EDUCATIVE PASTORAL COMMUNITY 2007-2008

SOME FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF DON BOSCO SCHOOLS

1. Each school is a center for efficient quality education.
2. We strive to impart holistic education - the integral development of the young.
3. They are educational centers inspired by religious values.
4. They are educational centers where Don Bosco's pedagogical methods are used
- the Preventive System (based on reason, religion and loving kindness and the loving presence of the educator).
5. It is an educational center conscious of the social dimension.
6. It is an educational center for the people.

THE EPC (EDUCATIVE PASTORAL COMMUNITY) IN SCHOOLS

- In recent years there has been an attempt to move from the institutional to the community model or from the dominator model to the partnership model (management, teachers, parents and students are partners in the process of education).

- From the responsibility for education in the hands of a few specialists dedicated to it to the active involvement of all those who have an interest in the educative process.

- The EPC is the new subject responsible for education. It consists of representatives from the management (house council members), the various departments or sectors, teachers, parents, non-teaching staff, representatives from the neighbourhood and students.

AREAS FOR COLLABORATION

Cultivate educational professionalism (Balance between professional competence and Don Bosco's family atmosphere).
Sharing among all those involved the educative values and vision for our institute.
Evaluation or assessment of the educational results obtained in the light our vision and educational plan.
Encourage relationships - based on TRUST AND DIALOGUE.
Develop a specific relationship with the parents and families of the young people.
Establish criteria and strategies to deal with the complexities of legal and economic matters and relationships with the Government and other organizations, and help in public relations work.
Plan for improvement of the physical structure of the school, social involvement (adoption of villages, corporation schools etc.). We need funds for all these activities - hence, fund raising is also important).

EDUCATIVE PASTORAL COMMUNITY 2007 - 2008

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE COUNCIL

Fr. Joe Andrew (Rector)
Fr. V. Michael (Vice-Rector and Headmaster)
Fr. M. Thomas (Administrator)
Fr. S. John Peter (Dean of Studies)

Night School

Bro. Sathish
Mr. John (Corporation schools)

Teachers

Mr. Amalraj
Mr. Sundar Johnson
Mr. M. Michael
Mr. Charles Royan
Mr. Benedict Stephen (NSS, outreach programmes)
Mrs. Shanthi Dhanapackiam
Mrs. Margaret Gomez
Mrs. Carron Mc Pherson (Primary section)
Mrs. Maria Xavier
Mrs. Lily Xavier (HM – Dominic Savio)
Mrs. Pradeepa Francis (Dominic Savio)
Mrs. Inigo (Dominic Savio)
Mr. John (Night School)
Mr. Lazar (Night School)

Parents

Mr. Davis Thomas (St. Bede’s)
Mr. Philip Rajan
Mr. G. Venkatesh
Mr. R. Raj Kumar
Mr. P. V. Ramanipathy

Dr. Mrs. Srimathi (Dominic Savio)
Mr. Joseph
Mr. Sebastian
Mrs. Prema Madhan
Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi
Mrs. Manisha

Non-teaching staff

Mrs. R. Rupa
Mr. Chinnappan
Mr. Christy
Mr. Vincent

Salesian Cooperators

Mrs. Y. Gomez
Mr. Preston Gomez
Mr. Valan Arasu

OBA

Mr. R. S. Murali
Mr. F.J. Vincent

Parents of boarders

Mrs. Wilma Vassou M/o Keith Vassou
Mr. John Abraham F/o Ignatius John

11. Students

Godfrey Jude Philipsz
Amit Aga Adam
Murtuza M. Lohani
Thomas Davis
Abbas K. Palanpurwala
Isaac Manuel

ST. BEDE’S TSUNAMI RELIEF FUND

Dear Parents, 12-01-2005

Greetings from the parents and teachers of the Educative Pastoral Council (EPC)! The EPC consists of representatives from the Management, teachers, parents and students of all the various sectors of our Institution (St. Bede’s, Dominic Savio preparatory school, Boarding/orphanage, night school and other reach-out programmes). We had an emergency meeting on 6th January to discuss about some action plans in favour of the Tsunami victims. December 26th 04 is known as “Black Sunday” in many parts of South East Asia. The Tsunami waves have left a trail of death and destruction. Thousands of people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless and orphans. During this moment of tragedy we have seen the generosity of ordinary people and bigger organizations. We as a school have to do something to show our solidarity with the suffering and to educate our students to get involved in moments of pain and distress.
We cannot solve all the problems of all the people affected but we have to teach our students to get involved. And hence we have to do something as an institution. The catch phrase is “to pray and to get involved”. During the meeting we decided to carry forward a few initiatives.

We decided to organize special prayer meetings (we already had one on 7th January) and awareness programmes (we had a special assembly and a special talk).
The teachers could give one day’s salary to our relief fund.
We will keep drop-boxes in the classrooms. The students can sacrifice their ice creams, chocolates or outings and contribute that money. The parents also can help. Parents who are willing to contribute in a big way are also welcome to do so.
We could also collect utensils, soaps, stationery (pens, pencils etc.), washing powder, bed sheets etc. for the Tsunami affected people close to us.
Some parents and teachers will also be involved in counseling the children affected by Tsunami.
Our target group will be the families of our own students who have been affected, the families of our night school children, corporation school children from our locality (tomorrow we are already distributing pens, notebooks, pencils, geometry boxes, school bags, etc. to 700 Corporation school children). The parents, teachers and students will do all the distribution.
We will plan further in keeping with the money we are able to collect.

Wishing you a very happy and prosperous New Year,

Members of the Educative Pastoral Council of St. Bede’s, Chennai.

Fr. Rector

Dear class teachers, 17-01-05

Greetings! We have prepared some drop-in boxes for money to be donated by the students for Tsunami affected families. If there are parents willing to give something more than what the students donate from their own sacrifices you could get their names and the amount they donate. They could also collect items mentioned in the letter I had sent. The class teachers are in-charge of the collection for each class. The NSS and JRC could help in the motivation and collection. Kindly hand over the collection boxes to Mr. Vincent (in the office) every day after class. We could conclude this collection on Friday, 20th January. Please remind the students to hand over the letter/circular to the parents (some of the students have not given the letter to the parents).

Sincerely Yours,

Fr. Joe Andrew
Rector

ST. BEDE’S ANGLO-INDIAN HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

SANTHOME, CHENNAI 600 004

31.03.2005
Dear members of the Educative Pastoral Community of St. Bede’s,

I am happy to invite you to our concluding meeting on 9.4.05 at 5.30 p.m. During this meeting we will evaluate this year’s programmes and also plan for the coming academic year. Kindly come with your ideas. Kindly think in terms of the whole project (St. Bede’s, Dominic Savio, Night School, Orphanage, and other out-reach programmes).
Agenda:

St. Bede’s response to Tsunami
Evaluation
Works to be done in summer
Planning (in view of the two centenaries – Don Bosco 100 and St. Bede’s 100)

Do come with your dreams and ideas. Let us strive to make St. Bede’s one of the best schools in Chennai!

With warm regards,

Fr. Joe Andrew sdb