Concert to Benefit St. John's School's
St. John the Evangelist School has been operating for almost two years. It all started with the idea to create a school with a holistic approach to children's education. A school that would provide them with a supportive and friendly atmosphere where they can develop their various talents not only in standard academic fields but also in those in which results are less visible to the eye and cannot be measured by a grade. Today there are 67 students total in first and second grade. A new set of first graders is ready to start their studies this September, and the school will count more than a 100 students.
The home parish of the school is the church of St John the Baptist in Nõmme, Tallinn. Initially we hoped to find premises for the school nearby, in this peaceful and green part of town that has good rail and bus connections to other parts of Tallinn. However, there turned out to be few premises that would meet our needs, and we had to look elsewhere.
During the first year of activity, the Catholic St Michael's Society lent a helping hand, providing us with two classrooms in Vene Street in central Tallinn. They were renovated with the help of parents. The following school year, with the intake of new students, we had look for a new location. After a long search, we managed to find new premises at an affordable price a few hundred meters away, at 4 Viru street.
The school has operated in Viru street this school year and will continue to be located there in 2015/16. However, we continue the search for a permanent location, preferably in Nõmme. Alongside the management of the school, a group of active parents is involved in the effort to find and finance our own house.
The St. John's School has been able to finance itself prudently so far, using funds from government and municipal sources combined with tuition, and engaging in fundraising. Despite the changing location, the school has developed its own face and traditions. A circle of dedicated families who have entrusted their children to our new school has formed. This solid foundation is in a way more valuable than a quickly found schoolhouse. A measure of struggle in the face of uncertainty has produced in all concerned a sense of solidarity and resourcefulness. It has also enabled us to come up with a more precise vision of the future schoolhouse.
A wonderful occasion to support the future of our young school will be the benefit concert taking place on May 3rd at 4 PM in the Jaani church, Tallinn. All welcome!