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Quality education is dependent upon a culture based upon passion, energy, vision, creativity and respect.
​
- peter murphy & stephen augeri



26/9/2016

 
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​Welcome everyone to my very first blog post.  I hope this can become a convenient and regular means of communication for me, particularly with OIS parents.  You will have noticed that the category is “Heads of School” rather than “Head of School”, and this perhaps needs some explanation.
Because learning happens best when it happens collaboratively, I think schools run best when they are run collaboratively.  The correct answer to the question “who is the head of OIS?” is “Neil ‘n Steve”.  This team approach to leadership runs throughout OIS, because this is the model we want to show our kids.
I notice that Steve has already been active on this blog, and that he has included a photo, so I guess I should as well.  There is a tendency, as we age, for us to dig out older and older photographs (because we have to go back further and further to find a time when we looked OK).  As you can see, I had to go back a very long time indeed!
I would like this team approach to extend to how we raise our children.  I would like the parents and the school to work together to do the best we can for our kids.  But, if my endeavour to get all our kids to school on time is any indication, this does not seem to be happening.
I have sent many e-mails.  I have spoken to over 1,000 parents at 15 coffee mornings.  Everyone I have communicated with is in agreement that this is a worthwhile pursuit.  Kids should not be allowed to wander in to school when they feel like it.  Parents should not be allowed to bring their kids when they feel like it.  It just reinforces the message that school is not important.
I stood at the front gate this morning as 100+ kids came in between 5 and 15 minutes late.  I explained to each and every one of them that they were late, and that this could be rectified by getting up a little bit earlier.  Everyone looked at the ground and said “sorry”, but I’m willing to bet the same 100 kids will be late tomorrow.
Because they just don’t care.  In classrooms throughout the school, teachers are trying to get their classes organized for the day’s learning, and they are continually disrupted by kids (in the lower grades accompanied by their parents) wandering in whenever they feel like it.  They don’t care.
I know this makes many of you angry, because you have made the effort to get your kids here on time, yet your kids still have to suffer the disruption caused by latecomers, and your kids are still exposed to this lack of respect for the school.
This makes you angry, and you look to me to do something about it.  And I won’t let you down.
Watch this space!
 
 

VIKAS SARAF
26/9/2016 12:15:34

Hi NEIL, welcome to blogging! And YES!, the "s" in the URL did hit my "head" as well. :)

Appreciate your perseverance on punctuality; and it has encouraged me to reply with a suggestion for whatever it is worth: If staggering class-start timings across age groups/grades is an option that has been explored or can be worthwhile a try?! And it need not be by much - say, just 10 mins apart and starting earlier from 7:30 AM for olders? One thing it shall help in is ease a bit of traffic (and pollution) for sure; and in turn may facilitate a few reaching on time as well. May need to include & consider convenience of faculty & support staff though. Off course, not a foolproof and still no excuse for being late!

Thanks,

VIKAS S. SARAF
(AYANNA, NUR - E)

Vinnie jaisinghani ( grd 5 & 10 )
26/9/2016 13:07:37

After giving loads of rope for close to 2 months , maybe it is time to provide the " Lingerers " with some kind of deterrents, checks .....

Sonal Khanduja ( Grade 2 )
26/9/2016 13:30:00

Good afternoon!

It's embarrassing for me as a parent that school needs to bring up something this elementary, so many times! And yet, I can't for the life of me think of any manner that would be fair to the kids (coz like you say, it's not their fault, is it, especially the little ones) to enforce this basic etiquette of punctuality. I can't wait to 'watch this space'!

Vinnie
26/9/2016 15:05:15

Yep meant the same . But there is no way to enforce it onto the parents except by way of the little ones . Oh i don't mean punishments ! Nope , not that ! I think we are beyond that kind of thinking ... though as we are aware that most Indian schools don't allow late entry. ...
🤔🤔what could be done to
I know last year beginning , the secondary parents got ph. From their kids in the morning to either send the PE uniform to school or the child wd spend time in detention the whole day . As far as I am aware i dont think the school had problem with PE unif. After that

Chrisann
26/9/2016 14:51:35

Love your emails, can't wait for more blog posts :)

Nilesh Jani
26/9/2016 14:52:45

Dear Neil,

This is a wonderful initiative and this also gives the parents to drop in a few lines of feedback. This is my son's 7th year in school and I can see that you are bringing about a positive change and I welcome that!

Kaushal Sampat
26/9/2016 17:57:51

Hi Neil,

I just love your emails and the blog has started out exactly in the same style! Look forward to more of your blogs and thanks to you and your team for all the efforts in educating the kids, not just academically but in terms of good life skills like taking responsibility, punctuality and many other ways.

Purnendu Shekhar ( JKG & Grade 5) link
26/9/2016 18:37:45

Your blog enthusiasm is encouraging me, a non blogger, to start blogging for my nascent startup.
very encouraging to see you focus on some basic but super important points. tkt
Regarding Punctuality i cant agree more, My 2 cents below -
1. Incentive Vs Penalty is a fact of life, Why shy away from that path? The rules could be children friendly though.
2.Push against individual drops - is carbon foot print that weak an argument for making a change that we all talk about? Because then, instead of talking to 100 erring children, you talk to only one company? "A bus is never late, right?"
I am very sure you must be having all these and many more ideas coming on this and confident that our kids are in indeed safe hands.
Once again thank you for active engagement and making OIS a vibrant community and thought rather than a school.

Amardeep Bindra (Grade 5 & 9)
26/9/2016 20:07:19

Nice blog, waiting for more.....

Ritu Kundu
26/9/2016 22:22:08

Thanks Sir. It is very important for kids to arrive on time school, few basic values if not inculcated at early age, it can never be developed later. I am glad you have tremendous focus on ensuring kids and parents are disciplined and value time & resources. we are with you for partnering you and developing right values

Lavina M
26/9/2016 23:06:50

Could not agree with you more! It is so vital for children (and adults) to value time. In complete support of your crackdown!!
Also,this blog is a super initiative..!

Samir Trivedi
28/9/2016 08:29:55

Great Initiative Neil. Will be watching this space for more. Also, I really commend your effort on getting kids into school on time.

Amit Gupta (Parent Aarush Gupta Grade VIII)
29/9/2016 10:42:35

Neil, I endorse your initiatives on punctuality -

However, I believe there is scope for improvement on the bus waiting times. The plying times can be cumulatively reduced by 10-12 minutes if the boarding schedules are kept watertight.

Normally the bus waits for 2 odd minutes to accommodate the "laggards" which has a cascading effect on the schedule, notwithstanding the mental trepidation of students already aboard the bus.

The bus attendant calls a few minutes prior to the vehicle's arrival at the next stop, but that does not preclude some of the inveterate tardy students from utilising that margin to their benefit.

Anju Gupta
8/10/2016 11:14:27

Is it possible to have an GPS tracking device in the buses with an app for monitoring the bus location - which is a convenient solution for parents and students w.r.t. the bus journey, arrival, location,etc.


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