Paldiski Ühisgümnaasium is a municipal school in Lääne-Harju region, Estonia. The school is
located in Paldiski, which was a closed military town in the Soviet Union inhabited mainly by
Soviet soldiers and their family members who mainly spoke Russian. Paldiski Ühisgümnaasium
offers both compulsory basic education from grades 1-9 and general secondary education from
grades 10-12. Paldiski Ühisgümnaasium is focused around the idea that all children have the
right to receive education at a nearby school and the principles of inclusive schooling are
implemented. This means that all children in our region have access to basic education,
regardless of their special educational needs or cultural background.
We have the experience of teaching multicultural classrooms and integrating children from a
different cultural background since the opening of the first Estonian basic education school in
Paldiski in 1994, where many families of non-Estonian descent decided to put their children into
an Estonian school so they could acquire the national language. In a way, Paldiski
Ühisgümnaasium has always been an institution where children from different cultural
backgrounds study together regardless of the difference. Throughout the years we have
developed different strategies to support our students’ Estonian language development while
attending classes with native language speakers and also receiving extra language classes
provided by our K2 teachers, if necessary. Around 40% of students are from non-Estonian
descent.
The total number of students is 230, of which 27 are Ukrainian war refugees and 2 are migrants,
who receive personalized learning. Our staff consists of around 45 members.

Website: https://paldgym.edu.ee/

School No. 195, situated in Bucharest, Romania ( 2512 students, 136 paid staff, 16 unpaid staff) has been affiliated to UNESCO since 1999; in 2012 it became European School. The teachers involved in European projects keep developing mindfulness education activities for students, propose workshops, identify means for cultivating attention and reducing students’ stress. Teachers in our school organize extra-curricular activities and exchange their experience. Mirela Vilcu,  coordinating teacher, has been involved in Erasmus+ training courses on multiple non-formal methods, has attended training workshops on how to evaluate the effects of mindfulness. She uses the skills gained there to improve students’ achievements on mindfulness techniques. She is coordinating, since 2018,” 4/4 Project For Friends”. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr’  thoughts : “The most urgent and insistent question of life is: what do you do for others?”, students and teachers celebrated the values of volunteerism and friendship. Teachers in our school know that mindfulness education encourages students to be curious and become lifelong learners. Inquiry-based learning fits with mindfulness education topics, it promotes critical thinking and innovation. Teachers involved in this project use their skills to explore the research behind inquiry-based teaching and the strategies used to engage our students. This mindfulness project helps our students discover ways to develop mindfulness techniques they need for success in a fast-changing and stressful modern world. The key people in this project integrate mindfulness activities into the curriculum, contribute to achieve learning goals that connect mindfulness techniques to education and a healthy lifestyle. The students involved in this project are able to combine the familiar with the unfamiliar, acquiring new skills, discovering mindfulness education. Our students are creative, they are working collaboratively in projects, sharing ideas in their families and groups of friends. Our teachers create activities that trigger students’ curiosity. Using inquiry-based learning, a method in which students drive their learning through the questions that they ask, the involved teachers guide their students to discover the answers on their own, to share and reflect on what they learn, to get self-access support to help them acquire mindfulness techniques, creativity and critical thinking. The involved teachers monitor students’ progress. provide structural support when needed, ensure that the focus remains on students’ questions and observations. Through this project, our students learn to improve their skills and knowledge; they get self-access support to critique, analyze, interpret information; create working theories; ask more questions; bring evidence, integrate new ideas, in order to solve problems connected to mindfulness education.

Website: https://scoala195.invatamantsector3.ro/proiecte-si-programe-educative/

Penacova School Group is a prominent educational cluster located in the
charming town of Penacova, approximately 20 kilometers from Coimbra. Situated
within the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region (CIM-RC), Penacova
spans an area of 217 km² and comprises eight parishes. The Penacova School Group is
made up of 13 educational institutions, providing education from preschool to
secondary levels:

Our Mission and Vision
At Penacova School Group, we foster a sense of belonging among students,
teachers, and staff. Inclusion is a core value, as a non-inclusive school cannot be
considered a quality school. We offer multidisciplinary programs in arts, languages,
sports, reading, and science (Living Science Club Network), and participate in national
and international projects, particularly through ERASMUS+ programs.
Our commitment is to provide tailored pedagogical responses to the
characteristics, needs, and interests of our students, enabling them to acquire
competencies for contemporary society and realize their potential. Our mission and
vision are built on two pillars: the School and the Educational Community, reflected in
our motto: “A SCHOOL OPEN TO THE WORLD.”

Educational Approach
We believe that education should raise awareness of individual roots, equipping
students with the references needed to situate themselves in the world while teaching
respect for others, empathy, and solidarity. Education’s mission is also to provide all
available means for the harmonious development of everyone.

Our Key Values and Goals
Our mission is to provide high-quality education, preparing children and
students to understand and act upon societal dynamics, ensuring equal learning
opportunities for all. Our vision is to be recognized as:

• A leading public institution known for quality teaching and training.
• An inclusive community that respects differences, values humanistic
  principles, creativity, and innovation, and actively contributes to local social and
  cultural development.
• A quality environment, internally and through partnerships with the community
  and institutions.
  Our core values include Commitment, Excellence, Rigor, Efficiency,
  Responsibility, Inclusion, Equity, Respect, Solidarity, Tolerance, Cooperation, Freedom,
  Awareness, Curiosity, Creativity, Innovation, and Environmental Protection.

Key Initiatives

One of our significant projects is the “MindSerena” initiative, an educational
model focused on socio-emotional and ethical learning and personal development.
MindSerena is based on mindfulness principles, socio-emotional competencies (CSE),
and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its mission is to cultivate a culture of
well-being, both personally and socially, and to foster ethical actions that encourage
self-care, caring for others, and caring for nature. The project aims to develop human
values, socio-emotional and attentional skills, and conscious presence, benefiting
students, teachers, parents, and other educational agents.

Conclusion
Penacova School Group stands as a beacon of inclusive and holistic education,
committed to the growth and development of its students and the broader educational
community. With our motto “A SCHOOL OPEN TO THE WORLD,” we continue to
evolve, embracing the future while staying rooted in our values and traditions.

Website: https://www.aepenacova.pt/home

The 5th Gymnasium of Neapolis is located west of the city of Thessaloniki in Central
Macedonia, Greece. It consists of about 180 students aged 12-15 years old and 26 teachers.
In addition, it has integration classes for students with learning difficulties. It is a school that
implements several environmental, cultural, eTwinning and health education programmes. It
has for 9 years an active school mediation team. Since January 2023 it has been
implementing its first Erasmus project entitled DO IT, and for the last two years teachers
have been receiving training and trying to take on other European projects through new
applications.

School website: https://5gym-neapol.thess.sch.gr/