Filipka – story school

Following two years of preparations, the Filipka school started tuition in September 2019, which means it has now been operating for four years. The classes were gradually filled with elementary school students, who are continuing with secondary school this year: the school now has a 6^th and 7^th grade.

The founder and headmistress of the school, Ruth Konvalinková, gave us an idea of her greatest concerns:
„We were hoping that the town hall would help us find additional space, as we are going to need a new classroom next year if the school is to accept new first-graders. It is a known fact that there is a shortage of about 100 spaces in local kindergartens and schools in Židenice. We are offering the town hall to enrol local children partially preferentially – the school is in big demand among local parents. Their concern for us should pay off. However, unless something happens, we will not be able to open a first grade, because there is no room for it. And that would be the beginning of the end… Also, this week, the regional authorities approved our application for the registration of a four-year secondary school. This will not be possible unless we prove by the end of August that we have the premises to run the school. Of course, we are also looking for other possible places, and it looks like we would probably find a temporary shelter for secondary school classes, but it is only an interim solution, a last resort.“

Who we are here for
In Filipka, there are about 30 % integrated pupils. In most classes, there is a teacher and an assistant, sometimes there is also a second teacher. This depends on the number and the needs of the disadvantaged children. There are currently six special educators at Filipka, a unique number for such a small school. According to headmistress Konvalinková, Filipka's care for children with special needs is a relief to Brno's public schools.

How secondary school works
In the end, tuition at secondary school will be taking place using the „integrated thematic teaching method“, in which subjects that are related are incorporated into larger blocks. On Mondays, for example, the students have a six-hour block called „stories“ that includes Czech, Czech literature, an art class, a music class, and ethics. Other blocks include „nature“ (science, physics, geography), „the world“ (history, civics, and human geography), or „technology“ (maths, computing, and labour activities).

Last year, the overarching monthly themes at the secondary level included courage, gratitude, help, patience, wisdom, meekness, freedom, trust, joy, and friendship. The students spent a whole month on the topic of „helping“, specifically focusing on Deaconess Marie Rafajová. They searched through the city of Brno, gathering information, learning to write e-mails to various institutions to find out as much as they could about this personality. The result should be a website about this half-forgotten Protestant personality, who was awarded the Righteous Among the Nations award.

Financial aid – Diaconal and Development Projects
Financial support is essential for Filipka. The state's per-pupil contribution is lower for church schools than for state schools. Parents pay a modest tuition fee, but if they have two or more siblings in the school, it is a burden for them. Low-income families can apply for a grant from an endowment fund set up for this purpose. Funds are still being raised for teaching aids and activities that are more financially demanding. That is why every year, Filipka applies for grants at the Brno municipal authority, at the regional authority, and other places, and is grateful for the funds it receives from the Diaconal and Development Projects Fund. However, according to the headmistress, it is becoming clear that the calls for grants tailored to fit Protestant congregations don’t work too well for the schools. „It doesn’t make sense to come up with new activities to meet the requirements of a grant when the school has abundant activities as it is. Why should we build an elaborate project around the fact that we need computers for teaching, for example?“ This is an important realization that corresponds with what the ECCB’s grant committee has since concluded. The schools associated with the Evangelical Academy, established by the ECCB, should have their own grant system. Our church is proud of its eight schools and intends to be as generous as it can.

What a first-grade teacher and a special educator enjoy about their work
„It is a great adventure here at Filipka. So far, we don’t have a class that has finished school. I believe we are yet to reap the fruits. We are on a journey and it is full of exciting anticipation. For me, the work is very different from what I had previously experienced in a typical state school. We spend many days outdoors, especially when the weather is nice. Czech and maths are very easy to teach outside. You can do anything: talk, tell stories, count, sing, combine maths with some exercise. We spend time in parks, walk around the Svitava river, which is right behind our school. Currently, focusing on the topic of ,I know where I live‘, we are taking walks around Židenice and plotting interesting and important places on a map. We also visit museums and libraries.“

What a teaching assistant does
„The work is truly meaningful. For example, an autistic sixth-grader has a recommended assistant, but I am not just there for him/her. I only support their work, I help them when they need me. I spend my whole day with the kids, I don’t even go away during breaks. Sixth graders already have several teachers, not just one, so it is my job to monitor the children’s behavious during the whole school day, but I remain in the background. Then we discuss everything with the class teacher – what is happening, who is having a bad day, for example.“

The secretariat is our safeguard
The administrative staff is an important part of the workforce. What does she say about her job? „When I started, there was a pile of paperwork waiting for me. I’m in charge of the staff’s personal issues, the pupils’ register, the accounting, and the cash desk.“ And the secretary’s impression of Filipka? „We are a small school and although in terms of actual space, it really is quite crammed, in terms of human relations, it’s great. It’s a wonderful thing that someone is taking care of disadvantaged children.“

Daniela Ženatá