Osnovna skola Petrijanec, CROATIA

http://os-petrijanec.skole.hr/ospetrijanec

Primary School Petrijanec is situated in Republic of Croatia in Petrijanec village. Petrijanec borough is a part of a Varaždin county and its closest neighbour is Slovenia. Primary School Petrijanec attend students from these villages: Petrijanec, Majerje, Strmec Podravski, Nova Ves Petrijanečka, Zelendvor and Vratno Donje.
499 students attending. 351 students are Croatians, and 147 students national minorities Roma Bayash, one student is a national minority Bosniak. Most students Roma Bayash does not understand the official Croatian language. They live in poor social and economic conditions. Students are integrated into regular classes. We have 37 classes, 47 teachers and 2 teachers Roma Bayash helpers. In school are only three professional associate teachers: special education teacher, psychologist and librarian. 6 students do not live with their families because they don't have proper family care. They live in foster families. 27 students are not able to follow and educate the mainstream curriculum and are studying an adapted program. The Varaždin County pays the school lunch for Roma Bayash Students. 17 students Croatians who have poor economic status have school lunch paid by Foundation "Croatia for Children". General standard of half of the students is average, one quarter lives on the subsistence level income while another quarter represents very bad living conditions. Those are mostly Roma Bayash students who live in the village Vratno Donje- a Part, near Strmec Podravski. Main problems for the inclusion of Roma Bayash students into the educational system are educational squalor, low social skills, lack of hygienic habits and misunderstanding of Croatian language. On the other hand, there are also Croatian students who have problems with acquiring a foreign language , mostly what is grammar and spelling considered. This requires specific approach to education based on multiculturalism, antibullying and non-racism between the students. In order to help those students school and teachers organise extra classes. The school implemented prevention programs Stop bullying, prevention of addiction and prevention program of behavioural disorders.
The Roma Bayash live in an environment where is no attention to hygiene habits or to the environment. Many ecological deeds are done in order to raise better care of the environment. School pays a lot of attention to environmental protection, therefore is involved in the international system of eco-schools. Primary school Petrijanec is a proud owner of the green Eco-flag. Our goal is to enliven tradition and that's the reason of heaving school cooperative called „Aqua Viva“. School cooperative has several sections: pumpkin, Lace, Glass painting, Pottery, fancy work, Paper handicrafts and „Petrijanečki ceker“ where student make special carry bags out of dried up corn leaves.
In contrast, there are also excellent students who represent our school in the county and further on. Our students participate in competitions from different school subject from school to national level. Gifted students attend creativity School „Novigrad spring“. Students gifted for ICT attend Center of excellence for Information Technology in Varaždin.
In school we noticed a lot of hostility and intolerance between Croatians and Roma Bayash. Rarely the student is ready for the friendship between the two nationalities. Therefore we organise many activities for the students. Cultural and public activity is very important part of our school. It can be seen in thematic days that are labelled, school performances that are held, exhibitions that are done. Our school participated between 2011-2012 in a Comenius project „Intercommunity learning“ which was released with the partners from Great Britain. It's purpose was learning English and familiarising cultures. One of the teachers who participated in the project will also participate once this project has been approved. Students have an opportunity to learn Slovenian and get to know Slovenian culture. PAFF: Petrijanec amateur film festival was created in our school and is hold every year. Its goal is to promote German and film culture.
Our aim is to cherish multicultural approach and educe tolerance. Integration of student Roma Bayash is fostered through civil education projects. All the participants of the education process should have an intercultural sensibility. Everybody is working together to solve this problem of intolerance and hostility. No change for the better is small and slow. Therefore, we believe that this project could speed up the solution of our problems and improve the relationship between students.
Our school will become successful, safe, encouraging and reliable for all students. We will use modern teaching technics and methods to create quality development of a person. That is our vision. Our moto is: “Let’s grow together!”