Polish Cultural Enrichment Program at PLBA - Polska Szkola
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Polish School in Portland, OR
Polska Szkoła w Portland. Our History:
Fr. The first classes were held at the Parish Hall on Tuesday afternoons. Fr.
Richard Philiposki established the Portland Polish School in October 1994 with administrative support of teacher Olga Kruger and with the help of the Polish community. There were 12 students divided into 2 groups: one for kindergartners, and the other for older children. During the next academic year (1995-96) there were approximately 20 students, with classes taking place on Saturdays from 10am t
o 2pm in the Church Rectory and Polish Hall. The textbooks were shipped from Poland, and Principal Jadwiga Witkowska and teachers Wladyslawa Drozdowska and Alicja Stawarz created the curriculum. The number of grades increased and included a preschool, and more teachers were hired. The school news was published in the bulletin "Nasza Szkola" (Our School). The Polish dance group "Sobotka" was established and led by Elzbieta Szewczyk and Marek Stepien. Richard Philiposki established a Polish language class for adults, which was taught by Paula Gadowski. During the years 1997-2002 the Polish school continued to grow and prosper. The school bylaws were created on September 10th 1997 and were the first official declaration of the Polish School's goals/charter. From 1998-2002, the school collaborated with other American Polish schools, and with the help of the Association of Polish Teachers in America in Chicago introduced a new curriculum, teaching techniques, and textbooks. The number of students increased to 88, while the number of grades increased to 8. The Polish School also took over organization of many church and cultural events like the Parish Christmas Eve with Nativity Story program, Carnival Balls, Feast of St. Nicholas, Easter Egg Painting and Palm competition, the Polish Constitution Day celebration, Mother's Day, Senior's Day, and family summer camps. From the very beginning the Polish School participated in the organization of the Polish Festival by having the kids perform folk dances, arts and crafts booths, and making treats to sell. From 2002-2007 the Polish School continued to mature and expand its influence. Starting in 2002 both teachers and the PTO have been representing the Polish School at the Polish Teachers and Parents Council Committee Members Conferences. Renata Dajnowska became the school’s Principal in 2005. The Polish School started corresponding with an elementary school in Platerow, Poland as well as sending Christmas gifts and financial support to an orphanage in Letownia. The Polish language exam was held on February 3rd and 17th 2007, and the committee members were Maria Tarnawska, Jadwiga Witkowska, and Renata Dajnowska. During the same year the Polish School started a fundraising event "Carnival Ball with Silent Auction" and also raised funds at a Polish Festival stand. Slawomir Badowski designed the school's logo, which is still in use and is printed on t-shirts and other items sold at the Polish Festival. The Semper Foundation from Poland donated books and study materials a few times as a gift to the school. Among the most important highlights of the 2008-2011 years are articles about the school published in Polish emigration magazines and Catholic magazines as well as interviews of both current and former Principals by Polish Radio. An interesting online article was written by the Society "Wspolnota Polska" entitled "The beginning of the school year in the Polish School in Portland". The Polish School organized cultural events such as family theater tours and coordinated plays and art performances. The Polish School sponsored the Polish softball team from Wroclaw at the international playoffs in Portland. The school celebrated its 15th anniversary in October 2010 during which the emblem "Friend of the Polish School" was awarded to institutions and private persons. Medal of the Komisja Edukacji Narodowej was granted to Jadwiga Witkowska and Marek Stepien. The dynamics and structure of the school substantially changed from 2012 to the present when it was transferred to the PLBA (Polish Library Building Association) and changed its name to Komisja Kulturalno – Oswiatowa (Polish Cultural Enrichment Program). During this period the Polish School started collaborating with a Czech and Hungarian school resulting in the creation of the Visegrad Group PDX. The first festival by Visegrad Group PDX was held in November 2013 and was a great success. The three schools sung Christmas carols together at the Portland Revels stage, which were recorded by KBOO radio. Portland State University hosted Renata Dajnowska with a lecture "Preservation of Heritage Language at Community- Based Program at the Polish School in Portland, Oregon" in May 2013. In the past few years, we collaborated with the McMenamins White Eagle Restaurant to organize the Polish Heritage Day. In April 2017, we also organized the 1st Family Night at White Eagle to raise funds for the Polish School. Children of the Polish School started to travel to Seattle to perform at the Polish Festival in Seattle. In addition to that we collaborated with the Alternative Elementary School in Cieszyn, Poland. Our school was also selected to organize and host the XVth US Conference of Polish School Teachers and Parent Committee members. It will take place on May 25-28th 2018 in Portland, OR. It is an incredible distinction for both our school and the entire Polish community in Portland. Today the Polish School is still active in the cultural life of local Polish immigrants and more than 60 teachers contributed to sustaining and sharing knowledge of Polish language and culture to future generations. We had a pleasure to host many distinguished artists from Poland and United States such as Ewa Kuklinska, Michal Grzybowski and Igor Lipinski among many others who read books to our students. WHY SHOULD YOU BRING YOUR CHILD TO POLISH CULTURAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM AT PLBA? WHAT WE OFFER:
1) We teach Polish, history and geography.
2) We help improve speaking, reading and writing skills.
3) We teach Polish culture.
4) We teach Polish values.
5) We celebrate Polish traditions (St. Andrew's Day, Christmans carol singing, Christmas Eve Dinner, Easter palms).
6) We teach Polish songs.
7) We teach Polish folk dances.
8) We organize art competitions.
9) We prepare for performances during events.
10) We offer lots of fun events (St. Andrew's Day, St. Nicholas Day)
11) We offer the opportunity to make new friends.
12) We have access to Polish Library.
13) We use professional textbooks and materials. WE ALSO OFFER:
1) Learning in small groups.
2) Individual work with students.
3) Classes in Polish.
4) Low tuition and rabates for families bringing more than one kid to our school. TEACHERS' EXPERIENCE:
1) Qualified and friendly educators.
2) Native speaking Polish teachers.
3) Pedagogical education gained in Poland.
4) Many years of teaching experience.
5) Teachers fluent in both Polish and English.
6) All completed "Called to Protect" program and background check.
04/29/2026
Polska Szkoła i Dom Polski zapraszają Polonię na uroczystość Dnia Mamy i Taty w niedzielę 3 maja 2026 o godz. 12.30.
W programie:
-występy artystyczne uczniów szkoły polskiej -występ młodzieżowej grupy
muzycznej DeMolKa
-słodki poczęstunek
-grill organizowany przez Dom Polski
Zapraszamy!
04/13/2026
Nasza szkoła z dumą ogłasza, że kilku naszych uczniów otrzymało prestiżowy certyfikat Global Seal of Biliteracy – międzynarodowe świadectwo językowe, które potwierdza i docenia ich poziom biegłości w posługiwaniu się dwoma lub większą liczbą języków.
Global Seal of Biliteracy stanowi oficjalne potwierdzenie kompetencji językowych i poszerza przyszłe możliwości swoich posiadaczy. Oferuje on trzy poziomy certyfikacji: Functional Fluency (biegłość funkcjonalna), Working Fluency (biegłość zawodowa) oraz Professional Fluency (biegłość profesjonalna), z których każdy odgrywa istotną rolę w naszym coraz bardziej zróżnicowanym i wzajemnie powiązanym świecie. Dostępny dla ponad 100 języków, certyfikat Global Seal of Biliteracy jest wydawany przez pracodawców, uniwersytety oraz szkoły średnie w ponad 30 krajach i na pięciu kontynentach.
Nasi uczniowie ciężko pracowali nad rozwijaniem swoich umiejętności językowych i jesteśmy niezwykle dumni, widząc, jak ich wysiłki zostają docenione poprzez przyznanie certyfikatu Global Seal of Biliteracy. Certyfikacja ta nie tylko stanowi wyraz uznania dla ich osiągnięć, ale także otwiera przed nimi drzwi do kariery akademickiej oraz na globalnym rynku pracy.
Global Seal of Biliteracy to coś więcej niż tylko certyfikat – to paszport do nowych możliwości. Pozwala on posiadaczom zaprezentować swoje umiejętności językowe dowolnej szkole lub pracodawcy, niezależnie od granic stanowych czy państwowych. W dzisiejszej gospodarce globalnej biegłość w posługiwaniu się wieloma językami ma ogromną wartość, a pracodawcy poszukują kandydatów, których umiejętności są weryfikowalne i porównywalne. Jesteśmy dumni, że nasi uczniowie stali się teraz częścią tej globalnej społeczności osób dwu- i wielojęzycznych.
Gratulujemy każdemu z nich tego znaczącego osiągnięcia i z niecierpliwością oczekujemy na możliwości, jakie certyfikat Global Seal of Biliteracy otworzy przed nimi w przyszłości.
Więcej informacji na temat Global Seal of Biliteracy, zapraszamy do odwiedzenia strony: https://theglobalseal.com/.
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Our school is proud to announce that a number of students have been awarded the prestigious Global Seal of Biliteracy, an international language certificate that recognizes and celebrates their level of proficiency in two or more languages.
The Global Seal of Biliteracy validates language skills and expands future opportunities for its recipients. It offers three levels of certification: Functional Fluency, Working Fluency, and Professional Fluency, each serving a meaningful purpose in our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. Available in over 100 languages, the Global Seal of Biliteracy has been issued by employers, universities, and secondary schools in over 30 countries and five continents.
Our students have worked hard to develop their language skills, and we are thrilled to see their efforts recognized with the Global Seal of Biliteracy. This certification not only celebrates their accomplishments but also opens doors for them in academia and the global job market.
The Global Seal of Biliteracy is more than just a certification; it is a passport to opportunity. It allows recipients to showcase their language skills to any school or employer across state lines and international borders. In today's global economy, proficiency in multiple languages has tremendous value, and employers want candidates whose skills are verifiable and comparable. We are proud that our students are now part of this global community of bilingual and multilingual individuals.
We congratulate every single one of them on this significant achievement and look forward to seeing the opportunities that their Global Seal of Biliteracy will bring them in the future.
Ogłaszamy konkurs plastyczny "Polskie ślady w Stanach Zjednoczonych - 250 lat wspólnej historii" dla dzieci i młodzieży.
Konkurs jest objęty patronatem Konsulatu Generalnego w Los Angeles ( Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles )
Szczegóły poniżej.
04/13/2026
Święta Wielkanocne już za nami a koniec roku szkolnego zbliża się szybko. Zanim się na nim skupimy chcielibyśmy najpierw podziękować wszystkim osobom, które pomogły w przygotowaniu i przeprowadzeniu zajęć. Paniom Monice S. za zorganizowanie dekorowania jajek, Mai R. za przygotowanie projektu robienia palm wielkanocnych, Marice za piękną dekoracje.
Dziękujemy Młodzieżowej Grupie Muzycznej DeMolka za piękny występ na bazarze oraz nauczycielom przygotowującym zespół do występu (Renata Wolak, Hania Jasińska, Mike Erbe) oraz POL3D za ciekawe projekty wielkanocne. Dziękujemy osobom, które pomagały na szkolnym stoisku (Olek K., Renata D.) i na innych modułach bazaru.
I na koniec, dziękujemy wszystkim osobom, które zorganizowały dla dzieci szukanie jajek. W szczególności dziękujemy Marice, Joannie, Mai, Kasi, Renacie W., Olivierowi, Weronice, Karolince i Józefince - zrobiliście dzieciom super zabawę!
04/04/2026
Drogie Rodziny "Szkoły Polskiej",
Dear Families of the "Polish School",
Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych!
Happy Easter!
03/31/2026
Święta Wielkanocne już niedaleko. Podczas ostatnich zajęć szkolnych, nasi uczniowie zdobili jajka wielkanocne oraz udekorowali palmy wielkanocne.
Przypominamy też że w tę sobotę 4 kwietnia o 12:15 przed Domem Polskim, odbędzie się wielkanocne szukanie jajek. Zapraszamy wszystkie dzieci polonijne i rodziców.
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Easter is just around the corner. During our recent school sessions, our students decorated Easter eggs and adorned Easter palms.
We would also like to remind you that this Saturday, April 4th, at 12:15 PM, an Easter egg hunt will take place in front of the Polish House. We invite all children from the Polish community, along with their parents.
03/21/2026
We’re decorating ahead of our Easter activities 🐣🐰🪺🌱
03/18/2026
Drogie Rodziny Szkoły Polskiej,
Serdecznie zapraszamy Was na wiosenne atrakcje:
- 21 marca: dekorowanie jajek podczas zajęć szkolnych oraz rodzinne robienie palm po zajęciach szkolnych o godzinie 13:00.
- 22 marca: Bazar Wielkanocny w Domu Polskim otwarty dla wszystkich.
- 4 kwietnia: zapraszamy wszystkie dzieci polonijne an szukanie jajek przed Domem Polskim.
Do zobaczenia!
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Dear Families of the Polish School,
We warmly invite you to our spring festivities:
- March 21: Egg decorating during school classes, followed by a family palm-making session after school at 1:00 PM.
- March 22: Easter Bazaar at the Polish House—open to everyone.
- April 4: We invite all children from the Polish community to an Easter egg hunt in front of the Polish House.
See you there!
02/27/2026
☀️ Przedstawiamy kolejną prelegentkę Zjazdu - Renatę Dajnowską.
Cieszynianka. Ukończyła studia magisterskie na wydziale Pedagogiczno - Artystycznym na kierunku Nauczanie Początkowe na Uniwersytecie Śląskim w Katowicach, studia magisterskie na kierunku Programy Nauczania i Instrukcja oraz specjalizacje nauczanie j. angielskiego jako obcego na Uniwersytecie Stanowym w Portland, Oregon.
Z Polską Szkołą w Portland związana od ponad 20 lat – od 2005 roku pełni funkcję dyrektorki. Wiceprezeska Forum Nauczycieli Polonijnych na Zachodzie USA od 2017 roku, a od 2023 – jego prezes.
Współorganizatorka XV Zjazdu Nauczycieli Polonijnych w Portland (2018) oraz Konferencji Forum w Los Angeles (2021).
Pomysłodawczyni i koordynatorka konkursu „Polonijny Rodzic na 6” (od 2018) i inicjatorka wyróżnienia „Złote Jabłuszko” (2018).
Prelegentka na Sympozjum Badawczym na Uniwersytecie Stanowym w Portland, Oregon (2013), prezenterka na Zjazdach Nauczycieli Polonijnych w Nowym Jorku (2014) , Toronto (2022), Fort Lauderdale (2024).
Autorka pracy badawczej pt.“ Utrzymanie języka polskiego w Szkole Polskiej w Portland (2012-13)”.
💫Spotkajmy się w San Francisco! 💫
02/26/2026
21 lutego o godz. 13:00 w dniu Międzynarodowego Dnia Języka Ojczystego, Szkoła Polska w ramach zajęć szkolnych zorganizowała drugi już Konkurs Recytatorski. W konkursie udział wzięli uczniowie Szkoły Polskiej ale i także dorośli.
Konkurs recytatorski został objęty patronatem honorowym Forum Nauczycieli Polonijnych Zachodniego Wybrzeża USA.
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On February 21st at 1:00 PM, International Mother Language Day, the Polish School organized its second Recitation Competition as part of its school activities. Students of the Polish School, as well as adults, participated in the competition.
The Recitation Competition was held under the honorary patronage of the Polish Educators' Forum of the West Coast of the USA.