Paul George Global School,

Principal Geeta Karunakaran, Senior Teachers, School Administrators,

After the first weeks of the new school year, a number of concerns have arisen among the parental group. As these matters are causing a deal of stress for some parents and students, we (the undersigned) wish to raise them with you in this form, in the hope that we can work together to make the school better for all concerned.

The main areas of concern are around passion time activities and general communications and the dissemination of information from the school to families.

PASSION TIME ACTIVITIES.

From the "Passion Time" circular 4/4/2018:

Kindly consult with the child before submitting your choice as it is mandatory for the child to remain with the choice made for the complete session. No requests for change in activity will be entertained thereafter.

This is a little unfair for first grade children who may have no knowledge of some of the activities, having never roller skated, practiced Karate...... etc.

More importantly, however. Some children have not been allowed to engage in their selected passion time activities, especially swimming. Parents are reporting that students are being sent, arbitrarily and without notice, to passion time activities that they have not selected. Parents do not know what their child is doing during passion time from one day to another. Students are disappointed that they cannot join their fellows in the pool, instead being sent elsewhere.

The school should have been ale to predict that swimming would be a highly popular passion time activity, given the season and the natural inclination of children to water. If there is an issue with overcrowding of the pool, a system should be put in place to deal with that fairly and parents need to be informed of any changes and the reasons therefor.

Parents feel let down by the school over the matter of passion time, especially as regards swimming.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

There is a general issue of difficulties arising from the manner of communications between the school and parents and (as with the passion time issues above) a feeling that the school administration is not providing timely and accurate information to the parents, both generally and on matters of importance.

The much lauded ERP facility, which we gave up our time to attend a lecture about, does not appear to work at all in the manner that has been promoted. Direct communication between parents and staff is not facilitated. Since new members came online, only two circulars have been posted - one to remind us of our responsibilities, the other to request payment of additional fees.

Parents feel that this system should be working by now. Since the school has insisted that is the only way we should be communicating with them.

First year students are yet to be provided with an academic timetable. In the interests of supporting our kids scholastic endeavours, It would be helpful to know what they're doing in class from day to day.

Teachers and parents meeting and conversing at the dispersal in the afternoons is not an ideal situation. The pick up marshalling area is too noisy, hot and chaotic. Teachers must try to communicate with all of their 20 to 30 students' guardians, remembering important information pertaining to each, while trying to field questions for which they may not be prepared or have answers.

Use of the almanac should be a more reliable method. However some parents are reporting that diary entries are going unacknowledged, or that the book is not coming home in the child's bag every day. Teachers need to be reminded of the importance of this form of communication (especially in light of the failing ERP system) and if needed, provided with an assistant to help them manage it.

Some are not settled with the added streams Edusports, jodogyan, Itihaas. Not perhaps realising the importance and added cost of these curricular items (again mainly due to poor communication on behalf of the school), they may not have made time to attend the seminar that was meant to explain these programs. At the very least, more information should be made available regarding these programs, if only to justify the added (surprise) fees.

When requesting fees, we would implore the school to be as clear as possible about the costs, payment methods, and justifications therefor - a note saying only: MEAL FEES DUE APRIL 2018 Containing no further information other than the child's name and class. Is unhelpful at the very least.

Finally, we (the undersigned) recognise that the beginning of an academic year is the most busy and stressful time for all members of a school community. Administration, Teachers, Support Staff. But also Parents/Guardians and students.

We hope we can work together with PGGS administration and staff to resolve our issues and bring our kids a happy and fulfilling school experience.