Staff meeting of SSS

On 4th June we had the first staff meeting of the new academic year 2011-12. In fact school reopened for staff on 1st June and it is expected that all staff will be present. But as usual, -3 staff members were absent. We at SSS follow the practice of having interaction with all staff members through regular staff meetings. The first purpose of a staff meeting is to keep the moral high. It is not easy to work with mentally challenged children, it becomes still more strenuous when there are more severely and profoundly retarded children. Because in such children the progress is slow and at times not even noticeable. Secondly, it is also important for us that, all staff and volunteers must work according to our philosophy and that is " Shiv Bhave Jiva Seva". Having "seva" bhav is the most important thing. Thirdly, these meetings are meant to solve the problems of the staff. These problems could be administrative or intra staff related problems. During these meetings we try to motivate the staff members to up date their technical knowledge also. These staff meetings help in maintaining the discipline in the campus. Normally these meetings are conducted by Principal in the presence of secretary. We try to maintain a healthy atmosphere were each person can work without fear and should feed free to give feed back and suggestions which will help better progress in our mentally challenged students.
Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

Recognition for credibility

To day at about 5:20 pm a gentalmen walked in to my office and aske about SSS office being closed. On asking, what is the purpose of his visit to SSS, he said he wanted to donate Rs.5000/- as it his son's birthday. He said he donates every year on this day.
It is about 18 years back, we were in the process of forming SSS as a trust. We would be trustees were discussing the modalities of trust and its functions like objective, funds, source of funds, government aid, recruitment, staff,our work philosophy etc. During the debate on source of funds, I proposed not to go for government aid for various reasons. Most of my friends were apprehensive about the survival without government aid. Some showed the concern verbally and some were quite. But overall mood was not in favor. Since I had better way of putting my point across, and I being a bit more aggressive at that time, my opinion prevailed. One of our would be trustees inquired, how long people will give donation? and how many times the same person will donate. To this, my answer was, same person will donate to SSS any number of times and people to known to us and unknown to us will also donate as long as we work honestly, sincerely, and selflessly. Support will come always with out fail. But in my opinion, the primary condition would be that we do not take any benefit out of this work directly or indirectly, no monetary considerations be taken for whatsoever reason, no advantage derived by way of publicity for our personal gains directly or indirectly. If we consider this work as GOD'S work, there would be no reason for getting fulfilled our desired objective.
And needless to say, we followed our own resolution in absolute terms, and thus no wonder we are still working without government aid. Why I have to wright this? Because, we have been receiving donations from people unknown to us, and they have been donating regularly. We have succeeded in creating confidence & credibility in the minds of people by way of our transparent and honest work culture. That is the most satisfying factor for me. I know right from the inception, that this work is not ours but it is Divine, and if it is truly Divine than "HE" has to take care of it. We are only means to execute the Divine will. And that is what is really happening since 1993.


Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

Reopening of Vocational section

Vocational training section of our school reopened on 1st May after summer vacation. The summer vacation was for two weeks. We have shifted our "Rakhi - rehab - unit" to Nagpur from 1st May. This is shifted to our Nagpur office premises. This rehab unit involves more number of volunteers at every stage right from designing to marketing. We were finding it difficult for volunteers to go to Butibori. There are many volunteers who can give only 3-4 hours day and preferably in second half. Most of the volunteers for this work are senior house wife's who can give time in second half of of the day. Thus shifting this unit to Nagpur office should be beneficial. We already have our social worker attached to Nagpur office, thus, her time can also be put to more use.

The change was off course resisted by all concerned including mothers of these mentally challenged girls, the participants of this unit. Change in any system is not accepted so readily, this is obvious. From any angle, this is beneficial for the mentally challenged students, parents and the practical execution of this rehab unit.

This change will certainly reduce load on our buses and we can admit few more mentally challenged children for next academic session. This in turn should help us in reducing the wait list for admission.

Rakhi rehab unit is not only financially independent but is commercially successful also. This rehab unit is showing consistent profitability since last more than 8 years. Parents are more than satisfied and take keen interest in the activity. I always feel, if parents can be more involved specially in rehab activity, then we are sure of rehabilitating more than 70 % mentally challenged persons. But for various reasons this does not happen and off course you can not blame the parents. Because, at SSS we do realize that every parson as a parent of mentally challenged has his own limitations. But the reality is you can not totally depend on paid staff as far as rehab activity is concerned. It is observed that, most of the institutes working for rehab activity for mentally challenged really work for giving job to normal persons. Thus it becomes rehabilitation of normal people rather than mentally challenged.

Building extension- progress

The construction activity of new building is in last stage. Finishing is taking more time than it should really take. In fact there are no obvious reasons. But contractor shows his helplessness because labour is not available. However, we will be engaging classes in this new premises also from the first day of new session i.e. 13th June. It looks like, by that time we will finish the whole thing. Civil work of elevator is finished, but now M/s Johnson people say the equipment is not ready. And they are not committing any time schedule as well. Let us see when it is installed. The Star Circlip rehab unit is shifted in the new room of the extension part.

Waiting list for admission

I have not heard about any special school having waiting list for getting admission. But we at Sandnya do have waiting list since last more than 4 years. And every month it is going up and up.

The latest figure for wait list has crossed 60. The current capacity is of 82. I have no answer when a wait list parent inquires that when will his ward gets admission? I have no clue. There are many factors which are preventing us from clearing the wait list. The first and the fore most is of course the transport. We have two buses of our own and they are over crowded, in this we can not accommodate even one additional person. So first thing we need is at least two more buses. And this should cost us some were Rs.21.00 lacks. Than we need to have physical space to have additional classes. The third is to have additional special educators. Than support staff and class IV staff as well. The list is long for ' to have'. But essentially it starts from having two additional buses. We are trying but can not say when it will materialize.

Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

e-mail: navindesh@gmail.com

Parent meeting

On Saturday, 26th March 2011 we had last parent meeting of this academic year ending on 30th April. This meeting was held in Bhagini Mandal premises at Sitabuldi. Since Sandnya does not have a big enough hall at Nagpur office, we have to find some place for holding this parent meeting. We did book a small hall of Bhagini Mandal officially and paid Rs.500/- also. The meeting was scheduled at 2:30 pm. When we reached to the venue at 1:30 pm, we were told by the office bearers of Bhagini Mandal that the hall is being given to some other party and that party is having there programme in the hall. At the last moment it was not possible to change the venue. So we settled in the ground under the big tree in the same campus.

We had a record attendance of parents this time. There were 89 parents of 63 students,a big number indeed. The meeting was conducted by our Principal, Mr.Alok Dwivedi. After well coming the parents for the meeting, he opened with general instructions for parents like, cleanliness of student, nail cutting, clean uniform, regular and proper bath of students before sending them to school. He insisted the importance of all these things. He informed the gathering that the average students attendence for this year was also very good. He specially appreciated the attendance of school section. He informed parents about the progress report distribution schedule for each class. He further informed about the summer vacation schedule also for different sections. He told the parents of Starcirclip Rehab unit that members of this unit will not have summer vacation since it is peace work job.

Principal distributed the readdmission form to parents and asked them to submit these forms duly filled in before 25th April in Nagpur office. He informed parents that anybody missing this dead line will be considered as not interested in taking readmission and the vacancy so created will be filled in from the wait list candidates. The current waiting number is 60 now for admission in our Sandnya.

Extension of building-progress

The total built up area under construction is about 2700 sq.ft. Construction activity is of course progressing at a satisfactory pace considering our financial constraints. There are 6 class rooms under construction, where in 3 class rooms have attached toilet. We have gents/ladies public conveniences also in this new extended block. This will be specially use full for the visitors also. There are lot of regular visitors to 'Sandnya Srushti' campus in usually in big groups. Two rooms are totally finished and only electrical fittings are to done which will be done soon. The remaining four class rooms will be ready in about months time. It seems we will be in a position to use the whole block from next academic session i.e. 15 June. We are currently running short of funds to the tune of about Rs.6-7 lacks. and we are sure "HE" will arrange as usual.

Elevator tower is also at the finishing stage only plastering is left which will be complete in a fort nights time.