Dear Bladins Parent,
My name is Neil Wilson and this year I am running for the board of Bladins. My children have been attending the school for 8 years. In the past I have served on the board as well as sub-committees. Overall I believe that Bladins is a great school with many dynamic families.
These are the values that I stand for and with your vote I can help to turn these values into reality for all of the International Students at Bladins.
Growth and Development
The international school needs to grow in order to meet the needs of the international community. We have to turn away families because of waiting lists for the daycare. We need to expand the operating hours of the daycare as it makes it difficult for families commuting to Lund. We need to ensure
Solution
I support managed growth. Increasing the size of the daycare as quickly as possible and the rest of the international school by 50% over the next several years and doubling it in the long term as long as projections show such a Demand.
Outcome
Every IS student provides the school with a profit. The more students, the more profit, and more money can be allocated to the international programs such as these mutch needed school resources: more English as an additional language teachers, more assistant teachers, and more technology in the classroom.
Equity and Financial Integrity
I support the International School's move. I beleive in is vital we have a building that will allow growth. I also beleive it is vital that the International Schools Budget must be managed solely by the international members of the board.
I beleive that over the years the International School has contributed significantly to the additions built by the school such as the Gym and Cafeteria Expansion. I beleive that after we move we will not benefit from those assets and that we should be compensated for the money we have paid towards those facilities.
Solution
Two separate accounts, one for the IS side and one for the Swedish side. The international school’s account has oversight by the board members from the international side of the school. The Swedish side has oversight by the board members of the Swedish side of the school. Where costs are shared the costs are divided among the international side and Swedish side equally on a per student basis.
A proposed solution to compensation for the gym, cafeteria and other improvements is to determine their useful life (30 years for example), subtract the number of years the IS side has used the facilities,
Outcome
The international side could stand to benefit from several million extra kroner a year to support much needed technology and staff additions.
Two Schools or One School.
Bladins Board proposed building a 50,000,000 SEK building. Would this building allow for growth or increased revenue? No.
Did the board have the money for the building prior to starting the building planning process? No.
It makes much better economic sense to dedicate money to education and lease a building or build only if it means growth which can justify the cost of building.
Where is the synergy to be found integrating two separate schools, with two separate curriculums, two separate languages, and for the most part two separate social networks?
It is clear to me from serving on a previous board and being involved with the school that all of the energy that has been wasted in the constant and seemingly endless push/pull between the Swedish and International sides that this energy would be much better spent focusing on developing the Swedish School and the International School in their own directions. To put it simply, why would any International parents want parents on the Swedish side deciding on our children’s educational needs and vice a versa?
Solution
In the long term I believe the schools should be autonomous of one another.
Outcome
I believe an autonomous International School with a streamlined decision making process will be much better equipped to educate the international students.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
I need your vote. Steps.
1. I need you to attend the Annual General Meeting, May 22nd at 1900 at Bladins Cafeteria.
2. I need your vote for a board that can help to make the key policy changes I have described: We only need 5 committed board members. I believe this selection will be a board where we can achieve the platform I have put forth:
Randi Tofting
Neil Wilson
etc…
3. Please email before the board meeting showing your commitment to attend and vote for list. I am willing to stick my neck out for you and every other IS family, however, I need to know I have your support to do so.
Finally,
