Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School
Encyclopedia
The Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School (in Hungarian Deák Ferenc Gimnázium) is a public, co-educational secondary school in Szeged
, Hungary
established in 1988 which makes it the youngest secondary educational institution in the city of Szeged
; it is named after Ferenc Deák
, a famous Hungarian 19th century politician who is also known as the „Sage of the Nation”. From the beginning, language education served as the main focus of the school in addition to its mission to provide a multifunctional place amidst its surroundings of panel
housing estate
s, hence it leashes out the Theater Hall—which can be opened together with the Atrium—for various cultural programs. The school has been participating in the debate forum called European Classes since 1997, it is the member of the initiative PUSCH ("Schools: Partners of the future"), and that of the DSD program since 2008. The rate of acceptance to higher education is 89-90 %.
Student within the Hungarian-English bilingual program have a higher number of classes from English. Furthermore, for them, the language of education concerning Mathematics, Biology, Geography and History (both Hungarian and World History) is English. Throughout all of their four years of learning, these courses are complemented by a special English Conversation Class with native speakers, and by the same token a so-called Civilization class is offered from 11th grade. The school has a wide range of international connections, thus bilingual student (along with those of the Special English program) and students of the Special German program have the opportunity to participate in the exchange programs with Brooks School
(North Andover, United States of America) and with Eleonorenschule (Darmstadt
, Germany
), respectively.
had realized the altering tendencies that higher and higher percentages of students ought to be provided secondary education
. In the spirit of the aforementioned situation, the Executive Committee of the Municipal Council
of Szeged
stipulated in 1985 that a new high school be built in the area marked by Anyagod Street and József Attila Boulevard (22740 yd2), of which István Novák, architect of Csomiterv Ltd. was appointed. He designed a multifunctional school with 24 class-rooms, with abilities to be used for various occasions, and with enrolment capacity of 800-1000 students. On August 1, 1988, the general contractor announced the end of construction, hence the faculty started to move in.
Three possibilities of choices were given to the Board of Teachers to decide after whom the school should be named:
Count Kunó Klebensberg
was soon declared out of the contest given the difficult pronunciation of his name and it eventually ended in a draw between the two other alternatives. Dr. László Kovács, the first principal (1987–1992), avowed—with the intention to resolve the situation—that his vote counts as two, hence the name „Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School” came into being. It was a decision that the Municipal Council
did not want to accept, therefore the principal applied to Tibor Czibere
, the then Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of Hungary for help. Not until this errant did the name become official.
Given the institution’s focus on foreign languages, it was Mark Palmer
, former United States
Ambassador to Hungary
(1986–1990|90) who was asked to inaugurate the school. In the year of the opening, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School and the Embassy of the United States Budapest coöperated on a weekly basis so that even Frank Press
, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences paid a visit in the school; what is more it was in the same year when the exchange program between Deák and Brooks School
in Massachusetts
was launched. The school continued to keep its connections to foreign affairs later on as well, hence upon the visit of the then German Ambassador to Hungary, every student was provided free visas to the late West-Germany.
The first principal, Dr. László Kovács considered equipping the school and filling it with teachers and students to be his prime duty. During his principalship, he procured 64 televisions, two class-rooms of computers, 42 sets of skiing equipment and installed a studio so as to enrich the school. He employed several former teachers from Ságvári High School while the Body of Students was from Radnóti Miklós High School, Tömörkény István High School and Ságvári High School. Even though these students have started in the building of their old schools, they pursued their education in the new institution. Accordingly, the first two Hungarian-English bilingual classes spent their freshman year in Radnóti; however, under the eagis of Deák’s new Board of Teachers. In those days, it was but a mere number of three foreign languages besides English which could been acquired—Italian
, Spanish
and German
—prior to the introduction of French
in 1989. In 1991 the school launched its „6-year high school” programIn the 1990s numerous Hungarian secodary educational institutions started to offer a„6-year high school” program according to which parents were allowed to send their children to high school in 6th grade. For more informations see: Education in Hungary
onto which Deák focused more and more attention; moreover, in the very same decade the palette of education was complemented with a new program in which students had a higher number of literature and history lessons and with special language programs.
Principal Dr. József Kovács pre-eminently aimed at maintaining the endurance of the „6-year high school” program. During his principalship the institute was a nationally noted high school reaching number 13 on the list of Best High Schools in Hungary and later on as well it was in the best 40. With the help of the financial support of Soros Foundation
, Deák was able to furnish its first computer laboratory and in 1995 it established another class-room with an up-to-date network of computers. As a result of Vice-Principal Dr. József Müller’s activities, a connection between Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School and Darmstadt
came into existence, due to which the then leadership of the German
city presented him the annual Freundschaft in Frieden und Freiheit plaquette (i.e. Friendship in Peace and Freedom”).
Dr. Mihály Révész had been elected principal in 1996, following which he acted for external management, the enhancement of inner artistic freedom and for strengthening the pedagogical program until the end of his tenure in 2001. It was during his principalship when the English Language Summer Camp was started via the American teacher Arden Campbell. The American pedagogue arrived to Deák in 1991 through Educational Services International; and given her services for the school throughout the years, former Vice-Principal Dr. József Müller even called her one of the “founders of the school”. In the same year, the list of overseas partner schools was complemented with Covenant School, Virginia
.
In the academic term of 1998/1999, the new Computing and Informatics Program became available along with the Special German one, which were followed by the Special Spanish Program in 2001 and the Special English program in 2004. Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008, commemorating which a week long set of events was organized in Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School.
Award, while Miklós Borsos’ work can be examined above the main entrance. The school itself is a reinforced concrete structure using 4-5 different panel elements for the exterior, since the then Leadership of Szeged had the elements ordered from a concrete panel factory.
In the Hungarian-English Bilingual program—present since the opening of the school—has started among the very first such programs in Hungary. Students in this program learn English on an advanced level throughout their four years of high school, and have special English Conversation classes with either American or British native speakers so as to practice the language orally and to improve conversation skills. Five subjects are thought in English:
Admissions to the bilingual program generally happens on a regional scale and requires the central entrance examination to be complemented with an oral examination in English. Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary visited Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School in November 12, 2010, and expressed encomiums on the remarkable fluency the program provides for students.
Pupils in the Hungarian-English Bilingual program and those of the Special English program have the opportunity to apply for exchange with Brooks School
which started in 1989 and in the frames of which approximately four students are given scholarship to this private school of North Andover, Massachusetts
. Following this near three month exchange, the participants have to host the American students coming to Hungary.
The same groups of students can apply for European Classes, an English language debate forum in which the institution has been participating since 1994. Participants—imitating the European Parliament
—discuss topics concerning the continent’s economical and political hardships while connecting to other institutions’ regularly attending students from Romania
, Denmark
and Germany
thus becoming acquainted with their culture
s.
The Special German program is in accordance with the German DSD program (Deutsches Sprachdiplom) meaning after the end of their secondary education, students receive their language certificates from the German Federal Republic
herself, which enables them not to have to be required to take a special German entrance exam when applying to a German university. The objective of the aforementioned program is to ensure a solid background in the knowledge of the German language
and culture for students of non-German school, which later on could help them to acquire job and to pursue their education in Germanophone countries. Pupils learn German on an advanced level; and furthermore, they are aided by a native teacher to practice orally and to develop high fluency.
The special class of Soccer Academy is consistent with the general curriculum of sport schools and was born to provide a sufficient basis for its players who wish not to solely concentrate on their sport achievements but on their advanced education as well. The conception of the program arose in the spring of 2007—nevertheless, such initiatives were considered in the past as well— thus in September 2008 the school enrolled its first class in this program. The team received the titles “Best Association Football Team of The City of Szeged” and “Best Association Football Team of Csongrád County”; moreover, they came second in the semi final of the National Student Olympics within the same year. Admission to this program generally happens on a regional scale during which applicant have to take the central entrance examination along with a sport aptitude test. In order to guarantee the level of professional training, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School called for tighter cooperation with Tisza Volán SC Youth Division and KÉSZ Soccer Academy Endowment.
It is the declared aim of Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School to provide a qualification for students enrolled in this program with the help of which they can examine the stream of information
of the contemporary era through a critical perspective. Apart from the national entrance examination, applicants to this program are required to go through an oral examination for which they have to prepare from five classical films
—chosen from the list stipulated by the school—and from two arbitrary ones. They are expected to examine these from both a narrative point-of-view and from film technological point-of-view as well; moreover, the application procedure includes a discussion concerning media history and contemporary media events. Concerning the National Secondary School Academic Competition, students of the Motion Picture Culture and Media program have always reached the Top 9 with their project works between the academic years of 2004/2005 and 2009/2010.
Following the szalagtűző, the szalagavató ball is organized in the Atrium of the school for which seniors perform English
and Viennese waltz
es in addition to their respective class dances of choice and the teacher-student dance (dance couples are formed by student requesting a member of the faculty to dance) which is an English waltz
too as a rule. As result of a new, peculiar initiative, dances are not accompanied recorded music, but by live music provided by the Deák Big Band. As soon as all the dances end, students form into lines and the principal proposes a toast from atop the stairs of the Atrium following which the students clink glasses with each other and with their teachers. The dinner afterwards is organized in the building of the school as well; student and their family sit around tables placed in different class-rooms while the Theater Hall functions as a disco
. The ball is concluded by leaving the institution for a remote after-party.
and German
, besides those of Romance-languages like French
and Italian language\Italian. During the contest, texts of various styles and topics (such as literary or publicistic works) are to be interpreted.
Enhancing the evolution of cohesion among new students, each first grader class have to perform a class dance of arbitrary style and choreography. The ball commences with the greeting of new students and with the introduction of the jury which decides over the best class dance. Following the dances comes the stork oath; meanwhile, the jury totalizes the points. The class which wins is granted a trophy and the right to organize the event in the subsequent year. The ball is ended with a disco held in the Theater Hall and with the concert of different school bands in the dining hall.
on Széchenyi Square each year on the day of his birth, October 17. Apart from this event, students also pay tribute to him—on the day of his death—in the National Pantheon which is found on Dóm Square
in front of the Votive Church of Szeged
.
so as to enhance the formation of class communities. During this day, freshmen have to participate in various team sports and other team competitions.
Notes:
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
established in 1988 which makes it the youngest secondary educational institution in the city of Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
; it is named after Ferenc Deák
Ferenc Deák
Ferenc Deák de Kehida , , was a Hungarian statesman and Minister of Justice. He was known as "The Wise Man of the Nation".-Early life and law career:...
, a famous Hungarian 19th century politician who is also known as the „Sage of the Nation”. From the beginning, language education served as the main focus of the school in addition to its mission to provide a multifunctional place amidst its surroundings of panel
Panelák
is a colloquial term in Czech and Slovak for a panel building constructed of pre-fabricated, pre-stressed concrete, such as those extant in Czech Republic and elsewhere in the former Soviet bloc...
housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
s, hence it leashes out the Theater Hall—which can be opened together with the Atrium—for various cultural programs. The school has been participating in the debate forum called European Classes since 1997, it is the member of the initiative PUSCH ("Schools: Partners of the future"), and that of the DSD program since 2008. The rate of acceptance to higher education is 89-90 %.
Student within the Hungarian-English bilingual program have a higher number of classes from English. Furthermore, for them, the language of education concerning Mathematics, Biology, Geography and History (both Hungarian and World History) is English. Throughout all of their four years of learning, these courses are complemented by a special English Conversation Class with native speakers, and by the same token a so-called Civilization class is offered from 11th grade. The school has a wide range of international connections, thus bilingual student (along with those of the Special English program) and students of the Special German program have the opportunity to participate in the exchange programs with Brooks School
Brooks School
Brooks School is a private, co-educational, preparatory, secondary school in North Andover, Massachusetts on the shores of Lake Cochichewick.-History:...
(North Andover, United States of America) and with Eleonorenschule (Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), respectively.
History
By the end of the 1980s, the leadership of SzegedSzeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
had realized the altering tendencies that higher and higher percentages of students ought to be provided secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. In the spirit of the aforementioned situation, the Executive Committee of the Municipal Council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
of Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
stipulated in 1985 that a new high school be built in the area marked by Anyagod Street and József Attila Boulevard (22740 yd2), of which István Novák, architect of Csomiterv Ltd. was appointed. He designed a multifunctional school with 24 class-rooms, with abilities to be used for various occasions, and with enrolment capacity of 800-1000 students. On August 1, 1988, the general contractor announced the end of construction, hence the faculty started to move in.
Three possibilities of choices were given to the Board of Teachers to decide after whom the school should be named:
- Kunó KlebensbergKuno von KlebelsbergCount Kuno von Klebelsberg was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Hungary between the two world wars....
who served as Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for SzegedSzeged' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
from 1920, Minister of the Interior and later on as Minister of Religion and Culture - Mihály KárolyiMihály KárolyiCount Mihály Ádám György Miklós Károlyi de Nagykároly was briefly Hungary's leader in 1918-19 during a short-lived democracy...
, the first Prime Minister then President of the First Republic of Hungary - Ferenc DeákFerenc DeákFerenc Deák de Kehida , , was a Hungarian statesman and Minister of Justice. He was known as "The Wise Man of the Nation".-Early life and law career:...
, the so-called „Sage of the Nation” who orchestrated the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.
Count Kunó Klebensberg
Kuno von Klebelsberg
Count Kuno von Klebelsberg was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Hungary between the two world wars....
was soon declared out of the contest given the difficult pronunciation of his name and it eventually ended in a draw between the two other alternatives. Dr. László Kovács, the first principal (1987–1992), avowed—with the intention to resolve the situation—that his vote counts as two, hence the name „Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School” came into being. It was a decision that the Municipal Council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
did not want to accept, therefore the principal applied to Tibor Czibere
Tibor Czibere
Tibor Czibere is a former Hungarian engineer and politician, who served as Minister of Education between 1988 and 1989. He is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences since 1985. Czibere served as rector of the University of Miskolc between 1978 and 1986.-References:*...
, the then Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of Hungary for help. Not until this errant did the name become official.
Given the institution’s focus on foreign languages, it was Mark Palmer
Mark Palmer
Robie Marcus Hooker Palmer is a former United States Ambassador to Hungary . He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Committee on the Present Danger, Vice Chairman of Freedom House and the Council for a Community of Democracies. He is also the co-founder of the National...
, former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
(1986–1990|90) who was asked to inaugurate the school. In the year of the opening, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School and the Embassy of the United States Budapest coöperated on a weekly basis so that even Frank Press
Frank Press
Frank Press is an American geophysicist.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Press was science advisor to President Jimmy Carter from1976 to 1980,and president of the U.S. NationalAcademy of Sciences from 1981 to 1993...
, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences paid a visit in the school; what is more it was in the same year when the exchange program between Deák and Brooks School
Brooks School
Brooks School is a private, co-educational, preparatory, secondary school in North Andover, Massachusetts on the shores of Lake Cochichewick.-History:...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
was launched. The school continued to keep its connections to foreign affairs later on as well, hence upon the visit of the then German Ambassador to Hungary, every student was provided free visas to the late West-Germany.
The first principal, Dr. László Kovács considered equipping the school and filling it with teachers and students to be his prime duty. During his principalship, he procured 64 televisions, two class-rooms of computers, 42 sets of skiing equipment and installed a studio so as to enrich the school. He employed several former teachers from Ságvári High School while the Body of Students was from Radnóti Miklós High School, Tömörkény István High School and Ságvári High School. Even though these students have started in the building of their old schools, they pursued their education in the new institution. Accordingly, the first two Hungarian-English bilingual classes spent their freshman year in Radnóti; however, under the eagis of Deák’s new Board of Teachers. In those days, it was but a mere number of three foreign languages besides English which could been acquired—Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
—prior to the introduction of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in 1989. In 1991 the school launched its „6-year high school” programIn the 1990s numerous Hungarian secodary educational institutions started to offer a„6-year high school” program according to which parents were allowed to send their children to high school in 6th grade. For more informations see: Education in Hungary
Education in Hungary
-The social environment of education:The decline of Hungary's population that started in 1981 has also continued in recent years. According to the 2001 census, the population of Hungary was 10,198,000, about half a million less than the figure of twenty years earlier. By 2005 the population dropped...
onto which Deák focused more and more attention; moreover, in the very same decade the palette of education was complemented with a new program in which students had a higher number of literature and history lessons and with special language programs.
Principal Dr. József Kovács pre-eminently aimed at maintaining the endurance of the „6-year high school” program. During his principalship the institute was a nationally noted high school reaching number 13 on the list of Best High Schools in Hungary and later on as well it was in the best 40. With the help of the financial support of Soros Foundation
Soros Foundation
A Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe, which fund volunteer socio-political activity, created by George Soros, international financier and self-proclaimed philanthropist, and coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the...
, Deák was able to furnish its first computer laboratory and in 1995 it established another class-room with an up-to-date network of computers. As a result of Vice-Principal Dr. József Müller’s activities, a connection between Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School and Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
came into existence, due to which the then leadership of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
city presented him the annual Freundschaft in Frieden und Freiheit plaquette (i.e. Friendship in Peace and Freedom”).
Dr. Mihály Révész had been elected principal in 1996, following which he acted for external management, the enhancement of inner artistic freedom and for strengthening the pedagogical program until the end of his tenure in 2001. It was during his principalship when the English Language Summer Camp was started via the American teacher Arden Campbell. The American pedagogue arrived to Deák in 1991 through Educational Services International; and given her services for the school throughout the years, former Vice-Principal Dr. József Müller even called her one of the “founders of the school”. In the same year, the list of overseas partner schools was complemented with Covenant School, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
In the academic term of 1998/1999, the new Computing and Informatics Program became available along with the Special German one, which were followed by the Special Spanish Program in 2001 and the Special English program in 2004. Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008, commemorating which a week long set of events was organized in Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School.
Building
István Novák—in order to create a multifunctional institution—designed a spacious school with well-illuminated areas, thus developing an environment where students could spend their extracurricular time. The gymnasium (which can have up to three sections with the help of divider curtains), the library (standing at 20000 volumes), the spacious buffet, the modern studio and the Atrium were all born corresponding to this conception; opened together with the Theater Hall, the former one is able to host the whole school. Dr. László Kovács, the future first principal, modified the original plans: he had the wall separating the Atrium and the Theater Hall changed to a movable one; he made the gymnasium suitable for installing tennis or volleyball nets; what is more, he arrangement of lockers was also developed by him. Besides these facilities, the original plans featured a short course swimming pool as well where the school wished to have swimming lessons and competitions alike, but it was never built. The interior of the building is the work of Designer Mihály Szekeres, the winner of 1985 Mihály MunkácsyMihály Munkácsy
Mihály Munkácsy was a Hungarian painter, who lived in Paris and earned international reputation with his genre pictures and large scale biblical paintings.-Early Years of Munkácsy:...
Award, while Miklós Borsos’ work can be examined above the main entrance. The school itself is a reinforced concrete structure using 4-5 different panel elements for the exterior, since the then Leadership of Szeged had the elements ordered from a concrete panel factory.
Principals
| Principal | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr. László Kovács | 1988–1993 |
| 2. | Attila Kirsch | 1993 |
| 3. | Dr. József Kovács | 1993–1996 |
| 4. | Dr. Mihály Révész | 1996–2001 |
| 5. | Gábor Kiss | 2001– |
Hungarian-English Bilingual program
| Distinguishing code | 01 |
|---|---|
| Length of study | 4 years |
In the Hungarian-English Bilingual program—present since the opening of the school—has started among the very first such programs in Hungary. Students in this program learn English on an advanced level throughout their four years of high school, and have special English Conversation classes with either American or British native speakers so as to practice the language orally and to improve conversation skills. Five subjects are thought in English:
- Mathematics, History (9th-12th grade)
- Geography (9th-10th grade)
- Biology (10th-12th grade)
- Civilization (11th-12th grade)During Civilization classes students learn about the history, literature, geography, administration, political and every-day life of Anglophone countries around the globe.
Admissions to the bilingual program generally happens on a regional scale and requires the central entrance examination to be complemented with an oral examination in English. Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary visited Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School in November 12, 2010, and expressed encomiums on the remarkable fluency the program provides for students.
Pupils in the Hungarian-English Bilingual program and those of the Special English program have the opportunity to apply for exchange with Brooks School
Brooks School
Brooks School is a private, co-educational, preparatory, secondary school in North Andover, Massachusetts on the shores of Lake Cochichewick.-History:...
which started in 1989 and in the frames of which approximately four students are given scholarship to this private school of North Andover, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Following this near three month exchange, the participants have to host the American students coming to Hungary.
The same groups of students can apply for European Classes, an English language debate forum in which the institution has been participating since 1994. Participants—imitating the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
—discuss topics concerning the continent’s economical and political hardships while connecting to other institutions’ regularly attending students from Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
thus becoming acquainted with their culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
s.
Special German program
| Distinguishing code | 05 |
|---|---|
| Length of study | 4 years |
The Special German program is in accordance with the German DSD program (Deutsches Sprachdiplom) meaning after the end of their secondary education, students receive their language certificates from the German Federal Republic
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
herself, which enables them not to have to be required to take a special German entrance exam when applying to a German university. The objective of the aforementioned program is to ensure a solid background in the knowledge of the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and culture for students of non-German school, which later on could help them to acquire job and to pursue their education in Germanophone countries. Pupils learn German on an advanced level; and furthermore, they are aided by a native teacher to practice orally and to develop high fluency.
Soccer Academy program
| Distinguishing code | 10 |
|---|---|
| Length of study | 4 years |
The special class of Soccer Academy is consistent with the general curriculum of sport schools and was born to provide a sufficient basis for its players who wish not to solely concentrate on their sport achievements but on their advanced education as well. The conception of the program arose in the spring of 2007—nevertheless, such initiatives were considered in the past as well— thus in September 2008 the school enrolled its first class in this program. The team received the titles “Best Association Football Team of The City of Szeged” and “Best Association Football Team of Csongrád County”; moreover, they came second in the semi final of the National Student Olympics within the same year. Admission to this program generally happens on a regional scale during which applicant have to take the central entrance examination along with a sport aptitude test. In order to guarantee the level of professional training, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School called for tighter cooperation with Tisza Volán SC Youth Division and KÉSZ Soccer Academy Endowment.
Motion Picture Culture and Media program
| Distinguishing code | 09 |
|---|---|
| Length of study | 4 years |
It is the declared aim of Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School to provide a qualification for students enrolled in this program with the help of which they can examine the stream of information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
of the contemporary era through a critical perspective. Apart from the national entrance examination, applicants to this program are required to go through an oral examination for which they have to prepare from five classical films
Classical Hollywood cinema
Classical Hollywood cinema or the classical Hollywood narrative, are terms used in film history which designates both a visual and sound style for making motion pictures and a mode of production used in the American film industry between roughly the 1910s and the early 1960s.Classical style is...
—chosen from the list stipulated by the school—and from two arbitrary ones. They are expected to examine these from both a narrative point-of-view and from film technological point-of-view as well; moreover, the application procedure includes a discussion concerning media history and contemporary media events. Concerning the National Secondary School Academic Competition, students of the Motion Picture Culture and Media program have always reached the Top 9 with their project works between the academic years of 2004/2005 and 2009/2010.
Other programs
| Distinguishing code | |
|---|---|
| International studies program | 02 |
| International studies, economy program | 03 |
| Special English program | 04 |
| Ordinary programStudent enrolled in the Ordinary Program learn both of their foreign languages on an advanced level during their four years of secondary education. | 07 |
| Special Spanish program | 08 |
Achievements
Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School features among the Best 60 or Best 70 in the nation with the rate of acceptance to higher education of 89-90 %. 90-95 % of students of the Hungarian-English Bilingual program take their complex advanced language examinations by the end of their senior year; what is more, 67 % of all students do so as well. Concerning other foreign languages, 70-80 % of the whole enrollment takes language exams from one or two languages by the end of 12th grade.| Results of the school leaving examination (2009) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Percent Average (Standard Level) | Grade Average (Standard Level) | Percent Average (Advanced Level) | Grade Average (Advanced Level) |
| Mathematics | 65,90 | 3,88 | 82,00 | 5,00 |
| Hungarian Literature and Grammar | 75,63 | 4,39 | 52,87 | 3,94 |
| History | 66,91 | 3,97 | 60,12 | 4,12 |
| English language | 84,37 | 4,74 | 81,67 | 4,90 |
| German language | 76,03 | 4,17 | 80,00 | 5,00 |
| Biology | 74,00 | 4,33 | 61,60 | 4,60 |
| Physics | 59,22 | 3,56 | - | - |
| Chemistry | 78,40 | 4,40 | 82,33 | 5,00 |
| Informatics | 67,93 | 4,04 | - | - |
| Geography | 77,79 | 4,64 | 65,00 | 5,00 |
| Results of the school leaving examination (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Percent Average (Standard Level) | Grade Average (Standard Level) | Percent Average (Advanced Level) | Grade Average (Advanced Level) |
| Mathematics | 63,55 | 3,71 | 71,00 | 5,00 |
| Hungarian Literature and Grammar | 74,45 | 4,31 | 57,17 | 3,83 |
| History | 72,88 | 4,26 | 63,14 | 4,57 |
| English language | 81,86 | 4,64 | 77,28 | 4,97 |
| German language | 88,56 | 4,92 | 93,33 | 5,00 |
| Biology | 70,12 | 4,03 | 60,36 | 4,18 |
| Physics | 73,33 | 4,33 | 77,00 | 5,00 |
| Chemistry | 71,86 | 4,00 | 73,00 | 5,00 |
| Informatics | 73,00 | 4,21 | - | - |
| Geography | 82,50 | 4,83 | - | - |
| The number of students leaving the school (A) and the number of failures (B) between 2008 and 2010 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | A | B |
| 2008/2009. | 28 | 3 |
| 2009/2010. | 22 | 3 |
Partnerships
List of schools with which Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School has had continuing exchanges or where the institution pays regular visits so as to enhance its international connection:Exchange programs
| School | Location |
|---|---|
| Brooks School Brooks School Brooks School is a private, co-educational, preparatory, secondary school in North Andover, Massachusetts on the shores of Lake Cochichewick.-History:... |
North Andover, United States of America |
| Eleonorenschule Darmstadt | Darmstadt Darmstadt Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
| Tamási Áron High School | Odorheiu Secuiesc Odorheiu Secuiesc Odorheiu Secuiesc is the second-largest city in Harghita County, Transylvania, Romania. In its short form, it is also known as Odorhei in Romanian and Udvarhely in Hungarian... , Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
| Covenant School | Charlotteville Charlotteville Charlotteville is a village lying on the north-eastern tip of Tobago on Man-o-war Bay.First European settlers to the area arrived 1633, with more settlers arrived in 1639. The history of the village is closely linked to sugar farming, and Charlotteville's deep water harbour was also of importance... , United States of America |
| Gummersbach | Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Other connections
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| [www.fulbright.hu Fullbright Association] | United States of America |
| Educational Services International | California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... , United States of America |
| British Council | Kingdom of England Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England... |
| Goethe Institution | Federal Republic of Germany |
| U.S. Embassy in Budapest | United States of America, Republic of Hungary |
Deák Olympics
Deák Olympics is an annual academic competition among all the different grades from all subjects taught in the school; however, an artistic competition and an essay writing are also part of the events as well. Sport competitions are likewise organized—in the frame of this event—in concordance with the students’ wishes. Following semi-finals and finals, the result announcement ceremony is due to a day without teaching in the spring. On the day of Deák Olympics itself, presentations, film screenings, tea house, minor competitions (such as the student-teacher chess or poker tournaments) or exhibitions are held in the school before the result announcement ceremony. The event is organised in order to improve the school community and the cohesion within it.Szalagtűző and szalagavató
The szalagtűző (literally ribbon pinning ceremony) and szalagavató (literally ribbon inauguration ceremony) are traditions in an abundant number of Hungarian high schools during which senior students are given a ribbon symbolizing the end of their secondary education. In Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School the two traditions are not commemorated on the same day but form two distinctive ceremonies. During the szalagtűző, students of the penultimate class pin a ribbon onto each 12th-grader which is then followed by the speech of the principal, speech of the representatives of the students left behind and that of seniors uttered by a member of them accompanied by musical performances.Following the szalagtűző, the szalagavató ball is organized in the Atrium of the school for which seniors perform English
Waltz (International Standard)
Waltz is one of the five dances in the Standard category of the International Style ballroom dances. It was previously referred to as Slow Waltz or English Waltz....
and Viennese waltz
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
es in addition to their respective class dances of choice and the teacher-student dance (dance couples are formed by student requesting a member of the faculty to dance) which is an English waltz
Waltz (International Standard)
Waltz is one of the five dances in the Standard category of the International Style ballroom dances. It was previously referred to as Slow Waltz or English Waltz....
too as a rule. As result of a new, peculiar initiative, dances are not accompanied recorded music, but by live music provided by the Deák Big Band. As soon as all the dances end, students form into lines and the principal proposes a toast from atop the stairs of the Atrium following which the students clink glasses with each other and with their teachers. The dinner afterwards is organized in the building of the school as well; student and their family sit around tables placed in different class-rooms while the Theater Hall functions as a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
. The ball is concluded by leaving the institution for a remote after-party.
Deák Inner-County Translation Competition
Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School has been staging its inner-county translation competition since 1997 which is due to the idea of the then leader of the English Department, Mrs. Ildikó Baráth. It consists of Germanic-language translating competitions, from Hungarian to EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, besides those of Romance-languages like French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian language\Italian. During the contest, texts of various styles and topics (such as literary or publicistic works) are to be interpreted.
Freshman Week and Freshman Ball
The Freshman Ball (called Stork Ball in HungarianFirst graders in Hungarian secondary and tertiary educational institutions are referred to as storks in Hungarian slang, hence the expression Stork Ball to denote the Freshman Ball.) occurs in November each year following the Fall Term Break. During this ceremony, new graders are officially inaugurated as students of Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School. Proceeding this event, is the Freshman Week (called Stork Week in Hungarian) challenging the freshmen with creative and humorous tasks each day.Enhancing the evolution of cohesion among new students, each first grader class have to perform a class dance of arbitrary style and choreography. The ball commences with the greeting of new students and with the introduction of the jury which decides over the best class dance. Following the dances comes the stork oath; meanwhile, the jury totalizes the points. The class which wins is granted a trophy and the right to organize the event in the subsequent year. The ball is ended with a disco held in the Theater Hall and with the concert of different school bands in the dining hall.
Goodbye Ceremony
The Goodbye Ceremony is not held on the same day as the graduation but it does represent a momentous event in the life of the school which consists of the solo and joint performances of teachers and form masters’ of senior classes including both musical and spoken word performances.Christmas Soiree
Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School has been organizing its annual Christmas Soiree since 1992. During the event—held in the Theater Hall—representatives of the Student Body along with those of the faculty present their respective and joint performances as well. This event, which has been organized since the opening of the institution, is among the most gratifying ones in the life of the school.Wreath laying at the statue of Deák
Commemorating the statesman after whom the school has been named, the ninth graders lay a wreath at the statue of Ferenc DeákFerenc Deák
Ferenc Deák de Kehida , , was a Hungarian statesman and Minister of Justice. He was known as "The Wise Man of the Nation".-Early life and law career:...
on Széchenyi Square each year on the day of his birth, October 17. Apart from this event, students also pay tribute to him—on the day of his death—in the National Pantheon which is found on Dóm Square
Dóm square
Dóm tér is a large town square in Szeged, Hungary. It's one of the largest squares in Hungary . The name Dóm tér derived from Votive Church of Szeged , which lies on the square. It was built from 1929 to 1932 with the surrounding university buildings.-Source:*Déry Attila, Merényi Ferenc: Magyar...
in front of the Votive Church of Szeged
Votive Church of Szeged
The Votive Church of Our Lady of Hungary is a twin-spired church in Szeged, it lies on Dóm square. Construction began in 1913, but due to the outbreak of the First World War, it was not completed until 1930.-Statistics:...
.
Freshmen Day
In its Pedagogical Program, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School emphasizes the education of community life to be a most accentuated issue due to which the institution organizes an annual Freshman Day in the National Historical Memorial Park of ÓpusztaszerNational Historical Memorial Park of Ópusztaszer
The National Historical Memorial Park is a memorial park and open-air museum of Hungarian history in Ópusztaszer, Hungary. It was established in 1982 and is most famous for being the location of the Feszty Panorama, a cyclorama depicting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin in 895....
so as to enhance the formation of class communities. During this day, freshmen have to participate in various team sports and other team competitions.
Sources, notes
Sources are in HungarianNotes: