Polish School

The Juliusz Słowacki Polish School is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood in the historic Polish Home building. Our students are children from Polish and “mixed” families, as well as English-speaking adults. Under the guidance of dedicated, experienced teachers they learn to read, write and speak Polish. They also learn about Polish history, traditions and culture. The classes are taught in a pleasant atmosphere, but with a serious approach to the material. Classes for adults take place on Mondays from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM; the classes for younger students meet on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM.
We welcome everyone who wishes to learn Polish in Seattle.

Registration for all classes will take place on Monday, September 14, 2020 at 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, in the Polish Home (Polish Cultural Center).
The street address: 1714 18 Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Tuition rates for the 2020/2021 year are
$360.00 for general public
$330.00 for PHA members.
In case of multiply family members attending the school: regular rate for first student and reduced (by $100.00) rate for each additional family member, that is $260.00 and $230.00 for PHA members.

Checks should be addressed to: Polish School in Seattle
The tuition is due at the end of September of each school year.

If possible, please bring the filled out/printed Registration Form with you. This will speed up the process.

Teachers and staff of the Polish School in Seattle welcome all students and wish You a very successful and enjoyable school year of 2020/2021.

All classes of the Polish School in Seattle are held in the Polish Home building, located in Capitol Hill, at 1714 18 Avenue, Seattle WA, 98122.

Saturdays classes meet from 10:00 am - noon, Monday classes meet from 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM.

Calendarium for 2020/2021 school year

Saturday classes:

Monday classes:

Adress:
Juliusz Slowacki Polish School of Seattle
1714 18 Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122

School Principal:
Maria Grabowska
(425)271-3669
[email protected]

Directions

Teachers of the Polish School in Seattle are:

Ms. Maria Grabowska School Principal

Saturday School for young students

Ms. Anna Babcock
Ms. Milena Dickens
Ms. Danuta Kieko
Ms. Malgorzata Radka

Monday School for adults
Ms. Anna Babcock
Ms. Christina Manetti, Ph.D.
Ms. Magdalena Kowacz, Ph.D.
Ms. Katarzyna (Kasia) Pietrzyk

JULIUSZ SŁOWACKI POLISH SCHOOL IN SEATTLE

The idea of starting a Polish School was initiated by Jan Cieslar, a teacher by profession who taught at Polish refugee camps in Germany. As soon as he arrived in Seattle in 1951, he embarked on his mission of providing Polish education, at first by offering private tutoring. After a while he gained the support and trust of the Polish community and opened the Polish School at the Polish Home in Seattle. At that time the school was attended by around forty students – both children and adults. The most recognized teachers of that time were Jan Cieslar, Jozefina Misztoft, Jozef Lopatto, Martha Golubiec, and Barbara Strutynski. The school thrived for three decades, but closed for six years after Jan Cieslar’s death.

“The idea of once again organizing the Polish School to teach Polish language skills and Polish history was born in 1989,” recalls Ireneusz Predki. In 1990 he did the administrative work required to start the school up again: he set forth the school’s statute, completed its registration, and on September 4th of that year classes began with thirty-five students in attendance. The school offered education to preschoolers, children from kindergarten through middle school, and adults, and used a strong academic curriculum adapted from the Polish Teachers’ Association in Chicago.
As the result of a 2001 vote, the school was named after the great Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki. The vote also introduced the title of “principal” to replace the existing title of “caretaker.” The principals of the school have been Ireneusz Predki, Irena Kulik, Anna Cholewinska, Gerard Adler, Krystyna Swietlicka, Anna Babcock, Paul Griffin, Michael Cozzy, and presently Maria Grabowska. The role of treasurer has been held by Ireneusz Predki, Wlodzimierz Bachowski, Anna Burnatowski, Paul Griffin, and Ewa Roszkowski. The Polish School offers classes for children and adults which take place every Monday and Saturday at the Polish Home. The curriculum includes Polish language, history, geography, culture, and traditions. Our students participate in ceremonies celebrating many historic and cultural events, such as the Anniversary of the Polish Constitution of May Third and Poland’s Independence Day. At Christmastime and at the end of the school year, each class presents a cultural program.
In addition, the school has a booth at the Polish Home bazaars and the Polish Festival Seattle at the Seattle Center, offering Polish books for children, albums, and CDs.

During summer vacations of 2006 and 2007, thirty students and parents participated in a Polish language camp organized by Krystyna Swietlicka at the Cascades Camp and Conference Center in Yelm; the 2008 camp was organized by Anna Babcock. Over the years our students have participated in competitions about the legacy of Jόzef Piłsudski, Independence Day, Polish poets, and an art contest among Polish schools across the country. For two years, during her work at our school, Anna Cholewinska published the school’s monthly paper, Kleks (Ink Blot). Also, at the initiative of Maria Grabowska, for the past fifteen years the school has hosted an annual party for all children and adults in the Seattle Polish community. In 2017, in addition to fun and games, there was a performance by the puppet theater Jester from Vancouver, BC.
Starting in 2008 educators from our school have participated in biannual conferences for Polish teachers in the United States. The organizers invite guest speakers from the Polish National Ministry of Education, noted linguists from Polish universities, authors of children’s books, as well as publishers of school books. The conference attendees participate in numerous teaching workshops and share their knowledge and experiences with other instructors. Thanks to their many years of experience, our teachers select school materials – some imported from Poland – which best help the school to carry out its mission.
At the end of each school year, students receive report cards and book awards. As of 2017 the school has thirty-eight students, many of whom are the children and grandchildren of our Polish community members.
It is difficult to find words to thank our teachers – both current and past – for their professionalism and dedication. Our special thanks go to Barbara and Marian Strutynski for their many years of commitment and hard work, as well as to Marzena Makuta, Katarzyna Adler, Anna Babcock, and Janina Sugier for their great passion and contributions to the success of the school.
As in the past, the Polish School in Seattle is a wonderful place, where students of various ages get together to study Polish language, history, songs, and traditions. What could be more important than that?