2015/2016
Start of the 2015/16 school year
7 September 2015 Start of the 2015/16 school year
Attention, attention! During the renovation of the boiler room over summer break, someone discovered a treasure in the basement of the Zahrada Integration Center. According to preliminary reports, it contained rare pearls and all kinds of other valuable items. The new school year promises a lot of excitement, since a part of the treasure has gone missing and the suspects are everywhere among us. What is more, because of just one rain shower, all evidence looks to have been washed away.
So: concentrate, prick up your ears, and focus your eyes, and let the search begin! God thing we’re not alone – the world’s best detectives are here to help us. Did you recognized them? The inquisitive Miss Marple, the respectable Hercules Poirot, the great Colombo, the beautiful Sergeant Makepeace, and the fun, action-oriented Abby from NCIS. Even Adrian Monk and Inspector Maigret have sent their aides. (Note: any resemblance between our teachers and well-known detectives is purely coincidental.) Their team is made up of our dear pupils, who will actively participate in the search for the treasure.
The sun came out during the cutting of the “detective” cake, refreshments, and the parent-teacher meeting. May the next 10 months bring lots of joy and success.
Different City Experience
On the afternoon of Saturday, 19 September 2015, “Different City Experience” took place in front of the Aero Cinema.
The purpose of the event was to meet and get to know our neighbors from all over Žižkov, in which the event was more than a success. We participated with products by and photographs of our children.
We are extremely happy at people’s responses, especially the mothers who would like to visit us with their children, spend some time in our garden, and spend some nice time with us.
PICTURESRailway Day at the Integration Center
Dear Travelers,
Welcome to our IC (inter-city) train number 76 from Prague-Vršovice……. to Benešov.
The train features a dining car, but unfortunately it is without service and, more importantly, without supplies. But if you have your own supplies, you are more than welcome to come and consume what you have brought.
It is forbidden to use the toilets while the train is stopped at a station, because when the train leaves travelers waiting on the platform would be presented an unpleasant sight amidst the junk between the tracks.
It is also forbidden to jump on or off a moving train, to jump on the conductor, and to punch the conductor. The conductor, however, is allowed to punch your ticket. It is also forbidden to punch any of your fellow passengers. Nor should you punch a drink, but don’t worry – punch is allowed.
You should not light a cigarette on the train. Only the boilerman is allowed to light up – specifically, he is allowed to light the coal in the steam engine.
Please do not lean out of the windows, or you will be covered in soot, and not even your wife, mother, sister, or grandmother will recognized you.
You may sleep on the train. Counting sheep is the only time livestock are allowed on board.
You may also speak, sing, meditate, look out the window, learn, read books or magazines, and watch DVDs. You can also swear – I mean, swear not to cause trouble. You can chew gum (but be respectful to your fellow passengers and be careful with loud popping bubbles). You may also take off your jacket, sweater or sweatshirt. I guess that about wraps up our list of things you are allowed to do.
But most importantly, please do not delay the train personnel. The railroad places great emphasis on order and on regular departure times.
Okay, no more delays. We can go. Wishing you a pleasant journey!
- whistle blows for departure
14 Oct. 2015
Robert
Rett Community meeting of parents and friends
Physical therapy for girls with Rett Syndrome continues to be a much discussed topic. During our meeting on Friday, 20 November 2015, we and our guests heard a lecture by physical therapist Marcela Wadowská from the Zahrada Integration Center, who had been invited by the parents from the Rett Community to discuss this subject. The afternoon program also included short hands-on demonstrations with our young pupils Evička and Kačenka. At the end, there was room for questions. Thanks you, Marcela, for sharing your extensive professional experience. We wish all families much joy during the upcoming Christmas season…
20. 11. 2015
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For more information on the meeting, visit the Rett Community website HERE.
Christmas art workshop
On Thursday, 26. 11. 2015, we held our traditional Christmas workshop and gathering. Klárka’s mother, Mrs. Šimková, brought that miracle called clay, which we used to create beautiful little bells, fish, candle holders, angels, and more. Everybody did a great job… our pupils, their siblings, other children, all the moms, and even two dads. Thank you one and all. It was nice.
See you next time…
Christmas market in Jílové
On 28. 11. 2015 we again travelled with our products to the museum in Jílové near Prague in order to sell them at the Christmas market. It was a great day and we made a lot of people happy and we were happy that they enjoy coming back to us every year! And we enjoy coming back to Jílové.
St. Nicholas
Breakfast with St. Nicholas, 4. 12. 2015
Right after arriving at school, a surprise awaited us in the school lobby. Because St. Nicholas has a lot to do on his holiday and can’t visit every child in person, he left us some tasty gifts on the stairs. He also told his angels to use a light feather to cleanse our mind, soul, and body… And to make the tradition complete, there was a little horned devil there as well. We would enjoy this kind of breakfast welcome from St. Nicholas more often! Too bad that it’s only once a year.
Christmas gathering at church
This year we had a pre-Christmas get-together at a new location – the Church of the Holy Trinity in Spálená Street. We really liked the church’s interior. Our colleagues Kateřina, Míša and Jana provided a beautiful musical accompaniment, and the local priest, Jan Kočerha, offered words of comfort. It was nice to get together not just with the kids, but also their parents, siblings, friends, and our colleagues…
At the end of the event, everybody got a nice surprise from above… We wish you Happy Holidays, and may you be enchanted by at least one little miracle before the end of year.
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16. 12. 2015
The light of my life
is the title of an exhibition of photographs made by patients from the children’s cancer ward at Motol Hospital. The exhibition opening took place on 20 January 2016 at the hospital’s offices, and included a traditional “ritual of light” for which we and our pupils created a set of candles that exhibition visitors could take home afterwards. The exhibition is open until 12 February 2016.
INVITATION
Report cards
The first semester has come and gone, and so it’s time once again to evaluate our activities. Our detectives and their teams had their activities assessed by a state inspection team who looked at their past detective work, took fingerprints, and decided who could continue in their activities in the coming semester. In the end, everybody passed – some with flying colors and some by the skin of their teeth. We toasted and ate to our semester of hard work, and we hope that all our detectives big and small will continue in their successful investigations.
31. 1. 2016
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Mardi Gras, or: Carnival Tuesday, 9 Feb. 2016
Carnival can be celebrated in an untraditional manner, as we learned first-hand with all our senses on 9 February 2016, when we got together to have fun, sing songs, play games, and have some yummy treats. The party decorations were all in three colors: purple, yellow, and green.
PICTURES
A visit by pupils from the Chelčického Primary School
We are very happy to be able to welcome a group of third-graders from the Chelčického Primary School, where our Míša goes for art and science classes every Wednesday. We showed them our school and together with Míša prepared a snoezelen program for them. We all jumped on the trampoline and fed the goats, for whom the children brought various treats. At the end of the visit, we showed them our yurt, where we all sat and talked. We are glad that Míša looks forward to every new Wednesday and that she enjoys attending the “big” school. Thank you for your visit and we are looking forward to the next!
The Dragon Class
March 2016
Traditional artworks made from straw
Straw, straw, everywhere straw… and if you take a little bow, some beads, and an interesting bit of fabric or fiber, then under the guiding hand of Mrs. Císařová, we can turn it into a sun, a mouse, a heart, or a smiling frog. Davídek helped us with the bows, and Paulinka and her mom brought a tasty cake. It was a pleasant afternoon.
April 2016
Thinking not just of ourselves
We decided to look outside the borders of our “garden kingdom” and joined two charitable events. In early May, the Broumov Christian Charity organized a collection of clothing, shoes, toys, and home appliances, and on 11 May 2016 we helped raise money for the fight against cancer by passing out little yellow flowers. In the end, the important thing is not how much money we collected or how many packages the Broumov charity received – it was a great experience, and we thank all participants from the bottom of our heart.
Opening reception of photographs
Our school lobby hosted the opening reception for a series of photographs about the adventures of our pupil Michal Prchlý.
18. 5. 2016
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A cup of tea with our guests
On Tuesday, 17 May 2016, we spent an hour and a half in the company of five young people who visited us in the company of Mrs. Radomila Lorencová. The aim of the visit was to learn the social skills necessary for situations just like this one – i.e., an “ordinary” visit. But otherwise, the afternoon get-together was anything but ordinary. We walked in the garden, drank great tea, had tasty snacks, and then… some of us enjoyed the bubbling whirlpool while others explored their artistic abilities by decorating mugs or printing patterns on fabric bags. We all had a great time together. Thanks go to our graduate Bára for her wonderful company. Barunka really enjoyed the little gifts she received, and she got to try out what it is like to be a hostess.
For more on the training of social skills, see www.socialnidovednosti.cz.
Outdoor education, or: A trip to the Otava River
On 22–29 June 2016, we went on a wellness holiday with our pupils in Střelské Hoštice. The June days in the beautiful south Bohemian countryside were full of adventures, outings, and sporting activities, but also just lounging around and recharging our batteries. The eight-door trip was filled much fun and good spirits, for which the entire team would like to again thank all the participants.
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Report cards 30. 6. 2016
On the day after our return from Střelské Hoštice, we all gathered for an important event. Zahrádka was again visited by our famous detectives, who evaluated the past nine months with their pupils. Most of them said that the school year had been a success, but also very demanding, and so they unanimously announced that it was time for the summer holidays, passed out report cards, and disappeared… Wishing everybody a beautiful summer, and here’s to never missing a single mystery!
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