Friday news
Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Graduates and Friends of Open Gate,
A mixture of all that we now come to expect has hit Open Gate – sunny Spring weather bringing with it positive energy and vibes contributing to that vibrant learning that has become synonymous with OG. Lovely Jubbly!
What a pity that our venerable Mr Seccombe could not have been present at this last Monday’s assembly to the Junior Gymnazium. The subject being one very dear to his heart; and that of musical instruments fashioned out of any materials that come to hand. Mrs Michalikova and her Tercie class presented just that – a project where they explored the possibilities of every day materials being utilized to produce music. Fascinating. And more to the point all of these crazy instruments produced a recognizable tune. Congratulations to all.
Mr Marks deserves a special mention for his unique Thursday assembly to the Senior Gymnazium. Being aimed mainly at Oktava, who are in the throes of examination prep both internal and external, it was nonetheless timely for all. Through a mixture of ham-fisted acting, ( Mr Marks as the Dude in “Big Lebowski”), video clips and inspired rhetoric, Mr Marks extolled our seniors to “relax, do their best, and not allow stress to become a dominating factor”. The assembly ended with an interactive dance routine that reminded me of my own student days at university. Fond memories. Thanks to you Mr Marks, timely and much appreciated, particularly by those Oktava students accepted into the “Church of the Latter Day Dude.”
On Tuesday Sekunda attended the presentation project aimed at warning youngsters of the dangers of social-networking. Will anybody listen, I wonder? We keep trying. ( I still remember the days when it was hip to actually have a telephone in your house and a black and white tv.) Tercie were exposed to the same on Wednesday. On a lighter note, our hockey fans took the opportunity afforded them by the House Staff to be present at the quarter finals of the Extra-League Ice Hockey Championships at the 02 Arena last night.
Many thanks due to our oft-unsung heroes of the Dorms – Pavel Knizek a spol.
The Modern languages Project mentioned in the last letter has more info on:
http://www.opengate.cz/cs/aktuality/14785/po-trech-letech-vyuky-ciziho-jazyka
And the student Council yet again organized a further round of the OPEN GAMES special. Grand!
At this very moment of writing some 150 pupils of the Junior Gymnazium are sitting the challenge of the exacting examples presented to them by the Matematickeho Klokana. Good Luck. And on Monday the Art Exhibition proudly seeing the light produced by our youngest students is available for the enjoyment of all:
Kvinta students are off to the ski delights of the Alps next Monday under the watchful eye of Mrs Gnadova. May they all return safe and sound with many tales of John Buchanesque derring-do.
Run and Help is just on the horizon – billboards all over town to remind you – do join in, see:
http://www.kontobariery.cz/Projekty/Run-and-Help.aspx
Have a grand weekend. Peter Nitsche.