Wishing everyone peace, health, and happiness in 2007. Happy New Year!
V-Excel News
In addition to the Counseling services that we provide to our children at our Mandaveli center, we now have a full-fledged
counseling unit at the V-Excel Center for Research and Rehabilitation. Here, our psychologists counsel Parents of young children
as well as special children after taking detailed history from the parents or caretakers, regarding behavioral issues, academic
problems and social- emotional issues. We also offer counseling for adolescent boys and girls and youngsters for emotional and
academic problems. The specialty of this center is the Play Therapy unit where children are treated for major emotional and
developmental disorder through the medium of Play. Need based formal Psychological assessment is conducted by experienced Psychologists.
The Early Intervention Unit at V-Excel Center for Research and Rehabilitation started its services from 2nd January 2007. The head
of the unit is Ms. Lalitha Sridhar, an experienced Physiotherapist who has specialized in Early Intervention. This unit caters to
infants and children below four years, having developmental lags or delay. Sensory Integration therapy, Neurodevelopment therapy and
Occupational therapy are imparted to the children after thoroughly assessing their needs.
Academy of Teacher Excellence News
Our third semester started on 3rd Jan 2007 after the Christmas break. The Parent Counseling by Mrs. Saras Baskar started on
4th Jan, which was included as an additional paper in the one year Diploma Course. The class was very informative and educative
and gave perspective from the parents’ point of view.
The course threw light on how to act as a counselor while being a Special Educator. And it also helps us to how to approach
the emotional problems in a more professional way. The course taught the students how to handle their own emotional problems
while handling parents.
The most important aspect of this course was the Ten Commandments for a special educator. The course ended with a mock counseling
session, though it was difficult to enact, but a good experience.
Kaleidoscope Learning Center (KLC) News
School reopened for the third term on January 3rd.
Pongal was celebrated with each class contributing to the Pongal tableau. While Primary V depicted Bhogi, Montessori
children demonstrated that it was a harvest festival. The students of Primary II and III did a show and tell sequence on the
significant articles of the festival. The children of the KG performed a small puja and the pre vocational class wooed the holy
cow on mattu Pongal. Finally Primary I and IV danced the kummi and the festive note was sealed with pongal distributed by
Ratna Café in the city.
Primary V also one a prize in the painting competition entitled “Frienship”, organized by the Inner Wheel Club of Madras
Central. A cash prize of Rs. 500 to the students, Rs 1,500 towards the school and some art material were awarded.
The tuck shop is getting popular by the day. All Fridays are greatly anticipated. This month we had cup cakes, chocolate balls
and mixture. Children have become independent in measuring, selling and using the calculator. Shyamala and Vasanthi need a
special mention on the way they have trained the children systematically.
V-Excel Remedial Center (VRC) News
January was a month of festivities and holidays. The New Year began well with hope and laughter. The children started the
sessions after the holidays and settled in within a day or two.
Pongal was a time of relaxed holidays and coming right after the winter vacation kept the teachers and the kids in a mood of
cheer. The teachers told them stories of the harvest festival.
Republic Day was celebrated with distribution of flag and sweets at both our centers.
This month was a time of hard work for teachers, parents and children. The program for each of the kids was fine tuned to
accelerate the school readiness and academic skills. Children who were seeking admission in regular schools have been
working diligently with their teachers and parents. Children who are already in schools, applied strategies – old and new, to cope
with the school curriculum, social needs and classroom rules.
Bridges Learning Academy
The children came back after their December break on January 3rd.
Pongal was celebrated in a very small way in BLA. The staff made two kinds of Pongal and the children were told the importance
of the festival after which everyone enjoyed scrumptious pongal.
Classes went on as usual in spite of the long weekend breaks of Pongal and Republic day.
V-Excel Outreach
In the New Year, more aids and appliances were distributed to our special children at Villipuram. Around 122 children were
provided with special aids at Olakkur, Mailam, and Marakkanam villages. We were honoured to have Dr. Dhanraj, Ph.D, Member of
Parliament as the Chief Guest at the appliances distribution function held this month.
Contact Info :: India:
V-Excel Educational Trust
#1 Norton 2nd Street
Mandaveli Chennai 600 028
Tel: 91 - 44 - 24620243
91 - 44 – 24956373 E-mail us or visit us at www.v-excel.org
Contact Info :: USA:
Academic Concepts, Inc.
1403 Merrywood Drive
Edison, NJ 08817
Tel: (732) 572-3748
Tax ID: 22-3632715 E-mail us
Volunteer Info:
Volunteers are an integral part of our success. Our most pressing needs are in the areas of occupational and speech therapies, and
as teacher aides. We also require assistance in library management.
If you have any of these and are interested in volunteering at V-Excel, please contact us.
An Appeal to all our readers and well-wishers
Start the New Year investing in a worthy cause!!
As you are all aware, we have increased the intensity of services for our children with special needs. Therefore our
resource requirements have increased exponentially.
We request the friends of V-Excel to step forward and support us so that we can continue to offer services for children with
disabilities.
You help can by:
Sponsoring a child for per term: Rs. 9,000 (USD 200)
Sponsoring therapy for a child per term: Rs. 18,000 (USD 400)
All contributions are tax exempted, both in USA and in India. Donations can be made online or through checks made out in favor of:
