2017/2018
Start of our trip around the world in the 2017/2018 school year
The 2017/2018 school year started out with loads of fun. We set out on a long trip around the world. It’s going to be a trip filled with adventure – no doubt about that! Each class will travel in a different way according to what they like best. We have sailors, dirigible pilots, runners, hikers, and a swim team. Keep your fingers crossed for us, so that the journey will go smoothly and will be full of joyful experiences. See you in June!
PICTURES
PICTURES from Běla’s class
Visit from the Society of Friends of Mongolia
On 12 October 2017, we were visited in our yurt by Jiří Šíma and his Mongolian wife. It was a very friendly gathering full of interesting information. Mr. Šíma is a sinologist and mongolist, and also our former ambassador to Mongolia. He talked about the country’s customs, traditions, and everyday life.
Mr. Šíma also showed us books about Mongolia and described the Mongolian game called Shagai, which children have been playing for as long as anyone can remember. It is played using dice made of sheep and goat hooves. Shagai are the ankle bones of animals. His wife showed us how they are thrown and used to predict the future. If you’re more interested, here is a link to an article on Wikipedia. :-)
Towards the end of the lecture, Mrs. Šímová served homemade Mongolian tea with milk and butter.
Thank you for a refreshing experience!
Project Coat Hanger – November 2017
For one day, our yurt was transformed into a giant fitting room with the motto “Let’s exchange clothes.” The event was a great success, and any clothes that didn’t find a new owner went to FOKUS.
PICTURES
Gingerbread workshop – December 2017
The scent of honey and spices wafted through the whole building. We had a wonderful time with our kids and their parents. Everybody had fun and did a great job!
PICTURES
Report card time, or: Traveling to the Arctic Circle – 31 January 2018
It’s not easy to travel around the world. On semester report card day, we crossed the Arctic Circle, sang travel songs, recited winter poems, and competed in various disciplines. As a reward, we got hot chocolate and a great polar cake – and, of course, our verbal evaluations on our report cards!
PICTURES
Snacks in the sweet shop and rooting for hockey (February 2018)
During February, the team from the autism classroom organized two chances to meet and spend time together. The first one was the grand opening of the Full Moon sweet shop; the second so that we could watch an important Olympic ice hockey match. Both events were a great success. Thank you Terka, Marjánka, and Gábina for organizing the events, and all children and adults for their participation and flexibility.
Welcome to Hawaii! (March 2018)
What’s a trip around the world without a visit to America – more specifically, the Hawaiian Islands. Inspired by local traditions, we prayed to the Hawaiian gods and danced and enjoyed ourselves. The entire event was organized by three members of the Sun House community center in Dolní Počernice – thank you very much for your help.
PICTURES
Easter workshop, once again with gingerbread (March 2018)
Since we always look forward to the spring holidays, we organized an art workshop at school. The weather was a bit wintery, but we nevertheless rolled the dough, cut out gingerbread eggs, chicks, bunnies, and roosters, and decorated our aromatic creations with white frosting (tasting a few cookies along the way). We all agreed that Easter will be great fun this year! Thanks go to all the moms and kids who participated.
PICTURES
Our destination: Střelské Hoštice 2018
As has become a long tradition for our school, we again visited beautiful southern Bohemia for excitement and adventure. This year, we visited the same destination twice, each time with roughly half the school’s students. As our photo galleries make clear, we truly enjoyed the fresh air and being outdoors.
Star Dance, or: When the stars dance differently! (May 2018)
Star Dance, or: When the stars dance differently… And we are truly stars and we truly danced differently. Breathtaking street dance, a devilish polka, dirty dancing, mysterious panther steps, and Pampalini with Indian rhythms… Our excellent emcees Marek Hřeben and Tereza Kuličková set the mood at the Akropolis, where we appeared on Friday, 18 May 2018 as part of the Sun Integration festival.
Zipping on the zip line – 31 May 2018
With the impending end of the school year, we all got together in the garden for the “Run and Help” charity run in support of Konto Bariéry. We also created unusual art projects, enjoyed tasty snacks, and most importantly provided a great adrenaline experience for the kids. As you can see from our photo gallery, there were several rope and climbing activities, but the most popular one was riding a zip line across a whale-filled lake. The sensation of rocking back and forth and then racing across the water brought more than a few smiles and looks of amazement onto the kids’ faces – pure, unadulterated joy. Some of the kids even wanted to repeat the experience over and over! Thanks go to Filip and Martin for organizing this unusual experience, and to Honza for the musical accompaniment. And many, many thanks to all the kids, sibling, parents, colleagues from school, the integration center and the Sun House, plus our friends and other guests, for spending a hot summer afternoon giving their all for Konto Bariéry – for which we raised 1,854 crowns. Our zip line event was simply an all-around success!
Integration Upside-Down 2018
For the entire year, Míša spent one day a week at neighboring Chelčického Primary School, where she studied alongside the other children. She really liked it there, and in return she invited the kids to visit us as Zahrádka. And so they did – in April, May, and June. They saw our school’s facilities, explored their various senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste), communicated using alternative communications techniques, and learned to relax using basal stimulation. It was a beautiful and inspirational get-together.
PICTURES
Returning from our trip around the world 29 June 2018
Believe it or not, but nobody got lost on our trip around the world, and we all arrived back at school safe and sound. Tired, yes, but full of great memories from all our unusual encounters. We all got together on the school’s sun-drenched terrace to hear short, but interesting reports from the various classroom groups. Then it was time to pass out report cards and celebrate. Home, sweet home. Happy summer vacation to everyone!
