All About Parent Volunteers (PV)

[janeng]

dear parents, i'm a reporter from Straits Times doing a story on parent volunteers in popular schools and what schools are requiring parents to fulfill. Pls email me at [email protected] with your contact details by Friday 18/5 if you don't mind sharing your experience. Thank you!

[mummy of 3]

C3P0:

Anyone knows if RGPS's PV is open for application?

U may go to their website and check

[C3P0]

mummy of 3:

C3P0:

Anyone knows if RGPS's PV is open for application?

U may go to their website and check

Thanks, I do check regularly but so far there's nothing announced. I'm afraid they are not announcing it on their website.....
Furthermore this year's announcement is so so late compared to last year....

[phtthp]

C3P0:

Anyone knows if RGPS's PV is open for application?

you may write in officially, confirm.
email: [email protected]

https://sites.google.com/a/rgpspvg.org/member/contact-us

fyi.
# classes for girls born in 2006 (2013 P1 intake) - to be announced on MOE website, late June 2012.

# classes for girls born in 2007 (2014 P1 intake) - will be further cut by 1 class, from that of 2013 P1 intake.
(insider news)

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/vacancies/

for girls born in 2008 (2015 P1 intake) -
write in officially, ask if RGPS still accept PV ?
(note: school doesn't entertain telephone call enquiries, concerning PV.)

if reply is No - then only route left is Grassroot Leader Activity route, plus you need to reside under GRC \"Kallang / Moulmein\", as of today (May 2012). And do it fast, because you need to be \"observed\" for minimal certain time period, before they promote you to Executive level.

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=420&start=1630

If reply is still positive Yes, those staying > 2 km, please do due diligent homework.
Do not end up PV 60 hrs blindly for nothing at RGPS (no joke), like that TCS actress at NYPS (80 hrs).
Once classes are cut / reduced, slim chance for those residing > 2km (may not have chance to ballot). Those staying > 2km, clarify all these, before even submit PV form.

C3P0,

besides staying < 1km from RGPS, is your house also located < 1km from MGS ?

if Yes, i'll choose GRC route rather than PV. Then i've the option to choose either good school.

[mummy of 3]

phtthp:

C3P0:

Anyone knows if RGPS's PV is open for application?

you may write in officially, confirm.
email: [email protected]

https://sites.google.com/a/rgpspvg.org/member/contact-us

fyi.
# classes for girls born in 2006 (2013 P1 intake) - to be announced on MOE website, late June 2012.

# classes for girls born in 2007 (2014 P1 intake) - will be further cut by 1 class, from that of 2013 P1 intake.
(insider news)

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/vacancies/

for girls born in 2008 (2015 P1 intake) -
write in officially, ask if RGPS still accept PV ?
(note: school doesn't entertain telephone call enquiries, concerning PV.)

if reply is No - then only route left is Grassroot Leader Activity route, plus you need to reside under GRC \"Kallang / Moulmein\", as of today (May 2012). And do it fast, because you need to be \"observed\" for minimal certain time period, before they promote you to Executive level.

If reply is still positive Yes, those staying > 2 km, please do due diligent homework.
Do not end up PV 60 hrs blindly for nothing at RGPS (no joke), like that TCS actress at NYPS (80 hrs).
Once classes are cut / reduced, slim chance for those residing > 2km (may not have chance to ballot). Those staying > 2km, clarify all these, before even submit PV form.

C3P0,

besides staying < 1km from RGPS, is your house also located < 1km from MGS ?

if Yes, i'll choose GRC route rather than PV. Then i've the option to choose either good school.

But MGS is under Holland Bukit Timah GRC

[Daddy D]

Article from Sunday Times....

[quote]Want Primary 1 place? Suggest a long-term project
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_800920.html

At least three schools increased their volunteer requirements this year from 40 to 60 hours - Raffles Girls' Primary, St Hilda's and Poi Ching School. Nanyang Primary earlier upped the contribution to 80 hours, Nan Chiau to 60, and Rosyth to 70 hours. Rosyth stopped accepting volunteers this year.

An Education Ministry spokesman said schools are free to ask for more volunteer hours 'depending on individual schools' needs'.

Nanyang Primary looks for help in IT, for instance, robotics or web page design; Catholic High wants long-term projects; and South View needs help for its teachers to create digital learning tools.
[/quote]

[Daddy D]

Another articles from Sunday Times

[quote]'It's like applying for a job', says parent of P1 enrolment in popular schools
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_800921.html
A mother who was keen to enrol her child in Catholic High School is now having second thoughts.

Although she lives within 1km of the school, its volunteer programme asks parents to come up with a 'project which has long-term benefits to pupils'. Interested parents must submit a proposal, and those shortlisted will be interviewed before the successful ones are picked.

One approved project involved making a mounted map of the world, with sample currencies of every country.

Another mother, who wanted to volunteer at South View Primary, a popular neighbourhood school in Choa Chu Kang, said she was put off by its application process, which asked how she could contribute in areas such as character development, teaching and learning, dance and education resource development. Shortlisted candidates may have to submit more detailed proposals and be interviewed.

Schools say they draw the line at asking for donations.

An Education Ministry spokesman said: 'All school principals are aware that under no circumstances are they to solicit or accept donations and sponsorships from parent volunteers to gain a place in a school.'[/quote]

[phtthp]

Daddy

Another article from Sunday Times


A mother who was keen to enrol her child in Catholic High School is now having second thoughts.

Its volunteer programme asks parents to come up with a 'project which has long-term benefits to pupils'. One approved project involved making a mounted map of the world, with sample currencies of every country.

Schools say they draw the line at asking for donations.

this CHS project with \"long term benefits to pupils\" involving a \"mounted map of the world, with sample currencies of every country\" - can be an expensive project, from the beginning initiation stage till final implementation. Depend on what material the project used, and what resources being deployed.

a) if the parents of this K2 boy eventually get admitted into CHS P1, do they still need to continue fund this on-going project, for the school ?

\"Schools say they draw the line at asking for donations.\"

b) But if individual parents need to fork out $ out of their own pocket to fund this so called long term school project, isn't it indirectly asking for donation subtedly (hidden), via a new terminology called \"on projects basis\" instead of the explicit traditional \"direct cash collection\" basis ?
Maybe because it benefits the school, so is treated differently.

[phtthp]

Daddy

Article from Sunday Times....


Nanyang Primary looks for help in IT, for instance, robotics or web page design; South View needs help for its teachers to create digital learning tools.

Rosyth stopped accepting volunteers this year.

seems like parents working in IT field have a niche area of advantage for PV in Nanyang and South View.

[phtthp]

Straits Times, 21 May 2012


Schools \"free to decide how parents volunteer\"

Primary schools will be left to decide how they want parents to volunteer, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

But the parent volunteer scheme should not be just about getting priority for their children in the Primary 1 registration, he pointed out.

Parents should use the opportunity to get to know the programmes offered by different schools in their neighbourhood, he said.

His comments followed a report in The Sunday Times that more brand-name schools are raising the bar for parents wanting to volunteer because of the overwhelming response. They are asking parents to commit longer hours or come up with specific projects.

source
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_801215.html