The Cruquius School is completely ready for the future. The old school building on the Cruquiusstraat, located diagonally opposite the basilica on the Leidsevaart, has undergone a major renovation. The building, in which all kinds of original details have been preserved, has been made completely “gas-free” and the educational concept is also in keeping with contemporary times. Location director Mariëlle Witteman and general director Ad de Vlieger are the proud school leaders. The now fully independent public Cruquius School opened three months ago, says De Vlieger, but it has not yet been publicized, also because of the corona problems. “After the summer holidays, we will celebrate the opening of this new school with the parents and the children. Today is also the first day that the school is fully open again. We are ready for the future. “”
One-burner
In 1912 the Cruquius School started at this location as an independent school. The then still Catholic one-man merged in the 1990s with the public Haarlemmerhout School to form the Bos en Vaartschool. When the new Bos en Vaart building was realized and all the children moved to the headquarters, this building became vacant. The demand for public education is high in the urban districts around the basilica. Education umbrella organization Spaarnesant therefore decided to start a new, independent public school, which was given the temporary ‘working name’ Cruquiusschool. That name is now so established that it will not change anymore. Mariëlle Witteman started in 2016 with seven students who were then 4 years old. Since then, a group has been added every year. There are now 93 students. “We have been working for three years and now we have groups 1, 2 and 3. After the summer, a group 4 will be added. This means that in four years time the school will have grown to eight groups. The school remains small-scale. We can go through to about 250 students. “”
There were seven classrooms in the old school building; an eighth room has now been built in the extension. The old gym has been completely renovated and meets the most modern standards and the school has a new auditorium.
Gasless
Nicolaus Samuelis Cruquius (1678-1754) was a well-known scientist and hydraulic engineer. The school that is named after him has also been given a scientific touch. The building is gasless; on the roof are 168 Triple Solar PVT solar panels connected to heat pumps that provide electricity and hot water. Original details have also been preserved. For example, the old school bell has been given a place in the hallway and the high rooms in the building have been maintained. On the outside, a facing brick with a sun and ‘2020’ engraved in it shows off, referring to the PVT panels on the roof.
The educational vision is based on the pillars of citizenship, internationalization and good education. “We have opted for the international primary curicum concept,” says Witteman. “IPC is a method in which business subjects and creative subjects are offered within a theme. The concept focuses on: what do the children already know and what do they still want to know? The child itself has influence on the questions it has. They will look for the answer through the skills we teach them. That makes children the owner of their own learning process. All skills you will need later. More attention is paid to the English language than at other schools. “” There is energy in the school, Witteman says. “You feel that we are building something together.” “
Source: Haarlemsdagblad