Our team
Kindergarten management
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Martina Olivová
Founder, Managing Director
Motto: „Don´t wait for someone to guide you. Do it yourself!”
She graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Technical University of Ostrava, majoring in marketing and business. She was working for more than 10 years in marketing and sociological research and consulting for large multinational companies. In 2004 she founded first a Magic Hill pre-school and in 2006 an elementary school. She has attended numerous personal development seminars and professional courses in pedagogy, psychology, critical thinking academy, leadership and management training. She is involved in charity projects and is a partner in the patient organization for Cystic Fibrosis (Klub nemocných cystickou fibrózou).
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Klára Dočekalová
Pre-school principal
Motto: „The next age is defined by the upbringing of its future citizens.“ Jan Amos Komenský
She graduated from the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, majoring in school pedagogy and pedagogy of personal and social development. She has a long time experience as a teacher in elementary school at the 1st and 2nd level, she also worked as a deputy head teacher for 3 years. Moreover, Klára has experience of working outside the direct field of education, having worked as a methodologist and project coordinator in non-profit organizations. She is also a graduate of many seminars in pedagogy and personal development such as Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking, Starting Together (Začít Spolu), Individual Planning, Leadership Academy.
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Elham Parsian
Head of preschool teachers
Motto: „Follow your dreams, transform your life.”
Elham is originally from Iran, where she graduated from the University of Art, then she studied Czech language at Charles University and further expanded her expertise in pre-school pedagogy. Her experience includes teaching art to children from pre-schools, up to University students, 3 years of teaching art in an elementary school in Iran, 2 years working in a pre-school in Montreal and teaching a course in creative writing. She has been working in our pre-school since 2017 with a break for maternity leave. In addition to working with pre-school children, she leads art classes in elementary school.
Teachers staff
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Anna Elgaebary
Motto: „The most beautiful music is children’s laughter.”
Anna is a graduate of the Master’s degree at the Faculty of Education Charles University in special education with a focus on speech therapy. During her studies she completed internships in special schools, worked with children with visual impairments and hearing impairments, and at the same time worked with young people with combined disabilities at the Jedlička Institute in Prague. For the last 3 years she worked as a teacher in a Czech-English preschool in Prague and she also worked as a school speech therapist. Anna is very communicative and her hobbies include music, playing guitar, sports and all creative art activities.
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Micaela Gacusan
Motto: „When a career and a passion come together, it creates a beautiful and happy life.”
Originally from the Philippines, she holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Tarlac State University and is also a TESOL certified teacher. She has been working as an English teacher since 2012, first in elementary schools in the Philippines where she worked as a Head teacher in an international school. Between 2014 and 2018, she worked as a Head Teacher in a pre-school in Jakarta. Since 2018, she has been living in the Czech Republic and working as a teacher first in elementary school and since 2020 in our pre-school. She is also a graduate of many courses such as Speech and drama to young learners or Basic principles of story telling.
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Viktorie Chamradová
Motto: “Go your own way and let people talk.”
Viktorie is a graduate of a business academy and a language school and is currently a student of the Higher School of Social and Law, majoring in social pedagogy. As part of her study practice, she worked in social services, a retirement home and as an assistant in an elementary school. Viktorie also worked as an au-pair in the UK. He has been with the Magic Hill team since 2022.
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Amy Nunnelly Kokeš
Motto: „Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” John Steinbeck
Amy graduated from Jacksonville University in the United States, majoring in elementary education. She has 15 years of experience as a teacher. Prior to coming to the Czech Republic, she taught for 5 years at an elementary school in Alabama. Since 2014 she has been living in Prague and working as an elementary school teacher. Amy has also work experience as a form teacher and principal in a preschool. She is very versatile, in addition to her teaching experience, she has experience in summer camps, as an afternoon teacher, and has completed a Leadership in schools internship course in Finland.
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Martina Kynclová
Motto: „What you begin with, is not important. What you end up with, is what matters.”
Martina graduated from a secondary industrial school and worked in commercial companies. She also worked as an au pair with young children in Germany. She joined Magic Hill in 2019 as an assistant in the after-school programme, where she also completed a training course for educative carers for children up to the start of compulsory schooling. She then moved to our pre-school and successfully completed her teaching qualification by studying pre-school and after-school pedagogy at secondary school.
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Pavithra Melshani Costa
Motto: „The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”Mark Van Doren
Originally from Sri Lanka, Pavithra graduated in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Ladies’ college institute of professional studies. Since 2015, she has worked first as an Early Childhood Education and English teacher and then as a Head Teacher in an international American school in Sri Lanka. She is currently completing her Masters in Education at the University of Chichester, England. Pavithra has also attended many professional seminars such as first aid for children, learning difficulties of younger children and teaching methods for preschool children.
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Iurii Pakhtusov
School psychologist
Motto: „Be he change, you strive to see in the world.“ Mahátma Gándhí
Iurii graduated from the Faculty of Education of Charles University in Psychology, specializing in child and school psychology. During his studies he had the opportunity to complete several professional courses in Germany, where he was introduced to the international perspective on psychology in education. After graduation, Iurii gained long-term experience as a school psychologist at private primary school in Prague, where he was actively involved in supporting and development of children with special needs. Iurii completed a number of internships at elementary schools, in educational-psychological counseling centers and psychiatry clinics. In addition, he is a supporter of the concept of Mindfulness and its application in the context of education. He uses it in his work with children and young people to help them develop attention, emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
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Jana Pátková
Motto: „If you can help others, do so!“”
Jana graduated from the secondary school of education and has been working in pre-schools for her entire professional life, which is more than 30 years. Before our pre-school she worked in the pre-school Čtyřlístek Říčany. Here she also led the children’s music ensemble Mikeš, Jana plays the violin and participated in the creation of the nature garden. She has been working in our pre-school since 2016. She has attended a number of seminars, for example, in the field of non-violent communication, Mindfulness for children. During our school events she is the medical assistant for our students.
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Kateřina Rychterová
Motto: „Only the children themselves know, what they are searching for.”Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Katka graduated from a secondary vocational school and has been dedicated to the care of the human body and developing its potential throughout her whole life. For 27 years she lived in the United States of America, where, in addition to working in various fields, she worked for several years as a classroom teacher’s assistant in an elementary school. She also taught art, managed the school library and worked as a tutor. She is a part of our team at Magic Hill since 2021.
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Daniela Zepeda Arancibia
Motto: „Of all things love is the most potent.”
Originally from Chile, she graduated from High School in Chile and also Rio Vista High School in California in USA. She is a graduate of many courses and seminars focused on English language teaching, such as the Teachers Training course and the Teachers Pre-school Training course organized by The Anglo Mexican Foundation in Mexico City. She has been teaching English since 2006 and since 2012 she has been working in Prague, as a teacher in pre-schools and language schools. She is a part of Magic Hill since 2018.