Welcome to ISW Language and Cultural School

The ISW Language and Cultural School is about to enter its 17th year of success. The school meets every Sunday morning from September to May at the India Center, 152 West Main Street in Shrewsbury.

At present language classes are held in Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil and Bengali. Recent additions are Telugu and Malayalam. As of August 1, 2008 registrations for Hindi classes are closed and we are  only accepting Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, Telugu students. To download the registration form, click here

First day of school for this school year is on Sept 21, 2008. With 140 children attending yoga & language classes, the India Center on Sunday mornings is a busy place.

Scroll down to read about the activities of the school below.

Pics from 2007-08 school year

First day of school  for this school year was on Sept 23, 2007. With 140 children attending yoga & language classes, the India Center on Sunday mornings is a busy place. The students learnt how to do garba and attended Gandhi Jayanti assembly this month.

In addition to the yoga & language classes, we have a full schedule planned ahead, made possible by our volunteer teachers and parents. Please thanks them when you get  a chance to see them while dropping/picking up kids or when you see them at an  ISW function.

Children doing Yoga

Click  here  for  other  Halloween  Pictures

School Holiday Party

Click here for Holi Pictures

Activities during the school year

The ISW Language and Cultural school has been running successfully since 1992 with a staff of very dedicated volunteers.  We accept any student from age 6 years to adult.  The classes are run according to the public school schedule, starting on the third Sunday in September and ending in May.

School begins every Sunday morning at 10:00am at the India Center.  The students start the day with 20 minutes of Yoga.  This is followed by an hour of Language class.  School ends with an Assembly period.  We spend this time celebrating many of the Indian holidays, holding history/social study classes, learning bhajans and patriotic songs, or welcoming guest speakers. 

We participate in the ISW Diwali program.  A dance is taught to any of the school students who are interested in learning a little about Indian dance and don’t normally take dance lessons with another dance teacher.  This class is open to school students only and ends in November. 

In February, we sponsor our annual Sarasvati Puja.  The students perform bhajans they have been learning since September.  We also encourage students to perform an individual bhajan, shloka, poem, instrumental piece or dance and offer their performances to Goddess Sarasvati.  The students collect new children’s books that are donated to a local shelter or hospital.

Community service is very important to instill in the children and we try to accomplish this through our Share and Care Program. We help families within our Indian community and also through other local organizations by making donations of food, clothing and toys.

                Although we are not affiliated with any particular religion, the ISW offers a monthly Hindu religion class for students in the school.  It is held immediately after the Language school for the convenience of the parents on the second Sunday of the month.  All school students are welcome to participate but it is not mandatory since it is held after school hours.  There is no formal registration for this class and the students are invited to attend as many times as they like during the school year. 

                To honor the parents and grandparents of the students we present a Parents Day Program – celebrating both Mothers and Fathers Day.  The students entertain their parents in various ways and a small reception follows.

               Each year the school ends with our Annual Last Day Program.  At this program the students perform poems, skits, songs, etc. in the language that they have been studying for the year.  They receive attendance certificates and some will receive attendance prizes.  This program is followed by a reception.

        Parents will receive a tentative schedule for the school year in September and will also receive a weekly e-mail to help keep them up to date with information and last minute changes in the school schedule.                      

            Each student will start the school year with a notebook and pen presented by the school.  We also request that each student have a notebook binder to keep their extra papers in.

            We try to make the school fun as well as instructional.  We encourage participation from both the parents and members of the community and invite people to come in to share their knowledge with the students.  This could be speaking on the importance of a particular cultural holiday or on any topic that might be of interest to the students.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Shiamin Melville at 508 393-1426 or swmelville@charter.net.