CEO Sandra Blaskovic tells us how The Bloomington Academy is a breath of fresh air with their new age view on transforming the education industry.
Aristotle has said “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. The importance of this statement is clear with the shifting paradigm of education. The Bloomington Academy in Ajman aims to revolutionize the education scenario by introducing cutting-edge technology right into the campus.
Focused on developing the knowledge of students without restrictions, they have introduced pioneering programs in their establishments. The Lazar Group manages The Royal Academy and Bloomington Academy with a mission to inculcate life and leadership skills in their students. “Our primary focus is to provide affordable education without compromising quality. Education is a right for every child and our goal is to ensure that we make that possible. Our team consists of educators; therefore our schools are institutions that want to bring a wave of change. No child should miss the opportunity to become a leader, inventor or anything they aspire to be, due to the lack of financial means. We want to make possibilities and dreams real for children all over the region,” says Sandra Blaskovic, CEO of The Bloomington and Royal Academy. It is therefore perhaps the only school in the U.A.E that offers an annual student scholarship to NASA. It is this clear and explicit vision statement that has helped attract the attention and blessings of the Rulers of this land for the Lazar Group. “The Ruler of the
Emirate of Ajman totally supports our vision. They invest their personal time and energy for a better present and a great future for the community and the education sector. We are incredibly privileged to operate in a land that is led by such visionaries as H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, our Prime Minister. I must make a special mention here of the country’s National Agenda- Vision2021, the Reading Nation initiative and of course the Happiness index measures introduced in the nation – with special emphasis on schools. What is more, apart from setting agendas, schools receive such clear guidelines on the programmes and processes to be adopted to accomplish each one of the targets. On national day our students visit the Ajman Ruler’s court and the government offices. It has a huge impact on them and on our faculty,” says Blaskovic. “A special mention must be made here of the visit of the Green Sheikh to our school that helped provide a positive reinforcement to one of the most important messages to the present generation of students – which is to live a sustainable lifestyle,” says the CEO.
The Bloomington Academy offers more than the average learning experience for its students. “We are actively involved with companies such as Bee’ah, in order to instill in our students the value of recycling and incorporating green initiatives. We encourage students to grow their own vegetables and fruits and celebrate their efforts with ‘Good Food Day’, where parents and guests are invited.
Students go on educational trips such as factories – most recently to a dairy farm, where they saw and experienced first –hand how milk is sourced. We want them to build their learning through such real-life experiences, rather than confine learning to classrooms,” she adds.
The Vision for The Lazar Group is to build schools like no other. “We have strategies and expansion plans in place and we are excited about turning them into reality”.
The incredible passion for education that CEO Sandra Blaskovic possesses is evident in her efforts to guide and motivate her team to aid students in attaining excellence. “One of our students’ invention was the highlight of the AETEX exhibition and it was a joyous moment for us, as we constantly strive to encourage critical and independent thinking. We want to raise tomorrow’s leaders, inventors and game changers. If you invest in children they give back to the community. Our alumni are a great example of this statement. They are working with reputable companies, the government and making their mark,” adds the CEO. The Lazar Group of Schools boasts a faculty with over twenty-seven years of regional experience. “We operate as a family, our faculty is our backbone. We invest in our team members, providing them with training and the right tools to turn them into assets, creating a ripple effect which in turn benefits our students. The sanctions and rewards system we have for our students is present for our staff as well. They are taken on trips to encourage team building between various departments. We aim to transform the traditional schooling system, and for that staff support is imperative. Before every meeting we always tell our teachers to never treat a student like a number,” she states. “We encourage our teachers to give children, who display deviant behavior, responsibility instead of detention. This is in order for them to understand the value of respect. It helps them realise the effort and plight of those on whom they are inflicting their actions”, adds the CEO. For The Lazar Group education is a powerful tool that can change the mindset of millions and enrich societies. It has stood the test of time as one of the most valuable requirements of every region, society and human being. “We strongly believe in the importance of encouraging individuality among our students. There are numerous outlets we offer such as creative clubs, international and local opportunities to offer them a wholesome learning experience. The Bloomington and Royal Academy want to be remembered by its students as their family more than their school. As educators, we constantly strive to improve ourselves, as it is vital to have a vision for the future that is different from the present. We want faculty, students and parents to be happy. Our main aim is to have children understand the value of everything around them, undertake responsibility and seize opportunities,” she concludes.
