Bina Cita Utama School The First National Plus School in Central Kalimantan

July 2013

Message from the

Board Utami Geiger - Chairperson

It is an exciting time for BCU! Having finally

reached a total of 130 students, all our existing

premises are now full. From its beginning in

2005, the school has grown in a very organic

and steady way. At this point in time, our focus needs to be on

strengthening our existing programs and administrative

procedures, and on looking toward the future.

The new school year of 2013/2014 began this week with a workshop

for all the teachers, volunteers, staff and board members, to fully

understand the mission and vision of the school, and to explore

BCU School 9 Years in Operations

In this Issue:

Letter from the Principals

Rise Up and Sing

The New General Manager

Training & Workshop

BCU Staff & Teachers

2 BCU Newsletter - July 2013

ways of bringing that mission and vision to life on a daily basis

in the classroom.

We are also preparing a long-term training program for our

teachers, focused on child-centered education and project-

based learning. It is an ongoing program aimed at equipping

our teachers with the skills to facilitate workshops for other

educators in schools around the region.

On the administrative side, we are working towards

standardizing our policies and implementing the ISO9000

administrative management program. In this area,and to meet

the needs of our growing organization, we have,for the first

time,appointed a full time general manager, Ibu Sati Soesetyo.

We are very thankful to Michael van der Matten who stepped

in as a volunteer general manager in 2008 and who has

contributed greatly in keeping the financial aspect in place and

in managing the fundraising so well. Michael resigned last

April due to personal reason.

Looking toward the future, we are establishing a development

committee to focus specifically on a new campus on a 10-

hectare plot behind the Muhammad Subuh Centre.

The BCU endeavor could not have progressed if it were not for

the support of our Subud brothers and sisters worldwide, and

the Rungan Sari community has also been very willing to help

in every way they can. We are truly appreciative and grateful

for this. Nothing is impossible if we work in a harmonious,

peaceful and joyous way.

We still have a long way to go and many challenges to face, but

the progress made so far keeps our hopes and dreams of

building a school in line with our mission alive.

The Mission of Bina Cita Utama (‘BCU’) School is to be an

innovative educational community offering challenging

programs of study and a high-quality environment for

learning. BCU seeks to nurture individuality, self-worth, a

sense of humanity, and to educate children to become adults

that will make a positive contribution to the development of

their communities and the world.

Thank you, and wishing all a blessed IdulFitri, and

MohonMaafLahir&Bathin.

The School Bus

The School Library

The Renovated Playground

The New Art Room

First Day Assembly

3 BCU Newsletter - July 2013

“Vivamus porta

est sed est.”

Letter from the Principals

As BCU School embarks on its

ninth year there is a sense of

having come of age, and a

feeling of optimism and

excitement about the future.

For the first time the school has

12 separate grades in 12 separate

classrooms, and those rooms are

all full. We accepted 20 new

students this year and had to turn

away another 20 due to a lack of

space. The school is already

recognized as the best school in

Central Kalimantan, based on

measures of success like such as

inter-school competitions and

national exam results. However,

what makes those of us who

work at the school truly proud, is

that we have established a

peaceful, human-centered

learning environment; a place

whereteachers and children get

off the bus in the morning with

smiles on their faces.

BCU School is a place where

children and teachers feel safe to

learn and are afforded the space

to discover their individuality. In

our current location we can no

longer grow in size, however

there are many opportunities for

growth in other directions such

as curriculum development,

contributing to the arts and to the

quality of education in other

schools in Palangka Raya.

This year we are joined by an

enthusiastic and talented group

of volunteers, Gemma Jordan,

anexperienced teacher from

Perth with a background in

student centered learning.

Reuben de Ras from England

who has a passion for electronics

and robotics. Halim Moore, from

the USA, with a background in

Psychology, Margarita Hanlon,

an experienced art teacher from

the UK, and Andrea Sillem from

the Netherlands who has a

background in media and design.

Also for the first time, this year

wewill have a designated Science Laboratory and an Art

Room. During the summer break,

Halim Korzybski renovated our

playground.

And Sati Soesetyo, our new

General Manager has been busy

supervising our finances,

renovations, the construction of

the art room and getting

everything ship shape for the

new school year.

BCU is a nonprofit social project

with the aim of producing

graduates who embody noble

byKarim McDonald &Gunardjo S.Budi

values and aspirations, and who

will in time transform their

province, their nation and the

world for the better. All of the

school’s achievements over the

last nine years have only been

possible through the generous

donations of individuals,

enterprises and Subud groups

around the world. Please keep

the donations coming, as there

are many more children in

Central Kalimantan whom the

school can help to nurture and

develop into useful human

beings.

A special farewell, and thank you

to Olivia Kerr, who volunteered

as a teacher and as Volunteer

Coordinator for the last two

years. Good luck in your future

endeavors, you will be very much

missed by everyone at the school.

KarimMc Donald Gunardjo S. Budi

4 BCU Newsletter - July 2013

RISE UP AND SING

Last year, the BCU's excellent

music teacher, Ibu Reni, was

invited to become headmistress

of a school in town, a post she

accepted. While this means that

the positive experience of the

BCU philosophy and

methodology can spread further

abroad, it also meant that the

school choir was less active than

it has been in the past. The

opportunity for the children to

sing together, not only at school

but also at different events

around town, has proven to be an

excellent tool for strengthening

bonds and social integration.

Consequently, we were delighted

to have Kristina Bischoff (right in

the photo) visit Rungan Sari at

the beginning of the year. Apart

from working for the NDR

(North German Radio), Kristina

is a beautiful singer and also

trains choirs. In view of the

coming Subud Indonesia

National Congress held in

Rungan Sari in February, we

asked Kristina if she might like to

“I feel blessed to be able to share

and to be part of Rungan Sari” (Margarita Hanlon)

Volunteers of

2013/2014

“It’s a rare opportunity and a

perfect place to learn the trade” (Halim Moore)

do something with the school

choir. She immediately took up

the challenge, basking in the

pure joy of working with these

very musical youngsters.

Kristina and Ibu Ika (Ibu Reni's

assistant music teacher) led the

choir through four songs during

the congress's opening ceremony

in the presence of Ibu Rahayu

and her family, as well as the

Deputy Governor of Central

Kalimantan,

BapakAchmadDiran, the Head of

the Department of Education of

Andrea Sillem - Gemma Jordan - Margarita Hanlon - Ruben de Ras - Halim Moore

Central Kalimantan, Bapak

Guntur Talajan, and other high-

ranking provincial government

officials. The children performed

theschool anthem, a Dayak song

and two new songs that Kristina

had taught them. It was such a

success, that Bapak Guntur

immediately invited the choir to

perform two days later for the

Vice President of Indonesia,

BapakBoediono, during his

official visit to Kalimantan, at the

offices of the Governor,

BapakTerasNarang.

Kristina Bischoff + The School Choir

5 BCU Newsletter - July 2013

Introducing the New

General Manager byOsanna Vaughn

The daughter of a diplomat, Ibu Sati Soesetyo

went to school in Indonesia, Turkey and

Germany (where she got her high-school

degree) before studying Interior Design in

Jakarta. Her professional life, however, found her working for the

Goethe Institute, Bayer Indonesia and, finally, 25 years with the

Deutsche Bank. The areas she covered at the bank were: Operations,

Systems and Procedures, Cash Management, Trade Finance, Client

Services, and Corporate Banking, where she lead different teams of 5

to 15 people.

Since moving to Kalimantan to take up her new position as GM, Ibu

Sati has been taking stock of the challenges facing her. While

policies and procedures already exist, she sees room to improve

BCU’s efficiency and effectiveness in its operations. For example,

though the possibility for on-line banking exists, it has not yet been

adopted. Doing so will reduce costs. This, like many other areas,

will benefit from having a full-time GM on location for the first

time.

When asked to share her feeling about this new phase of her life,

Ibu Sati explains, “When I was young I wanted to study sociology,

something related to communication, people and relationships; but

salaries in that area were not really sufficient to live off, so my

mother suggested I look at other options, which I did. In the end,

however, I ended up working in a completely different field. So I

see this job as a blessing – I see it as fulfilling my original calling.

The 25 years at the bank served as an education to prepare me, and I

now envision myself growing further with the school. Time-wise it's

really perfect. When I retired in 2010 I thought of moving to

Kalimantan, following my father’s dreams, but only in early 2013

was there an opening for this job at BCU, and everything just fell

into place.”

During the Break

Smiles throughout the year

Dayak Dancer Team

Team Activities

Let’s Go Girls!

6 BCU Newsletter - July 2013

TRAINING & WORKSHOP By Hermia Brockway

Ibu Diena Haryana from the Sejiwa Foundation conducted another

workshop from 18th-19th July with all the BCU staff, this time even

with Board members attending. As a seasoned leader of business

workshops in Indonesia, she has done this for BCU before on subjects

related to bullying and student behavior. This workshop was wholly

in English and the topic was adapting to change and its huge

potential for positive action once that change is well understood.

Change is the engine for development; far from being an obstacle to

continuous progress, it should be welcomed as an opportunity, a

challenge that allows staff and students alike to go forward working

as a team towards even better things.

Entitled “BCU vision, Mission and Values in Building a Culture of

Excellence” the workshop was intended to motivate all BCU

personnel to effectively live out BCU’s goals in their teaching or

administrative roles. Exploding the old self-limiting perspectives

about change – e.g. it should not disturb any existing operations or

upset any individuals, or that it should always be quick and easy-

IbuDiena led the discussion on various potentially negative

reactions to change and how they might be overcome.

Of course the subject of values was a paramount topic on both days,

but the following morning discussion widened to what this means in

practical terms in the classroom. Participation was markedly

increased when staff and teachers discussed various value-related

behavior issues they had been already presented with in their work.

They shared helpful ideas from their own knowledge or experience

about how problems could best be handled, as well as the leader’s

suggestions. Several afterwards felt this was somewhat of a turning

point in making the terminology relate to realities they already face

in the classroom and said those ideas could directly influence their

teaching right away.

The workshops were of course designed on formats originally aimed

at companies with restructuring or other change issues, and naturally

schools will always have somewhat different objectives to companies.

BCU itself is not undergoing a major restructure; but changes in

operations will always accompany any organization intent on

growing and this is a time of new opportunities in BCU’s

development. In sum, clarifying the underlying processes involved in

handling change successfully was very relevant for all attending this

event.

Our Mission and Vision

Identify Core Values

Diena Haryana

Positive Attitude to Change

Identify Next Action Plan

Upcoming up in the next Issue:

Closer with the volunteers

A BCU experience

Future school plans

Scholarship

Information

The school has 2 different

types of scholarships i.e. a full

scholarship for gifted children

and partial scholarship for

children of Subud members

and/or teachers and staff

With a total of 132 students

from grade 1 and 12 this year,

the school has 3 students on

full scholarship, and 6

students on partial

scholarship. Besides that,

there are also 5 students who

are privately sponsored.

A year’s cost for a student

comes up to $2,500 and the

school would require support

for at least 3 years of

education. Donations of less

than a year’s cost will be

collected in a scholarship pool

and allocated accordingly.

If you are interested to donate

for a scholarship or for other

purposes of the school please

feel free contact us at

bcuschool@gmail.com for

more information or visit our

website: www.bcuschool.com

Or should you wish to donate

directly in support of BCU

school education and

infrastructure, below is our

bank account details:

Beneficiary:Yayasan Bina Cita

Utama

Account Number: 0083731002

SWIFT Address: BNINIDJA

Bank name: BNI (PT. Bank

Negara Indonesia

(Persero) Tbk)

Bank address: Jl Imam Bonjol

No. 10 Palangka Raya

73112, Indonesia

BINA CITA UTAMA SCHOOL

Rungan Sari, Jl. TjilikRiwut KM36,

Palangka Raya 73225, Central Kalimantan

http://www.bcuschool.com

e-mail: bcuschool@gmail.com

PATRONS

Mansur Geiger

Hamid da Silva

SUPERVISOR

Isti da Silva

Bardolf Paul

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Utami Geiger (Chairperson)

BachrunBustillo (Treasurer)

Maulithawati Mustafa (Secretary)

MANAGEMENT

Sati Soesetyo (General Manager)

Dr. Gunardjo S. Budi (Principal)

Karim McDonald (Principal Counterpart)

EndahAndayani (Office Manager)

“Woowww!!!!” That was my first impression when I arrived in Schipol airport, Amsterdam, the biggest airport that I have ever seen, western people were everywhere, and no porters that to help me to bring my suitcases. Every-thing was new for me. I went to Deventer which where my University‘s location is, just alone, all by myself. It took one hour and twenty minutes to go by train from Schipol airport to Deventer. From Kalimantan to Holland was the most thrilling experience and the first long trip that I had ever done in my life. I never imagine that I could go to Netherland to study a four year Bachelor degree of International Business and Management Studies to pursue my dream to become a successful businesswoman in the future, and also to make my family proud of me of course.

Family, friends, my teachers, and everyone always supported my studies, they motivated me to learn and learn and be even more diligent. Courage, confidence, and high intentions, for me, were the most dominant attributes I needed to go study in the Nederlands. Also, in my personal point of view, belief in God and trust ourselves that we can do it, must be kept in our minds, in order to reach our dream to come true.

In the other hand, my study in Nederland would not have been possible if I was not able to speak English. Lucky for me, I studied in Bina Cita Utama School for six years which this first national plus school in Central Kalimantan and classes are taught in English. For me, this school is very special, located in small village near the hill, where kids who study in Bina Cita Utama School are able to feel the fresh air which has a good affect for students. It is also a good environment where students and teachers feel more like a family.

Well, here I am, in Deventer, Holland, studying in Saxion University, making lots of friends from different coun-tries, learning new cultures, and building connections and networks, and learning everything new.

I hope this article may become an inspiration for other young people, to study hard and become successful.

On Scholarship in The NetherlandsOn Scholarship in The NetherlandsOn Scholarship in The Netherlands

Fenny, a BCU Graduate writes:

This academic year 2011-2012, BCU has 11 students on scholarship; six on full scholarship and five on

partial scholarships. Currently BCU has 8 donors contributing differing amounts to the scholarship fund to cover some of the costs for these children. If you would like to help ensure these children can stay

at the school by contributing to this fund, please contact us!

The aim is to have at least 10% of the student population on scholarship at any given time. The ideal length of scholarship would be no less than three years in order that the student receives the maxi-

mum benefit from this type of education.

The BCU Scholarship program was established at the inception of BCU School, with the intention to

ensure that the high-quality education offered at BCU would also benefit talented children who would not otherwise be able to attend the School.

The cost for a full scholarship is US$ 2,200 per student per year; providing the beneficiary with tuition

costs, daily school lunch, uniforms, excursions, books and school materials. Each student is assessed

on a case by case basis and where ever possible, the parents contribute as much as they can towards the costs. All donations go into a fund so all donations large and small are most welcome.

Fenny graduated from BCU School in June 2011 after six years at BCU on a partial scholarship. She was awarded a scholarship to study in the

Netherlands . Here is her article:

BCU SCHOLARSHIP INFOBCU SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATIONRMATION