Thank you for your continued support!

The school currently has 300 students in 10 classes. From 8.30 - 10am the students learn trades. These include learning how to cook, knit, sew, garden, bake, plumb, fix electronic devices and wire a plug! The benefit has been seen at the senior end of the school with students taking on skilled part-time jobs to make money, which allows them stay in school longer. After small break the students have their academic subjects and also spend some time in the computer room working on their typing speed. Unfortunately this year we lost Miss. Pranamee who moved away from Shillong but Miss. Bahun has done a great job in her place.

In terms of visitors, after a quiet 2014 we had a busy 2015 with visits from Ted (USA), Claire (Ireland), Kevin, Sue and friends (Australia) and finally Aisling, Claire and Marie (Ireland). As always the students were very excited to see them.

The school year will be ending in December and there will be the usual Christmas party to celebrate the end of the exams. Then there will be a well deserved break before reopening in February. As always, we are extremely grateful for all that our supporters do for our school.

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Providence School Shillong

NEWSLETTER 2015

Class 1 students have been praying

hard for their friends around the world.

Picking squash in the

greenhouse

Class 10 students took a quick break from studying to try out the school's selfie stick!

Exams The senior students are preparing for their Irish and NIOS exams.

When Providence School started 15 years ago, the aim was to provide a basic education to children so that they could then be placed in age appropriate classes in local primary schools. Over the years that changed and students stayed and completed their education in Providence. It became obvious that the students wanted and needed certification and so the first students completed the Class 10 NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) exam in 2008. Later, Claire Canning and Peter Nolan set up an exam system in conjunction with Dundalk IT under its president Mr. Denis Cummins. This system assesses both academic and practical subjects. Today, the vast majority of our students choose to do Class 12 exams and then go on to do a BA.

Ten students finished their Class 10 exams in October 2015. Seven of these students will be the first of their families to get that far in the education system. Of the other three, two of them are the second in their families, with the first being recent Providence graduates. Most work from 12 - 6pm every day, with school in the morning and study in the evening. All have shown an interest in coming back to school in 2016 to complete Class 12.

After Providence

The challenge at the moment is figuring out how best to support students after they leave school. Most enrol in an online BA, the only option being English, History and Sociology. The jump from NIOS and Irish exams to BA is immense and not having face to face classes further complicates things. We're still looking at ways to support students through this.

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FUNDRAISER IN NEW YORK In October 2014, members of the Indian community in New York, some who are former students of Br. d'Souza, got together to hold a fundraiser for Providence. Some of those who gathered have known Br. d'Souza for decades. The goal of the event was to raise enough money so that when put on deposit, the annual interest would pay for more protein in the students' diets. The photo on the left shows some of the younger students enjoying a Chicken Tikka Masala! The group aim to hold another fundraiser in the spring of 2016.

Results Day

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Karate and Taekwon-Do Martial arts have been very popular in Providence for a number of years. Many students say it's the only time they're not studying, working or doing chores. Classes are run in Providence before school on Mondays and the serious students also train after school three times a week. In 2013 Mount Mercy College in Cork sponsored karate suits for the students and the training got even more serious!

This year both the boy's and girl's teams came first runner-up in the Inter-Schools Competition in Shillong. Sonu (right) is the school's Tae-Kwon-Do specialist and represented the school at a competition in Punjab this year. Sadakini and Wilyson, two of the youngest members of the team made the 2.5 day train journey from Guwahati to Delhi to represent the school at a karate competition there. It is clear to all in Providence that having a hobby has done wonders for the self-confidence of the students involved. In 2016 the schools plans to offer other after-school activities.

In March a group of Providence alumni (pictured in the front row) returned to Providence to meet Sir. Ted from America. All of them are now working, and most are also studying part-time. Some are engaged in professional training while others are working towards a degree. All made a great impression on Ted with their maturity and work ethic. Recently another class has completed Class 12 and are now beginning their working lives. We wish them the best of luck!

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St. Joseph's CBS and Providence School

St. Joseph's CBS in Drogheda has been involved with Providence School since 1999, long before it was a school. Back then Br. d'Souza had three students who he taught on a corridor of St. Edmunds after school. He had a few helpers and a visiting Drogheda teacher, Marie McCabe, suggested that he hire a teacher full time, and that they would pay for it. Marie returned the following year with a group of students and other groups travelled in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011. Their support has helped Providence grow from a one to an eleven teacher school.

After the 2007 trip, Marie set up a standing order to help pay the teachers' salaries. People from all corners of Ireland now contribute to Marie's standing order system. This regular amount has helped Providence plan and has made the staff feel more secure.

Peter Nolan and Mary Adamson, formerly of St. Joseph's, and Claire Canning of Mount Mercy College in Cork work together to set and correct papers in Computers, Home Science and English that the students take at the end of Class 10. In October 2015 Marie and Claire returned to Shillong with school chaplain Aisling Flood to plan for the next phase of St. Joseph's involvement. It is hoped that the school trips will commence again soon.

Class 3

Stay in touch

Providence is on Facebook. Search for Providence Shillong.

To receive this newsletter via email, write to Providenceshillong@gmail.com

Our American friends have set up www.providenceshillong.org

To join Marie's standing order for Providence please email providenceshillong@gmail.com or write to St. Joseph's CBS, Terminfeckin, Drogheda, Co. Louth

Thank you