Kristýna, do you remember what it was like when you were first deciding whether to accept the role of principal at a newly established Maple Bear school? What was your main motivation to take it on?
My main motivation was to return to the “field” after years in the non-profit and public sectors, where I focused on supporting and developing school leaders and schools. I wanted to work directly in a school environment again, with teaching teams. I missed the energy and the pace at which things happen and evolve in schools. And of course, I missed the children.
I was also drawn to the connection with Canada and the opportunity to truly understand the Canadian curriculum and be part of shaping how it can be combined with the Czech one.
What convinced you most about the Maple Bear concept — that this was a project you wanted to be part of from the very beginning?
The connection with Canadian education experts and the opportunity to experience this system in real life. I feel close to bilingual environments, and I had been missing an international setting. Building a school from the ground up comes with many challenges, but also a lot of joy — because you have the chance to set things up the way you truly believe they should be.
Every new project comes with challenges. What was the most demanding part of opening the school for you? Did you have any concerns at the beginning? Was there one that weighed on you the most?
The most demanding part was how quickly everything was happening. Building a school in just a few months while also aligning a teaching team so that everyone is on the same page is not something that can realistically be done in such a short time.
I was also concerned about how quickly we would learn to work with all the technical systems we use at school — from simple applications to more complex systems that are standard in schools across the Czech Republic.
Did any of those concerns come true? And if so, how did you gradually deal with them?
The start was simply demanding. As a team, we had to learn many things on the go, which naturally sometimes brought feelings that it was all a bit overwhelming. But that’s what every beginning looks like.
I’ve experienced several project launches in my life, and it always comes down to getting through the most difficult phase — when communication and processes are being set up. Once that settles, the journey becomes much smoother.
When you look back now, where do you see the school today? What do you think has been built most successfully?
We have an incredibly capable team of teachers who handled the school’s launch very well, as well as the challenge of combining two curricula and two systems — Canadian and Czech.
We’ve also successfully implemented our learning center system and gradually established strong principles of formative assessment. Teachers have learned to work in tandem, and most importantly, our students are making remarkable progress in both languages.
Another major achievement is the safe and supportive environment we’ve created. A place where mistakes are not a problem, but an opportunity. Where mutual respect is the most important value, and where it’s a joy to come to work every day — and for children, a joy to come to school. Some children even urge their parents on weekends to let them go back to school! That’s something truly special.
The atmosphere in the school is set in a way that we are all learning together and enjoying it — both the staff and the children.
During one individual visit, a parent once asked a question that has stayed with me ever since. I’d like to ask you the same: What are you personally most proud of — whether in your team, the children, or the overall functioning of the school?
I’m truly proud of our teaching team — they stepped into the uncertainty of a newly opened school. They didn’t know me, yet they took that leap, stayed, and are excited about the years ahead.
I’m also proud that we’ve managed all the technical systems and the huge amount of administration, while still keeping our focus on the children and their learning. And I’m proud of our report cards — they are truly beautiful, and I would wish that experience for every parent and every child.
Every school keeps evolving. What do you see as the most important challenges for Maple Bear in the coming year?
Welcoming new families into the school community, continuing intensive work on the school curriculum, and integrating new teachers into the team. We will also undergo a quality review directly from Maple Bear to ensure we are delivering the program as intended.
And what are you personally looking forward to — as a principal, but also as a mother and someone who loves education?
I’m looking forward to handing out report cards — and also receiving one at home from my own child. I’m looking forward to the holidays and to that moment when I can look back and say, “Kristýna, look at what you’ve achieved in just one year!”
I’m also excited about further developing our teachers and their professional growth, as well as visiting other Maple Bear schools in Olomouc and Brno and strengthening collaboration among schools.
If you were to describe Maple Bear five years from now… what would you want its “DNA” to be?
A safe environment, respect, a strong parent community, and above all, shared responsibility for education. And, of course, joy in learning — because that is truly the best thing that can happen in a school.
How would you like children to remember their years at Maple Bear one day?
That they loved their school. That they loved their teachers. That there was joy and laughter, but also meaningful work, where they learned intensively every day.
That they regularly experienced a sense of success and were motivated to keep improving. That they got to know themselves — what they are good at and what they still need to work on — and learned how to grow.
Because school is also about relationships — to oneself and to the world. About putting in the effort and then enjoying the results and progress. After all, learning something new is a wonderful thing.
