The Square team consists of people keen on the philosophy of our school. They come from various parts of the world and each of them has brought their professional and life experience to the multicoloured mosaic of the education. And this is what they desire to pass on to our children as teachers, advisors or supporters in the school background.
TEACHERS
Eliška Václavíková
She graduated from Teaching of the Czech and English languages for upper primary schools and secondary schools in Liberec. Already during her study, she taught in several primary schools and secondary grammar schools. Then she spent a year in Vietnam where she taught English in Ho Chi Minh City. She remembers the fossilized education system there and is happy to be here in Square where she likes it a lot.
Simon Storey
Simon graduated from English and Teaching at the Wolverhampton University in England. Already during his study, he worked as an EFL Tutor or assistant teacher, later also in Amsterdam or Austria. Through Park Lane International School he has come to Bambíno and Square is a logical continuation for him.
Lenka Chmelová
Lenka graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the field of transverse flute. During her studies at the Conservatory, she began teaching at the ZUŠ, which she continued for the next 20 years. She taught recorder and flute, led various chamber ensembles and taught music theory to all grades at the ZUŠ. After graduating from the AMU, she became a member of the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, where she worked for 11 years. The change in life was working at elementary school, where she taught Music Education and also became a class teacher in the 3rd and then in the 4th grade. Lenka can handle anything she sets her mind to. She is said to be strict but also funny. During her first meetings with Square, she liked the atmosphere of the school and the enthusiasm of the children to learn new things and the desire to learn and collaborate. She is very interested in how she will help the children to discover, explore and learn.
Zuzana Oulíková
Zuzka graduated from Secondary Pedagogical School and then pedagogics for lower primary schools at the Faculty of Education of the Charles University. She was engaged in care and education of children in families in our country and in the USA. After her graduation, she taught in a lower primary school before she found Square and fell in love with our innovative approach to education.
Kristin Leigh Simons
Kristin attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - UNLV. A year after completing her studies she decided to make the move to Prague. The Czech Republic was the first country she visited outside of the United States and she has been living here ever since. During her time in Prague, she has taught for a variety of ESL programs, and most recently taught English and other subjects in a Czech-British Elementary school. Kristin is excited to work at Square which encompasses everything she has come to love about teaching.
Karolína Vyskočilová
Kája graduated from the conservatoire in Teplice. She plays several instruments and she taught that also in an art school. During her work for several theatres in Prague, she fell in love with her passion – photography. She managed operation in Children’s Centre Ptáčkov, but she realized that she wanted to work directly with children. And this is what she enjoys during education of arts in our school. Both she and children.
Daniel Penton
Dan received his degree in musical practice from the University in Sussex. He expresses passionate interest in everything what is connected with music, but also sports and travelling. He taught English in the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico and now he teaches in Czechia. During lessons, he can build entertaining and educational environment and pleasant atmosphere. And this is what we and children enjoy.
Jana Janáková
Jana graduated in Teaching for lower primary schools in Hradec Králové. Then she moved to Prague and taught in a primary school. After three years spent for her maternity leave, she returned to the work with children. Here she met Tomáš Trnka, who opened the Square world for her. And she became completely absorbed by it.
Martin Hejno
Within my practical professional training during my university study, I started to work as a sports trainer. Specifically, I worked as a football trainer for preschoolers and lower primary school students. In the process of time, I had also been working with older students until I reached the category of adults. After this training episode, I accepted the position of manager of the youth football academy of Slovan Liberec where I was working almost four years.
Brendan W.
Wade-Keszey
After completing the bachelor and master studies in New York, Brendan travelled to Europe. As an English teacher, he enthusiastically educated young students in Poland, Russia, Austria and Czechia. He is impressed with Square that in addition to educational objectives, we try to meet also physical and emotional needs of our students.
Anna Strusková
Anna has been studying English Teaching at Charles University. She was teaching children English at language schools and working in summer and suburban camps. In Square, she likes the most emphasis on the development of soft skills and the room for creativity of the kids. In her opinion, friendly atmosphere making every kid feeling safe and willing to actively participate on the education process is the most important thing both during the classes and in the after-school club.
Eduard Šípek
For a long time, Eda had been working as a respite worker and camp counselor in an organization providing care for children from foster families. He was an actor in a theatre for children and was shooting amateur movies. Before commencing his work in Square, he had helped two classes of preschoolers in Bambíno finish kindergarten and, with the same attention, he was taking care of our friends in nursery. Currently, you can mostly meet Eda at upper primary school as a math teacher. Eda likes watching movies and chips are his greatest pleasure.
Hana Andělová
For the first time, Hanka got in touch with teaching during her university studies when, as a temporary worker, she was giving extra lessons in mathematics to the pupils with attention disorders. Since mathematics belong among her hobbies and she finds the work with children meaningful, she decided to mix business with pleasure and, in 2012, she started intense private teaching activities. Since 2016, she’s focused on the preparation of children for admission exams to secondary and k-12 schools. Her leisure time activities include the care of her dog or reading a good book or playing World of Warcraft. She perceives Square as inspiring environment, she mostly appreciates the individual and non-authoritative approach to the pupils and the room for self-realization both of the pupils and teachers.
Natália Světničková
Natálie is studying teaching for the 1st stage of elementary school in Prague. Already during her studies, she has worked as a teacher's assistant, tutored and led yoga classes for children. Every summer she organised suburban children's camps in Prague. At university, she discovered the magic of dramatic education, which she regularly includes in her teaching. Before discovering Square, she worked for a year in a public school as a 1st grade teacher.
Martin Fischer
Martin has already been working with children for a certain period of time as a Scout volunteer. He’s also dealing here with supporting manufacture of instruments of the Scout method. And since he is also keen on technology and computers, after the secondary grammar school he decided to study cybernetics and robotics at Czech Technical University in Prague and he’s still studying there. The Square environment is close to him since their philosophy is similar to the Scout one and he has thus decided to hand over his enthusiasm and knowledge from the world of IT here.
David Strnad
David vystudoval Učitelství biologie na Přírodovědecké fakultě Jihočeské univerzity. Již při svém studiu začal učit na gymnáziu ve své rodné Vlašimi, později na Vyšší odborné a Střední zemědělské škole v Benešově u Prahy. Volný čas rád tráví v přírodě, četbou nebo poslechem hudby. V poslední době se intenzivně věnuje meditacím a dechovým cvičením. Ve Square chce dětem hlavně předávat svou lásku k přírodě, lidské duši a k jejímu rozvoji.
Wesley Vinay
Wesley was born and raised in South Africa. Wesley studied cinematography at AFDA, a university specializing in Film, TV and Performance, achieving a BA degree in Motion Picture. After deciding to leave SA in 2015, Wes started exploring the educational world, and started his teaching career in Taiwan. Following that, he taught English in Vietnam for 3 years and then was given an opportunity to teach in Czech Republic in 2019. In 2022, Wes was presented with a diploma in Montessori Sport by American Montessori Internationale. Wes enjoys teaching children how to learn through hands-on activities, discovery, and self-directed exploration.
Zuzana Čermáková
Zuzka has completed her study of Pedagogy for lower primary schools with specialization in English at Masaryk University in Brno. During her study, she was helping both children and adults with English, then she was a teacher at lower primary school and an English teacher in all classes of upper primary school. She tried working in global IT corporations and then she started her own family. She’s raising four children and a dog, she likes spending her time in the nature, reading books, listening to music, and painting. She was impressed by becoming a teacher in Square in the role of a guide enabling children to explore and deepen their interests and potential.
Asya Sattarova
Asya is a qualified English teacher and interpreter with 15-year+ teaching experience. She holds two Master degrees - Master of Philology specialising in English and Master of International Business Management. Over the course of her career Asya has been teaching English as the second language to all age and language level groups, with a special focus on school children aged 12-17; she is an expert teacher skilled at identifying students' language needs and the most efficient way to accommodate them. Since 2012 Asya has successfully launched and implemented a wide range of projects for English learners, such as youth language camps all over the UK and Ireland, preparatory courses for entrance exams for European Universities and even the exams themselves. She has taught IELTS as well as all levels of Cambridge exams, preparatory courses for International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in Finland, etc. At Square Asya is currently teaching World of English in almost all the grades as well as Literature Club for the youngest. In her English lessons Asya encourages critical thinking, analysing and smart improvisation. Besides, she is in love with English and she knows how to spread it.
Tereza Truksová
Terka graduated as a teacher of Geography, History and English for the 2nd stage of primary school in Brno. During her high school and college studies, she taught at several elementary schools, led interest groups, trained her dance group, and was also a camp leader. She remembers the years spent in Great Britain the most, where she taught children from kindergarten to high school, including boarding school. Here she taught English, Geography, History, Art and Sports. At Square, she was impressed by the teaching method and the approach to children, where even the broadest knowledge of all kinds can be passed on in a friendly manner. She is a teacher of the World of Changes for the second stage and a class teacher of the 6QZ. Tigers. She perceives the role of a teacher as a mission, because she does not take "children are our future" as a cliché, but as her mantra. She likes to spend her time not only passing on knowledge and skills to others, but also with her family and her dog in nature. She likes to do sports and always makes time for a good book, coffee and chocolate.
Dominika Martínková
Dominika studied zootherapy and assistance activities with animals at the ČZU in Prague and, until recently, she was engaged in hipporehabilitation for children with her horse.
During her studies, she also worked in several kindergartens and led exercise groups, where she found that working with children is exactly what she enjoys and fulfills her. She also studied special pedagogy at Charles University, where she confirmed the value of an individual approach to each child. In Square, she started in the after school club and spent time at Bambino as well. Since September 2022, she has been teaching the World of Science in Square and she is most happy when she can teach children something new, preferably in the form of an experiment or a practical demonstration.
Kateřina Braumová
David Courier
Yanira Lopez
ADVISORY CENTRE AND SCHOOL CLUB
Sylvie Stretti
Sylvie has worked with children in crisis situations and cooperated in education with organisations and the Charles University. She leads the Vigvam advisory centre helping both children and adults to cope with losses. In Square, she helps teachers and parents in communication when children get into a difficult time. She also participates in preparation of courses.
Natália Horejšová
Natália studied special pedagogics in Prague and worked as a special pedagogue in a diagnostic institution for several years. In her free time, she assisted in several kindergartens and participated in various charity events. She has good organisational skills, therefore she is in charge of the advisory centre in Prague.
Alena Hauptmanová
Alena graduated in special pedagogics focused on failures of education and speech therapy at the Masaryk University in Brno. She is devoted to the work with children, both handicapped or with any talents. In Bambíno kindergarten, she helps with overall children’s development based on the new educational methods, and in Square, she develops the educational programme.
Eva Wagnerová
She has completed her study of pedagogy with specialization in speech therapy and audiology at the Faculty of Pedagogy of Charles University in Prague. Eva had started to collect her first experience with children with special educational needs at secondary school where she was working as a volunteer for an autistic boy. For several years during her study, she was working as a personal assistant for physically disabled people. She also cares for children through exercising fire protection sports as a member of a volunteer fire brigade. Regarding Square, she likes their really individual approach to the children and accenting prevention and early help.
Zuzana Šípková
During the study of pre-school and out-of-school pedagogics in Most, Zuzka realized that she was interested in therapeutical work. So she graduated in Psychology and Therapeutical Training in Daseinsanalysis at the Prague College of Psychosocial Studies. Now she works as a school psychologist to support children and class teams in Square.
Jelena Trojanová
She graduated in the Czech language and literature at the Belgrade University. She worked as an English teacher and translated from Czech to Serbian. She has married to Prague where her interests suddenly changed when her autistic daughter was born. The work in Square combines her love for languages and assistance to children with special educational needs.
Olga Stoyka
Olga graduated from the secondary medical school. She worked as a nurse in Ukraine and after moving to Prague, she babysat children in families. She has a son with ADHD and this has inspired her to help children with special educational needs. She worked in a state school as an assistant teacher with a child with PAS for two years.
Adéla Kocová
She graduated in pre-school and out-of-school pedagogics in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she practised teaching already during her study. After return to the Czech Republic, she worked as a teacher in Bambíno in Dejvice, then as a head teacher in the Vinohrady branch. Adéla is very careful, she wears her heart on her sleeve, and the children’s world is her life.
Nicola Ezra Boksteffl
Ezra is a junior educator with a background in Film and Television Production from SPŠST Praha. Currently pursuing studies in Graphic and Intermedia Design/Pedagogy at the Pedagogical Faculty of UHK, Ezra brings a unique blend of creativity and teaching expertise to the table. In addition to their teaching experience, Ezra is an active practitioner of graphic design and photography. They also delve into music production and singing. Before joining the Square team, they led a drama club at the HaF Studio.
Jakub Krajíc
Jakub studied Humanities at the Faculty of Philosophy in Pilsen and then he worked for several years as a librarian in Prague. After experience from projects focused on young people with special needs he retrained as a teacher’s assistant and worked for seven years with children with physical and multiple disabilities. Outside the school he makes music and studies japanese.
Tiana Zakharchenko
Tiana has her education in film and television directing. In her free time she enjoys playing the ukulele and the piano, as well as crocheting and taking photos and videos. Tiana gained experience working with children at a children's film camp, which is where she discovered her passion for working with kids. She enjoys being a supportive and comforting figure for children and helping them learn and create new things. People often remember her as the "orange girl" not only because of the colour of her clothes but also because of the positive and warm energy she brings to any environment.
Veronika Šidlíková
Since her childhood, Veronika has loved animals and thus she studied at the natural science secondary school and cynology. She always help others gladly and after some time, she found out that she enjoyed the most the time spent with children. First she collected experience in Bambíno, then with her son on the maternity leave and then she came to Square where she received an opportunity to combine her two joys in one in the role of an assistant teacher. She found her own level in this work and plans to educate further in this field.
Martin Vokál
Martin has a deep appreciation for the performing arts. But during his studies at a dance conservatory, he noticed that the education system in most Czech schools tends to hinder students' aspirations, instead of awakening a desire to learn within them. For that reason, he entered the field of dance pedagogy at the Academy of Performing Arts with the aim of looking for currents of thought that would lead to the development of students' abilities and not to their suppression and disdain with education itself. During his studies, Martin worked in a non-profit organization where he worked very intensively with people with mental and physical disabilities. Among other things, Square caught his attention because it is constantly looking for new ways to educate its students, while fighting against the ossification of its own education system.
MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
Ondřej Lepka
Ondřej Lepka has served as the CEO of an educational group providing education from kindergarten to eight-year gymnasium focused on language teaching over the past few years. Together with his team, he went through the entire accreditation process of the International Baccalaureate and also obtained the status of an Oxford examination center for the school, with the right to teach subjects in English and administer IGCSE exams.
Ondřej believes that one must continue learning throughout life. It is always important to realize that making a mistake is not bad. During his tenure at the school network of the JK Education educational group, he became, among other things, a member of the professional accreditation team "The Middle States Association” and participated in granting accreditation to an international school in Cairo. Thanks to his position, he is involved in all important decisions and contributes to the direction the schools are taking.
Šárka Ochmanová
Šárka Ochmanová studied primary school teaching in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ostrava. She has devoted her entire professional career to teaching. In addition to Czech state education, she has come to know the teaching systems of many different countries, whether as a parent during her two-year stay in the United States or in the position of teacher, and later deputy principal, at private elementary schools. She had the opportunity to see the teaching system in Steve Jobs' schools in Holland and Great Britain, including the practical use of iPads in teaching, which is supported directly by Apple. Her management is based on teamwork, where she uses, among other things, the mentoring skills she acquired as part of her lifelong education. She is fulfilled by working with people, where she can make use of her rich experience.
Matouš Jindra
Matouš earned his PhD. degree at Charles University where he was dealing with sports in the nature and also working as a chief of a department. It is his pleasure to lead children to the healthy lifestyle and that’s why he has established a sports club. He likes organizing and working with people so the Square school was a clear choice for him.
Aneta Trousilová
Aneta studied Finance and Financial Services, which she then applied those skills in a corporate company. She also underwent a study program in the South of England, where she studied in the English language. She was in charge of the finance department and adherence to the budget of disciplines In the Czech Cycling Association. She works in the position of assistant to the school management at Square, where she would like to be a valid member of the team that they can all trust.
Carly Mc Cann
Carly is from Texas (U.S.A) She received her teaching degree from Texas Lutheran University in 2009 after which she began her journey as an educator. Before coming to Prague in 2016, Carly worked in special education classrooms as an aide, and taught mathematics for 3 years in a public school in Texas. From 2016-2023 she was working at Beehive School in many different teaching and administrative roles. Carly is settling into her new role at Square and is excited to learn more about Square’s unique philosophy. Outside of school she spends her time coaching and playing football for the Prague Raptors Football Club.
Petr Trčka
Mr. Trčka actually is not really only ours, but you will meet him always as the first person in our school. He will gladly open the door for you and help you maybe with your pram. He knows where to find people and everything what’s going on around.
Základní škola a gymnázium Square
Svatoslavova 6, Praha 4 – Nusle