PTA

Parent – Teacher Association (PTA)

At ZIS we understand the importance that our parents place in their child’s education. Working closely with our parents is one of our top priorities and the Parent-Teacher Association is a major part of our school.

There are many ways that we communicate with parents.

  1. Through announcements on the school website
  2. Direct access to our School Director throughout the school day
  3. Monthly PTA meetings with the parent representatives of each grade
  4. Individual meetings with the child’s advisor twice a year
  5. Special parent meetings both as individuals and as a groups when required
  6. PowerSchool
  7. School events such as Sports Day

Extra information on these methods is outlined below…

1. Announcements

The school website has a section for announcements. Important information is regularly uploaded into this area and we recommend that parents check it daily.

2. Contacting the School Director

Ms. Park the School Director has a direct phone line and is able to be contacted throughout the school day. Where possible he will answer queries within the day of calling. He works closely with the school Principal to ensure that parents concerns are addressed as swiftly as possible.

3. Monthly PTA meetings with the parent representatives

Purpose

There are three main goals of the Parent Teacher Association meetings…

  1. To communicate information to the parents
  2. To work with parents when constructing future plans for the school
  3. To ask for parental advice and suggestions for how we can best help their children

The Group

There are three PTA groups; Primary, Middle, and High. In each group there is the Parent Representative for each grade, Mr. Bedford (Principal), Ms. Park (administrator), and either Mrs. Bedford (High School), Mr. Holden (Middle School), or Mrs. Tobias (Primary School).

The Meeting

Meetings take place once a month. Ms. Park provides the parents with an agenda for the meeting and arranges a date at least a week in advance. The meeting is held in the MPR and refreshments are provided. The meetings last for approximately 90 minutes.

Topics for Discussion

There are many topics covered including…

  • Assessment
  • Teaching
  • School Events
  • Homework
  • Uniform
  • The Cafeteria
  • University
  • Exams

The topics are chosen based on the most pressing needs of the school and the parents concerns.

At the end of the meeting Ms. Park collects any further questions that the parents have and these are answered over the following couple of days.

For some points parents are asked to discuss the issues further with the parents within their Grade. The collective answer is then communicated back to Ms. Park.

4. Individual Meetings with Advisors

Twice a year parents meet with their child’s advisor to discuss progress made during the semester.  Advisors prepare detailed information about the students within their Grade which is collected from all members of the teaching staff. This is also an opportunity for parents to ask questions about their child’s education. The meetings normally begin with a general introduction from the advisor followed by individual meetings.

5. Special Parent Meetings

Occasionally individual grades or parents wish to talk about pertinent issues with the school management and advisor. These are often for parents of older students who have concerns regarding exams and university. We realise that there are times during a child’s education where big decisions need to be made and we endeavour to provide the best possible advice during these times. The school management is always happy to talk to parents who have pressing concerns.

6. PowerSchool

Please see the separate section on the use of PowerSchool at ZIS.

7. Special Events

Throughout the year we have many events that we encourage parents to attend. These include Sports Day, Zhongshi Festival, the Opening and Graduation Ceremonies and the Orchestra Performance. We look forward to meeting parents at these events and providing them with a feel for the rounded education that we provide at our school.

For all meetings and many events, transport and refreshments are offered.