People

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.

Lucie Cikhartová

Lucie Cikhartová, after completing her master's degree in Primary School Teaching and Special Education, took on the challenge of becoming a homeroom teacher for the 5th grade. Previously she worked as a teaching assistant, specializing in supporting children with specific learning disabilities. Lucie further enriched her experience by working at a Community Center for people with Autism, where she focused on structured learning and daily assistance for clients. During her studies, she participated in intervention weekends, where she facilitated experiential education programs aimed at developing social and communication skills in children within a group setting. In her free time, Lucie enjoys staying active, whether it's playing squash, bouldering, swimming, or even better, spending time outdoors in nature. A healthy lifestyle, ecology, and sustainability are important to her, and she strives to inspire her students with these values.

Monika Slovíková

Monika Slovíková entered the education field five years ago after maternity leave, starting as a teaching assistant. Working with both younger and older children inspired her so much that she decided to further her education. She is now completing her studies in primary school teaching at the Faculty of Education in Plzeň. She is enthusiastic about studying while working, as she learns about the latest and most effective methods and practices, which she can immediately apply in her classroom. Monika also enjoys engaging in various extracurricular activities with the children. This year will be particularly challenging for her, as she will be working double shifts—teaching a full class of first-graders at school and helping her own daughter, who is just starting first grade at home.

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.

Hana Kořánová

Hanka has always been drawn to working with children. For many years, she led a children's hiking group and organized kids' camps. She studied primary school teaching at the Faculty of Education, Charles University, and later completed a bachelor's program in photography at the Institute of Creative Photography at the Silesian University. She taught at Londýnská Elementary School for several years and then worked as a nanny in San Francisco. Hanka spent a total of four years in California with her husband and later with their children.She takes care of her four children, enjoys swimming, cycling, singing, photography, going on nature trips, attending cultural events, and when time allows, gardening. After her maternity leave and four years of working in a children's group at DDM, it's time for her to return to teaching.

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.

Ivona Kapinusová

Ivona graduated from the Secondary Pedagogical School and then pursued primary school teaching at Charles University in Prague, where she specialized in the didactics and methodology of mathematics under the guidance of Prof. Milan Hejný. After completing her studies, Ivona taught at a primary school for several years and also gained experience in the corporate and non-profit sectors, focusing on educational projects. She plays several musical instruments and, at Square, supports children's interest in education and personal growth. Ivona prioritizes learning in a safe environment full of respect, joy, and creativity. In her free time, Ivona volunteers with pediatric patients at the General University Hospital in Prague.

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.

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

Yanira Lopez

Natália Hrabáková

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.

Magdalena Patočka Antonová

Magdalena holds a master's degree in social pedagogy from FF UK and a bachelor's degree in psychology at PVŠPS. As part of her studies, she went through a self-experiential community training program. Working with people and children continues to interest her because of its variety and uniqueness. Outside of work Magdalena is a picky cinephile who loves coffee, music, the written word, and cultural life.

Veronika Pokorná

Veronika graduated from the Secondary School of Multimedia and Promotional Arts, specializing in photography and media. During her studies, she worked as a barista for four years. A combination of circumstances, or perhaps fate, led her to Square. Both of Veronika’s parents are educators, and she has been positively influenced by this environment from a young age. Now, she is considering pursuing higher education, as she would like to formalize her experience working with children. Veronika enjoys learning new things from children and, in return, strives to pass on what she knows and can do. She appreciates good coffee, refined humor, and creative activities.

Lenka Rzepková

Lenka studied Creative Pedagogy at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. During her studies, she became interested in psychology and art therapy. She taught at various elementary schools and has several years of experience in tutoring children and adults with a different mother tongue in the Czech language. In her practice, she tries to provide creative and playful lessons with an individual and empathetic approach, where everyone gets a chance. Outside of school, she leads creative workshops for children and adults aimed at strengthening mental health, self-confidence and resilience. She also started conducting individual lessons in rhetoric and presentation. In her spare time she paints, travels the world, wrote the book "Nikdy nezapomeň " and has experience in film acting. What she likes most about Square is the philosophy, creativity and openness, which are very close to her heart.

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. 

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. 

Christian Shubart-Knapton

Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Christian is a passionate sports enthusiast and educator. From coaching football and assisting in P.E. classes to teaching English online, he has always loved sharing knowledge and fostering growth. After completing his studies, Christian pursued a career as a professional racing cyclist in North America for four years before making the adventurous move to Prague. There, he has immersed himself in Czech language studies while embracing the local culture and community. With a blend of sportsmanship, teaching, and cultural exploration, Christian continues to embrace new challenges and inspire those around them.

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.

Klára Straková

Klára worked as a barista in coffee shops for several years while studying, but eventually decided to follow her dream – working with children on the autism spectrum. This led her into the field of education, where she fell in love with teaching. Her love for coffee never faded, and you'll usually recognize her by the coffee mug she carries everywhere. After a year in the public education system, she decided to move elsewhere, and that's when she found Square and realised that school can be a pleasant and friendly environment for both children and adults. Besides coffee and her work, Klára enjoys the sun, music festivals, and her cats.

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.

Tereza Netolická

Tereza Netolická comes from a family of teachers. Her grandfather and mother were both teachers who dedicated their lives to working with children, so it was natural for her to follow the same path. She earned her Master's degree at the Faculty of Education at Charles University, where she studied teaching for primary education. For more than ten years, she worked as an editor-in-chief in print media. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to return to education and resumed her original profession, this time also in an online environment. By combining both professions, she collaborated with television, magazines, retail chains, and continues to work with educational game manufacturers. She further supported her personal development by studying management in education. She sees working in the private sector as another important life challenge. In her work with both children and adults, she most values the opportunity to support individuality through various educational methods.

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.

Emily Marvin

Originally from Austin, Texas, Emily relocated to Prague in 2022. Emily earned her teaching degree from Texas State University, specializing in ESL education. Emily has a combined total of 15 years’ experience teaching primary students in public and private schools in the United States and the Czech Republic. Emily is passionate about creating a safe and respectful classroom community that nurtures the whole child through positive relationships and engaging, meaningful learning experiences. When she’s not at school you can find Emily planning her next travel adventure, getting lost in a book or cooking a delicious meal in her kitchen.

Tereza Kotas

Tereza has been working with children for more than 15 years. She started as a teacher's assistant in a private kindergarten in Brno, where she later worked as an English-speaking teacher. She then moved to the Bambino Kindergarten, where she worked mainly with a group of preschoolers. Tereza also gained experience abroad at children's camps and training courses for instructors. She worked with children in Ukraine, Canada and the USA. She studied special pedagogy and first grade teaching. For the past 4 years, she has worked in Square as a first level teacher. From the new school year, she returns to Square after maternity leave as a teaching methodologist. You can meet Tereza in the office and at school events, where she will be more than happy to answer all your questions about Square.

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.