Olcott Memorial High School Besant Nagar Chennai 90

Olcott Memorial High School Besant Nagar, Chennai 90 Proposal for continued support for the school From Asha St. Louis May 2013

Olcott Memorial High School (OMHS) • Free school for socially • Established 1894 and economically less • Location: Theosophical privileged children Society Campus, • School seeks to remedy Besant Nagar, Chennai built-in disabilities of environment and nutrition • • • Co-education Classes I through X Tamil medium Boys: Girls = 260: 199 Student strength = 459

OMHS Context • Children from nearby slums: fisherfolk, coolies, housemaids etc OMHS seeks to provide a vibrant, happy environment for holistic learning • Homes of children • Below poverty line • Rampant domestic violence, alcoholism, women & child abuse

Curriculum • Affiliated to the Tamil Nadu State Board – Tamil - first language – English -second language – Maths, Science, Social Sciences subjects • Students appear for SSLC (Class X) certificate examinations after 10 years of schooling • Students of Class VIII – X learn vocational skills – Tailoring, Embroidery, Drawing and painting, Food preservation and baking, Book binding, Screen Printing, Fabric design, Jewellery making

Initiatives • Nutrition program – Mid-day meal enriched with sambhar, rice, vegetables & banana – Breakfast at 9: 30 am of Kanji (ragi, cereals, pulses) • Classroom provisions – All students provided with good quality notebooks – TN Govt covers 100% of textbook needs • Uniforms: 2 good quality uniforms/year/student

Initiatives • Technology Aided Learning (TAL) – Projection equipment and digital lessons to enrich learning of maths, science, social studies • Special Program for English and Language Learning (SPELL) – To help students with comprehension, oral and written expression in English • Primary Resource Centre – To improve social and thinking skills through educational games and associated activities • Library – Reasonable collection • Science lab- Refurbished recently • Games and Sports – Large playground

Teachers: The School’s Lifeline • Teachers come from community in and around Adyar • Teachers interested in education of underprivileged children Committed teachers are responsible for the unique set of initiatives in the school

School Std 10 – SSLC Results SSLC March 2013 Results expected on 31 May 2013 See graph below for progress in the last 8 years (after syllabus change)- from 2004 to 2012 - a steady uptrend From 54% passes in March 2004 to 97% in March 2012 - 38/39 students passed in the March 2012 SSLC Board Exams. Just one child could not clear Maths in March but passed it in June 2012 and joined class 11 with his classmates. An all pass situation

Asha St. Louis Funding 2012 -2013 • USD 6000 =INR 333, 290 received by school in July 2012 For • Notebooks and Stationery material • Maintenance of library and labs, including computers • Maintenance of crafts and introduction of vocational training • Annual educational excursions / field trips

Asha St. Louis Funding 2012 -2013 contd…. Budget Amounts INR allocated from Asha St. Louis donation 20122013 Actual expenses INR FY 20122013 Computer Room/ Maintenance 25, 000 41, 978 Craft section 40, 000 48, 543 Exams and tests 50, 000 60, 042 Library expenses 5, 000 4, 170 Science lab/Eng. Lab/Maths Lab 40, 000 13, 128 Educational trips 70, 000 45104 Notebooks & Texts 103, 290 111906 Grand Total 333, 290 324871 Heads of expenses

Funding Requested 2013 -2014 For the following… Educational support Expenses Amountsin INR Classroom Expenses 50, 000 Computer Room/ Maintenance 45, 000 Craft section 50, 000 Exams and tests ( stationery material) 65, 000 Library expenses 10, 000 Medical health 40, 000 Science lab/Eng Lab/ Math Lab 20, 000 Educational trips 50, 000 General Resource Room, Counseling & Sp Ed. 25, 000 Printing & stationery 20, 000 Notebooks & Texts 150, 000 Grand Total 525, 000

Proposal Summary • Seeking support for educational support expenses • 2012 -2013 Asha St. Louis support INR 333, 290= USD 6, 000 • Request from Asha St. Louis INR 525, 000= USD 10, 000

School Plan for later years • The school committee has approved the opening of higher secondary classes - Plus 1, Plus 2. This will materialize in June 2014. • Focus on exposure to computers, internet, email & improvement of English language • Improve employability at 18 years of age • Provide vocational training during & after Plus 2 • The school plans to seek Asha St. Louis help for the Plus 1 & plus 2 student requirements from the academic year 2014 -2015