Namaskar Mandali,

We hope you all are enjoying the Summer Vacation and the kids are having fun playing, learning new things or just relaxing! We also hope kids are continuing with Marathi learning with the help of the Summer Packet that was sent out before the end of Shala in May.

At Marathi Shala, the Core Committee has started preparing for the new academic year 2023-2024. Please save these dates –

2023-2024 Key Dates/Registration

• Marathi Shala Registration for new and current students – Starts: Saturday, July 15, 2023
• Marathi Shala Registration for new and current students – Ends: Sunday, August 13, 2023
  • Kindly note that NO new/returning registrations will be allowed after this date.
• First Day of Marathi Shala (2023-24): August 19/20, 2023 (depending on the branch location)
  • Parents Meet-n-Greet & First day of classes.

We will send additional communication about branch locations, registration opening, fees and other details in the second week of July. Please check this space and also your emails during this time.

2023-2024 Teaching Format

Based on the success of the academic year 2022-2023 and the positive feedback received from Parents, Teachers and Branch Coordinators and most importantly the progress made by kids, especially the younger ones, in learning Marathi while enjoying the company of their new friends, we have decided to follow the teaching format as laid out here – 

(Note that every level, Pahili to Paachvi consists of 2 years in each grade. Beginner level consists of 1 year)

• Beginners, Pahili, and Dusari grades will be in-person at the respective Shala branch locations.
• Tisari, Chauthi, and Paachvi grades for our seasoned students will be conducted in a hybrid format– virtual classes over Zoom and at least 1-2 classes in-person per month at the respective Shala branch location. This arrangement is subject to change depending on the number of students at the upper levels and space availability at each Shala branch location.

We want to provide some insight into this decision-making in the interest of transparency. The Shala leadership committee made the decision after very careful consideration of each survey response we received.

To summarize:

• The parent and teacher survey taken across all branches recently had an overwhelming positive response to the in-person format for the just concluded Shala year 2022-23. Teachers and parents likewise have noticed a remarkable improvement in the learning process and engagement in the students of lower levels (Beginners, Pahili and Dusari).
• For the upper grades (Tisari, Chauthi and Paachvi) the virtual format over Zoom with occasional in-person classes where possible, was well received by parents and teachers. Upper grades always have had fewer students in each branch. In the interest of utilizing Shala resources effectively and maintaining the quality of instruction, we may have an advanced level/ experienced teacher teach across other branches. Seasoned older students (who have been attending Shala for 4-5 years) can effectively handle online curriculum and homework submissions.
• As expected, there are survey responses on both sides of this decision. We hope we can reach a consensus in the interest of Shala despite any individual reservations. When HMM Shala went online, it was to accommodate the COVID health concerns we all had and in the interest of keeping our families safe until effective vaccines became available. It was never about parental convenience, and neither should it be. Our focus should continue to be effective instruction to our students in the best method possible. Students have been coming to the Marathi Shala branches from far and near for several years and enjoying learning in-person. Honestly, it is way more than just learning, it’s their sense of community as well, which develops by seeing and interacting with other students in-person.
• HMM Shala has been able to continue even during COVID years by being flexible and with the cooperation and understanding of our parents and teachers. We all have learned to adapt to the situation and along the way embraced technology as a powerful teaching medium by implementing virtual Shala classes. Ultimately our goal collectively is and will always be to impart quality instruction to our kids and at the same time help them build friendships and their own Marathi community.

We look forward to welcoming all new and returning students and parents to Marathi Shala in 2023-24!