Olcott Memorial High SchoolBesant Nagar, Chennai 90

Proposal for continued support for the schoolFrom Asha St. Louis

May 2013

Olcott Memorial High School (OMHS)

• Established 1894• Location: Theosophical

Society Campus, Besant Nagar, Chennai

• Free school for socially and economically less privileged children

• School seeks to remedy 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

• Homes of children• Below poverty line• Rampant domestic

violence, alcoholism, women & child abuse OMHS seeks to provide a

vibrant, happy environment for holistic learning

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 under-privileged children

Committed teachers are responsible for the unique set of initiatives in the school

School Std 10 – SSLC ResultsSSLC 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

SSLC Pass %age 2004-2012

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Base Year 2004=1

%ag

e pa

sses

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….

Heads of expenses

Budget Amounts INR allocated from Asha St.Louis donation 2012-2013

Actual expenses INR FY 2012-2013

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/EngLangLab/Maths Lab 40,000 13,128

Educational trips 70,000 45104

Notebooks & Texts 103,290 111906Grand Total 333,290 324871

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 Lang 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 supportINR 333,290= USD 6,000

• Request from Asha St. LouisINR 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