Parent Orientation 2024-25

Parent Orientation 2024-25

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HMM Marathi Shala is a non-profit subsidiary of Houston Maharashtra Mandal (HMM) and is run solely by volunteers across multiple branches. Founding Principle – The aim is to protect and preserve the Marathi language; to empower our children with the ability to communicate (read, write, and speak) in Marathi, and to familiarize them with the rich culture of the state of Maharashtra.

Shala Core Committee

Principal – Amrut Athavale ([email protected])

Program Manager – Anuja Zambre ([email protected])

Curriculum Coordinator/VP – Lalita Phadke ([email protected])

Treasurer – Rohit Joshi – ([email protected])

Web Manager – Pratima Chaudhari ([email protected])

Shala Coordinators & Teachers

Cypress branch – Geetanjali Khandekar / Amruta Sakhalkar

Sugar Land branch – Maitreyee Joshi / Vrushali Agashe

Katy branch – Sameer Patil / Sonal Karambelkar

32 Dedicated & Hardworking Teachers across the 3 branches

Shala Finances

The nominal Shala fees collected from you go towards expenses involved in running our Shala branches, purchasing/printing books and shala materials for our children, conducting examinations, and organizing several Shala events throughout the year.

Message to Parents

• Thank you for enrolling your children in HMM Marathi Shala.

• Shala’s primary focus is to teach the Marathi language to your kids playfully and in a joyous environment so that they can gain confidence in simple reading, writing, and having day-to-day conversations in Marathi. This is not an immersion model.

• The core committee, coordinators, and teachers are willingly volunteering their time to run the Marathi shala to the best of their abilities. Please help us in our efforts by volunteering your time for Shala. Be involved & invested in your child’s Marathi education.

• Please treat Marathi Shala as you would your ISD. Respect, discipline, punctuality, and completion of work are expected. Do not let Shala be just a 2-hour Sunday exercise.

• The curriculum has elements of our rich Maharashtrian culture. It will include some shloka, Prarthana, and festival celebrations.

• If you have any questions, issues, or grievances, please discuss those with the teacher AND the branch coordinator at the earliest so that we can get quick resolutions. Do not let things fester!

Digital Media

• Website – hmmmarathishala.org

• Whatsapp Community – Shala announcements and class-wise groups for better coordination, weekly class updates, homework, and feedback

• Social Media – Follow us on Instagram and facebook for latest updates.

Shala Schedule

• Shala Timing

  • Sundays, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
  • The instructional calendar is published on the Shala website

• Format

  • In-person: Beginner, Pahili and Dusri
  • Hybrid: Tisri and Chauthi

• To foster a sense of the importance of Shala and the spirit of learning, Shala T-shirts are encouraged to be worn.

Parent Expectations

• Parent Guide – https://hmmmarathishala.org/downloads

• Before Shala – Breakfast, Bathroom

• Punctuality – Drop off (5 min early) & Pick up on time

• Supplies – Notebook, pencils, eraser, color pencils, water bottle

• Homework and Reading

• Volunteer at your branch –

  • Mandatory once a year
  • Engage with students in several different ways Signup will be created by coordinators for the semester

Shala Programs

• Ongoing initiatives

  • Birthday celebrations
  • Treasure box
  • Library
  • Reading buddies
  • Diwali celebration (Nov 9, 2024)
  • Annual Day (March 29, 2025)

• New initiatives

  • Collaboration with HMM Vastu
    • Dasara (Paati Poojan) (Oct 12, 2024)
    • Field day (Feb 16, 2025)

Shala Policies

• Shala calendar

  • Inform teachers of absences
  • HMM program participation excused. Parents to help make up, homework

• Attendance – Min 80% required

  • Check in/Check out

• No sick kids

• No food in school

Curriculum

• Encourage learning Marathi through conversation and build confidence by learning new vocabulary

• Language through cultural aspects – Festivals, Personalities, Shlok, Poems/Songs, Geography – Maharashtra, India

• HMM Shala is aligned with BMM Shala (Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal, North America) at the national level. The curriculum developed by BMM Shala is recognized by Bhartiya Vidyapeeth, Pune. Bhartiya Vidyapeeth awards certificates to students on successful completion of each grade level

• Grade Levels – Beginner, Pahili-Paachavi are divided into Year 1 and Year 2

Books

• Shala provides the books to students which are intended to be used as reference material and workbooks

• Beginners and Year1 grade level students will get new books

• Year 2 students continue using the books they received in Year1. These books cover the syllabus for both Year1 and Year2

Exams

• HMM Exam

  • End of Fall Semester – Dec
    • All grade levels
  • End of Spring Semester – May
    • All Beginners and Year1/Year2* grade levels

• BMM exam

  • End of Spring Semester – May
    • All Year2 grade levels only

HMM Exams

• Semester end exams are mandatory

• Questionnaire layout – written, verbal

• Verbal (60%) – Emphasis is on speaking, conversation, reading and listening comprehension

• Written (40%) – proficiency in barakhadi, grammar, reading comprehension

• 50% marks in each written and verbal section required to move to the next grade level 

• Results – Confidential! Parents, please do not ask or compare results of your child with other kids

• All students are awarded HMM Marathi Shala certificate at the end of the Shala year or beginning of the next Shala year

BMM Exams

• Year 2 students can attend BMM exams (Pahili, Dusari, Tisari, Chauthi, Paachvi)

• Questionnaire has written (40%) and verbal (60%) sections. 50% marks required to clear the exam

• BMM exams are not mandatory. Year 2 Students who opt out of the BMM exams have to clear HMM exam at the end of Spring Semester in May

• Successful students are awarded certificate from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune

Code of Conduct

Before we go…

Please do not copy, retain, distribute any Shala material (books, exam papers or any other study material) provided by HMM Marathi Shala. These are proprietary and ownership is with the respective creator/publisher.

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Thank you