NEW LIFE! Grade 1 Rose Ceremony Monday 9th June 2025

New Life

The Rose Ceremony Welcomes new G1 children (either transferring from KG or new admissions into BSS Grade school). A total of 18 children were entering the school and all week the students and staff were busily preparing and excitedly anticipating their arrival.

A Beautiful Omen Continues

A rainbow appeared in the evening skies above the school the evening prior (Sunday) and  Teachers were commenting how beautiful and apt it was given that the Rose ceremony culminates with a Human Rainbow bridge into the G1 Classroom. This was truly wonderful but what really left everyone speechless was the fact that the previous 2 G1 teachers from 2023 and 2024 then stated that they ALSO witnessed rainbows the night before the rose ceremony (!) and both still have vivid memories of them!

A Final Farewell to KG

G1 Children and their parents met early in the morning outside the KG and just like other numerous events in their pre-school past that they were reminded of - they were guided through feet and hand washing accompanied with melodious humming from the KG teachers.  G2 children assisted with guiding and drying them and these symbolic and traditional gestures left everyone witnessing very grateful and emotional. On completion, these little, yet, significant acts confirmed the final departure from the KG building and marked the beginning of a journey through the grades.

Gentle "Guard of honour"

The wide eyed new children then passed through a guard of honour or "chain" of children, ready and prepared, in their grades from G3 to G8 and looking harmonious dressed in matching school uniforms. Each Grade had prepared an "activity" for the children to witness and experience as they wandered slowly through.

G3 - Song "Morning has come" with Body and arm actions

G4 - Song "Ring the bell"  whilst passing the G1 Children by hand along the class

G5 - Rhythmic Wooden Staves passing sideways hand to hand

G6 - Recorder playing "Edelweiss"

G7 - Dandiya with Kannada Song

G8 - Song " Plant a Seed of peace"

The G8 continued singing their song as they followed the G1 children back to their parents on the sports ground while the whole school also took their places around the School Flag for the next ceremony.

Introduction of G4 Helpers or "GodParents"

After the Morning prayers and school verse the whole school sang "Morning has broken" and then listened to some lovely welcoming words from a Grade school teacher.  A tradition the school has been holding for more than 10 years then followed which is that the G4 class help settle the G1 children by becoming their special older friends in school. The G4 children marked this joyous occasion and tied woolen hand-made (by themselves) friendship bands on their assigned G1 Children and vowed to look after them, especially in the early days of school.

Journey into the classroom

The high school G9-G11 constructed a "human rainbow bridge" and the rest of the school organised themselves into singing and recorder positions. A Rainbow Cloth was also held high at the entrance to the classroom. The Song "New Life" was sung/played by all present to add to the festive and welcoming atmosphere.

Our First batch of G12 students and thus the oldest in the school took each G1 child by hand and led them through the archway to meet their old KG teachers who presented each one with a rose. The child was then welcomed into the classroom by their new Grade school teacher. Parents of G12 students that were present were particularly emotional as they recalled their now grown up senior children doing this same journey 11 years ago in G1. 

Once every child had entered the classroom, the ceremony ended. This truly left everyone present uplifted and ready to witness the future integration of the "New life" into Bangalore Steiner School.

I personally wish to convey my gratitude to the events team, admin, and all the staff and students to make this occasion truly, wondrous, inclusive, beautiful and successful. Also my deep heartfelt gratitude to 2 schools who provided me the inspiration for the events transcribed above namely Perito Moreno, Buenos Aires (for the Godparent Ceremony) and Abhaya, Hyderabad (for the school chain).

With love and kindness,

-Blog by Vikas Gupta (High School Teacher)