Class Link Handbook

The British School in Colombo

CLASS LINKS HANDBOOK October 2014

63 Elvitigala Mawatha Colombo 08 Sri Lanka

Dear Class Link, Thank you for volunteering your services to become a Class Link for BSC. Class Links have a vital role in assisting with the huge job of communication, between the school, on the one hand, and parents, on the other hand, throughout the year. The role is also an important part of continuing the wonderful community spirit that has been created over the years by parents and families getting to know one another, their teachers and other staff at the school as well as providing links between the parents and BSC. This handbook is a helpful tool and should be referred to on a regular basis. It was put together to assist you in your role as Class Link, it is reviewed and updated each year and we encourage you to complete the feedback form including any new ideas you may have.

It contains an outline of the job required, offering shortcuts, handy hints as well as a realm of ‘get together’ ideas, contact numbers and do’s and don’ts. These have been put together using the knowledge of past Links who have learned from experience in the role.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact Richard Hester, Deputy Principal (Head of Junior School), Simon Harwood, Deputy Principal (Head of Senior School), Raheeda Mahamoor, President of BSC PTA, or myself at any time. We value the support you give to our families and please remember our doors are always open to you, if we are busy when you call then please request an urgent meeting through our PAs. We look forward to your assistance in this busy year ahead.

Dr John Scarth Principal

QUICK HELP If you need help with anything you may be organising please contact: Dilhani Kamalaneson, Principal’s PA: Hiromi Karunanayake, Junior School PA: Carmelite, Senior School PA:

pa_principal@britishschool.lk pajs@britishschool.lk carmalite@britishschool.lk

Raheeda Mahamoor President, BSC PTA

What Being a Class Links Involves The role of Class Link involves the interaction between parents and the school in a number of ways: • General contact point for parents in your class • Assistance to new families to BSC • Assisting with Junior/Senior School functions • Liaising with the PTA Class Link Co-ordinators • Assisting with special projects • Organising a working group to help with resources • Working with the other Class Links • Coordinating low key social functions for families out of school time • Proactively communicate any positive feedback or concerns raised by parents to the relevant Deputy Principal

BSC POLICIES We are very keen to encourage parental involvement within the school and support activities which strengthen the BSC community. However sometimes, even with the best of intentions, some functions proposed by parents can expose them and the school to risk.

On the basis of our experience over the years with what can sometimes go wrong with functions organised outside of the school, we ask you to note the following: PRIVACY Any list of parents or contact details provided or collated is subject to the school’s privacy policies. In brief, such details have been provided to the school on strict conditions of the maintenance of privacy. They can only be used for purposes authorised by the providers. The lists and details must therefore only be used as directed by the school and in this case, only for the purposes of school approved events or requirements. Under no circumstances must unsolicited contact with any parent or family be made using any such lists or contact details.

As your role ends, you must delete all copies of the list and confirm to the School Principal by email or in writing that you have done so. If you would like to discuss this further please contact the Principal.

PRIOR APPROVAL OF IDEAS You must run any idea past the appropriate School Deputy Principal or the School Principal before getting started. We will willingly share our experience and opinion and if, after that, you decide to change or amend your plans it is then easier to do so without disruption or embarrassment. The whole point of encouraging parental involvement in the school is to strengthen the community. We suggest that you draw on our experience and support at the earliest stages of your planning.

PRIOR APPROVAL OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS Please ensure that before flyers, newsletters, invitations or notices are sent out, the Principal approves the event and wording. This reduces the chances of error and ensures that we are checking each other in terms of necessary content. The Principal must also be included on any correspondence.

COMPLIANCE The school is subject to a considerable degree of compliance regulations in its daily management of students. We can help with advice about Health and Safety requirements, financial liability, do’s and don’ts with student management and, in the case of older students, expectations of Police and other regulatory bodies.

SCHOOL REPUTATION Any function which involves a group of people whose primary connection is the school and especially a function which involves the hire of a venue, an entry fee or mass transportation will be labelled a ‘British School function’ by the media, irrespective of whether or not we had prior knowledge.

PARENTAL SUPERVISION Coordinators should ensure that parents are responsible for their children and are supervising them at all times when attending out of school events, whether these are being held at school or off-site. Include this message in all flyers and do not allow parents to drop and leave their children under any circumstances.

SAFETY When organising private functions, the BSC expects that the safety of its pupils will be of paramount importance. Family get-togethers are encouraged as this way parents are supervising their own children. When large numbers of families get together for a function, you must nominate • a person to be in charge of first aid with a first aid kit on hand for accidents, • a person to act as Fire Warden.

• For each of these roles, the classroom teachers are the best point of contact as they have easy access to the necessary equipment if on school premises.

ALCOHOL Special laws relating to events that include alcohol can apply, please discuss these regulations with us. Alcohol cannot be served at functions where students are in attendance.

EVENTS AT HOME The school is very happy for parents to host functions in their own homes, as these will be considered private functions. In an event like this however remember that in order for them to remain private, you cannot sell tickets but you can collect money for food and entertainment from parents or students.

ROOF TOP CAFÉ For school functions, Class Links may have the use of the Roof Top Café to get together with parents for drinks and nibbles, however the following protocol must be adhered to: • the Cafe needs to be booked for use out of hours • the use of school facilities out of hours can incur a fee for outside security staff, please make sure you are aware of all costs involved in any function you are organising • the use of school facilities outside hours also requires someone to take responsibility for the tidying up plus collection and return of keys, etc.

ADVICE The Principal and Deputy Principals can also give advice and guidance about the implications that weekend or after-school functions can sometimes have on students. We often have to deal with the fall-out from parties when problems spill over into school. There are also subtle but significant issues surrounding the pressure on staff to attend or be party to events that need to be thought through beforehand.

BSC PTA All parents are considered to be members of our PTA, their meeting dates and times are advertised in school newsletters and on the school website. Please take the time to attend meetings or read the Minutes to ensure you have the opportunity to be fully informed and involved in school life. If you would like to put forward ideas, suggest items for discussion at future meetings or receive an email reminder prior to the next meeting, please contact Raheeda Mahamoor, President BSC – pta@britishschool.lk

EXAMPLE TEMPLATES FOR CORRESPONDENCE EXAMPLE OF NOTICE TO PARENTS – PRINTED FLYER OR EMAIL ATTACHMENT DATE Dear Year 7 Parents, I would like to introduce myself - my name is INSERT NAME (mother of NAME) and I am your recently appointed Class Link. I would like to help you and your family meet other BSC families from your child’s year through coffee mornings, lunches and other social gatherings.

For this term, there are two activities on the calendar: • Coffee morning at DETAILS on DATE, straight after drop-off. If you prefer to have coffee before pick-up, please let me know, so we can meet you at 2pm the same day. This is an informal way of meeting other parents. Please don’t feel hesitant because you do not know anyone else going – this is what these get-togethers are for. They are very friendly and relaxed!

INSERT ACTIVITY Hopefully I will meet you at one or both of these events. Please contact me if you have any queries.

Kind regards, YOUR NAME YOUR MOBILE

CLASS LINK END-OF-YEAR REVIEW Thank you very much for being a BSC Class Link this year. We hope you have found it to be a rewarding experience and that you have made many new friends.

Please fill out this review sheet for future reference and drop into the appropriate School Office at the end of the Summer Term.

Dr John Scarth Principal

Name: _________________________________ I have been a Class Link for Year: _____ Events I have organised: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ What worked, any handy hints, or suggestions on improvement: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Any helpful contacts and addresses: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Thank you very much indeed for taking the time to share your experience.