2025-2026 ASB Impact Report

IMPACT

REPORT 2025–2026

THE YEAR OF FEEDBACK FOR GROWTH

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THE SCHOOL HAS MADE AN EFFORT TO LEAD WITH COMPASSION AND CARING. WE PRIORITIZE THE STUDENTS HOLISTICALLY RATHER THAN JUST THEIR ACADEMIC NUMBERS AND THIS SETS US APART FROM MOST SCHOOLS IN MUMBAI. I THINK THERE IS A GENUINE EFFORT TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY MEMBER WELL-BEING. A S B T E ACHER

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IMPACT REPORT

2025–2026 CONTENTS

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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FROM THE BOARD

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2025–2026 AT A GLANCE

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YEAR OF FEEDBACK FOR GROWTH

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INDIA SANSKRITI CENTER

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SOLVE 5.0

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ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH

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WELL-BEING

24

PARENT LISTENING

28

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2026

34

STAFF RECOGNITION

36

LOOKING AHEAD

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LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL The 2025–2026 school year once again marked an exciting chapter for the American School of Bombay. Now in its 44th year, and excited to celebrate our 45th anniversary in the new school year, we are pleased to present this third edition of the annual Impact Report—an evolving tool for transparency, reflection, strategy and improvement. This year, we center our work around a powerful theme: The Year of Feedback for Growth.

At ASB, we recognize that preparing our students for a dynamic future requires more than foundational or factual knowledge—it demands the ability to think creatively, adapt fearlessly, and innovate with purpose. This is captured through our Mission, where we aim to inspire all of our students to continuous inquiry, empowering them with the skills, courage, optimism, and integrity to pursue their dreams and enhance the lives of others. It is further captured in our draft revised Mission, currently under development: At ASB, we cultivate curious, capable, and compassionate learners through a rigorous, inclusive education that empowers every student to strive towards their potential. A hallmark of ASB is that it is an institution that knows who it is and knows what it’s trying to do with its cherished students.

As with previous editions, this report serves dual purposes. First, to hold ourselves accountable to our mission through clear metrics and meaningful evidence. Second, to fuel institutional growth by analyzing what’s working, what needs attention and new strategies, and what we’ve learned along the way.

Each area of focus identified for this report includes a blend of Big Data and Rich Data—quantitative indicators and human stories—that together form a more complete picture of impact.

The reader will see that feedback for growth shows up in all facets of the ASB experience, whether it’s a unified teacher professional growth and appraisal system or how students positively impacted their beloved school through their informed actions. These efforts reflect ASB’s commitment to fostering future-ready learners—resilient, imaginative, and deeply empowered.

I want to give a special thanks to two individuals: our Deputy Head of School, Dr. Jennifer Swinehart, and our Branding and Design Specialist, Ms. Ariel Janzen, for their outstanding design of this impressive publication.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Your trust and partnership create the foundation on which innovation can thrive.

Be well,

Dr. Paul Richards HEAD OF SCHOOL

LETTER FROM THE BOARD As we conclude the academic year, on behalf of the ASB Board of Trustees, I am very glad to support the third edition of ASB’s Impact Report. Building on each year’s foundation, this publication shares how we assess progress, communicate outcomes, and remain aligned to our mission, vision, and values.

This year’s theme, the Year of Feedback for Growth, speaks to ASB’s dynamic spirit. It reflects not only our students’ inventive thinking and risk-taking, but also the forward-thinking approaches embraced by our educators and leadership team. Across academics, the arts, technology, community partnerships, and well-being initiatives, ASB has fostered a culture where new ideas are nurtured and where meaningful change is possible. This year’s Impact Report highlights how invested our community is in these initiatives and how strongly both staff and parents want to see the school continue to thrive in service to our students. The intentional work that has been done to listen to these stakeholder voices will carry us forward into ASB’s 45th anniversary year with optimism and energy.

Through the lens of our Strategic Agenda and its deliverables, this report presents honest insights. It demonstrates how we continue to evolve as a learning organization—one that prioritizes student success, invests in professional development, and listens closely to our community.

I extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Richards and the leadership team, the Board of Trustees, and the ASB staff for their vision and tireless commitment. And to

our families—thank you for your trust, engagement, and continued belief in ASB. I hope this report serves as both a reflection and an invitation—to innovate, to collaborate, and to strive together toward even greater possibilities.

Sincerely,

Urja Shah BOARD PRESIDENT SY 2025-2026

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF BOMBAY

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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

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08

09

SSC ASSEMBLY

10

CSR FAIR

11 DIWALI

ASIAC GIRLS SOCCER

HS YATRA & MS WEEK WITHOUT WALLS

LIP SYNC BATTLE

MS MUSICAL

HS MUSICAL

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2025–2026

THE YEAR AT A GLANCE

01

02

JARUL CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS

ASB MUN

COMMUNITY SCAVENGER HUNT SOLVE 5.0

03

04 HOLI

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MUSICAL

05 CULTURAL KALEIDOSCOPE

PYP EXHIBITION

CLASS OF 2026 GRADUATION

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WHEN YOU HOLD YOUNG PEOPLE TO HIGH STANDARDS AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU BELIEVE THEY CAN MEET THOSE STANDARDS, YOU ARE RESPECTING THEM BECAUSE YOU ARE TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY. YOUNG PEOPLE RISE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE BECAUSE BEING RESPECTED IS MOTIVATING. FURTHER, YOU LIFT UP ALL STUDENTS AND SEE GREATER EQUITY. — DAVI D YE AGE R O N WI S E FE E DBACK

10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People (2024)

M E NTO R ’ S M IND S ET

Three Ways to Give Feedback Over the course of the year, we have studied and practiced how to minimize our time in enforcer and protector mode, and instead to deliver feedback in mentor mode:

3 WAYS TO GIVE FEED BAC K THE ENFO RCER

High standards.

Low support.

The Enforcer holds firm expectations but offers little warmth or guidance. The hidden message in every interaction: you should already know how to do this.

“Why didn’t you turn this in?”

“Can you just try harder next time?” “Did you finish the reading?”

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

THE PROTECTOR

THE MENTOR

Low expectations.

High comfort.

High standards.

High support.

The Protector prioritizes shielding young people from difficulty. The hidden message: I’m not sure you can handle this.

“Don’t worry—we can skip that part.” “It’s okay, I’ll sort it out for you.” “Let’s not stress about it right now.”

The Mentor believes young people can rise to meet real challenges—and stays close enough to make that possible. The hidden message: I believe in you.

Let’s figure this out together.

“What do you think got in the way, and how can I help next time?””What’s one thing that’s genuinely stretching you right now—and is that stretch feeling productive or overwhelming?”

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2025–2026

YEAR OF FEEDBACK FOR GROWTH

THE CONCEPT ORIGINATES in the work of University of Texas

at Austin Professor David Yeager, whose book 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People draws on decades of

motivational research to articulate what the most effective

adults in young people’s lives actually do. At the center of

Yeager’s argument is a diagnostic that is both simple and clarifying. Most adults, he observes, default to one of two approaches: the Enforcer Mindset, which holds high stan-

dards without adequate support, or the Protector Mindset,

which lowers expectations out of a misplaced concern for student vulnerability. Both fail young people in different ways. The mentor’s mindset refuses both defaults—holding

high expectations while providing the warmth, challenge, accountability, and guidance that make those expectations genuinely attainable.

We believe the most enduring thing a school can offer is not a credential or a curriculum—it is a set of trusted relationships in which young people are held to high standards and genuinely supported to meet them. That conviction gave shape to the Year of Feedback for Growth, and to the organizing framework that carried ASB through it: the mentor’s mindset.

A MENTOR’S MINDSET IN PRACTICE TRANSLATING THIS FRAMEWORK from theory to culture re-

whether they can succeed, and whether any of it matters.

The leadership team studied Yeager’s framework directly,

turn this in?”—to a mentor-minded one—’What might help

belief in potential that resists fixed ideas about what young

small in wording and significant in effect.

student actually needs; empathy over judgment, which

In monthly communications to families, the Head of School

blame; and a long-term vision that sees today’s struggle not

igating social media to supporting productive struggle in

work challenged leaders to examine the questions they

between well-being and academic rigour, each newsletter

ing-makers who crave purpose and belonging, use the way

that families could use with their children—building a shared

quired that it take root at every level of the school’s work.

The shift from an interrogating question—“Why didn’t you

exploring four core principles of the mentor’s mindset: a

you feel more supported to get this done next time?”—is

people can do; strategic support that adjusts to what each focuses on understanding context rather than assigning

extended the same framework into the home. From nav-

as failure, but as part of the journey. Crucially, the frame-

co-curricular life, from the anxieties of travel to the balance

were asking —understanding that adolescents, as mean-

translated the mentor’s mindset into age-specific language

adults question them to determine whether they belong,

vocabulary across the whole community.

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THE MENTOR’S MINDSET FRAMEWORKS THAT DEEPENED THE WORK

FEEDBACK AT AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL

SEVERAL CONCEPTUAL MODELS gave the mentor’s mindset

AS YOU WILL READ ABOUT LATER

work—organized across five domains of physical, mental,

munity listening sessions held by the Head of School and

in this edition of the

greater texture across the year. ASB’s Flourishing frame-

Impact Report, the academic year culminated in 14 com-

relational, purposeful, and environmental well-being—made

attended by 130 participants across all grade levels. These

the case that rigor and student health are mutually depen-

dent, not competing priorities. Neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang’s research reinforced the same point:

chronically stressed students have measurably less access to the higher-order thinking that rigorous learning demands.

Meanwhile, the SAMR model guided ASB’s school-wide approach to AI, distinguishing between technology that substitutes for student thinking and technology that deep-

ens it—a line the mentor’s mindset helped every teacher and family hold with greater clarity.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

sessions surfaced all kinds of feedback: words of appreciation and confidence, and questions about what could,

and should, be next for ASB. These conversations reiter-

ated that feedback is not just for improving learning; it is for strengthening systems and refining practices at a macro level. Whether we are honing skills, polishing pedagogy,

or expanding institutional capacity, seeking and acting on

feedback is central to what it means to be an active and engaged member of the ASB community.

THE MENTOR’S MINDSET As we have explored Yeager’s frame of the mentor’s mindset and the importance of wise feedback in the classroom, we have done deep dives into systems, structures, and practices to elevate the value we can bring to all students through the feedback for growth cycle:

LAUNCHING OUR COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PILOT TO PERSONALIZE TEACHER DEVELOPMENT The Communities of Practice (CoP) pilot addressed feedback for growth at multiple levels. As a pilot, it was a new professional learning initiative intended to elevate teacher choice and model inquiry-driven engagement.

Cross-divisional teams were formed around a shared domain of interest: in this case, a question of practice grounded in an aspect of feedback for growth, and for some groups, how to foster this through a mentor’s mindset. The pilot was an honest beginning: it surfaced genuine enthusiasm for this model, alongside important design lessons about coherence, scaffolding, and the conditions teachers need to truly thrive as learners themselves. Participant feedback will shape how we redesign and expand CoPs in 2026–2027, moving from a promising experiment toward a deeply embedded feature of what it means to grow as an educator at ASB.

REVISING OUR ASSESSMENT POLICY TO ALIGN THEORY AND PRACTICE At ASB, we understand that how we assess students is as important as what we teach them. Assessment shapes how students understand themselves as learners, how teachers make decisions about instruction, and how families engage in their children’s growth.

This year, we developed a comprehensive Assessment Policy that articulates the values and principles guiding how we collect evidence of learning, make meaning of that evidence, deliver feedback, and communicate progress. Grounded in research, aligned with the Mentor’s Mindset, and organized around the belief that assessment is integral to learning—not an endpoint—the policy asks that every member of our community play a clear and intentional role. It frames great teaching as inseparable from great assessment: responsive, equitable, and focused above all on helping every student know where they are, where they are going, and how to grow. Staff will be formally introduced to this policy during August orientation, with a broader launch to students and families in the 2026–2027 school year.

FORMALIZING OUR USE OF UNIVERSAL SCREENERS TO DRIVE DATA-INFORMED INSTRUCTION Meaningful feedback begins with meaningful data. This year, ASB systematically introduced universal screeners—brief, reliable tools administered to every student, not only those already identified as needing support. Designed to identify learning needs early, monitor grade-level trends, evaluate Tier 1 instruction, and promote equitable access to intervention, these instruments transform how we understand student performance. Our screener suite—Acadience Reading, MAP Growth, PASS, and Wayfinder Points—generates valid, actionable data across academic and social-emotional domains. Together, they shift teacher feedback from intuition to evidence, enabling precise, personalized responses to individual student needs. When every learner is seen in the data, every learner can be reached in the classroom.

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LEARNING ABOUT JAALIS MADE ME REALIZE THAT CARE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF DESIGN. THEY SHOW HOW ARCHITECTS IN THE PAST PAID ATTENTION TO PEOPLE’S EVERYDAY NEEDS AND CREATED SOLUTIONS THAT WERE BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND PRACTICAL. —R AYAA N HEGDE, GRADE 6

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

INDIA SANSKRITI CENTER WHAT BEGAN AS A VISION to create meaningful connections

curriculum. Rather than existing as standalone events,

to grow in both scale and depth. This year, the ISC expand-

in units of inquiry, classroom learning, and student experi-

between our community and the host country has continued ed its reach across most grade levels and strengthened its presence on both campuses, while remaining grounded in the guiding design principles that shaped the program

from its inception. A significant marker of this growth has been the increasing integration of ISC experiences into the

many of our engagements have become embedded withences. Through intentional partnerships with teachers and

divisional teams, students had the opportunity to encounter and engage with India as both a place of study and a lens

through which to explore broader questions of identity, culture, community and design.

The India Sanskriti Center emerges as both a physical and virtual space to deepen roots, encourage empathy, and build connections for members of the American School of Bombay community with our host country. The Center will extend local networks, positively influence our curriculum and programs, and promote the development of global citizenship mindsets for students and adults alike. Through experiences ranging from introductory to immersive, the India Sanskriti Center will expand knowledge and nurture attitudes that celebrate India’s rich heritage, culture, and languages.

2025–2026 HIGHLIGHTS LE A R N M O R E

Explore the ISC website and follow our podcast.

WE INVITE YOU TO EXPLORE OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GROWING RANGE OF PROGRAMMES, COLLABORATIONS, AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES TAKING SHAPE ACROSS THE SCHOOL. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW OUR PODCAST THAT CAPTURES STORIES, REFLECTIONS, AND JOURNEYS THAT

EXHI B I T I O N : : S PR I N G 2026

MYSORE PALACE, BUILT BETWEEN 1897 TO 1912. INDO-SARACENIC STYLE, ITS DOMES, ARCHES, AND GRAND HALLS BLEND INDIAN AND

Nirman— Material, Form, and Inspiration in Indian Architecture

EUROPEAN INFLUENCES.

NIRMAN, MEANING CREATION, INVITES VIEWERS TO TRACE THE LAYERED STORY OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURE BY CLOSELY OBSERVING ITS

EXTEND LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

MATERIALS, FORMS, AND INSPIRATIONS.

Scan the QR Code below or visit isc.asbindia.org

This exhibition highlights how builders across regions have relied on vernacular knowledge—drawing on materials such as mud, stone, timber, and bamboo—to create structures that respond thoughtfully to place.

From the stilted houses of the Northeast, the carved windows of Rajasthan, the sloping roofs adapted to Himalayan snowfall, or the open verandahs that line coastal homes, each form reveals an interplay of environmental adaptation and cultural expression.

Building culture, perspective, and empathy through

This inquiry invites the viewer to consider how Indian architectural traditions evolved through encounters with the Mughal, Dutch, Portuguese, British, and others. These exchanges have layered new techniques and aesthetics onto existing foundations, resulting in the hybrid and diverse architectural language visible across India today.

host country connections

www.asbindia.org

SPRING EXHIBITION

PREK-12 COLLABORATION

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NIRMAN—

SOLVE 5.0—

MATERIAL, FORM, AND INSPIRATION

CONNECTED COMPASSIONATE

IN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

COMMUNITIES

Our year-long theme of ARCHITECTURE provided a rich

The ISC continued to amplify and enrich existing school

ture as both a physical and cultural expression—examining

ample was a partnership with SOLVE , where local expertise,

framework for exploration. Students engaged with architechow buildings, materials, spaces, and design choices tell

stories about people, place, history, and values. From ancient structures and traditional building techniques to contemporary urban landscapes, architecture became a path-

way for understanding India’s diversity and complexity, and encouraged students to consider how design shapes life.

programs through purposeful collaboration. A notable excommunity connections, and contextual learning oppor-

tunities enhanced student engagement and deepened the impact of project-based experiences. These collaborations demonstrated the value of leveraging local networks to

strengthen learning outcomes and create authentic connections between classroom inquiry and the world beyond.

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INDIA SANSKRITI CENTER During the academic year 2025–26 the India Sanskriti Center focused on expanding collaborative partnerships and ground cultural engagements in authentic relationships.

ICOMMONS

PERFORMING ARTS

In alignment with this year’s Book Week theme, Read India, Love India, we collaborated with iCommons to curate meaningful literary engagements. This included interactions with local authors, a play performance and the setting up of a pop-up bookstore in partnership with a local children’s bookshop, a first at ASB.

We hosted a professional theatre production at school for Grades 1 to 3, marking the first time a professional play was staged for elementary students at ASB. We also collaborated on the ASIAC Music Festival, bringing local musicians and experts into the school community. Additionally, we hosted author and musician Pratyush Gupta, who engaged Grade 3 students through an award-winning book, ‘Swarpeti’ on Hindustani classical music.

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our ongoing partnership with CSR continued to deepen through multiple initiatives. We hosted a year-long Middle School club where students worked with museum educators and archivists to learn oral history skills and document stories from the ASB community. We also collaborated on podcast episodes highlighting CSR journeys through individual student projects and stories from the community.

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

We worked closely with the Middle and High School Design Technology, curating field trips and expert interactions to explore Architecture, Urban Planning and Design.

SCIENCE

ASIJ PARTNERSHIP

We hosted a day-long Middle School film festival in partnership with the international environmental film festival, ALT EFF, creating an interdisciplinary platform for learning and discussion.

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WELLBEING

As part of our wellbeing initiatives, we continued to grow an edible garden of local flora, encouraging care and connection with nature and traditional medicine.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT

We ran a year-long parent club, Discovery Mumbai, designed to explore the city through curated walks focused on heritage and intangible cultural practices.

STAFF ENGAGEMENT

We curated regular opportunities for staff to attend theatre performances and film screenings, take part in curated walks, and attend an indigenous food festival.

SECONDARY SCHOOL CAMPUS SPACES

At the Secondary School Campus, we began expanding the Sanskriti Centre’s reach by creatively using existing spaces for displays and interactive experiences.

campuses, sharing insights drawn from a decade of developing place-based learning experiences and cultural programming.

Her visit offered rich opportunities for dialogue around curriculum integration, community engagement, and the role of cultural centers in fostering belonging and global citizenship.

One of the highlights of the year was the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Japan Center at the American School in Japan (ASIJ) through a three-day visit by its director, Mariko Yokosuka. As the Japan Center celebrates the milestone of ten years, the visit created a valuable space for reflection, exchange, and future planning between two programs that share a commitment to helping students build meaningful connections with their host countries. Throughout her time at ASB, Mariko engaged with students, faculty, and leadership teams across both •

IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

For the India Sanskriti Center, the exchange was both affirming and inspiring. It provided an opportunity to reflect on our own journey while learning from a program that has demonstrated the long-term value of sustained investment in host-country engagement. The conversations reinforced the importance of creating learning experiences that move beyond exposure to cultivate deeper understanding, empathy, and connection. Perhaps most importantly, the visit underscored the value of collaboration between educators and cultural centers across international schools. While rooted in different countries and contexts, both programs share common aspirations and challenges. This exchange strengthened a growing partnership and opened new possibilities for continued learning, collaboration, and mutual growth in the years ahead.

“

ARTIST PRABHAKAR PACHPUTE GREW UP IN A PLACE WHERE THEY MINED COAL. SEEING HIS ART WORKS UP CLOSE, I COULD FEEL HOW HARD THAT MUST HAVE BEEN GROWING UP IN THAT PLACE. — DANI E L PAR R A, S T UDE NT

2025–2026 IN NUMBERS

1

EXHIBITION

4

15

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATIONS

5

FACULTY EVENTS

9

FIELD TRIP COLLABORATIONS

6

PARENT EVENTS

19

EXPERT INTERACTIONS

1

SCHOOL WIDE EVENT

10

NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2026-2027 An exploration of trees AN EXPLORATION OF TREES —a theme that feels especially

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

lens through which to explore growth, belonging, resilience,

collaborative projects and shared learning experiences.

ecological systems, and everyday landscapes, this theme

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES

meaningful as ASB marks its 45th year. Trees offer a powerful

Strengthening connections with local schools through

and interconnectedness. Rooted in India’s cultural traditions,

will inspire rich opportunities for learning, reflection, and engagement across the school community.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Expanding internships and mentorship experiences for high school students through local partnerships.

IN THE CITY

Offering diverse experiences that connect the school community with the city of Mumbai.

SCAN TO LAUNCH THE ISC PODCAST

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IT WAS GENERALLY A FUN A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, AND IT HELPED ME TO GET TO KNOW NEW PEOPLE. —ASB ST UDENT

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

SOLVE 5.0 THE CORE OF SOLVE THIS YEAR was the practice of design

understanding of the world. This year has also been one

ten deeply, empathize with others, and develop solutions

with students, faculty, and partners, we have gathered valu-

thinking. Students were encouraged to observe closely, lisgrounded in real needs and experiences.

The year’s theme, Connected Compassionate Communities, provided a powerful lens through which this work unfolded.

Students explored what it means to build stronger, more

of reflection, feedback, and growth. Through conversations able insights into how the program can continue to evolve.

These reflections have reaffirmed the strengths of SOLVE while also pointing towards new possibilities for deeper engagement and greater student ownership.

inclusive, and more caring communities, while considering

As we look ahead, the learning from this year’s focus on de-

inquiry, collaboration, and action, they learned that mean-

is helping shape the future of the program. SOLVE is evolv-

the role they themselves can play in shaping them. Through

ingful change begins with understanding others and responding with empathy.

Throughout the day long event, students engaged with lo-

cal experts, organizations, and community members whose

perspectives enriched their learning and broadened their

sign thinking and Connected Compassionate Communities ing towards a renewed identity that places even greater em-

phasis on student-led experiences, authentic partnerships, and purposeful action. The program’s future direction is in-

formed by a belief that young people are most empowered when they are trusted to identify challenges, build connections, and design pathways forward.

SOLVE was envisioned as a program that placed student voice, choice, and leadership at its heart. It created opportunities for students to pursue questions and challenges that mattered to them, while working alongside peers and mentors. Through these collaborations, students connected their learning to the world beyond the classroom, developing a deeper sense of agency, purpose, and responsibility.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER SIDDHANT SHAH SIDDHANT SHAH

is a disability arts expert, accessibility

consultant, and founder of Access For ALL, an award-winning organization advancing inclusion across arts, culture,

heritage, and public spaces. Through his work in museum

accessibility, inclusive design, and disability-led programming, he has helped shape more equitable cultural experi-

ences in India and beyond. Siddhant continues to advocate for greater participation, representation, and access for persons with disabilities across the arts ecosystem.

ACCESS FOR ALL is a leading accessibility and DEI consul-

tancy working at the intersection of arts, culture, and dis-

“

IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO EMBRACE DIFFERENCES TO DESIGN AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE.

”

— S I DDHANT SHAH

ability. Founded by Siddhant Shah, AFA partners with muse-

audits, inclusive design, and innovative programming. With

to create more inclusive experiences through accessibility

more accessible and welcoming cultural landscape.

ums, festivals, cultural institutions, and global organizations

projects spanning over 13 countries, AFA is helping build a

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SOLVE 5.0 Elementary School students at ASB were invited to engage with a shared challenge: reimagining their playground. Students were encouraged to consider how a playground can support connection, belonging, creativity, and well-being for the community.

ES P L AY GR O U ND CONCEPT

The project provided an authentic opportunity for students to experience the design process firsthand. They practiced

empathy by considering diverse perspectives, developed ideas through collaboration, and communicated their thinking through drawings, models, presentations, and proto-

types. While each grade explored different aspects of the challenge, together they contributed to a collective vision

for the future of the space. More than an exercise in redesigning a physical environment, the project invited students EACH GRADE APPROACHED THE CHALLENGE in develop-

mentally appropriate ways, exploring questions about play, inclusion, accessibility, nature, movement, and community needs. Students observed existing spaces, gathered feedback from peers, reflected on their own experiences, and imagined new possibilities for how the playground could better serve current and future learners.

I’D LIKE A LARGE ROCK TO CLIMB OR HIDE BEHIND. —ES STUDENT

to think deeply about the relationship between people and place. It reinforced the idea that communities are strengthened when the voices of their members are heard and val-

ued, and that even young learners can play an important role in shaping the spaces they inhabit.

SWINGS!!! WE WANT SWINGS! — E S ST UDE NT S

The playground challenge exemplified the aspirations of SOLVE—bringing together student voice, authentic prob-

lem-solving, and community-centered thinking in ways that empowered students to see themselves as designers, collaborators, and changemakers.

SSC MURAL WITH ARAVANI ART PROJECT AS PART OF OUR EXPLORATION of connected compassion-

Drawing from these discussions, as well as ideas generated

the Aravani Art Project, a collective known for working with

collective vision of community that emerged. Students then

ate communities, students collaborated with artists from marginalized communities and using public art as a tool for

dialogue, visibility, and inclusion. Through a series of conversations, students reflected on what community means to them—considering the people, values, and relationships that help create a sense of belonging.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

by students, the artists developed a mural that captured the participated in bringing the mural to life, painting sections

of the final work alongside the artists. The project offered a

meaningful opportunity to see how art can hold space for diverse voices, foster connection, and transform shared ideas into a lasting visual expression.

SOLVE 5.0 IN NUMBERS

1

EVENT

27

WORKSHOPS

16

STUDENT LEADER/ FACILITATORS

2

DIVISIONS

9

TEACHER MENTORS

6 495

GRADES

10

LOCAL EXPERTS/ ENTERPRISES

STUDENTS

2

PARENT FACILITATORS

STUDENT-LED CREATIVE PROCESS: SOLVE 5.0 VISUAL IDENTITY The evolution of this year’s SOLVE logo was a creative process led by students, inspired by the theme of Connected Compassionate Communities and the program larger focus on technology and innovation. Through discussions, sketch-

es, and design explorations, students reflected on how empathy, collaboration, problem-solving, and future-thinking intersect. The final logo brings these ideas together, combining elements that represent human connection with symbols of innovation and possibility. More than a visual identity, the logo captures the spirit STUDENTS COLLAB ORATED TO CREATE THE FINAL DESIGN (LEFT)

of SOLVE—a program where students use design thinking to imagine and create meaningful change.

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25–

BUILDING THE CONDITIONS FOR OUR BEST WORK

A school’s capacity to serve students is only as strong as the conditions in which its adults work. This year, ASB made a significant, intentional investment in understanding and improving those conditions— through research, through honest listening, and through the development of a shared framework for

what a healthy, high-performing professional culture looks and feels like. This work reflects a long-term commitment to organizational integrity—to ensuring that the trust, clarity, collaboration, and care that we cultivate for our students are equally present in the experience of the adults who serve them.

D E F INIT IO N

Organizational Health A healthy school is one in which people and systems align with the mission and values, supported by trust, clarity, accountability, and care. It is a school that continuously learns and adapts while sustaining both well-being and high performance.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

CO RE CHAR ACTER ISTICS OF A HEALTHY SC HOOL PURPOSE- DRIVEN

RESTORATIVE

Shared vision and collective alignment.

Mistakes are learning opportunities

TRUST-BA S ED

ACCOUNTA B LE

Integrity, fairness, and transparency in relationships.

Commitments are met, and results are measured.

ADAPTIVE

S USTA INA B LE

Learning and innovation embedded in operations.

Decisions balance excellence, equity, and well-being.

I NCLUSIVE

Diverse voices valued and leveraged.

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2025–2026

ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH AND PROFESSIONAL CULTURE

This year, ASB developed and adopted the Organizational Health and Professional Culture Standards and Indicators Framework—a comprehensive, evidence-based set of expectations for how people and systems work together. At the heart of the framework are six standards, collectively called The Sustaining Six. Together, they define what it means for ASB to function as a healthy, purposeful, and sustainable organization.

1

2

3

Purposeful Alignment

Collaboration and Collective Responsibility

Professional Growth and Learning Systems

The school is clearly aligned around mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

Individuals understand how their work contributes to shared goals, and strategy is visible in daily practice.

Adults across roles and teams share ownership of outcomes. They collaborate purposefully rather than working in isolation, contributing to problem-solving that benefits the whole community.

ASB systematically invests in adult learning through feedback, reflection, and continuous improvement. Feedback is normalized and growth is expected at every level.

THE SUSTAINING SIX

4

A SHARED LANGUAGE FOR ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH

5

6

Restorative Accountability and Performance

Transparency and Systems Integrity

Well-being, Belonging, and Sustainability

Expectations are clear and performance matters. When gaps appear, the focus is on ownership, repair, and forward progress—not blame. Accountability is a vehicle for growth, not punishment.

Organizational decisions and processes are clear, fair, and consistently applied.

Staff can access relevant information and trust that systems reflect the school’s stated values.

ASB holds high expectations while actively attending to the well-being and inclusion of its people. The school understands that sustainable excellence requires both care and challenge.

These six standards now serve as the organizing architecture for professional expectations, evaluation, and organizational improvement at ASB. They are not aspirational in the abstract sense—they are the expectations we are actively using to support staff, for the express benefit of our students.

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ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH AND CULTURE SURVEY In April 2026, ASB administered its first comprehensive ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH AND CULTURE SURVEY

Staff were 73% and 72%, respectively. The survey drew

to all

on the Gallup Group’s well-validated 12-question employ-

employees, in partnership with Alexander Consulting &

ee engagement framework, alongside a culture descriptor

Training, Inc. (ACT, Inc.). Of ASB’s 239 employees, 178 re-

audit, retention analysis, and four open-ended questions

sponded —a 75% response rate, a figure that ACT, Inc. iden-

that generated over 550 substantive responses. The result

tifies as statistically robust and representative across all role

is one of the most comprehensive, data-grounded pictures

groups. Every member of the Leadership team responded.

of organizational life that ASB has ever produced.

Response rates among Instructional and Non-Instructional

ENGAGED EMPLOYEE RESPONSES AREA OF STRENGTH NEEDS ATTENTION

WORK EXPECTATIONS CLEAR TRUSTED COLLEAGUE AT WORK MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE SOMEONE CARES ABOUT ME MISSION MAKES ROLE MEANINGFUL

PROGRESS CONVERSATIONS PAST 6 MONTHS RECOGNIZED FOR GOOD WORK

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WHAT THE DATA TELLS US The foundation is genuinely strong. The survey’s highest en-

a shared sense of responsibility with colleagues for student

of ASB. Across all staff, 87% report knowing what is expect-

munity—a finding consistent across all three role groups.

gagement responses reflect the relational and purposive core ed of them at work and an equally high 87% say they have

someone at ASB in whom they can confide and trust. These

are foundational conditions—the bedrock on which every-

thing else is built—and ASB’s scores here are significant.

A strong majority of staff also affirm connection to the

school’s purpose: 74% understand how their day-to-day

work connects to ASB’s mission and goals, and 75% feel

success. These are the hallmarks of a purpose-driven comWhen asked why they stay at ASB, the most frequently selected reason—cited by 84% of all respondents—was my

job and the work I do. This was followed by opportunity to learn and grow (65%) and my team and co-workers (58%).

Salary ranked equally with team connection, suggesting that intrinsic motivation and relational belonging are what

anchor people to this school. This is a meaningful organizational asset.

WHY PEOPLE STAY AT ASB

84

%

STAY FOR

“My job and the work that I do”

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

65

%

STAY FOR

“Opportunity to learn and grow”

58

%

STAY FOR

“My team and co-workers”

ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH AND CULTURE SURVEY The community’s collaborative spirit is real. Collaboration

gagement item, with fewer than half (48%) of staff reporting

ture, selected by 37% of all staff. Warmth, community, and

week. Progress conversations were similarly infrequent,

was the single most cited descriptor of ASB’s current culstrong peer relationships appear consistently across the

survey’s open-ended responses, with staff describing being “lifted up by colleagues every day” and characterizing the

that they had received meaningful recognition in the past with only 52% having received feedback on their professional growth in the past six months.

climate as “truly wonderful.” These are not incidental obser-

On the organizational health standards, the data reveals a

has to protect and build on.

from purpose alignment toward transparency and input—

vations—they are patterns, and they represent what ASB

There are significant gaps to close—and the community named them clearly. Burnout and overload was the second most cited current culture descriptor overall, select-

ed by 36% of all respondents and by nearly half (49%) of Instructional Staff. Recognition was the lowest-scoring en-

consistent pattern: the higher the standard asks us to go— the more work remains. While 64% say their teams collabo-

rate effectively, only 34% feel safe raising concerns without fear of negative consequences, and just 26% believe deci-

sions affecting their work are made through clear and fair processes. These findings are not a cause for alarm; they are a call to action, and one ASB is taking seriously.

STAFF DESCRIBE THE CULTURE THEY WANT AT ASB

clear goals collaboration

accountability employees

equitable/fair community consistency

valued well managed/ work life balance good leaders

transparency continually improving

THE CULTURE WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS When staff described the culture they want at ASB, their collective vision was precise and coherent. Accountability was

the most desired descriptor (39%), followed by Employees Valued/Appreciative (32%), Clear Goals (31%), Work/Life Balance (31%), and Equitable/Fair (28%). Transparency, consistency, and strong leadership appeared close behind.

This is not a picture of a community in distress—it is a pic-

ture of a community that knows what it wants and is ready to work for it. The aspiration for accountability, in particular, is

LOOK AT ALL OF THE ‘TO DO’S’ AND DETERMINE WHAT IS IMPORTANT. IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE WE ARE ADDING MORE THINGS BUT NOT TAKING ANYTHING OFF. THE DESIRED A IS THAT TEACHERS HAVE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT

OUR WARM AND COLLEGIAL CLIMATE AND THE PROFESSIONALISM OF MY COLLEAGUES MAKE THIS A TRULY WONDERFUL PLACE TO WORK.

IAS EXPECTED AND THEN NO TIME IS GIVEN TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE.

QUOTES FROM ASB STAFF OPEN-ENDED RESPONSES

significant: when staff name accountability as a desire, they are expressing a wish to be part of a culture where commitments are honored, performance is taken seriously, and every person is held to the same standards with care and clarity.

These two voices, both drawn from the open-ended responses, capture the dual truth of ASB’s culture moment: something genuinely good is here, and more is possible.

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D E F INIT IO N

Professional Culture Professional culture refers to the shared norms, behaviors, and relational practices that shape how adults work together in a school on a day-to-day basis. It is expressed in how people communicate, collaborate, give and receive feedback, respond to mistakes, and support one another’s growth.

CO RE CHAR ACTER ISTICS OF A PR OFESSIONAL CULTUR E PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Adults feel safe to ask questions, share concerns, surface problems, and admit mistakes without fear of ridicule or retribution.

RELATIONAL TRUST

Interactions are grounded in respect, reliability, and integrity, allowing for honest dialogue and productive disagreement.

COLLABORATION IN SERVICE OF LEARNING

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Staff work together purposefully to IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026 improve practice and solve problems, rather than operating in isolation or competition.

GROWTH ORIENTATION

Feedback, reflection, and continuous learning are normalized and expected at all levels of the organization.

RESTORATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY

When harm or mistakes occur, the focus is on ownership, repair, and learning rather than blame or punishment.

WELL-BEING AND BELONGING

The culture recognizes the humanity of educators, balancing high expectations with care, inclusion, and support.

FROM LISTENING TO ACTION The survey results were shared with all staff in a whole-school meeting in May 2026—itself an act of transparency that the data called for. The meeting was designed to model the very culture ASB is building: honest about findings, inviting of response, and committed to shared ownership of next steps.

SEVERAL CONCRETE ACTIONS ARE NOW UNDERWAY OR IN PLANNING: PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS AND CULTURE STANDARDS

ASB is developing institution-wide processes for communicating, achieving, and assessing professional performance expectations. A set of Teacher Professional

Standards will be introduced in August and sit along-

side the Organizational Health and Professional Culture Standards, and a set of noninstructional professional standards will be created in the coming school year.

This work will make expectations clearer, evaluation

more consistent, and feedback more developmental.

MULTIPLE MECHANISMS FOR VOICE

In recognition of the data around psychological safety, ASB

is formalizing and publicizing multiple channels through

which employees can raise questions and concerns. These include CHART (a group that helps determine the most

appropriate pathways for addressing reported issues and

concerns), Speak-Up (an anonymous digital resource), restorative practices structures, and legally mandated safe-

guarding processes. All-staff training at the start of the 2026–2027 school year will ensure every person knows these avenues exist and feels confident using them.

POLICY AND VALUES ALIGNMENT

A review of personnel policies and an update to ASB’s mission and values are both underway. These foundational documents shape the daily experience of belonging and fair-

ness—and they must be worthy of the community they serve.

ENGAGEMENT LEVELS FRAMEWORK ENGAGEMENT LEVEL

FOCUS

1

The basic needs of an employee: job expectations and proper tools

2

The individual’s performance and the perception of how others may view and value their work

BASIC NEEDS

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION

3

BELONGING & RELATIONSHIPS

4

GROWTH & INNOVATION

The relationships and interactions between the employee, coworkers and management.

We will continue to attend to the Gallup Group’s four level hierarchy moving from foundational needs to personal growth.

Learning, growing, and applying new ideas

The Organizational Health and Culture Survey will serve as a baseline. Results will be tracked, revisited, and reported publicly—the data belonging not only to leadership but to the entire ASB community. Progress will be visible. ASB has done the hard and honest work of looking at itself clearly. The picture that emerged—of a community with genuine strengths, real challenges, and a compelling shared vision—is one that deserves to be honored through action. That work is now underway.

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THE EIGHT DOMAINS OF WELL-BEING

1 2 3 4

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MENTAL Staying mentally alert and focused—able to fulfill work, solve problems, enjoy activities, and reframe negative thought cycles.

RELATIONAL Developing positive interpersonal and community connections, feeling safe to be authentic, and practicing solution-focused conflict resolution skills.

EXISTENTIAL Finding and nurturing a sense of meaning, purpose, and direction that gives life depth and personal significance.

EMOTIONAL Successfully recognizing and managing life’s stresses, regulating emotions, and adapting with resilience during difficult or uncertain times.

IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

5 6 7 8

PHYSICAL Recognizing the need for regular physical activity, nutritious foods, and adequate sleep, while preventing and managing illness.

ENVIRONMENTAL Occupying and cultivating pleasant, stimulating spaces that support focus, comfort, safety, and overall physical and mental well-being.

CULTURAL Accepting, valuing, and celebrating the diverse cultural identities and ways of knowing and engaging with the world.

FINANCIAL Meeting essential needs while responsibly managing resources, planning for shortterm stability, and building long-term financial security.

WELL-BEING SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE CURRENT STRATEGIC AGENDA

in 2023, well-being has been referred to as the “first among equals” priority within the full agenda. The school’s commit-

ment to well-being work has been highlighted in the previous two Impact Reports, with last year’s edition articulating a set of eight domains that ASB has used to establish its institu-

tional approach to creating a culture of thriving students.

As we continue to facilitate experiences and opportunities

to elevate health, happiness, and success, this year, we have used those eight domains of well-being to track how

we are seeking a balanced approach to this iterative work.

FREE TO FOCUS WHY PHONEFREE MATTERS WELL-BEING

Research consistently links heavy phone use among adolescents to elevated stress and social anxiety.

Removing that friction from the school day creates space for students to simply feel better.

LEARNING

AS A COMMUNITY, we believe that the quality of student attention is among the

most important conditions we can protect. This conviction, reinforced by parent community feedback and a growing body of research on adolescent screen use,

drove one of the most significant structural changes to the school day in recent

memory: a phone-free campus, spanning all three divisions. The Elementary School has long maintained a phone-free environment—a design choice rooted in the understanding that focused, present-minded learning is not a restriction on childhood, but one of its foundational requirements. This year, we extended that

6

ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING

commitment deliberately and systematically across the entire secondary campus.

THE TRANSITION BEGAN WITH GRADES 6 THROUGH 8 at the start of the school

year, establishing both cultural and logistical precedent before the launch ex-

panded to Grades 9 through 11 in the spring semester. This sequencing was intentional. We believe that sustainable policy change depends not on compliance alone, but on genuine understanding of the reasons behind it. In advance

of each rollout, extensive community communications were shared and Advisory

sessions were designed to invite students into honest reflection—on their own

phone habits, on what the research tells us about attention and adolescent mental

Attention is finite and fragile.

A phone-free environment protects the cognitive conditions that deep learning demands—focus, persistence, and genuine engagement with ideas.

health, and on what they might gain from reclaiming a more present school day.

CONNECTION

dia, and gaming sites are restricted on the student WiFi network from 8:15 a.m.

Face-to-face interaction builds the social skills and relational trust that screens cannot replicate. When phones are away, students show up more fully for each other.

2

RELATIONAL WELL-BEING

STUDENTS IN GRADES 9 THROUGH 11 now secure their phones and smart devices in

individually assigned Yondr pouches each morning by 8:20 a.m. The locked pouch

remains with the student throughout the school day— this is not a confiscation, but

a redesign of how the day is structured—and is unlocked at dismissal stations as students leave campus at 3:30 p.m. Grade 12 students are not assigned pouches; instead, they are asked to actively monitor their own phone use and to model

the standard of responsible, phone-free engagement that the school is building across all secondary grades. Across all levels, messaging platforms, social me-

to 3:30 p.m., providing an additional layer of accountability. We monitor screen time patterns diligently and will continue to use this data to inform our approach.

A PHONE-FREE SCHOOL DAY is ultimately a statement about what students de-

serve from their time at ASB: the conditions to engage deeply with ideas, build authentic relationships face-to-face, and develop the sustained focus that higher

education, careers, and life require. We will keep listening to student and family

voices as this initiative matures, and will continue to improve the model in response to what we learn.

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WELL-BEING NUTRITION SUPPORT DURING IB EXAMS

1

MENTAL WELL-BEING

5

PHYSICAL WELL-BEING

THIS YEAR WE STRENGTHENED THE WAY NUTRITION SUPPORTS STUDENTS

during one of the most demanding points in the academic calendar: the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP) examination period. In collaboration with parent

and nutritionist Payal Kothari (Parent of Class of ’21 graduate and Class of ’28 student), ASB designed a thoughtful exam menu to help students stay nourished, energized, and focused throughout long testing days.

The IB DP exam menu included balanced breakfast and brunch options built around protein, fiber, healthy fats, and steady-release carbohydrates. Students

were offered choices such as chia pudding, multigrain sandwiches, rice bowls, hummus and vegetables,bananas, and culturally familiar com-

fort foods such as tadka idli, parathas, quesadillas, tacos, shawarma,

and buttermilk. The goal was meaningful: move beyond “snacks” and provide food that supported concentration, sustained energy, digestion, and overall readiness during exams. This initiative reflects ASB’s

belief that wellbeing is not separate from learning. It is one of the conditions that helps students do their best.

STUDENTS CHAMPION OUR CULTURE OF COMMUNITY AND CARE

2

RELATIONAL WELL-BEING

3

EXISTENTIAL WELL-BEING

4

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

7

CULTURAL WELL-BEING

THIS YEAR, WE EXPANDED THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMUNITY-BUILDING to stu-

dents themselves with the introduction of our Student Restorative Practice Champions—a trained cohort of student leaders committed to making ASB a place where every person feels heard, respected, and included.

These champions bring the principles of restorative practices to life in the hands of peers. They facilitate proactive circles, support conversations when challeng-

es arise, and check in with fellow students navigating moments of difficulty. Their presence carries a signal that matters: the responsibility for a kind and connected community does not rest with adults alone.

Restorative practices offer a framework for this work—centering communication, empathy, and relationship repair rather than enforcement, and creating the con-

ditions for genuine accountability and belonging as daily experiences rather than occasional ones. As documented in last year’s Impact Report, the 2024–2025

school year saw the completion of Phase I of Restorative Practices training:

foundational learning for all staff and targeted development for a cohort of adult

RP Champions. The introduction of student champions this year is a natural and intentional extension of that foundation—the work expanding outward from professional culture into student life.

In entrusting students with this role, we deepen our investment in ASB as a community that students don’t simply belong to—but actively shape.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

WELL-BEING BUILDING A SEL SCOPE AND SEQUENCE A TRULY COHERENT SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM does not emerge

by accident—it is designed, mapped, and deliberately built across every grade level so that no child falls through the gaps. In 2025–2026, ASB undertook a

structured review of its SEL, Health, and Advisory offerings from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, organized around three interconnected pillars: academic flourishing, social-emotional growth, and global perspective and identity develop-

ment. Through collaborative retreats, PE and Health teachers, counselors, advi-

sors, and grade-level leaders documented what is currently being taught — and

1

MENTAL WELL-BEING

4

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

just as importantly, what is not. Using AI to overlay ISCA and ASCA standards

against our existing scope and sequence, we identified gaps across all three WHY LIGHT? AT TIMES, THE WORLD FEELS HEAVY. LIGHT REMINDS US TO BE JOYFUL AND

pillars and responded with action: a new, standards-aligned SEL curriculum has been purchased for our Pre-K through Grade 5 counseling program, and our secondary teams have clarified roles and responsibilities across delivery meth-

ods to ensure consistent standard coverage. Our work is ongoing. A full-team audit retreat is planned for fall 2026 to address remaining gaps, deepening our commitment to a seamless, intentional SEL experience for every student at ASB.

HOPEFUL, TO

“LIGHT, MY LIGHT”

LOOK FOR THE POSITIVE, AND TO BE A LIGHT IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS

WE BELIEVE THAT THE ARTS ARE NOT SUPPLEMENTARY TO EDUCATION —they

are essential to it. When students come together to make music, they are doing

something far older and more fundamental than rehearsal: they are practicing what it means to be human alongside others.

In May 2026, ASB hosted the ASIAC Music Festival, welcoming student musi-

cians from the American Embassy School and the American International School Chennai. Under the theme of Light, students worked alongside four guest con-

3

EXISTENTIAL WELL-BEING

7

CULTURAL WELL-BEING

ductors across strings, band, and choir, building both skill and community over

an intensive three-day festival. The weekend culminated in a Gala Concert on May 9th that drew the three schools’ ensembles together on one stage.

The cultural significance of this year’s festival was particularly resonant. ASB

commissioned an original choral-orchestral work, Light, My Light, composed by

Dr. Dwight Bigler and setting the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore—Bengal’s Nobel laureate and one of the most luminous voices in world literature. The work re-

ceived its world premiere at the Gala Concert. Choosing Tagore was not incidental: his poetry speaks directly to light as a metaphor for meaning, consciousness,

and the longing for connection—questions that sit at the heart of adolescent life, wherever it is lived.

Jugnu firefly by Ayira Kashyap, Grade 7

For students navigating the complexity of international childhoods, moments of

shared artistic purpose carry distinctive weight. When a student locks into an ensemble, the self recedes and something collaborative takes over. That expe-

rience—of belonging through creation—is one we are proud to have designed, hosted, and shared.

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25–

BEYOND THE CHECKBOX: WHAT FOURTEEN CONVERSATIONS REVEALED

In the last two years, ASB has made a diligent and deliberate effort to gain insights into the perceptions of parents as key stakeholders within our community school setting. In last year’s Impact Report, we published a detailed analysis of the data generated through the McKinsey & Company survey administered in July 2024 and the EY-Parthenon

14

GRADE-LEVEL SESSIONS

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

survey administered in December 2024-January 2025. The information was comprehensive and the findings valuable; it gave a ‘big data’ viewpoint of what parents in the community were satisfied with and where they wanted to see the school improve.

This data was, and still is, informative. It also does not tell the full story.

130 116 PARENTS PARTICIPATED

UNIQUE IDEAS GENERATED

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2025–2026

PARENT LISTENING

A survey can tell us that a parent is dissatisfied. It cannot tell us what their child said on the way home that made them feel that way. That distinction — between the signal and the story — is what drove the Head of School’s decision this spring to set aside the traditional survey format in favor of something older and more human: conversation.

THE SESSIONS WERE DESIGNED TO BE STRUCTURED, NOT SCRIPTED. Each followed the same arc: a brief state-of-

school update from Dr. Richards, three focused questions

on academic and social-emotional experience, and an open

floor. Grade-level groupings were intentional—a PreK parent and a Grade 11 parent share the same school, but they in-

habit very different corners of it. Transcripts were captured,

synthesized into grade-level summaries, and shared back

with each community. What appears here is the wholeschool synthesis. One first-grader sent his mother in armed

with a handwritten list of suggestions. He had, apparently, prepared for the opportunity. That spirit—earnest, hopeful, invested—characterized every session.

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WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID The most significant analytical finding from the series is not any individual concern.

It is this: SIX THEMES APPEARED, UNPROMPTED, AT VIRTUALLY EVERY GRADE LEVEL FROM PREK TO GRADE 12. Their consistency across 15 years of schooling elevates them from

anecdote to signal.

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

From PreK parents worried about engagement with letters and numbers, to Grade 12 parents anxious about stamina for handwritten IB Diploma examinations, the same observation surfaced across the full span of schooling: in moving away from rote learning, something foundational may have been lost. The community is not asking for a return to drill-and-kill pedagogy—they understand and value ASB’s commitment to conceptual learning and student agency. The ask is more nuanced: both. Spelling, grammar, sustained handwriting, number fluency. These aren’t opposed to creative, inquiry-based education. They are the infrastructure it runs on.

CCAs are a genuine school asset, and the community’s feedback made clear they know it—which is precisely why the feedback was so direct. Popular activities are fully subscribed in minutes, disadvantaging families with less flexibility to sign their child up at the time registration opens. Students who develop genuine passion in a discipline encounter limited progression pathways beyond the introductory level. And ASB’s celebrated kindness culture has, in some cases, inadvertently drained healthy competitive spirit from activities where the experience of trying to win is itself developmentally meaningful. A CCA audit is a priority for 2026–27.

TECHNOLOGY AND AI

TRANSITIONS

Our phone-free policy was the single most praised initiative of the year, warmly praised at every secondary session. Its impact on social spaces has been visible. The harder conversation, surfacing most sharply at Grades 6, 7, 10, and 11, was the worry that students were using AI to substitute for, rather than refine, their thinking.

Parents described a loop closing—AI-generated student work met by AI-generated feedback—a scenario that challenges the fundamental premise of learning itself. No school has fully resolved this. ASB has issued an ethical AI use policy and begun staff professional development.

Notably, the community appears to be ahead of where current practice has landed, providing an important impetus to continue wrestling with the opportunities and challenges of an AI-infused education.

At every grade boundary—PreK to Kindergarten, Grade 5 to 6, Grade 8 to 9, Grade 10 to 11—parents described the same transition experience: a cliff, not a ramp. The Grade 10 to 11 transition carries the highest stakes, with multiple Grade 11 families reporting they had not understood the significance of Semester 1 grades on their child’s high school transcript until the term had nearly closed. The Grade 5 to 6 transition is the most developmentally complex—campus change, subject-based scheduling, advisory structure, and social reshuffling converging simultaneously. Embedded in this theme is a deeper, architectural observation: ASB has historically organized itself into discrete divisions and campuses rather than as a single continuous PreK–12 journey. The opportunity— and the ask—is to make that journey feel more coherent.

DIFFERENTIATION AND ACADEMIC CHALLENGE

ADVISORY

At every grade from Kindergarten to Grade 11, parents described children who were insufficiently stretched.

The pattern is consistent: a student completes work quickly, is asked to wait or free-choose, and gradually disengages. Parents are asking for personalization, not pressure—the assurance that every single child is actively growing. The school’s language around differentiation is sound. The execution is uneven. Addressing this gap is, as the Head of School noted at the outset of every session, the leadership team’s most essential work.

ASB offers something most schools don’t: 30 minutes of dedicated advisory time built into every middle and high school schedule every day. The sessions revealed that students currently tolerate rather than value it.

What parents—and, through them, their children—are asking for is more elemental: a trusted adult relationship, space for honest conversation about their real lives, and practical life skills. The advisory redesign already underway, with counselors taking a more active curricular role, addresses this directly.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

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TWO KIND S O F C HA NG E

We know that to address the themes that surfaced across the sessions, change will be needed.

The changes, though, need to be carefully thought out and intentionally executed. Leadership scholar Ronald Heifetz draws a distinction that is useful here.

technical

adaptive

Some challenges are technical: known problems with known solutions, implementable by those charged with fixing them. Even though they might seem simple on the surface, they are recognized as important in moving the needle on issues that matter.

Other challenges are adaptive: they surface dilemmas without easy answers, and require the community to examine its assumptions, shift its behaviors, and in some cases revise its beliefs.

Improve the food options.

Expand CCA offerings.

Revise the mock exam schedule.

These have value for the student experience, and meaningful change is within reach.

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

Foundational skill fluency.

AI usage.

These are not merely curriculum adjustments— they require educators to revisit what progressive education means in practice, and families to hold space for methods that may look unfamiliar.

They require conversations about values that a community needs to engage in together.

WHAT COMES NEXT

Several commitments have already moved from conversation to action: a phone-free campus through Grade 11, advisory redesign, expanded college counseling for non-US and non-UK pathways, a new library platform, elementary playground upgrades, and the launch of the Global Impact Diploma pathway for the Class of 2029.

The 2026–27 strategic agenda will include exploring highability programming across all divisions, a comprehensive CCA review, a school-wide conversation about foundational skills, an AI-assessment policy–along with a technology

tool review–with grade-level specificity, enhanced parent education programming, improved food options at the elementary campus, and a carefully managed leadership transition plan.

The short version of what fourteen sessions revealed is this: ASB’s community is healthy, trusting, and constructive.

Parents aren’t leaving—they’re leaning in. One hundred and sixteen ideas are not a warning signal. They are a roadmap —and a demonstration of what honest partnership between a school and its families can produce.

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“

YOUR FEELINGS MATTER. BUT THEY DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU TAKE THE NEXT STEP. SOMETIMES YOU WILL NOT FEEL READY. SOMETIMES YOU WILL NOT FEEL CONFIDENT. SOMETIMES YOU WILL NOT FEEL CERTAIN ABOUT WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU ARE HEADED. MOVE ANYWAY. SHOW UP ANYWAY. BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS ONLY AFTER WE HAVE MOVED AN INCH FORWARD THAT WE CAN SEE WHERE THE JOURNEY FIRST STARTED AND MIGHT LEAD NEXT. M S. SAR ANG LEE, ASB FA CULTY

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

”

ASB CLASS OF 2026 KIARA ADVANI LAKSHYA AGARWALA MOHAMAD ISAAC AMSYAR BIN AHMAD FITRI SARAH IRDINA AHMAD ZUWAIRI SAMUEL SIDY BA HYUNSEO BAE SIDDHARTH BANERJEE EMELIA ROSE BARCLAY RICHELLE BOBBY CHERIAN RHEA BUXANI PATHIKRITH CHAKRABORTY TARIKA THAPA CHARI ADITYA CHATTARAJ SHIVAAN DARDA KISNA DHOLAKIYA RAVI DOSHI YOHAN FARIDUN DOTIWALA IRIS DUSHI CHARLES ADAM FERGUSON NILIMA FREIIN RAITZ VON FRENTZ PIA GADGIL ANNESHA GHOSH KRISHAVRAJ GOWANI VINAMR GUPTA SAMUEL HANKEY YUAVAN RAVI KHUBCHANDANI YAHN KIZILBASH NAVYAA KOCHHAR NIKOLAI RIYHAD KUNDANMAL

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REHAAN MALIK LALJI

CHASE AFTER EXCELLENCE, AND SUCCESS WILL BE FORCED TO RUN AFTER YOU. L AKSHYA AGAR WAL A ’ 26

AYRAAH LODHA YAJAT MADHUSUDAN

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YASH MAJITHIA RAAGHAV MANTRI PATRICIA CHARLOTTE PEREZ NOZA TAHIRA AMELIE PANDIT ANANYA PARANDEKAR GAURI PAREMAL MILLY PATEL NORTH RAJAKUMAR VIVAAN RAWAT HRIDAAN ROSHAN JESSICA CECILIA SCHREUDER HREHAN HARSHAL SHAH RILEY SHERRARD AHAAN SINGHVI ANNA LORRAINE SNYDER JOSHUA SORENSEN AADITYA UMANG VAKHARIA TIANA VENGSARKAR THOMAS WIGISHOFF NAKYUNG YOO

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

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STAFF RECOGNITION

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

THANK YOU, CAROL

SINCE ASB FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS IN 1981 , Mrs.

Carol Alter has been a teacher, and a fixture, at the school. Across multiple campus moves, a revised school name, and generations of students coming through its doors, Carol has remained a constant for the students, colleagues, and families who have crossed her path. After 44 years of imparting her passion for literature and learning to the countless classes she has taught, we say a bittersweet goodbye as she transitions into retirement.

Year after year, Carol’s students benefitted from a teacher who stayed late giving honest feedback, fought for independent reading time, and genuinely cared about every person in the building. That’s her legacy.

Carol, thank you for 44 wonderful years. We are so grateful for all that you have given, and we wish you all of the best as you enjoy every moment of what comes next.

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF BOMBAY

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26–

The annual “Year of” theme is a tradition rooted in building connection and alignment

across the entire ASB community. The theme we select each year serves as a lens through which we consider student learning, teacher growth, and organizational development.

This year, we found ourselves with a simplified process and an obvious path forward–“45

Years of ASB”. As we approach this notable year, we are invited to honor our past, embrace our present, and chart our future. We close this academic year with one eagle eye on the one to follow and are laying the foundation for a joyous year ahead!

ASB TURNS 45!

BACK IN 1981, the American School of Bombay was a

newly founded, tiny community operating in a very different

Mumbai from the one we inhabit today. We are excited to pause and reflect on all the growth and change that has

taken place over the past 45 years when we celebrate this milestone anniversary. Throughout the 2026-2027 school

year, we will be recognizing how community, creativity, and collaboration remain as central to our identity now as they

did back when we first opened. We look forward to the celebrations and festivities ahead!

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IMPACT REPORT 2025–2026

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2026–2027

LOOKING AHEAD

MEET ECHO THE EAGLE, ASB’S MASCOT

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ASB’S 45-YEAR HISTORY, our eagle mascot has a name—and that name belongs to the

whole community. The process began with a simple question put to students and staff across every grade: what should we call our eagle? Over 107 responses came back, carrying more than 100 unique name ideas—serious and silly, mythological and personal, global and deeply local. There were nods to Indian mythology, to Greek and Latin, to Mumbai street language. There were tribute nominations for beloved teachers and coaches. The breadth of suggestions reflected exactly what ASB is: a community that brings the world into one place. After review by the Athletics Council, three finalists were selected and shared with students across the school for a community-wide vote. The name that won wasn’t the loudest or the most expected. It was the most resonant.

THE WINNING NAME was chosen for the powerful ideas it

represents: voice, connection, and lasting impact. An echo

begins with a single sound but carries far beyond its source, growing into something larger than the original moment. In

many ways, this mirrors the ASB experience. Every student, teacher, staff member, parent, and alumnus contributes to

the story of the school, and those contributions continue to resonate long after a class, season, performance, or school

year has ended. Echo also reflects the spirit of community that defines ASB. The cheers in our athletic venues, the conversations in our classrooms, the performances on our

stages, and the traditions we share all connect us across di-

visions, campuses, and generations. The name serves as a reminder that every voice matters and that our actions have

the power to influence and inspire others. Echo, our mas-

cot’s new name, symbolizes belonging, shared purpose, and the enduring impact of the people who make ASB what it is. The eagle has always represented ASB’s spirit. Now it has a name to carry it forward.

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF BOMBAY

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PI CTU R E D : Pre-K students experience the journey of rice

from seed to harvest, planting and nurturing the crop as it grows before eventually gathering the grain. Through this hands-on exploration, they gain an appreciation for the patience, care, and knowledge that farming requires, while developing a deeper understanding of the processes that bring food from field to table.

Learn more at asbindia.org

ELEMENTARY CAMPUS

Commercial 2, Tower 4, Kohinoor City, Off LBS Marg, Kurla (W), Mumbai 400070 +91 22 6131 3600

SECONDARY CAMPUS

SF2, G Block, Bandra-Kurla Complex Road, Bandra (E), Mumbai 400051 +91 22 6772 7272