COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS

The Board endorses active and open communication between the School, the parents and the community. Parents are entitled to be well-informed about the school, about the ways their children are being educated, and about the way the school is governed, operated and financed. Accordingly, school communications will take the following forms: 

Communications to Parents and the Community:

The Board President will be the official spokesperson for the Board of Trustees. The Head of School or their designee will be the official spokesperson for the educational and personnel aspects of the School.

The Head of School will develop procedures and techniques for ensuring regular and open communication between the teaching staff and the parent community. Staff will be required to use predefined portals and protocols for regular communication.

Communications from Parents and the Community:

The Board and Administration welcome discussions, questions, and constructive suggestions. Parents and the community are encouraged to take an active interest in School affairs. 

Classroom-related items should first be discussed with the class Teacher. For divisional matters, reach out to the Divisional Principal. For administrative affairs such as finance and invoices, contact the Head of School or their designee. Parents should make every effort to resolve concerns at the appropriate level.

Communication to the Board:

If at any time, after all other channels have been followed, a community member still feels that an issue has not been resolved they may approach the Board President for consideration and action. In all cases considered by the Board of Trustees’ their decision in the matter will be final. The Board will not consider anonymous complaints.

Cross References:

9.020 - School Orientation Program

9.040 School Publicity

9.100 Opportunities for Community Involvement

9.110 Parent Community Association

9.120 - Trust member comments, complaints and grievances

COMMUNICATIONS AND ACCESS TO COMMUNITY INFORMATION

The Board recognizes the importance of open communication with Trust members and the community and will make relevant documents available where possible. The Board also respects the privacy of confidential records.

The Trust Deed of the ASB Education Trust, By-Laws, Board meeting minutes, Board Policy Manual, handbooks, significant historical information, and other materials are matters of Trust interest. They will be kept on file by the Head of School, where they are available for inspection by Trust members.

The Board President will be the official spokesperson for the Board of Trustees. The Head of School or their designee will be the official spokesperson for the educational and personnel aspects of the School.

The Head of School will develop procedures and techniques for ensuring regular and open communication between the teaching staff and the parent community. Staff will be required to use predefined portals and protocols for regular communication.

The Head of School will establish procedures to ensure the proper privacy of information and/or the protection of individuals’ and the school's integrity. Access to student and Personnel records and financial accounts will be restricted to authorized persons only. Parents and Teachers may access a student's records through the Head of School or their designee. The Head of School, Principal(s), counselor(s) and Teachers will seek to answer questions regarding student or School matters without violating the confidentiality of closed records.

No one may distribute an external survey or questionnaire soliciting information from students, staff, parents, or school programs without prior written approval from the Head of School.

Cross References:

• 2.070 Board Policy Manual

• 2.380 Board Meeting Minutes

• 7.250 Student Academic Records

• 8.110 Student Rights and Responsibilities

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL

Parents are welcome to visit the School presuming there are no prevailing health, safety, or student safeguarding concerns. When interested in visiting their child’s class, parents are requested to make advance arrangements with the Teacher as unscheduled visits to classrooms can be distracting to students and Teachers.

Outside students, educators or interested observers other than parents will be granted visiting privileges only with prior permission of the Head of School or their designee. All visitors will comply with all ASB safety guidelines and policies.

Cross References:

• 5.110 Physical Security and Protection

SCHOOL PUBLICITY

It is imperative that the School maintain a respectable image and profile. This policy covers both proactive marketing and promotion of the School as well as cases in which outside organizations wish to interview or obtain information about the School.

There are times when the School may wish to promote the image of the School and its students in the community (e.g. sporting events, School musical performance, etc.). The Head of School will inform the Board President of any press release and/or official articles prior to release.

No member of the School staff will grant an interview or provide any material to the news media without approval from the Head of School. In the Head of School’s absence, the Board President will refer or respond or assign a designee.

The Head of School or their designee must approve all requests for School-sponsored student performances in the community in advance. Parents and students are also requested to forward all media inquiries concerning the School to the Head of School.

Cross References:

• 9.000 Communications and Community Concerns

VENDOR ADVERTISEMENT

All requests from business vendors seeking to promote their companies’ product(s) to the School’s Employees and/or students will only be allowed upon the approval of the Head of School or their designee.  All advertising materials, including internal School promotions or announcements, will be posted only at the discretion and approval of the Head of School or their designee and only at designated locations. Student and staff lists, rosters and/or directories will be for the use of School Personnel or parents only and are not to be used for commercial purposes or furnished for such purposes.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Continued active parent participation in the School is essential if it is to sustain the high level of excellence that our students deserve. Therefore, parents are encouraged to express ideas, concerns and suggestions about the School to the Head of School, the Staff, existing advisory bodies, and the Board or any appointed Board committees.

The Trust Deed and By-Laws of ASB Education Trust give Trust members (parents and Faculty) an important role in the governance of the School including the following:

• Members of the Trust nominate and elect members to the Board of Trustees;

• Members of the Trust are welcome to attend any of the Regular Board meetings, and are given an opportunity to express their views, opinions or comments at the appropriate time on the agenda;

• Members of the Trust convene at Annual General Meetings and Special Meetings as may be called by the Board or at the written request of a designated percentage of the Trust’s membership, as defined in the Trust Deed.

In addition to parents' participation as established by the Trust Deed and By-Laws, the Board also encourages parent involvement through the Parent Community Association (PCA) and through parent involvement on advisory committees.

Finally, the Board encourages individual parents who have special training, experience, or skills to contribute their talents to the School; from time to time, such persons may be asked to serve as resources or advisors to the School.

The advice of parents will be carefully considered by the Board and Leadership Team. However, in its decisions, the Board and Leadership Team are duty-bound to be consistent with existing Board policy.

Cross References:

• 2.110 Election of Trustees

• 2.300 Regular Board Meeting

• 2.315 Annual General Meeting

• 2.320 Extraordinary General Meetings

• 2.370 Parents' and Faculty Members' Attendance at Board Meetings

• 2.400 Board Policy Development

• 9.000 Communications and Community Concerns

• 9.110 Parent Community Association

• 9.210 Community Use of School Facilities and Equipment

PARENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

The Parent Teacher Association, known at ASB as the Parent Community Association (PCA), will operate in accordance with Board policy, By-Laws and the American School of Bombay Educational Trust (ASBET) Deed. The PCA will be governed by its own set of By-Laws, which must be approved by the Board. Changes to the By-Laws must also be approved by the Board. The role of the PCA is to build community spirit and promote involvement in School activities in order to support the School’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Fundraising is not the primary focus of the PCA.

Elected officers of the PCA will collaborate and communicate regularly with the Head of School or their designee in planning activities that involve the School community. No member of the PCA, by themselves, may execute any contracts on behalf of the School. The Diretor of Operations and Finance or their designee is responsible for executing contracts on behalf of the School.

Each year, the Board allocates funds to the PCA for its activities. These funds will be made available to the PCA at the start of each academic year. Requests to use this funding will follow School procedures established by the Head of School. The PCA will submit its budget to the Board Finance Committee at the start of the academic year and will provide quarterly updates thereafter.

Cross References:

• 3.120 - Head of School Responsibilities

• 9.200 - School Community Center PTA By-Laws

COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

When not in use for School purposes, the School buildings and grounds or portions thereof may be used for adult education, discussion, civic, social, recreation, entertainment, charitable events and other such purposes that promote the welfare of the community.

Permission to use the School’s facilities and/or equipment will be granted by the Head of School or their designee when such use will not interfere in any way with the regular programs and activities of the School. All official School or School-sponsored functions will have priority in the use of the School facilities and equipment.

Organizations eligible to use the School facilities will be related to the education and welfare of individuals in the community.

A fee to cover the costs to the School may be charged for use of the facilities. These fees will be determined by the Head of School.

The Head of School is responsible for developing and implementing procedures for the use of the School’s facilities and equipment during such times that the School is not in session. This will include the identification of eligible organizations or groups, permissible events or functions, fees to be assessed, its equipment, and general guidelines for proper use, including a liability waiver, as appropriate.

Cross References:

• 5.020 Use of School Facilities

• 5.030 Off-Campus Use of School Equipment

• 9.000 Communications and Community Concerns

• 9.200 - School Community Center

SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The Board recognizes the importance of regional educational organizations as valuable contributors in support of staff development and related professional activities. The Near East South Asia (NESA) Counsel of Overseas Schools is the organization supporting the international schools in the South Asia region where the School is located

NESA is partially financed by funds received from the US State Department, Office of Overseas Schools. The organization’s activities include the sponsorship of administrator and teacher conferences, workshops and the distribution of publications.

The Board recognizes the need for the School to retain active membership and subscription to a variety of appropriate professional organizations. Such organizations must have clearly defined resources and/or activities that can lend support to the School’s pursuit of high academic standards, enriched American-style curriculum, quality instructional programs and administration. Budgeted money in support of the School’s participation in professional organizations will be set aside annually, at the recommendation of the Head of School, to the extent financially possible.

Cross References:

• 6.620 Professional Development Program

• 9.310 Relations with recognized Accrediting Agencies

RELATIONS WITH RECOGNIZED ACCREDITING AGENCIES

The Board supports the need to have the School’s program periodically reviewed by recognized accrediting agencies and for the School to become accredited by such organizations. Accreditation is also important for recognition by other schools for benchmarking, student transfer purposes, and student acceptance at colleges and universities.

The Board reserves the right to choose which accrediting organizations it feels would best serve the needs of the School to maintain the highest educational standards. The School will always seek the highest status of membership with the chosen accrediting organizations.

The School will carry out periodic self-study evaluation programs and will request accreditation visits from outside committees assigned by the Board of Trustees’ approved accrediting agencies in order for the School to maintain its accreditation. In addition, Staff members may periodically be selected to serve on accreditation teams for candidate schools. School faculty and Staff will be supported when invited to participate on accrediting teams.

Cross References:

• 1.100 Philosophy, Mission Statement and Core Values

• 7.000 Educational Philosophy

SCHOOL-TO-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

The Board recognizes the value of shared ideas and resources between schools including curriculum, administration enhancements, personnel exchanges, consultants and in-service activities. Therefore, the Board supports the establishment of relationships with one or more school partners who have resources and ideas to share with the School’s implementation of an enriched American-style curriculum program. All partnerships are subject to review and approval by the Head of School or their designee.

Cross References:

• 1.100 Philosophy, Mission Statement and Core Values

• 6.370 - Professional Staff Consultancies

• 6.440 Employee Conflicts of Interest