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The Aim: To continue to provide quality elementary education for impoverished children living in Maria Auxilliadora. Currently TEARS school serves 106 stu-dents from pre-school through grade 5, and is working to address their educa-tional, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Small classrooms of 20 or fewer students allow teachers to better meet their individual needs and to maintain supportive relationships with the students and their families.
The Location: Maria Auxilliadora is in the centre of the Dominican Republic, near La Vega , one of the poorest and most dangerous barrios in the Dominican Re-public. It is situated in an area rarely visited by tourists. The classrooms and dining hall are located on the top two floors of a cement block building.
The Opportunities:
- TEARS School seeks an additional (informal) partnership with an Alberta School as a means to personalize and energize cross- cultural learning.
- New regular monthly donors would help cover teacher salaries, student materials and nutritional breakfasts. Canadian donors currently raise 75% of the operating costs of the school’s annual budget.
The Impact:
- Informal multi-year partnerships add immeasurably to the sense of be-ing globally connected in new and exciting ways to communities abroad.
- TEARS students, who do not otherwise have a chance to go to school, receive an excellent core education and are able to excel in future learning pursuits upon graduation.
Partnership Sponsors: Partners In Deed, a Canadian registered charity, has partnered with TEARS School to link individuals, Alberta schools, corporations and other groups in sup-port of long-term development plans in the Dominican Republic.
TEARS School
Building Bright minds, bright lights
Mrs Joy Reyes, the Director of the School, writes:
"TEARS students receive a solid educational base in core curriculum from certified Dominican teachers who through intensive training use best practices in their teaching strategies and literacy development. As this training takes place, materials to integrate these strategies are being made available in their class-rooms, ensuring their day-to-day use in creating a new level of excellence. The teachers are dedicated to the welfare of the their students and to their growth and development. The school focuses on literacy and excellence in education, thus providing a strong foundation for future education."
We go beyond the walls of the school by nurturing relationships and by providing family counselling, along with regular visitations in the home of each child. In addition, students are being instructed in such areas such as art, physical education, and training in personal hygiene. We provide each child with school supplies, vitamins, periodic medical and dental clinics, uniforms, and a nutritional daily meal. They are being trained in social skills and exposed daily to a loving environment.
This year, a Grade 5 class of girls was added into the pro-gram, in order to provide a safe environment for pre-adolescent girls who are at risk of abuse, early pregnancy and leaving school early.
Canadian monthly grants of $5,000 on average currently cover 75% of the operating costs of the school. Additional monthly donations totalling $2,000 would ensure coverage for salaries and school supplies over the 2010/2011 school year.
Additional information:
In Canada, please check for updates at www.partnersindeed.org or contact: Elizabeth Underwood at: elizabethlynn@yahoo.ca or (403) 242-3434 Margot Underwood, President, at partnersindeed@shaw.ca or (403) 202-1192.
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