Having breakfast together in class, playing a quiz and watching a movie, many primary schools in Alkmaar had a party this week. The schools are already taking a foretaste of Alkmaar Ontzet, which will be celebrated exuberantly throughout the city next Saturday.
Gerben Kossen, board member of the 8 October Vereeniging Alkmaar Ontzet, is a guest at group 6 of the Erasmus School. Not entirely coincidentally, because his wife Nienke is the teacher. When Kossen has told a few things about the history of Alkmaar Ontzet, the Stedelied is sung along with all his heart. “You can hear that there has been good practice,” laughs Kossen. “Miss Nienke has been doing well.”
In addition to singing, a quiz is also played in which the questions are of course about the Alkmaar victory over the Spaniards in 1573. After that, the children can movie look over the Relief of Alkmaar. And the great thing is that during the film a sandwich is eaten together. “That is very nice and cosy. Much better than just being taught,” says one of the students.
It kids breakfast was previously always organized on October 8 on the Canadaplein. Because the event was canceled last year due to the corona pandemic, it was decided to deliver breakfast boxes to the schools. “That went well,” says Kossen. “On the Canadaplein we only reached 500 children, now five thousand. So we will always do it this way from now on.”
No more breakfast so on the Canadaplein but in the classroom! NH Nieuws was a guest at the Erasmus School.