“We want to identify the most talented children—those who will practise sport in the future and treat it as a way of leading a healthy lifestyle,” says Kornel Filipowicz, headmaster of Primary School No. 1. In the sports class, naturally, the number of physical education lessons will be increased. During additional classes, the school’s students will be able to train in swimming, athletics, football and basketball, among other disciplines.
The offer is addressed to current third-graders. What is more, students who, after completing primary school, wish to continue their sports education will be able to do so at Gimnazjum Samorządowe No. 1 (both Primary School No. 1 and GS No. 1 are part of Miejski Zespół Szkół No. 2). In the future, a sports school may be opened. To this end, the school authorities want to establish an association at UKS Kusy. This would make it easier to obtain subsidies from the ministry and European Union funds.
Moreover, out of concern for its students, the school plans to cooperate extensively with sports clubs in Bolesławiec and beyond. “We are currently in talks with leading clubs in Poland,” says Kornel Filipowicz. Negotiations are under way with, among others, Zagłębie Lubin and Turów Zgorzelec.
As Filipowicz admits, the school had been waiting a long time for such an opportunity. “We have very good coaches, both by vocation and by profession,” the headmaster assures. “On behalf of my colleagues, I guarantee that this initiative will bring great satisfaction, above all to parents and children, because we are doing it for them,” he adds.
Someone might think that by attending a sports class, a child would develop in only one direction. Kornel Filipowicz completely disagrees. “We are deliberately introducing this educational programme after the school obtained the Certificate of a School Supporting Talent,” says the headmaster. “We must break with the stereotype that if a child develops athletically, all other areas are neglected. Increased physical effort encourages children to make a greater intellectual effort,” he adds.
Admission to the class, combined with a skills test for third-graders, will take place on 27 March at 2:00 p.m. in the sports hall of Primary School No. 1 at Jana Pawła II Street.