Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all classes are currently offered online. We are closely monitoring the situation and will review the options for in-person learning when public health officials advise it is safe. The safety and will being of our students is our number one priority!
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.
We welcome everyone who wishes to learn Polish in Seattle.
Enrollment ends September 30, 2020
Dates: for adult classes academic year starts 09.21.2020 and ends 06.08.2021;
for children classes academic year starts 09.19.2020 and ends 06.05.2021
Tuition rates for the 2020/2021 year are
$370.00 for general public
$340.00* for PHA members. (For information how to become PHA member please visit polishhome.org)
(*) proof of membership will be verified
In case multiple family members sign up the tuition fee for each additional family member is discounted by $100.00.
Time:
6 pm – 8:30 pm weekdays – adult classes
10 am – 12 noon Saturdays – children classes
Days:
Mondays – intermediate and advanced levels
Tuesdays – beginners’ level
Size of group: minimum 5, maximum 10 students
** If needed additional days might be added for online learning to accommodate the class size.
Contact:
Anna Babcock
206-362-3077
[email protected]
Register online here or print and fill out this Registration form
After registering , please complete this language test. if you have difficulty completing the test online, you can print and complete this test.
Payment: online by PayPal
Non-members click for payment here
PHA members click for payment here
by check:
made out to Szkola Polska
Mailing address to School Treasurer
Henryka Posluszny
150502 25th Ave. NE
Shoreline, WA 98155
All classes of the Polish School in Seattle are held in the Polish Home building, located on Capitol Hill, at 1714 18th Ave, Seattle WA 98122. * Due to COVID-19 pandemic currently until further notice are held online only.
Saturday classes meet from 10:00 am to 12 noon. Monday and Tuesday classes for adults meet from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. * Additional days might be added for online learning if the class size exceeds the recommended by school size.
Calendarium for 2020/2021 school year
September 19, 2020 | First day of school for children’s classes |
September 21, 2020 | First day of school for adult classes |
November 28, 2020 | Thanksgiving weekend (no school)r |
December 26, 2020 | Winter break, no school |
January 2, 2021 | School resumes |
January 18, 2021 | MLK Day (no school) |
April 3-5, 2021 | Easter weekend (no school) |
April 16, 2021 | Spring break (no school) |
May 29, 2021 | Memorial Day weekend (no school) |
June 5, 2021 | End of school celebration for children’s classes |
June 7-8, 2021 | End of school celebration for adult classes |
Adress:
Juliusz Slowacki Polish School of Seattle
1714 18 Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
School Principal:
Maria Grabowska
(425)271-3669
[email protected]
Or
Anna Babcock
(206) – 362-3077
[email protected]
Children’s classes
Ms. Anna Babcock
Ms. Milena Dickens
Ms. Malgorzata Radka
Adult classes
Ms. Anna Babcock
Ms. Christina Manetti
Ms. Katarzyna (Kasia) Pietrzyk
School Principal
Ms. Maria Grabowska
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?
Victoria
“I would strongly recommend the Polish school to students at any level. After a year, I went from not speaking a word of Polish to being able to have a conversation, order food, and shop at a store in Polish. Ania is an excellent teacher, the books and online material are very helpful and the classes are always engaging!”
Sam
I love my Polish class! It’s amazing to see the progress that our class has made over the course of a year from not even knowing how to introduce ourselves, to now being able to hold a conversation in the language. Ania puts a lot of effort into making the classes engaging and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to practice speaking. In addition to learning the language, we also go beyond the textbook and learn about Polish culture and the country, which has been really fascinating. I highly recommend the class to anyone with an interest in Polish language and culture.