Foundational Thoughts from the Founding Principal
By Nikke Keskinen, COO, Founding Principal
As the Founding Principal of FIS Race Course, now shifting my focus to establishing new sister schools for the FIS Family outside of Mumbai, it’s a perfect time to pause and reflect on what we’ve accomplished here in Mahalakshmi in just 1.5 years. There are so many stories to tell and photos to share, but let me highlight a few key moments here in this blog. From the very beginning:
Sharing the dream and vision with Mr. Shashank Goenka to establish a high-level Finnish-Indian international school in South Mumbai; to
Meeting our first founding parents remotely and outside the school while it was still under construction, and realizing how they believed in our vision even though there wasn’t a physical school yet; to
Recruiting the first cohort of local teachers; to
Launching the initial teacher training programs with our esteemed quality partner, EduCluster Finland; to
After our first Finnish teachers had joined, hosting the first team-building event and introducing my absolute favourite sport, padel to them; to
Celebrating my first Navratri with all its joy; to
Organising the first experiential learning events with our growing pedagogical and administrative team, showcasing to families what kind of school we were building; to
Realising that attending a Holi celebration in your best jeans and without some lotion on your face is not the wisest choice; to
“Crowning” Ms. Anna as the Principal of FIS Race Course and transitioning myself to a Member of the School Board to support the Principal and the pedagogical leadership team from that role.
Now, as I reflect on all we’ve achieved, it’s time to express my deepest thanks to all of you for supporting this journey so far. Your belief in what we are building has been vital. FIS Race Course is now fully operational, growing each month, and already working on admissions for AY 2025-2026 and opening the IB high school programs DP and CP. Our wonderful students and founding parents will soon be joined by more families who believe in the high-quality, truly unique learning path that FIS Race Course offers.
Wishing you all a Happy Diwali 2024!
