DS/Adm-9.2012/2056 31.10.12 To: The Honourable Parents of Students enrolled in Classes P-IX Thimphu,Bhutan
Most Honourable Parents, First of all, let me thank each one of you who made it a point to attend the General Parent-Teacher Meeting on 6th October,2012.Your presence has given us the confidence to work harder as partners! I would like to thank the Chairpersons and the Rapporteurs for their excellent facilitation of the meeting and the well documented feedback with special reference to the observations, concerns and recommendations. Your feedback has become an important guiding principle for us to rectify the shortcomings and enhance the school system. We sincerely apologize for the shortcomings this year as noted by the parents in some areas though the intention was good.We do accept them as our areas of focus and improvement.We have discussed all the feedback among the staff in great detail and we have considered the immediate input strategies as well as for 2013 academic year, as per the feedback from the parents. The following have been decided as contingency action plan for immediate implementation: 1. Cancellation of Senior Concert:The Senior Concert(VII-IX) for this year has been cancelled as advised by the parents during the PT meeting,to allow more academic focus and it will be slotted in the first term next year so as not to disappoint the children and allow the ones who are not into academics but has latent potentials to excel to showcase their talent. After all the school respects all the differently abled children! 2.Quallty of Instructional input:As per the feedback received from the parents, the competency level in mathematics was the biggest concern in levels IV-VIII,therefore, remedial classes in Mathematics for VI,VII and VIII has been put in place.The Arts and Crafts Class for level VI is suspended and an extra hour of mathematics has been slotted in its place.The low achievers from the three sections of VI will also do one hour of remedial with Mr.M.B.Mongar in the inclusive period throughout the week.The library period is also suspended for classes IV-VI wef 29th October and extra subjects have been slotted for revision and re-teaching of some difficult concepts and skills.Class VIIs have been divided into three levels of competency in mathematics, and the highest achievers will be helped by Mr.Dhungana, the average achievers by Mr.Sangay Dorji and the low achievers by Ms.Namita Pradhand during the inclusive period throughout the week.The low achievers of VIII A and B will be helped by Ms.Namita Pradhan.This will continue till the annual examination.Classes IV and V willed be assisted in mathematics by their subject teachers, considering the competency level. My only request is to appeal to parents of students of classes IV-IX, to ensure your children get down to study in the evenings at least for two hours every evening revising their lessons especially mathematics. Competency in Mathematics depends a lot on regular practice.The new mathematics curriculum focuses on logical thinking and problem solving.We also felt that children are not being given opportunities to solve their problems in real life situations since parents solve all their problems, the children do not really know the strategies for effective problem solving skills! We feel this has a negative repercussion on the children’s ability to transfer the problem solving skill to mathematics. Classes PP-III will be assisted by their teachers as per their needs.Class III will be appearing for National Education Assessment conducted by Bhutan Council for Secondary Education (Ministry of Education) as Annual Examination.They will start their exam on 21st November and finish on 24th November.Please do not worry since our children are trained for common exam format.We will let you know about the timing through the school diary. Last year my class III students topped in the whole country! The other suggestions from the parents with regards to teachers attitude, correction of homework and language competency is already considered. The quality of teachers and instructional input will be the priority focus in 2013. 3 Instructional Daily Time:The instructional daily timing will remain the same till the annual examination since parents also do not want any change as noted from the parents feedback and we need the extra time for remedial work.Only the evening prayer and the classroom cleaning will be discontinued wef 2nd November so that children may leave school for home by 4.10pm.The last class ends at 4.05pm. 4.Award Day:The feedback received from the parents on the Award Day is as follows: IIB/IVA/VB/VC/VIB/VIIA/IX- Beginning of the next year, as it is, considering the sound rationale. VIA-no comments. PPA/B/C/D/IA/B/C/D/IIA/IIC/IIIA/IIIB/IIIC/IVB/IVC/VA/VIC-VIIB/VIIC/VIIIA/VIIIB-End of the year. Therefore, considering that the majority of the parents suggests the Award Day to be held by the end of the year, the Award Day for 2012, will be held on 16th December, 2012; for classes PP-VI at 10am and for classes VI-IX at 5pm.Result declaration will be done by the respective class teachers in the classrooms after the end of the Award Function.This strategy is taken keeping in mind the parents feed back of parking crunch during whole school programme. 5.Fee revision:The feedback from the parents was as follows: VII-IX:Supportive / suggestions: get trained teachers/ revise teachers salary/ upgrade school’s facilities/ put up in website for transparency PP-III/IV-VI:Though the parents had raised serious concerns with regards to fee revision and wanted the school to justify the raise, we take the opportunity to reiterate that the fee revision is justified considering the quality of services offered and for the reasons cited below: a.The last fee revision was done in the year 2010 .So, the annual inflation rate of 10% was considered for the last three years and some extra was added for the following reasons: -Infrastructure development considering the space for children in and around the school.Large size of classrooms to allow students to be less claustrophobic, equipped with correct sized furniture for students, heating in the classrooms, good lighting, and open space around the blocks for children to move around safely. -The turfed ground that cost the school Nu.5 million which is used by the children extensively. -The school has 59 teachers for 680 students.The teacher-student ratio is 1:11 .The teachers are specialized in the subjects they teach and hold undergraduate and post graduate degrees with professional degrees. We have specialized teachers:PE:2 teachers/Music:3 teachers/Arts and Crafts: 1 teacher/IT:2 teachers.Our teachers teach only 18 hours a week on average out of 30 hours and the rest of the time is used for correction and planning of lessons.. Druk School believes in empowering Bhutanese teachers and thus pride in 100% Bhutanese faculty . -Druk School pays one of the best salary to its academic and support staff. The senior most teachers will get a big raise in 2013. -Druk School will have one of the best school libraries in 2013.Ms.Chui Lam, a professional librarian from Hongkong has been employed to set up the new library. She is paid Nu35000 per month.She will also train two Bhutanese librarians to carry over the role of teacher librarians. - The superior quality of academic and co-curricular programmes at Druk School has been validated by the Ministry of Education with the award of the Triple Star for Excellence. -The school has four well equipped laboratories for Biology,Physics,Chemistry and Geography.As you may be aware the subject Geography has a huge potential in the modern job market and is considered as a living science so we focus its importance. -The school will have an additional computer lab by February,2013, with wireless facility to ensure each child gets a computer to work on during the classes as well as in leisure time for preparation of presentations. -Classes PP and 1 have teacher aids in each class to assist the young ones -Druk School considers teacher development as the nucleus of the educational organisation where by professional development is prioritized and a substantial fund is utilized in teacher’s professional development programs. As testimony, Druk School has sent three teachers this year for two years Primary Teacher Training in Carmel Teacher Training Institute,Pakyong,East Sikkim,India, funded fully by the school. -Druk School conducted a week long Training on Transformative Pedagogy for 21st Century Teachers from 2nd to 8th February,2012, by hiring Rigzin Educational Consultancy for Nu.2 lakhs and trained 28 new teachers and 12 senior teachers of the school. -Druk School conducted seen days seminar on Teaching of English in Primary Classes for English Teachers during the mid term break this year.Ms.Barbara Davise,Professor specialized in TOESL, from University of Edinburg was hired as a facilitator, funded by the school. -A day’s training on design of test blue print was also conducted this year by facilitators from Paro College of Education, for all the teachers. - Career enhancement study and training programmes ,within and outside the country, are also being explored ,at post graduate level, for the promising graduate teachers. 1. - A well designed basketball court will also be constructed in 2013. 6.Transportation System:A lot of suggestions was made by the parents. The transport committee sat down for a meeting and has revisited the strategies and have decided to improve the system as per the concerns raised by the parents.For immediate implementation, a female and a male teacher has been put into bus duty wef 3oth October as suggested by the parents and the committee has decided to work upon the other concerns for 2013 implementation.The school bus in the evening will leave the school campus by 4.10pm wef 31st October.The parents of evening bus users are kindly requested to take note of this change in time.
For consideration in 2013 academic year:The following will be implemented considering the parents’ feedback: 1.Modality of Annual Sports:The feedback from parents was unanimous for PP-X doing it together, with the exception of Class VIIIB parents who wanted it separate for juniors and seniors.Therefore, the whole school approach is endorsed for future implementation. 2. Modality of School Concert:The feedback from parents f representing all the levels,PP-IX, was unanimous for separate concert for juniors(PP-VI) and Seniors(VII-X).A lot of suggestions were made on this issue which the school wishes to comply with.The two main concerns of procurement of expensive costumes and having to pay for the viewing of the concert,the school has decided that with effect from 2013, the concert will be a thank you programme for parents ,therefore, it will be free of any cost.We would also try to develop a costume department so that the parents are not burdened with extra financial liability. To be honest, we had also considered and ensured that the costumes that were to be worn by the children in 2012 concert could also be worn in their everyday occasions. 3. Duration of Academic Year:March –November was recommended by all the parents of students of classes PP-IX.This will be considered since the school can have some professional development programmes in February. School will resume on 1st March,2013 for all levels PP-X. 4. School Days:Five days a week was also endorsed by the parents of all classes PP-IX and will be continued in 2013 academic year. 5.Efficient usage of school diary by parents was accepted by all the parents (PP-IX). 6.Confirmation of PE Uniform :The 2012 PE uniform has been recommended to be continued in future by the parents of all classes(PP-IX).The Company will ensure better quality of the fabric and workmanship with superior stitching and more durable zipper as suggested by the parents.They would also ensure adequate stock of all sizes are readily available throughout the year. The PE uniform(sports wear) would be available from 1st February,2013 at the school premises.Cost would be worked out by then. 7. Examination System:The present system of examination modality of four exams a year has been unanimously endorsed by the parents of all classes(PP-IX) for continuation in 2013.The colour coded progress report for term tests will be discontinued in 2013 as per the suggestion of the parents. 8.Spelling Test System: It has also been endorsed by the parents of all classes PP-IX to be continued in 2013 since it had an added value to strengthen the students vocabulary and knowledge. The frequency of the tests will be looked in by the Course Leaders considering the feedback from the three levels:PP-III/IV-VI and VII-X and will be informed accordingly in 2013. 2. Downsizing of class strength:The school’s policy to downsize the class size to 20 in each class gradually was appreciated by the parents but they had strong reservation that the continuing students should not be sent out of the school to facilitate smaller class size.The school would consider the parents concern and will gradually move towards a class size of 20. 3. Parents decorum/dressing while visiting the teachers/school.All the parents (PP-IX) agreed to respect the school rule of dressing formally while visiting the school. 4. Proposal to have authorized personnel for picking up the children from school to ensure safety of the children:Parents (PP-IX) appreciated this policy of the school and endorsed the proposal.The school will consider the suggestions made by the parents and come up with an effective strategy for 2013 implementation. 5. Wearing of PE uniform on Tuesdays, the pedestrian days.The parents(PP-IX) appreciated the school’s intervention to allow students to come to school in PE uniform on Tuesdays as per the request made by the parents.This allowed children to walk and cycle to school more comfortably and assisted in the morning rush to drop their children to school. The parents request to the school to appeal to higher authorities with regards to Pedestrian Days being inconvenient, cannot be considered by the school since the school believes in the long term benefit of this policy to the environment. A sacrifice from your side during your time would ensure a healthier time for your child when he/she become an adult! Thank you for your support! 13.As per the feedback from the parents, there is a strong indication that the school needs to minimize the major activities .Therefore, with effect from 2013, the school will have only one major activity(Concert/Sports/Fete) per year on a rotation basis, and more focus on in house inter class competitions. 14. Stationery would be supplied by the school as per the need of the class levels for a cost for the whole year, which will be worked out by end of November,2012.This will be catered by the Company. 15. The School Uniform comprising of gho and tekyo for boys ; kera , honju and tekyo for girls and the PE uniform for boys and girls should be procured from the School to maintain uniformity in prints and colour. The cost will be intimated later. Materials for gho and tekyo for boys , kera, honju and tekyo for girls would be available from the school premises wef.19th December,2012. School encourages personal stitching to ensure comfort level and durability . This will be catered by the Company. 16. The school uniform shoe and socks is black and we encourage good quality shoes, without high heels since it has a serious repercussion on the child’s comfort and growth.Parents need to procure them.School will not supply. 17. School encourages the use of school transport system for the following reasons: - assist in the conservation of environment since Druk School strongly believes in it. - allow parents to be more relaxed in the morning and avoid the morning rush and stress which has a huge repercussion on their interaction with their school going child/ren as well as their own health and mood for the day .The school transport system facilitates pick up and drop off, all over Thimphu town area at a nominal cost .The details will be made available wef 20th February,2013. So, once again, a big thank you for being wonderful partners and for all your well intended suggestions and recommendations for the improvement of the school system.We promise to give you a more satisfying experience next year! With highest respect, Yours faithfully, Tshewang Choden Wangdi,Principal. DS/ Adm-9/2012/ 2057 |
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