D.A.V. Public School , Chennai

The main school is tucked into Sitaram Nagar in Velachery, specifically at number 19. It’s a residential area, so we have to be careful about the noise and the traffic during the morning rush. The building is a familiar sight for anyone living around here. We’ve got kids coming in from all over the neighborhood. The hallways are narrow and can get pretty crowded between periods. We don't have a massive campus with stadiums; it's more of a compact, busy school environment. You’ll often find teachers sitting in the staff room grading papers with a cup of coffee nearby. The walls are covered with student work, some of it a bit lopsided but all done with effort. We don’t go for the polished look. It’s a place where things are used and loved. The bell rings, and there’s a sudden burst of energy, then it goes quiet again once classes start. We deal with the humidity of Chennai just like everyone else, with lots of fans and open windows. Parents often wait outside the gate under the trees when school lets out. It’s a very local kind of place where everyone pretty much knows everyone else. No big mysteries here, just a school doing its thing day after day. We keep an extra box of chalk in the drawer because we always seem to run out right before lunch.