20 October 2000

Dear Parents and Staff

Most of you will have received my letter of 12 October indicating the Board's decision in principle to construct a 10-13 campus in Grand Saconnex. In recent days I have received numerous inquiries from parents, students and teachers concerning the consequences of our decision and the process by which it was reached. The present letter addresses many of these questions and it serves also to announce an Extraordinary Consultative General Assembly (CGA) on November 28, 2000. In the interest of improved communications we intend to issue numerous such updates as we approach a definitive decision on this critical issue. I have organised my response to address four broad categories of questions: the background of the campus project, the options considered by the Governing Board, the extent of our consultation and the process adhered to in arriving at our decision.

The Governing Board promised you more than one year ago that the temporary accommodation installed on all existing campuses would be removed by September 2003; we have been actively working towards this goal since then.

Several pieces of land have been considered, contacts have been made with local authorities, and a professional method for carrying out the architectural study has been st up. In parallel with this a fund-raising drive is being put into place.

Much of this work had to be carried out in a confidential manner and in particular the negotiations with the local government. Each piece of land that was considered had advantages and disadvantages and led to different approaches tot he type of school to be built.

The piece of land most favoured by the Board's Expansion Committee belongs to the State of Geneva and the Foundation is hoping that this will be donated by the State. The matter has only been in the hands of the Geneva government since 16 October thus it had been necessary to proceed with extreme discretion until now. The plot has a surface area of 18'413 square metres and is sited in Grand-Saconnex, close to most of the international organisations in Geneva and adjacent to the World Council of Churches, the ILO and WHO.

An architect has been hired by the Foundation to set up the architectural competition which will determine the design of the new campus. He has formed a jury of experts, members of the Board and members of the Foundation to judge the competition and has drawn up a time schedule to ensure that the new school is finished by September 2003.

The Governing Board considered an array of options for the pedagogical structure of the new campus. After scrupulous review it became evident that three options were most consistent with our charge and our resources. They are summarised as follows:

1. We build a terminal campus encompassing grades 10-13.

Virtues: construction savings, possibility for richer IB and Maturité offerings, reinforcement of French language program, potential for pedagogical harmonization across the Foundation, potential for improved guidance, improved management at the secondary level, more effective use of facilities, less expensive secondary operation, reduced traffic congestion, a novel approach (compared to existing structure).

2. We build a 1-13 campus.

Virtues: retention of successful programs on existing campuses, potential for far-reaching innovation, potential for new approaches to bilingualism, continued availability of passionate teaching in lower secondary classrooms, positive atmospheric effects of mixed ages on a single campus, avoidance of personnel/human resource nightmare, effective solution for relieving enrolment pressure on existing campuses, parental practical needs better served, opportunity for a special education program.

3. We build a 6-13 campus.

Virtues: greater flexibility, possible continuation of secondary programs on existing campuses, consolidation of English and IB programs on existing campuses, concentration and improvement of French programs on Saconay campus, opportunity for specialized facilities and programs, an end to fluctuating class offerings at La Chataigneraie and La Grand Boissiére, minimizes potential alienation of alumni, ensures continued utilization of new secondary science and multimedia facilities, continuation of IGCSE examinations, allows a more effective use of land through multi-story construction, an opportunity for renewal.

The Board consulted with the Admin council, which had extensive debate on the various options. We considered the advice of outside experts, most especially that of the architects we engaged for the project. We also consulted with the Director-General and the Education Committee, at which there was a long and passionate discussion. Following the Board's preliminary decision the CDGs were invited to take up the issue and to pass on their reflections to the Board. An Extraordinary Consultative General Assembly will provide yet another opportunity for consultation in a very public manner before a definitive decision is taken at the December Board meeting.

The CGA will take place at theForum Park Hotel (formerly the Penta Hotel), Cointrin

On Tuesday 28 November 2000 at 1930

There is ample parking and we hope the greatest possible number of you will attend.

The Governing Board has been careful to proceed in a sober and rigorous manner in consideration of the significance of this decision. We recognise that this is probably the most important decision the Foundation will take in our life-time. We also recognise our responsibility to think not only about today's issues, but also about tomorrow's needs. As governors we commit ourselves to medium and long-term thinking. We have been, and continue to be guided by the question "what is in the educational best interests of the children entrusted to our care - today's children and also tomorrow's children". Questions of cost have been important but secondary in our considerations.

In closing I would like to remind you that the new campus will open in September 2003, if all goes according to plan. This means that only students currently in grades 8 and below will be affected by the change. Nevertheless we appreciate the lively interest and thought comments of the entire community.

I look forward to our continuing discussions in the weeks ahead and to your presence and participation at the CGA.

Your sincerely,

R. Forrest

Chairman of the Board.