Parent Handbook

MNTS Tamil School Parent handbook contains general school information, procedures, and regulations. Parents are encouraged to become familiar with the contents of this Handbook. It is provided as a resource and contains the most current information for the school year that was available when published. Please be advised that some of the material might be subject to change during the school year. Parents will be informed of such changes through other school communication formats including the school website. A copy of this student handbook can be found in our Website: www.mntamilschool.org

2. SCHOOL’S MISSION / VISION

Our Mission

Our Mission is to develop young men and women with active and creative minds, a sense of understanding and to provide a superior education on our native language by providing quality instructions and challenging learning experiences in a safe and orderly environment. We believe that the learners will become effective communicators in our native language and will use verbal and written form of the language in the most effective manner. At our school, students will be accepted, appreciated, nurtured and challenged according to their individual need and ability. We also believe that all children can and will learn. We strive to ensure that all children will reach to their potential.

Our Vision

Our vision is to create and maintain a school community for students that is conducive to receive a quality education on our native language and learning opportunities that enriches their basic and advanced knowledge on our native language. Students will have success, for today and be prepared for tomorrow as it relates to the learning of the language that is considered to be one of the oldest languages in human civilization. We are committed to providing our students with exemplary instructions designed to educate each child to become conversant with the classical language. We nurture intellectual curiosity and effective communication. We encourage all members of the community to contribute towards the support of students learning our prestigious language. Our rigorous standards-based instructional program is geared towards enabling all students to meet the challenges of learning spoken and literary versions of the language.

3. KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL

We would like to invite parents to become an active participant in your child’s education. We at Minnesota Tamil School believe that the most effective education for your child comes from a partnership between the home and the school. Many opportunities exist for you to become involved in your child’s Tamil language education and we invite you to take advantage of these opportunities throughout the school year. We request your active participation to advance our common objective of teaching Tamil language effectively.

Parents are always encouraged to communicate with teachers about their child’s progress. This can be accomplished by arranging a meeting with your child’s teachers and / or School Director at director@mntamilschool.org

Every teacher has their own email id with their firstname@mntamilschool.org. Each teacher will share their email id to the parents.

Besides the above, the teachers may setup other modes of communication like ‘whatsApp’ group for efficiency.

School website will be an excellent source to follow the events happening at the school.

4. PARENTS & TEACHERS – PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

MNTS Tamil School acknowledges Parents as an important resource in imparting effective language education to students along with Teachers and administration. Here are some suggestions for parental contributions that are vital to your child’s success.

1. Make sure that your child attends school regularly and on time.

2. Support the school in its efforts to maintain proper discipline.

3. Stay in tune with what your child is learning. Ask him or her questions about the school day and the lesson that was taught.

4. Let the school know of any problems outside of the school that could affect his or her day in school.

5. Stay in touch with the classroom teacher, attend the conferences, or email if you have any questions. Schedule a visit to the classroom. Be actively involved!

5. SCHOOL HOURS

School begins for students at 9:45 a.m. in Woodbury and 1:45 p.m in Hopkins. Students should not arrive prior to 9:40 am at Woodbury or 1:40 pm at Hopkins. The student school day ends at 12: 00 pm in Woodbury and or 4:00 pm in Hopkins. Parents are asked to send a note to the classroom teacher or notify the teacher or school office, if their children are needed to be picked up earlier. Mazhalai and Basic-1 parents need to sign –in/out their children. Students will not be dismissed without the presence of parents / nominated chaperone, after the end of the class and we kindly request you to arrive on time to pick your kids.

6. SECURITY

School takes all the necessary precautions to prepare for any crisis situation that may arise. Periodic drills will be conducted to enforce safety procedures and schedules will be emailed to parents. Please refer to “Security @ School” under Parent, Student, Staff menu in website.

7. ATTENDANCE/TARDINESS/LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY

Regular and prompt attendance is necessary for a student to maintain satisfactory progress. Excessive absences and tardiness from school will negatively impact the learning process. Please limit your child’s absences to scheduled vacations. It will certainly help their academic achievements. Parents should plan vacations and trips which do not conflict with the school’s instructional calendar.

When students arrive late or must leave early, they miss valuable information . Late arrivals and early dismissals can be very disruptive to other students and to the teacher. Severe illnesses, exposure to a contagious disease, religious holidays or extremely inclement weather are considered legitimate excuses for absences or tardiness. If a student is to be absent, parents are urged to inform the school teacher well in advance.

When a child is absent from class, it is his/her responsibility to find out and complete the missed class work and/or homework.

8. SICK CHILD POLICY

Please do not send a child to school with a fever of 100°F or greater; a combination of symptoms such as lethargy, poor eating, lack of availability for learning, glassy eyes, pallor, decreased activity, or unusual behavior/responses (can indicate illness even without the presence of a fever); diarrhea or vomiting; pink eye; untreated head lice; persistent coughing or thick nasal drainage; difficulty breathing from Asthma; severe head injury with disorientation, vomiting, dizziness and/or headache; or any other illness as directed by a physician. Parents of children sent to school with these or similar conditions will be contacted to take them home.

Students who have been ill and are returning to school should be: free of symptoms listed above; back to their normal behavior and energy level; free of fever, diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours; treated for strep throat or pink eye (on antibiotics for at least a 24 hours period before returning to school).

9. TRANSFERS

Parents of students withdrawing from school should contact the office at least two weeks prior to the last day of attendance. This allows time for completion of records and completion of the transfer form. Parents may pick up the transfer form from the Director on the student’s last day or it may be sent home upon request. All accounts with the school should be settled prior to the transfer. Please note that in the event of such transfers, the annual school fee is not refundable as the fee has been applied towards the materials, insurance etc. already.

10. ADDRESS UPDATE FORM

Parents need to fill out the address update forms at the beginning of the year. If the address or the phone number changes during the academic year, it is the responsibility of the parents to communicate to the school administration. It is essential to provide the correct telephone number where parents or a family friend may be reached during the school day, in case of an emergency.

11. CONFERENCES WITH TEACHER

Parent Conferences are scheduled thrice during the school year. Additional conferences can be arranged if it appears that a student is having difficulty or if there is a parental concern. Informal conferences may be arranged at any time during the school year by contacting your child’s teacher for an appointment.

Keeping communication open between parents and school can only enhance the student’s education. It is extremely important that parents keep themselves informed of their children’s progress on a continuous basis and support all school activities. It is mandatory for parents to attend the Parent –Teacher Conferences after the semester exams are over.

First Semester Conference:

Please check the school calendar and it will be after each semester exam or the week after.

Second Semester Conference:

Please check the school calendar and it will be after each semester exam or the week after.

Year End Conference:

Please check the school calendar and it will be after each semester exam or the week after.

12. CONFERENCES WITH THE DIRECTOR

Our MNTS Tamil School Director is always willing to meet with a parent or group of parents to discuss school related matters. You may contact him/her directly by email director@mntamilschool.org

13. SNACK TIME

School will have one snack break during the class hours. Parents need to provide one snack which can be eaten easily by students without making big mess. Parents of students with food allergies or any other conditions need to inform class teachers, so that proper care can be provided.

14. CALENDAR

Each child will receive a printed calendar at the beginning of the school year clearly indicating what week or lesson plan will be taught, school holidays, special events, semester exams, etc. Online calendar is available in the school website for easy access to parents.

15. INCLEMENT WEATHER/SCHOOL CLOSINGS/MAKE-UP SCHEDULE

In the interest of student safety, the School Board will discuss and take a decision on closing for the day, delayed start, or early dismissal due to inclement weather. Parents will be notified via phone and/or e-mail about school delays or cancellations. An official notice will also be posted on the homepage of the school’s website and social media.

16. DATA PRIVACY

Minnesota Tamil School obtains and uses certain information about each student to plan the best educational programs. Access to such information by third parties is limited and controlled in accordance with legal rights of Data Privacy. During the School year we like to publicize or display student news that may include names and photos of student(s). Please contact the school office if you do not want the photographs of your child displayed.

17. TEXTBOOKS / HOMEWORK BOOKS

The school provides textbooks for students to use during the school year. The school does not sell or buy used textbooks. Students are expected to take care of the books they receive. A Homework book that correlates with the lesson plan in the textbook is also provided.

It is parent’s responsibility to help the students with their homework with active collaboration from the Nilai Teachers.

18. ATA LMS (AMERICAN TAMIL ACADEMY-LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)

All students will have their own email like student firstname@mntamilschool.org. This will be a full service email and it will be used to login to LMS and other school systems using same email and password. “LMS for weekend schools” https://lms.attaonline.org. This powerful tool can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet-24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you do not have a login and password or have issues signing in contact director@mntamilschool.org

Parents will be able to view important current school year information such as:

Homework grade
Attendance records
Students assignments
Missing assignments
Notes from your child’s teacher about assignments
Semester scores
Access to online course content via Moodle like pdf’s, video/audio links/attachments, interactive quiz for unit-4 and above etc. This is periodically updated and will be a repository of all learning content.
Classroom Teacher will assign home works, assignments or any other resources to students for their references or as a part of e-learning.

The grading system for the whole year is apportioned as follows for a Total of 100%:

Weekly Classroom Attendance (25 weeks)=25% ( 25 points)

Weekly HW completion (25 lessons)=25% ( 25 points)

First Semester Marks=15% ( 15 points)

Second Semester Marks=15% ( 15 points)

Third/Final Semester Marks=20% ( 20 points)

19. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

MNTS Tamil School is run by volunteers and volunteering opportunities are available through the year. Caring adults can certainly make a positive difference in the lives of our students through these volunteer opportunities. Volunteers are always welcome and we appreciate the time, energy and expertise they bring to the School. But please be advised certain prerequisite qualifications are set in order to become a teacher volunteer. Contact director@mntamilschool.org

20. FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS OF RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE

The celebration of achievements, activities, events and individuals is accepted in Minnesota Tamil School. Celebrations should be part of a planned curriculum.

MNTS Tamil School does not officially celebrate any religious festivals but allows students to practice their religious freedom in a safe and non-intrusive environment.

21. HOME BIRTHDAY PARTIES

We request the parents and children planning for birthday parties to invite other children from School by phone or mail. Invitations may not be distributed in the classroom and school will not share personal information like email or phone number of any student. Thank you for your cooperation on this issue.

22. MONEY & VALUABLES

Please make sure that your child does not come to school with large amounts of money or expensive items. We cannot be responsible for broken, stolen or misplaced items brought from home.

23. NEWSLETTER

A school newsletter is sent out to each family every semester. Our newsletter includes school news, a calendar of events and other useful information. The newsletter can also be found at the School website. School annual report will be sent out at the end of the school year.

24. PROGRESS REPORT

Progress Report will be issued three times per year after each examination. December, March and the last day of school. This progress report can be accessed through LMS any time by the parent.

25. MOODLE

Moodle is an Open Source Course Management System (CMS. Classroom Teacher will assign home works, assignments or any other resources to students for their references or as a part of e-learning. Each Child will have their own Id & Password to access their Level specific materials.

26. PLACEMENT CRITERIA

Students will be placed in the appropriate grade level, classroom setting or program based on the following:

– Teacher judgment

– Educational records provided by another institution (if applicable)

– Social/emotional/physical needs of the student

– Classroom sizes or student/teacher ratio

– Parent input

In addition, placement decisions shall be made without regard to sex, race, religion, creed, age, handicap or national origin.

27. PROMOTION/RETENTION CRITERIA

Students will be promoted or retained based on:

Teacher judgment
Academic success as determined by available test data and educational records
Social/emotional/physical needs of the child
Student attitude towards promotion/retention
Attendance

28. ASSESSMENTS

Informal testing, class quizzes, games will be conducted frequently by classroom teachers. Teachers use these results to plan appropriate individual programs and group assignments.

There will be three formal semester exams during a school year. Exams will test the children’s ability to read, write, speak, listen and understand Tamil Language. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above tests and the appropriateness for your student, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.

Our Website has more information related to the evaluation process: http://www.mntamilschool.org/evaluation-process

29. AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

A number of after school programs are arranged (only at Hopkins Center for this year) where students will be exposed to cultural, sports activities relating to Tamil heritage. These programs are completely optional and there will be a fee collected based on the individual programs. Please contact after_school@minnesotatamilsangam.org for more information about these programs and their fees.

30. HANDLING A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with learning and/ or other disabilities might be provided with equal opportunities in all Nilai. Teachers along with parents work together to develop a specialized learning plan — the individualized education program (IEP) — to help students succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals the team sets for a child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help achieve them. It is the responsibility of the parents to diagnose, identify and seek professional help for any learning challenges their child may have. This information needs to be shared with the corresponding teachers so that necessary help can be provided for Tamil learning. If needed, at least one parent must be present during the class hours. Since all the teachers are volunteers, they will not have specific skills or training to handle a child with special needs.

31. TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR

• Talk to your child’s teacher frequently. Together you are a team for your child’s academic success.

• Model and reinforce appropriate behavior.

• Listen to your child and encourage your child to talk about new experiences.

• Explain the meaning of new words to your child.

• Encourage your child to succeed by encouraging his/her best work, but do not expect more than what your child is capable of doing.

• Involve your child with reading and writing activities.

• Write your child’s name on all personal items brought to school such as coat, hat, gloves, boots, sweater, snack box, etc.

• Refrain from sending to school a sick child or one who has had a fever within the past 24 hours. This precaution will help preserve the health of other children.

• Please telephone or email the school teacher when your child will be absent.

• Dress your child according to the weather.

• Provide the teacher with a correct telephone number where parents or a family friend may be reached during the school day, in case of an emergency.

32. PLEASE DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING RULES WITH YOUR CHILD

1. When moving through the building, students should walk in a quiet and orderly manner.

2. When problems between students arise, they need to settle them without fighting or cursing each other.

3. Keep noise to a minimum. Loud voices and other noises are particularly distracting to others.

4. Use proper and respectful language at all times.

5. Respect the authority of all adults in the building

6. Respect the building, equipment and materials given to you.

7. Behavior at all times should contribute to learning.

8. Chewing gum is not allowed in school or on school grounds.

9. Students are to go directly to their classroom upon arrival at school.

10. Toy weapons, knives and other dangerous items are not allowed at school.

11. No student is allowed to leave the school grounds without the permission of the teachers and the knowledge of a parent.

12. No behavior that is dangerous or disruptive to others is allowed

33. But What About….?

Any other issues, omissions, or inaccuracies you feel should be addressed in this handbook should be emailed to the School Director (director@mntamilschool.org) at your earliest convenience so that they can be appear or corrected immediately.