Our school Základní škola a mateřská škola Polanka nad Odrou is a public day institution providing education for girls and boys aged 3 to 15. It is maintained by the local authority https://polanka.ostrava.cz/cs/radnice/organy-samospravy. The history of school in Polanka dates back to 1815 but our building was established after the WWII and opened in 1952. It is well placed in a natural setting and surrounded by greenery.
Our primary school provides general education for pupils aged 6 to 15. There are 9 forms, divided into two stages (the 1st stage: forms 1-5, the 2nd stage: forms 6-9). In the present, the school is attended by 380 pupils. There are about 30 teachers and assistants. Our school educational programme is based on the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education developed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport https://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/skolstvi-v-cr/skolskareforma/ramcove-vzdelavaci-programy. The language of teaching is Czech. Lunch is available daily at the school canteen.
Our school has nice and experienced teachers. Our headteacher is Mr. Molitor, a kind and smart person who likes discipline. When pupils have some problems, the teachers help them patiently. Some learners have special educational needs (dyslexia etc.) or a physical handicap, they are supported by assistants.
There are 2 classes in each form, usually 20 pupils in each class. Pupils have one class teacher. We don’t wear school uniforms. Children walk to school, go by public transport buses or are driven to school by their parents. A typical day at our school starts at 8:00 a.m. There is no assembly. Pupils usually have 4 to 6 lessons a day with 10-minute breaks in between. Then they have lunch at our school canteen. Each lesson takes 45 minutes.
Our school has a two-floor well-maintained building built in the early 1950s. It is not barrier-free yet. Our school has a lot of facilities, such as a computer room, a language room, a science laboratory, a gym, a gallery, well equipped, airy and comfortable classrooms, a large multifunctional sports ground nearby. The building is going to be enlarged.
At school, we put emphasis not only on subjects like Czech, maths, science but also on sport (esp. handball and other ball games, table tennis, table football), we make use of the sports hall standing next door. We teach two foreign languages, English and German. We put stress on biology and physics practical work, drama, ecology and environmental education (some classes happen outside), art.
During the school year, our pupils enter many sports contests and competitions across all the school subjects. We also offer a variety of extracurricular activities, like Folk Dance Club, Ceramics Club, Let’s Get Out in Nature, Chess and Other Board Games, Ball Games, Start Moving, Cooking Club, all held in the afternoon. The Afternoon School Club offers the opportunity to pursue personal interests, too.
After school, our pupils’ free time activities are volleyball, football, indoor football, fishing, fire-fighting sport, majorette sport, aerobics, judo, martial arts, freestyle biking, parkour, dog agility, petkeeping and gardening. Many learners also attend the Art School, they play the guitar, the piano or other musical instruments, they sing, draw and paint. They also visit the local library. They participate in scouting.
We celebrate all important days of the year, such as Christmas, Easter, Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, Teachers’ Day, The School Anniversary Day, Polanka Day, The Czech Republic Day etc. Popular handball tournament Polanka Cup takes place every June. Our school choir Hlahol performs at all these occasions. Many traditional and popular events through the school year are organized by Parents’ and School Friends’ Club https://www.krpspolanka.cz.
Our school is situated in the village of Polanka nad Odrou https://polanka.ostrava.cz/cs/radnice/organy-samospravy, which has an agricultural character. Its population is about 5,000 inhabitants. We are proud of its lovely countryside belonging to a protected landscape area known as Poodří https://poodri.nature.cz/. Polanka nad Odrou is located in the suburb of Ostrava, the 3rd largest town and the former Steel Heart of the Czech Republic https://www.ostrava.cz/cs. On the horizon we can see the Beskydy Mountains https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beskydy or Sanatoria Klimkovice Spa https://www.sanatoria-klimkovice.cz/.