Martina and Andrej Donoval established the school in 2006. Martina provides the school with direction in education, and Andrej adds to the education with his managerial skills. They both love children, and care deeply about developing their potential. They have 3 children of their own. They choose their team of collaborators based on the integrity of character and professional approach to the demanding and challenging work with children.
Martina has worked in progressive education since 1999, when she first attended a European course on character development in Sweden. From 1999 to 2002 she ran her own kindergarten in Banska Bystrica (central Slovakia). In 2002 she traveled to India to attend a training course for preschool teachers, which was held in the city of Lucknow at the biggest school in the world, City Montessori School. The course was based on The School of the Nations, a preschool program from Macao focusing on character development and science. She then used this training to train further groups of teachers and parents throughout Slovakia, including teachers at the Brilliant Stars Kindergarten and Forel International School in Bratislava, where she also worked as the head kindergarten teacher and preschool curriculum designer. She has much experience teaching ESL, as well as running character development courses with various groups of children. She also assisted in the establishment of a very successful after-school ESL program for children aged 6 to 10.
Since 2004 she has been developing the website www.happy-world.org, which provides visual aids and worksheets for teaching children aged 4 to 10. These materials are used and have been praised by parents and teachers from around the world.
Martina received her Montessori degree from The United Montessori Association Teacher Certification Program in Seattle, WA, USA. In the year 2007 Martina received her AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Diploma for ages 3 to 6. She completed this course in Munich, Germany.
Andrej has had 15 years of managerial experience. He ran his own business with up to sixteen employees and eight shops in Banska Bystrica and Zvolen. After moving to Bratislava and while establishing a Montessori preschool with his wife, he discovered his excitement for teaching young children. He has taught children from 2,5 – 6 years of age in an international environment since 2004. He received his AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Diploma for ages 3-6, in Munich, Germany.
