"Rang Sem
Rang-ki Tawa"
Your mind is yours to observe
The idea of Taktse International School was conceived in the winter of 2004 when a group of concerned Sikkimese gathered to discuss the problems confronting our society: the erosion of traditional values, the increasing number of alienated youth with little or no marketable skills, the growth of mass consumerism, the growing disparity in wealth, the degradation of environmental resources, and the impoverishment of ethical standards in public offices. Rapid development and the failure of the greater society to wisely manage the inevitable forces of change have exacerbated these problems over the years. These challenges are particularly common in developing countries that are experiencing rapid modernization. Therefore, we wanted to create model school and community capable of producing the compassionate and ethical leaders that developing societies so desperately need.
While Taktse is a modern, progressive school. It's foundations are deeply rooted to the traditional Buddhist philosophies and values which teaches humility, selflessness and compassion.
Our
Foundation
lies in Buddhism
"We nurture lifelong learning, foster a love for collaborative work in a multi-cultural setting and cultivate both personal introspection and social responsibility. It is our intention to provide leadership in the field of education and to actively collaborate with educators around the world.At TIS, round-table discussions, and question and answer sessions with scholars, artists, and community leaders are the norm. Our curriculum empowers students to connect with their environment, to appreciate their heritage, to transform themselves, and ultimately, the world."
We are a unique school with a talented team of teachers, staff members and administrators who value academic excellence,
independent thinking and kindness.
We are fortunate to have a spacious site on pristine land just nine kilometres from Sikkim’s capital, Gangtok. Our grounds and wealth of facilities are used in all aspects of learning, from
sports competitions to cutting edge science laboratories to a library that is the heart of the school. Taktse values analytical thinking, hard work, courage and compassion, and we
welcome families with similar values to our school.
Who are we?
Who do we want to be?
Who do we want our children to be?
Our Most Essential Choices
The following were what arose from a recent vision exercise of Leadership Team Retreat ‘15. This document is a subset of a Master List, for what we are trying to do and to be at Taktse.
The Most Important
● We choose to create an environment in which teachers are lifelong learners, excited about learning.
● We choose to create an environment in which questions are encouraged, valued, and safe to ask.
● We choose to model what and how we want our children to be.
● We choose to innovate, to experiment, to seek out other ways of thinking.
Such exposure allows us to choose rather than follow.
● We choose to support our students in scoring high on exams as well as towards a deeper understanding of their own humanity.
The Most In Need of Improvement
● We choose to respect everyone.
● We choose to honour and preserve aspects of local culture.
● We choose to explore and adapt aspects of other cultures.
● We choose to make risk taking safer.
● We choose to connect—visit, observe, learn from, invite, critique, evaluate—
with other schools, educators and passionate people.
What We Want from our Students
Vision for our Teachers
Teachers are our most important models for children. We want our teachers to exemplify and live those traits we want to develop in our students (See What We Want From Our Students). Specifically, we want our teachers to be reflective and self reflective; honest and sincere; kind and compassionate; curious and questioning; confident yet humble; hardworking but playful.
OUR CAMPUS
Our school rests on a sprawling, picturesque 35-acre campus at Pangthang, East Sikkim. Connected to Gangtok by three different roads, the school stands at an elevation of nearly 2,000 m and offers unparalleled panoramic views of Mt. Khangchendzonga, the famed third highest mountain in the world, considered to be the abode of Sikkim's protecting deity of the eponymous name.
Our campus is an integral part of our educational approach. The tranquil, natural setting at Pangthang encourages personal reflection, focus, and meditation. The school buildings, designed to inspire, maximize the use of natural light, and facilitate frequent interaction between all members of the community.
Our Library program is designed to cultivate a student’s love of reading and develop the skills necessary to be effective researchers (using a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopaedia, Google, etc.). Students are rewarded when they read a book and complete a book report. For the younger grades, our Library classes focus on inspiring students to decode words and understand the elements of a story. Most of our books come from the USA and UK and are invaluable learning tools.
A spacious circular Library emphasizes the importance of connecting to the outside world as well as inner reflection.
Our School Emblem
"Karuna Lay-Gyudray Samaya" loosely translates to "You reap what you sow". Therefore being respectful and compassionate towards one another are so important. The picture represents the "Vajra" which is a symbol for the nature of reality, endless creativity and skilful activity.
The mountains on the background denote the mighty Khangchendzonga range.
Our School Emblem
This logo represents an idea or an approach to education that learning and education are life long.