Luhačovice schools will come back to life, some pupils and students will return

In groups of up to 15 children, they will prepare for the upcoming high school entrance exams under the guidance of teachers. Although it is not compulsory and teenage pupils can continue their education at home, most parents of ninth-graders in Luhačovice have decided to send their children to school again. "Of the 80 ninth-graders, 58 have signed up for lessons, about three-quarters," said Roman Lebloch, principal of Luhačovice Primary School. He pointed out that the lessons will be conducted in compliance with the prescribed hygiene measures set by the Ministry of Education. For example, children must have two masks and a bag for them with them every day, and regular hand washing and the use of disinfectant is ensured. However, drapes will not be compulsory directly during lessons, only in areas outside the classroom. Inside, children will be spaced out so that there is the necessary distance between them.

The school canteen will also be opened a day later on 12 May for the return of pupils to Luhačovice Primary School. On the first day, children can order their meals. "Signs are already being placed on the floor in the cafeteria so that children will wait for lunch at the necessary spacing," Lebloch added.

One of the ninth-graders who will head back to their desks on Monday will be Filip Kulha from 9th B, his mother Petra Kulhová revealed. "We decided to send him to school. I think it's important for the ninth graders because they are about to take the high school entrance exams. Their math teacher is excellent, she gives them homework, but they need to go to school where they can practice more than at home," Kulhová revealed. Some parents have decided not to let their children go to school yet. But Kulhová sees her son's return to school with a positive outlook. "I'm not worried about it. They will get some order by returning to school again because it has been a long time for them too since they have been home. I think he will also be happy to see his classmates because this year is ending and there will be no goodbye," the mother of the ninth grader noted. For the entrance exams, her son will head to a sports high school, as he is a cyclist.

Secondary schools will also open their gates for the arrival of students from 11 May, but it will also be only those from the final years. That is to say, graduates and students of apprenticeship courses who are finishing their studies this year. They can come for consultations, but again only in limited numbers.

"We have posted the programme on the school's internet, and students have been applying for specific dates to individual teachers," said Jana Šuráňová, the director of the Luhačovice Secondary School. There will always be classes from Monday to Friday, from 1st to 6th period. The director did not want to specify the specific participation of pupils. "It will vary on different days, depending on the interest of the pupils. For example, if someone commutes from a longer distance, they might come only on certain days of the week," Šuráňová outlined. Students will prepare for the June graduation. "The written Czech language papers have been cancelled, but the oral exams should be basically the same as always," the principal added. However, the practical part of the matriculation exams for students of arts and crafts is changing a lot. Finished products, for example, made of ceramics or metal, could not be realised by students in school workshops. "Therefore, we will adopt an alternative way of conducting and evaluating the practical exam according to the rules set by the ministry. Students will present their project in a powerpoint presentation and defend the technological documentation they have prepared. This will be similar for the three-year catering courses. For example, the student will not directly grill salmon, but will describe the technological procedure of how they would do it," the director described. June will be really intense for the school, as there will be postponed graduation exams, final exams of the teaching disciplines, as well as postponed entrance exams and, of course, the classification of the lower grades. "It's a new situation, but I'm confident that we will be able to handle it," Šuráňová concluded.

While the lower grades will no longer be going to the secondary school this school year, the primary school will be teaching first graders from May 25. Whether the children head to the school, however, is again up to the parents. However, the principal of Lebloch Primary School has not yet specified what the interest will be. "There is plenty of time. We will reach out to parents by e-mail early next week, and based on their reactions we will be able to prepare for the number of pupils in time," Lebloch said.

Categories: News from the city, Luhačovice, COVID-19, City of Luhačovice, Coronavirus, Primary school Luhačovice, Drapes