The youngest protestant school

You can’t miss the school building which has stood on the village square in Sudice for over 160 years. In this former protestant school, people used to meet for Sunday services; part of the building was also used for assisted housing. A few years ago, a group of enthusiasts associated with the Boskovice congregation started playing around with the idea that the school could be brought back to life – that classes, children’s games and laughter could be brought back in. In September 2022, one elementary class and one kindergarten class were opened. I talked to the headmistress, Ms Dagmar Hamalova, about the journey that led to making this dream come true, and about the outlook for the future.  

How did the idea of opening a school in Sudice come about?

The building of the former protestant school belongs to the Boskovice congregation. There are many children in Sudice – and no kindergarten. Following many debates, the Boskovice congregation therefore made the decision to establish a small-class school and a kindergarten in Sudice. We submitted an application for the registration of our school to the Ministry of Education. In March 2022, the request was granted, and we were able to get to work. 

There was not much time between the approval for establishing an educational institution and the arrival of the first kids to school and kindergarten in September. How do you manage a major renovation of an old house in such a short period of time?

Thanks to pastor Bureš, the construction project was finished very quickly, for which we are very grateful. The design team consisted of Mr and Mrs Syrovátka – a small design office with a practical focus. They thought of everything, drew everything, calculated everything, and even kept watch over the deadlines. People from the congregation and from the village worked hundreds of volunteering hours on demolition and clearing work. The layout of the rooms was changed, new floors were built, new heating, toilets, electricity… so it was an overall renovation job.

How did you handle the funding?

We had to try and raise money on several fronts because in the past two years, the prices of all construction materials have gone up an incredible amount. The village, which was more than interested in having a kindergarten for its children, provided two and a half million, and we also opened a campaign for donations, run by experienced fundraisers. We also received funding from the church. We used diaconal and development projects, and we were supported by foreign donors. 

We’re walking through the school and everything smells new. Can you give our readers a little tour of what we can see here?

On the ground floor, you can see the kindergarten’s locker room, the classroom, playroom, the sanitary facilities and the cafeteria. We were slightly surprised to learn that we would have to have separate cafeterias for the kindergarten and for the school, so there is another one upstairs. On the first floor, you will also find a spacious classroom with facilities. Thanks to all the financial donations already mentioned, we were able to afford new school furniture, cupboards, shelving, and various accessories. Everything is beautiful, new, colourful.

How is the teaching staffed?

We have one teacher in the primary school class, which now has nine first graders and two third graders. The pastor teaches Bible classes and also English as a volunteer. There are several women in the after-school club, which brings some variety - one leads the ceramics club, another the drama club. Then there's a kindergarten class with two female teachers. Next year there should be a few new first graders, so there will be three grades represented in the classroom. Next school year, we would like to open one more class and divide the children by grade.

Do you draw inspiration from anywhere for your concept of teaching?

Jan Amos Comenius is an unrivalled source of inspiration for me, whether in his emphasis on illustration, or on the role of being a guide through the world of knowledge, from childhood all the way to adulthood. The sequence of learning – from close to distant – is also important. First, we need to get to know the place we live in, the surroundings, the forest behind the field, the river, or the meadow beyond our village. I think today’s children often miss out on that because their parents overlook the closest surroundings. Instead of taking the kids to the woods on the hill, they take them to the seaside or to the mountains. However, I think it is very important that we are familiar with the landscape we live in and that we build a relationship with it.

What do you consider the biggest advantage of the Sudice school?

I feel a strong sense of tradition here in Sudice. Many inhabitants of the village have passed through this school and prayer house since the middle of the 19th century, so there is much to build on. We tell Biblical stories and children from both believing and non-believing families listen to them, as do children who do not belong directly to the protestant congregation, but their ancestors were part of the church and the families continue this tradition with their lives. Another great benefit is the community-based character of the school – we feel true support from the municipality. The cooperation is excellent, I appreciate that very much. For example, the children have PE in the local gym, we’re only paying a symbolic rent, and the municipality even intends to buy some new sports equipment next year. There is another building here on the square that we can see from the window, that used to be a catholic school. Now it’s a tinsmith’s shop, but the company cooperates with us, they give us various material that they have no use for, or whatever is left. Thirdly, I would like to point out the family character of the school. We can give every student individual attention, and we try to create a friendly, kind environment. There is one more advantage I need to mention: our connection with nature. We can go out anytime, draw on the pavement, pick some flowers, study outside, or go for a walk in the neighbourhood.

How many applicants do you have for the next school year?

We didn’t really make any far-reaching announcements about enrolling in first grade. So there is a reasonable interest from those who have found us. Our idea was that we would admit four to six children to the primary school class – and we had six applicants. There is a lot of interest in the kindergarten, since there is a shortage of those in the area. All in all, we feel like this is just the right number. We are only starting, so we still want to be careful with the advertising. We’ll see how things go and what comes next. 

What are your plans for the future?

We have managed to stabilise the funding. The congregation received an interest-free loan of about CZK 750,000, which we intend to gradually repay with rent. That should not present any major difficulties. As I already mentioned, we are going to need another building for the 2024/25 school year. We are thinking of building an extension, as there is enough space next to the school. If we are not able to get subsidies and ensure sufficient funding, we will turn the existing cafeteria into a classroom and we’ll find a different way to take care of the food. We would also like to build a school garden and find a meaningful use for it.

Do you collaborate with other schools in the area and also within the Evangelical Academy?

There are several similar small-class schools in the surrounding villages, I think this is something that could enrich the whole education system. Within the Evangelical Academy, we meet once a year in Běleč. It’s an opportunity to gain new information and make new friendships. For example, the Brno school belonging to the EA gave us two fully functional photocopiers that they were not using anymore – and they have been serving us perfectly well. Also, the nearby school called Filipka, which has already been operating for a few years, helps us with administration-related advice. We are also receiving great support from the Evangelical Academy’s Schools Coordinator Helena Wernisch and the Fundraising Department. For example, they help us find suitable grant opportunities. Of course, I also attend the meetings of the EA schools’ headmasters.

How do you feel about your school as its main initiator and the moving force behind it?

Absolutely wonderful. The kids are great, I have always been fascinated by the way children see the world, this is a daily source of enrichment and inspiration to me. Of course, there are still some minor technicalities that complicate the daily operation – a sink is leaking, the locks aren’t working… But then, for example, Ms Květonová, a minister from the Red Church in Brno, calls to offer us a benefit concert for the Sudice school. That is quite amazing. We are at the very beginning, but I feel like this is something truly meaningful.

Daniela Ženatá