic who was with the school for two years. Rev. Bro. John de Britto took over from Bro. Dominic for a year, in 1978. He added two more stories to Bro. Stanislaus Building due to the high numbers of students wanting admission into the school.
In 1979 Rev. Bro. N. C. Mathew became the Principal. He planned and executed the task of extending the school buildings such as the Central Block, the existing Administrative Block, consisting of Staff rooms, Library, Computer lab., Physical Science lab., Conference Hall, Monfort Hall, Reading Room, Table Tennis Hall, and Brothers' quarters. During his tenure the school celebrated its Silver Jubilee (1980).
1980s
Bro. Mathew was at the helm of the school for six years, and was succeeded by Bro. P. K. Joseph who served the institution for four yearss.In 1989, Bro. Thomas Reddy took over. Computer Science was introduced as an optional subject in 1991 and then was made a compulsory subject in 1993. After serving St. Paul's for six years, in 1995 he was elevated to the distinguished position of Provincial Superior.
1990s
Rev. Bro. Lawrence D'Souza took up the responsibility to head the institution in the year 1995. It was during his tenure that another storey was added to the Primary Block, and a cellar was constructed for parking space in the high school block. He renovated the Montfort Hall, Alphonsa Hall, and the Table Tennis Hall, giving them the present modern look. He improved the facilities in the computer lab of the high school and started a new computer lab. in the primary block. St. Paul's Table Tennis Academy, which was the brainchild of Bro. Lawrence, under the able guidance of Ibrahim Khan and Nagender Reddy, was inaugurated, on December 11, 1996. Computer Science was made a compulsory subject starting at the primary school. The school was made coeducational in 1996, ending over four decades of the all-boys policy.2000 to present
In October 2001, Denzil Atkinson, (Member of the Parliament) inaugurated the HAM Radio Station on the school premises. Every year since then, the Amateur Radio Club of Hyderabad has been providing training to students to operate the HAM Radio.Bro. Lawrence was succeeded by Rev. Bro P. T. Joseph in the year 2001. It was during his term that Centenary Celebrations of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel and Montfort Literary and Cultural competitions were conducted.
The present Principal Rev. Bro. Show Reddy took over the charge of St. Paul's in 2003. He has developed the infrastructure of the school by installing "Smart Classes" and a new computer lab. A fourth floor was added to the high school building.