FIRST GRADERS BECAME OFFICIAL PEN WRITERS

FIRST GRADERS BECAME OFFICIAL PEN WRITERS

Our first graders experienced a truly special day – the Pen Ceremony! They traded in their pencils for their very first pens, officially becoming real writers.

The event featured a memorable guest – Peroslava Atramentová, who revealed the secrets of pen writing. She taught the children how to hold a pen properly, write neatly and carefully, and most importantly – with love.

Our little writers are ready – their letters are already soaring on the wings of school adventures.

We can't wait to see every word they write!

Children supported the shelter

We brought joy to the dogs and staff of the animal shelter in Trnava. It happened thanks to the earnings from the charitable Christmas market held in the school children's club. The children enthusiastically created beautiful crafts and Christmas decorations. Together with their teachers, they personally delivered the collected funds, petted a few dogs, and learned more about how the shelter operates.

Even a Small Change Can Have a Big Impact

Today, we explored the carbon footprint of food with our students. We started the day with a delicious and healthy breakfast, but this time, we also considered its environmental impact. The students weighed ingredients, examined packaging, and recorded data in tables.

Throughout the day, the topic of carbon footprint was integrated into various subjects—English, Slovak, math, and history. We discussed how our eating habits affect the environment and what we can do differently.

We are proud to be part of the Green School program, where we focus on food sustainability. We care about sustainability, which is why we incorporate it into our lessons in diverse ways.

OPEN DAY

Yesterday, you had a unique opportunity to take a closer look at life at our school. We hope you enjoyed the authentic atmosphere, met our students and teachers, explored our facilities, and gathered all the important information.

Thank you for visiting us and for your interest in our school. If you have any further questions or missed the event, feel free to contact us. We look forward to seeing you again!

Field trips

Field trips are not a given at every school, which makes us even more delighted that we can once again bring hands-on learning directly into real-world environments this school year. In January, allY1 and Y2 classes visited the Faculty of Education at Trnava University in Trnava, where they explored the mysteries of filtration, melting, and dissolving substances in school laboratories. The excitement was immense – for a moment, everyone felt like a real scientist!

Musical Oliver

Students of the Y6 and Y7 attended the theatrical performance of Oliver!

This musical, presented by Nová scéna in Bratislava, is very popular. The children had the opportunity to see a professional theatrical performance with excellent production and great acting performances. The story of the orphan Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, who finds happiness despite adversity, remains very inspiring even after nearly 200 years.

A Ski Course Full of Experiences

This week, students from the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades are fully enjoying unforgettable moments at the Salzstiegl ski resort, where they are improving their skiing skills.

Divided into groups based on their skill level, they spend nearly five hours a day skiing. Although the week started with foggy weather, by Wednesday, they were greeted by warm sunshine.

But it’s not just about skiing! In their free time, the children engage in various activities that help them build friendships—whether through a fun quiz, table tennis, board games, or bouldering. This trip is not only a sports challenge for them but also a fantastic experience filled with joy and shared moments.

First lego league

We’re Heading to the FIRST LEGO League National Finals!

On Saturday, February 8, 2025, our school hosted the regional round of the FIRST LEGO League robotics building and programming competition. Nearly 200 children from Trnava and the surrounding areas participated.

FIRST LEGO League is an international program that encourages children's and youth's interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through fun and hands-on activities. Each FLL season focuses on a current theme that reflects real-world challenges.

SZŠ BESST was represented by two teams in the Challenge category under the leadership of our Lego Engineering teacher, Mgr. Ľuboš Gregor.

The younger students from 4th grade, part of the team IT-PRO-BESST Oceania, participated in the tournament for the first time, showing great enthusiasm, effort, and courage. They received the "Rising Star Award", which is given to teams expected to achieve great things in the future. Despite competing against older and more experienced participants, they performed exceptionally well.

The older students from IT-PRO-BESST Sepia secured 1st place overall, earning a spot in the national finals. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for them!

The second place overall was taken by the team Robot Sapiens from Ludanice.

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who helped us organize such a successful tournament. We look forward to future editions!

PRESCHOOLERS GET TO KNOW SCHOOL

This week, we had special guests at our school – our preschoolers! They visited the first-grade class to see what school is really like. They eagerly participated in all activities and curiously discovered new things.

Such collaborations are very important to us because they can help children transition smoothly from kindergarten to elementary school. We are happy to be part of their educational journey and look forward to welcoming them back again.

GREETINGS FROM THE SKI SLOPES

Our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils are currently enjoying a ski trip in the sunny Austrian resort Salzstiegl! Each day is full of new adventures and experiences. The children are constantly improving their skiing technique and their confidence grows. They are disciplined and work excellently with the instructors. They will remember these unforgettable moments for a long time.

We are delighted to be here, improving our skiing skills and strengthening school friendships. We are sending you greetings from the slopes!

CHRISTMAS MARKET

MAGICAL ADVENT AT BESST

This Advent season at our BESST school was filled with the magic of enchanting Christmas markets. Our children brought us joy with their heartwarming performances, whether in their classrooms or outside in the atrium, brightening every heart.

Three days full of joy and Christmas spirit brought us unforgettable moments. The magical atmosphere was enhanced by enchanting decorations, a glowing fire, delicious food, and fragrant punch that warmed us all.

Check out the photos and immerse yourself in our magical Christmas world.

CHARITATIVE MARKET

Created with love

Our children from the school club have crafted beautiful Christmas ornaments and decorations. This week, parents had the opportunity to purchase these unique handmade items at our reception during the afternoon hours. Together, we were able to support the dog shelter in Trnava during this pre-Christmas season.

St. Nicholas visited BESST!

Just like last year, the snowflakes added to the magical atmosphere as St. Nicholas, accompanied by an angel and a devil, visited all the classrooms.

The snow-covered landscape gave the day a special charm, creating the ambiance of a winter fairytale. The children eagerly awaited St. Nicholas's arrival, prepared with their songs, poems, and curious questions about how things really work with him.

In the end, St. Nicholas didn’t forget anyone, ensuring every student received a little reward from his bag.

We can’t wait to see you again next year, St. Nicholas!

Student Exchange meeting

In collaboration with the organizations Skutočne zdravá škola and Ricolto, the students of class 7C participated in an inspiring activity – an international online student meeting.

The online meeting brought together students from two countries, Slovakia and Romania, in a knowledge-sharing session focused on traditional national dishes as part of the GoodFood@School project.

7C pupils prepared dumplings with sheep cheese (bryndzové halušky) and sweet pastries (trdelník - also known as chimney cake). During the preparation, they recorded their own video and presented it during the international online meeting.

HEALING AND POISONOUS PLANTS

During their science lesson, students explored the world of healing and poisonous plants. Their task was to identify the plants, determine which parts to collect, and discover their medicinal properties. With enthusiasm, they dived into their research, using books, the internet, and their own experiences.

They learned not only about the healing effects of plants but also about proper harvesting and processing techniques. They also got to know some poisonous plants. The young scientists’ faces were filled with knowledge and smiles. At the end of the lesson, they brewed rosehip tea to practically experience how plants can be used in daily life.

SAYING NO TO WASTE

We had the honor of welcoming a team from the United Kingdom as part of the Erasmus+ program. Together with our students, we recorded an inspiring video that we will soon share with you.

Our students participated in the international project "WASTE NOT WANT NOT," which focuses on reducing food waste. In the video, they shared their experiences on what we do to avoid wasting food and our approach to the topic of food. They also presented their work on this project. We believe that we can inspire each other in thinking and activities on important topics.

Sharing best practices with other schools

As part of sharing best practices and supporting other schools, we welcomed a visit from Madunice Primary and Secondary School!

They had the opportunity to explore our school's facilities and observe our educational process up close. They participated in open classes, workshops led by our mentors, and met with the principal, who introduced them to BESST School’s values, vision, methods, and strategies.

Our goal is to inspire one another and contribute to enhancing the educational process. Together, we’re working to ensure a better future for our children.

INTERNATIONAL VISIT IN THE DAIVERSE PROJECT (Erasmus+)

Last week, we welcomed foreign guests as part of the Daiverse project.

The Daiverse project, co-funded by the European Union, aims to assist teachers and schools in implementing AI technologies as a way to address diversity. It focuses on AI technologies that support inclusion and equality among students. The project involves partners from Belgium, Austria, and Slovakia.

The First 6 Weeks

The responsive classroom focuses on students, their social and emotional learning, and discipline. Teaching is adapted to the natural cycle, leading to deeper and more meaningful learning. Emphasis is placed on intrinsic motivation, which supports the development of self-control and self-regulation.
The main goals are to create a pleasant and safe environment, establish routines, care for the environment, and set expectations for both performance and behavior. Key competencies include collaboration, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.

We Made It to the Finals of the Nationwide "Best School Lunch" Competition

In February 2024, we participated in the competition "Best School Lunch." Out of 68 teams, we made it into the top 9. The finals took place on August 15, 2024, in Nitra. Our school canteen team consists of 13 talented chefs who lovingly prepare delicious meals for our pupils.

"We enhance our school menu with dried herbs in the sauce, giving it a delightful flavour. We use organic chicken breasts, which we marinate a day in advance to ensure they are tender and flavourful. We also strive to incorporate microgreens for garnish (grown by the children) to make the dishes more visually appealing," shared our food service manager, Lucia Naďová.

Would you like to prepare our competition menu at home?

🍽 Recipe for the Competition Menu:

The day before, marinate whole chicken breasts in a herb and oil marinade (we use caraway seeds, marjoram, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, dried vegetables, and salt). Bake the marinated chicken breasts whole in an oven. Once done, cut the chicken breasts into slices. Sauté root vegetables with onions, blend them into a sauce, and add herbs and tomato purée for seasoning. Bake the rice in the oven. Garnish the dish with microgreens – we used pea sprouts.