News from YFC Poland

YFC Poland – summer 2015

Lots has been happening with Youth for Christ in Poland recently, with much more coming up soon. Read about it in the above newsletter.

 

Narnia branching out.

At the CS Lewis and Narnia School in Bratislava, it takes new members of staff a while to take on board and fully embrace the unique work ethic and Christian ethos prevalent throughout the school. All members of staff work extremely hard for the benefit of their students, constantly trying to improve and be innovative – let’s pray that they will not feel under too much stress and will be able to relax sometimes as well!

The school has such a great reputation that Christians in other parts of Slovakia would like to establish similar schools. In one town near Bratislava, plans are well advanced to open a new branch of the Narnia Elementary School next September. Next Monday there will be an important meeting with the local authority of the town. Much wisdom is needed for the whole team involved over the coming months.

 

CS Lewis Day

Last week, on the anniversary of CS Lewis’ birthday, this school named after him in Bratislava had a day devoted to all things Lewis, including tea and toast in the library! Go to the school’s website for a full report :  www.bilgym.sk

 

One of Best Schools in Slovakia

Both the Narnia Elementary School and the CS Lewis bilingual High School are well respected and renowned in Bratislava and across the country. A recent survey placed each of them amongst the top schools in the whole of Slovakia. Although they are well-established and financially independent, there are still ways in which people in the UK could help them greatly, as described by the deputy-director, Milena Uhlikova :

As English language is one of the most attractive elements of  our school, we are still very dependent on good native English teachers. We are looking for  qualified native English-speaking teachers (of all subjects), with a dedicated relationship with God and young people who would join our team for one year or, even better, for several years.

The study at both schools is fee-paying, and we would like to offer to some talented young students from poorer families a chance to  study at our schools.  We are looking for donors who would contribute to the scholarship fund called Kaspian on a monthly basis or once a
year.  The school fee at Narnia for one child is 1380 € and at the high school 1630 € a year.

As an illustration of how the Christian ethos of the school can produce great results, Milena tells the story of one particular student :

Although we are profiled as a church school, we are open to all students of all denominations as well as to students from atheist families.
One of our graduates,  Juraj, became a Christian during  his studies. Jesus Christ became his life model.  When he was in his 3^rd year of study, he started to help some Roma boys combining mentoring and physical activities; he was boxing with them in the school gym once or twice a week. Later he approached one of the homes for underpriviledged families and organized his schoolmates to study with younger children to help them to get better results at school.  The students were able to become friends and mentors of those children, all the meetings were in our school. This program is still alive even after Juraj left for  his studies in Scotland.

 

Narnia and CS Lewis Schools

Information learned from the report at the conference, and also from an enlightening personal visit to the school in Bratislava:

There are now 332 pupils in Narnia (age 6-13) and 241 in CS Lewis (age 14-19).  They have capacity to expand by another 100 students, no more than that. Only two years ago did they have students right up to the top grade; in the last two years 90 students have graduated and all went on to their first choice of higher education or whatever. Last year’s final year set up, completely by themselves, an NGO to provide a shelter for local single mothers. All students have to do some voluntary work outside school eg help in a soup kitchen. Once a year there is a “Volunteer Day” when parents and students help to tidy up the school, paint walls etc. Christianity and Ethics is part of the curriculum, as is also the concept of giving; the students are very much involved in supporting the Kenyan children’s work through Integra, through making and selling handicrafts – and many families sponsor the Kenyan or Ethiopian orphans. The primary aim here is not to support Kenya; the aim is to teach that it is normal to help others (which is by no means normal in general Slovak or any Eastern European society) – so that later in life they will be willing to help others in need, eg gypsies in Eastern Slovakia.

It is not automatic that children progress from Narnia to CS Lewis, though many do. Approximately one third of students are from Christian families. Many of the students do become Christians during their time at the school, but it is not “expected”. There is stiff competition for places; it is a popular school. Potential parents value the safe environment, the individual care for a child’s needs, and the way the school co-operates with and involves parents.

There is a predominantly young staff, and a high turnover of staff. There are half a dozen native English speakers, and every year there are openings for English-speaking teachers of every subject, because in the high school all subjects are taught at least partly in English. English-speaking primary teachers would also be useful.

A particular joy in the past year was that the state has renewed the contract for the rent of the school building at the previous very low rent, for the next 30 years, which gives a great basis of stability on which to build for the future.

There are also problems of course. One example:  One of the schoolgirls became pregnant; her mother was a teacher at the school, neither of them Christians, but both are now more positive towards Christianity because of the sensitive way in which the school dealt with the girl. The school almost welcomes such provocative situations, to provoke discussion and thought – but they also welcome their good role models too of course!

Currently 55% of the school’s finances come from the state, and 45% from fees paid by parents; they expect that the parents’ share will increase over time. Parents really value the school and are willing to make sacrifices to send their children there. The school wants to have students from a broad spectrum of families, so those who can’t afford the fees are not automatically disqualified from attending, and are encouraged to apply. There are a few scholarships available from the founder church in the city. In some cases the parents can just pay part of the fees, or help in some other way, for instance one parent is helping with the website, another painted the classrooms. There is a “Caspian Fund” to help needy students with fees; it is funded by donations from Slovaks, especially other parents who can afford to pay more. It could also be funded by donations from the UK.  UK donations would also be welcomed to buy books for the library.

This year the school has found a school in the UK to develop links with, which they have been wanting to do for a while. It is Buckswood School near Hastings, which has one Slovak member of staff, whom the CS Lewis head, Jana Klagova,  met in June. It is conveniently located (near Gatwick), is willing to host groups of students, and they anticipate that they will hold such things as joint essay-writing competitions. Someone from CS Lewis School will visit there in November.

 

Busy School Life in Bratislava

The CS Lewis High School and Narnia Elementary School have produced a Newsletter, giving a very full account of a wide variety of activities there over the past few months. Click here to read all about it.

 

Opportunity to donate books

The CS Lewis school in Bratislava does extensive English language and literature teaching. To save on vast quantities of photocopying, they would greatly appreciate gifts of English textbooks from schools where they will no longer be used.  Copies of children’s classics, either one or two copies to expand their library or, preferably, a bundle of 20 copies to be used in class, would also be very useful. Some of the titles requested by the English teachers are:
F. Scott Fitzgerald      The Great Gatsby
J.R.R.Tolkien                The Hobbit
C.S.Lewis                        Space Trilogy
Mark Twain                   Adventures of Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn
Anthology of English Verse
Anthology of World English Short Stories
Anthology of British English Short Stories

If you would like to donate any of these, please contact us to arrange collection/delivery.

 

News update: CS Lewis High School and Narnia Elementary School

This bilingual school in Bratislava (Slovakia) is doing an excellent job teaching children right through from primary age to the end of secondary education, focusing on preparing students to attend English-speaking universities abroad. And yet its existence is almost unknown in the UK. They would dearly like to find a school in the UK, who would partner with them, perhaps with student and teacher exchanges, and preferably share the same Christian values and motives in education. An individual of professional and spiritual vision, who would be prepared to invest time in visiting the school, talking to students and teachers to discover their motivations and needs, and making them known back in the UK, would be a huge asset.

Pray for the oldest students who study “Religion and Ethics” and who also have many informal opportunities for developing relationships and seeking help for their personal problems, leading to opportunities for sharing the Christian faith.