Notre Dame English Medium School, Theegarajupally, Andhra Pradesh

Thegarajupally is a mission parish in Warangal Diocese, about thirty K.M. from the city of Warangal. The people of the village are all farmers and quite illiterate.

After seeing the wonderful work of education the sisters were doing at Assissi School Warangal, Most Rev. Bishop Thumma Bala of Warangal diocese invited the Sisters of Notre Dame of the Visitation Province, Bangalore to open an English Medium School, in order to bring the light of knowledge and to promote value based education to the children of this remote village. He offered them 3.5 acres of land for the same purpose. Srs. M. Pratima, the Headmistress and Chetana, the lone teacher were the brave pioneers who began Notre Dame of School, Theegarajupally in a very humble way on 30 June 2007 in a rented house.

The deep thirst for knowledge could not be contained in a few rented rooms. The sisters had to look for more rooms to accommodate the growing numbers of aspiring students. So temporary sheds were built in the property gifted by the Bishop and classes continued. There was need for more rooms and more rooms. So the province decided to construct a school building where the increasing number of students could be accommodated.

On 21 Oct. 2010 the present school building was blessed and inaugurated. Some 500 energetic, lively tiny tots streamed into it with happiness inexplicable! The School that began five years ago with just 20 students now has a student strength of 600 and a dedicated band of 18 staff members, teaching children from Nursery to class VI.

Most of the students come from economically backward families and are first generation learners. Despite their poor family background, once in school, these students excell in academics and co-curriculars and communicate in English. Therefore the parents seem so much more thrilled than the students and consider the school in their village a God-given boon. In this short period of its existence, the school has gained much recognition in and around the village because of the quality of education and the opportunities it provides to the less privileged children.

With the indomitable perseverance of principals that followed Sr.Pratima: Srs. Chetana, Nivedita and now Sr. Ranjana Joseph and with the courage and faith of the sisters and staff, Notre Dame School Theegarajupally is a shining example of grit, courage, determination , dedication, perseverance and hope.Notre Dame skillfully molds her children to be self-confident individuals who will take on tomorrow and make a difference in the society around them.

Mary is the Patronness of the school and she shields the entire campus with her maternal affection and protective hands.