The history of Földes Ferenc Secondary Grammar School

The history of our school is interwoven with the history of education in Miskolc. The Catholic and Protestant Grammar Schools were merged in 1953 as Földes Ferenc Secondary Grammar School.

Values, traditions, experience were united. The successors proudly accepted them and they accept them today as well.

Since the very beginning our school has considered it its own duty to keep and care about the predecessors’ memories and traditions. It gives the pedagogical and educational base of the school. The students’ and former students’ affection for the school is extremely tight. They can think and act as members of a democratic and intellectual community.

The location of the school is ideal. It can be found in the centre and it is easy to reach. The main building was built in 1911. The increasing number of students and the change in requirements made it necessary to expand it. The new wing was opened in 2004. A big library, 8 language rooms, a modern, well-equipped gym can be found there.

A science laboratory with the latest technology has been in operation since 2014.

The school image is reflected mostly in the aims of the school pedagogical programme. The aims are the following:
- to prepare our students for the school-leaving exams and at the same time for higher education keeping the traditions;
- to represent and pass long-term values;
- to educate broad-minded students open to the world with both scientific and artistic ways of thinking;
- to develop our students’ creativity and communication skills;
- to develop our students’ individual talents;
- to teach computer skills and to assure a good knowledge of at least one EU language;
- to struggle against segregation, to strengthen tolerance towards others and to respect differences;
- to educate for public life;
- intention to let the students learn the importance of environmental protection in a responsible and conscious way;
- to refuse harmful habits;
- to let them know the effects of the social problems on our students and how to ease and treat them;
- to help and support the students’ mental and moral development;
- to broaden the relations between the school and the business world and
- to encourage life-long learning.

Some decades ago our school was basically scientific, the image was created by the specialized classes. The changes in social requirements, however, made it necessary to change a bit of the profile. The former directors of the school realized that it would be important to teach foreign languages, but they considered it as a tool not as a goal.

Classes with a special curriculum in the school:
4-year classes:
- specialized in mathematics
- specialized in physics
- specialized in chemistry
- specialized in biology
5-year class:
- a language preparatory class
- AJTP class
6-year classes:
- specialized in mathematics
- one with a general curriculum

Our duty is to improve talents, which can be realizable only with motivated, gifted students who are able to meet requirements above average. When schooling, we primarily expect children living in Miskolc and its neighbourhood but of course, young people are warmly welcomed even from the county, from the wider region.

Our traditions and events
The educational values, the traditions and the mentality of a school are the best reflected not only in its academic achievements, but also in its programmes.

At the beginning of each school year we welcome our new students by organising the ’Kopasz avató’ (Newcomers’ Day) for them consisting of several humorous games and quizzes. They are always great fun and very popular with the whole school.

The events of the ’Diákigazgató választás’ (Student Days) (the election of the student headmaster and their deputies) also take place during this week offering a lot of interesting programmes and activities not only for the students, but also for the teachers.

We have always put special emphasis on celebrating our national holidays and the most important anniversaries.

The so-called ’ Szalagavató’ is one of the most solemn school ceremonies, in the course of which every school-leaving class greets their teachers and their parents with a short performance .They show their talent in singing, dancing , acting or reciting poems.

Since 2000 we have had the AJTP classes (Arany János Tehetséggondozó Program) for talented underprivileged students.

All of their programmes are subsidised by the government.

Every autumn one of these classes has the opportunity to take part in a two-week school trip to England. The aim of this trip is to practise the language, to visit different places in Europe and to get to know different people and cultures. Some students from other classes often join them and all of them get a lifetime experience and gain confidence in speaking English.

In November during ’The Open Days’ primary school students who have the intention of asking for admission to our school have the opportunity to get first-hand experience of life at our school by attending lessons, listening to presentations and meeting our students.

In December the last event before the winter holiday is the Christmas Party, a show with poems, Christmas carols, dances and music performed in foreign languages and organised with the help of the language teachers.

The student council in our school is well-organised. Its members represent the students’ interests very efficiently and with great maturity and their opinions and ideas are always taken into consideration.

Our ski camps attract a lot of students every year. The AJTP students and the beginners spend a week in Austria, the more experienced ones travel to Italy for a week.

The venue of the’ Földes bál’ (our annual school ball) used to be the building of the ITC for years. Due to the fact that it did not prove to be the right place for such an important occasion since 2011 it has been organised in the new wing of the school and has become very popular.

As Hungary is one of the member states of the EU since 2004 our international connections have developed rapidly. Every year we have exchange students via different organisations.

These international connections help our students get to know other countries, form personal relations, make friends and improve their knowledge of languages.

As they have to do some project work in one team with foreign students, it is very beneficial for them. They learn how to work in a team, how to give presentations not only in Hungarian, but also in a foreign language.

In spring we organise the ’Cultural Days’. The students can show their talent in different categories such as music, drawing, singing, dancing, acting, playing a musical instrument or doing project work.

In April the numbers of the’ Földes est’ are selected from the winners of these categories and the best ones are given the chance to appear on the stage of the National Theatre in the presence of some of the most prominent personalities of the town , the leaders and the teachers of our school, the parents and the students.

There are regular fine arts and photo exhibitions in our school where sometimes the students’ or even the teachers’ works are on display.

Since 2002 we have been organising the ’Konferencia Napok’ (Conference Days). The original aim was to establish a new tradition by inviting some of our former students who have great achievements in a field of science or in arts.
Their lectures followed by informal conversations with the students have an inspiring influence on our students’ future.

Our students regularly take part in both national and international competitions in different subjects and in sports and we can proudly say that with outstanding results.

Our school also organises competitions.

We must mention the ’Dr. Árokszállásy Zoltán’ competition in biology which has been the selection competition for the International Student Olympics in biology for three years.

Some of our former students launched the’ Dürer Verseny’, a team competition in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Not only national teams, but also teams from the neighbouring countries take part in this unique competition and it is getting more and more well-known, popular.

We have another competition in the memory of our former colleague, a teacher of IT. It is a competition in programming with the cooperation of ISZE schools.

We have been publishing our school’s yearbook for 13 years which was made complete by a jubilee edition in 2011 commemorating our most important anniversaries.

In May the school-leavers farewell ceremony, the ’ballagás’ (Farewell Ceremony) is a remarkable and determining event for the students, for their parents, for their teachers and for the whole school.

It is the occasion when the most outstanding student is awarded with the ’Földes Plakett’.

The end of the school year is marked with an organ concert taking place in the historic Avas church with the participation of some well-known artists and the school choir.

Részletek

(2016. november 29. kedd, 09:58)