GHAPTAC Newsletter
October 2017
What is GHAPTAC?
GHAPTAC is Green Hills Academy's parent teacher association. It stands for Green Hills Academy Parent Teacher Association Committee.
All Green Hills parents are a member of GHAPTAC. This means you are always welcome to join GHAPTAC meetings, events and forums.
How is it organized?
GHAPTAC has several layers of leadership.
- Chairman/woman
- Vice Chairman/woman
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Classroom reps
- Grade level reps
How often does it meet?
This year GHAPTAC will be organized slightly different than past years. In the past the whole school would meet termly. This year, the meetings will take place each term, but by program, so the conversations are more targeted towards that level's activities and concerns. This should make meetings more relevant to parents. All parents are welcome at these meetings.
What does GHAPTAc do?
GHAPTAC does a lot more than just meet once a term. Active members in GHAPTAC are the bridge between the school and the parent community. They bring forth ideas, suggestions and concerns. They are the group the school will consult when making major decisions.
Here are the aims of GHAPTAC as laid out in the constitution:
- To represent the view of parents/guardians, gather and pursue their views (operating as a two-way communication channel from and to parents and school).
- To promote a positive view of parents through liaising with school management.
- To work as a team and have a yearly plan.
- To establish a forum through which parents can communicate their opinions or concerns/feeling about the school and needs of the school.
- Identify issues and possibly work out solutions.
- To volunteer for school events and field trips.
- To annually organize Teacher Appreciation Day.
- To come up with ideas on interesting seminars and workshops that can promote networking among parents and contribute to the growth of our student body.
- To fundraise for charities or school improvement projects.
Special projects you can get involved in
Here are some of the things we are asking GHAPTAC to get involved in this year! Parents will be invited to help with these events. We understand parents may only have the time to commit to one or two activities throughout the year. We appreciate any help we can get. The leadership of GHAPTAC and the Principals will communicate with the community about how to get involved in things like:
- Sports Day
- Multicultural Day
- Universal Children's Day
- Guest readers in our library
- Chaperones for field trips
- Being guest speakers
- Helping with assemblies
- Fundraising
- Lend expertise for school areas - photography, website design, etc.
What is next?
We are having a meeting on November 9th at 4:30pm in the dining hall. At this meeting parents can get more information about GHAPTAC, sign up to serve as class or grade level reps, and we will vote on the 4 leadership positions, which makes up the executive committee (the chairman/woman, vice chairman/woman, treasurer and secretary). If you would like to run for one of these positions please let us know, so we can prepare the ballots. Please download the constitution below for more specific information as to what the executive committee does.
Check out our brand new constitution!
Need more information?
If you need more information please feel free to contact:
- Lisa, Head of School, at biasillol@greenhillsacademy.rw
- Carl, Deputy Head of School, at Hobertc@greenhillsacademy.rw
- Any of the four GHA principals
- Joy Haguma, acting GHAPTAC Chairwoman, at Joyhagma@gmail.com, phone: 0784950880
Mutheu Kasyoka, phone: 0785154085
Ines Buki, phone: 0788300466
Aparna Singh, phone: 0788306833
Thank you!
On behalf of the 2016-17 GHAPTAC executive committee (who has joined several planning sessions to help prepare this) and the management of GHA, we want to express our heartfelt desire to have parents play a more active role in life at Green Hills! We hope that having an active and engaged PTA will bring us together to be close partners in your child's education.
We hope to see you November 9th at 4:30pm!