2013/2014
Start of the 2013/2014 school year
Although everyone (pupils and teachers alike) started school on the second day of September, we officially celebrated the start of the school year on Thursday the 5th in conjunction with the Zahrada Integration Center and our pupils’ parents. At 3pm, the directors from our school and from the integration center welcomed all those present. The classroom teachers were decorated with stylish straw hats, and each class passed through the gate of the “Gardener’s Year”. We used colored rice to make a rainbow mandala, after which we sent the grains as far and as high as possible. Perhaps some will sprout :o).
The garden ceremony was followed by an informational meeting for parents, after which they could sit in their children’s classroom to talk with one another, with the teachers, and with employees of the integration center.
We enjoyed a pleasant and sunny afternoon together. A big thank you to all who came, and we look forward to meeting again during the new school year.
Dagmar Rosecká
2013 Garden Festivities
The long-anticipated Garden Festivities took place on the afternoon of 11 September. Although the skies above Žižkov were cloudy, our garden was full of smiling faces. A donkey came with a cart, as did a bead necklace maker, a pottery artist, and a wild and crazy theater troupe with wooden puzzles. Some young people made crepes and of course there was something healthy to drink as well. If you felt agile enough, you could walk the tightrope across the (otherwise) hot sand. Once again, there was a store selling our goods, which made more than a few people happy. Music and good mood were provided by Aniby Neřekla – i.e., Anička Polívková and Ibišek. When we sowed our grains of wishes, the skies sent us a sweet reward, and so we are sure to have a sweet year ahead of us.
Liduška
Traditional Christmas arts and crafts
On Thursday afternoon, our classrooms were awash in the Christmas spirit. In one room, people could try out and buy pretty bracelets, while in another people were happily making things from rattan, fleece and colorful fabric. The rattan baskets will certainly make a nice gift of help decorate the Christmas table, and the original brooches will go well on winter coats. And the dreamy angels made of fleece will further add to the Christmas atmosphere. Thanks go to our pupils’ moms, Mrs. Valentová and Mrs. Šimková, for teaching us how to use our hands while making these beautiful Christmas decorations.
Liduška and Bára
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28.11.2013
Exploring the scents of Christmas
Visitors to the Christmas gathering at the Zahrádka Primary School and Zahrada Integration Center could relax, have fun, and even participate several different events. Near the entrance, they were ceremonially welcomed by well-dressed men (Jirka Karas and Honza Kovář) and charming women (Jana Hykešová and Veronika Kočerhová), while the Christmas punch and mulled wine enticed them with their sweet scent. Everyone got a map showing the locations of the various events and what to expect there. For instance, there was a live manger and also a contest called “Playful Touch of Christmas”. There was an improvised tearoom with a tasting of exotic teas, and an exhibition of mangers collected and borrowed by our colleagues and parents. Visitors could also make their own magical “snow globes”, decorate gingerbread, or look into the future.
The grand finale took place by our Christmas tree in the garden, illuminated by unusual candles in paper bags. Everybody got a halo on their heads and could quietly make a wish. We exchanged the halos amongst each other (at least 5x) in order for the wishes to come true. At the end, the children and adults all got presents that hopefully brought them joy. It was a magical, poetic afternoon…
Jana Trojánková
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19.12.2013
Autumn field trips
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Our second trip was to visit our former classmate Dominik, who now attends classes at Modrý Klíč. As a welcome, we sang a few songs accompanied by the guitar. Then we talked about what was new and gave him a present. At the end, our colleagues from Modrý Klíč gave us a tour of their facilities and we admired the products made in the sheltered workshops. After saying good-bye, we headed back to school.
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Bára
14.01.2014
Mid-term report cards
For report cards, the team from the autism class prepared an entertaining program consisting of several pantomime sketches set to music. After each little sketch, we pasted together letters that, by the end of the program, spelled out the words REPORT CARDS.
Everyone really liked the show, and so – to cries of “encore, encore” – the actors had to repeat some of their best skits. The most popular skits were the operation, the astronaut and the Great Pardubice horse race.
At the very end, everyone and their teachers got sweets. We wish all our pupils lots of smiles for the coming semester, just like they did on 30 January 2014.
Terka
Purple Day, 26 March 2014
Time flies happily and colorfully, and so in late March we celebrated Purple Day, international epilepsy day. Dressed all in purple, we ate purple food, decorated little purple cows and flowers, and repeated what we knew about epilepsy in a quiz contest. On 2 April, another fun day awaits: the “blue day”, World Autism Awareness Day. We can’t wait.
Mirka Tupá
Blue Day in the Garden
World Autism Awareness Day was held on 2 April 2014. This year’s campaign was entitled “Autism and Work”.
As in the past, the team from the autism class organized a “blue morning” full of entertainment, treats, music, and good mood. Pupils and teachers could participate in workshops where they made little blue boats, planted spring seeds in flower pots, colored blue eggs, and watched videos on autism. Each workshop had a panel of symbols showing the process-based diagram used during structured teaching of children with autism.
Besides making various products, all the pupils took home special blue water just for this day. The event organizers wish everyone good health and a wonderful blue spring.
Camel trip 2 – 4 April 2014
At the start of April, we went on a three-day trip to a farm in Chýnov near Tábor. It’s great fun there, with llamas and camels running across the fields :o). We got to pet them and even rode on a camel. It was an interesting experience to see the world from on high. We relaxed in a yurt, thanked our wonderful hostess, and drove off to Hosín, where we stayed with our friends at the local parish house. We went on a walk through the village and had a look at the really impressive church. The next day, we saw Hluboká Castle and explored its gardens, where everything was in bloom and smelled really nice. We enjoyed treats at the castle’s café and had lunch at the Švejk Restaurant :o). On Friday, we said good-bye to Hosín and returned to Prague. It was a reeeeally great trip.
Bára Slabyhoudová
PICTURESSpring arts and crafts
Our spring art-making was a big hit. The rattan baskets and hanging ornaments were decorated with greenery and colorful flowers. The little colorful birds made of fleece flew through the room, and everybody was happy. Thanks go to all the patient moms, Mrs. Šimková and Mrs. Valentová.
21.04.2014
Liduška Holušková
Presentation of report cards
On Friday 27 June 2014, we held a report card ceremony. The day’s program was inspired by our opening day ceremony, when the classroom teachers had acted as “farmers”, sowing their seeds and wishing everyone a fruitful harvest. And it truly was a fruitful year.
As is our tradition, the teachers and pupils passed through a gate before gathering by the large plane tree, which was decorated with gifts. To the sound of music, the teachers danced up to the tree and started to pick its “fruit”. The harvest of presents filled all the baskets. Besides their report cards, the pupils also received the harvest of gifts. The fathers, mothers and grandparents who had come to see their children celebrate the end of the school year got little presents as well.
The Zahrádka Primary School wishes everyone a relaxing summer holiday!
Tereza
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Meeting of friends and parents of girls with Rett Syndrome
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Controlling a computer with your eyes
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2014 Outdoor Education
From 4 to 13 June 2014, we had a great time with the kids at our traditional outdoor education destination in Střelské Hoštice, where we went on interesting day trips and had all kinds of adventures. Everybody (children, youth and adults) managed all ten days without difficulty. Many thanks to all.
Pavla Ročárková
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