Summary of the 24th edition of “Best school. Best teacher” competition

Over 70 Polish schools teachers of various subjects from all over the Vilnius region were awarded during the ceremony of the annual competition “Best school. Best teacher” published for the 24th time by “Macierz Szkolna”, the association of Polish School Teachers in Lithuania.

The grand gala of awards and diplomas took place on Wednesday, November 28, at the Polish Culture Center in Vilnius. Teachers and headmasters of the best schools, representatives of the “Macierz Szkolna”, deputies and representatives of the regional education authorities received congratulations and flowers.

“This is one of the largest and most important celebrations of the “Macierz Szkolna”, with these words Józef Kwiatkowski, chairman of the association, opened the ceremony.

The 24th edition of the “Best School. Best teacher” competition, as in previous years, offers you to get familiar with the results of high school graduates achieved during the state examinations of 2017/18 school year. The calculations of the “Macierz Szkolna” present that 818 students of Polish schools passed the matriculation exam this year, 517 high school graduates (69.8 %) got to higher education institutions, 11 % of which chose foreign studies.

“The reason (for choosing foreign studies – author’s note) is the bad situation with the Lithuanian language exam, which forces our students to look for a university and better conditions for learning abroad”, said Józef Kwiatkowski.” For the third consecutive year, the results of Lithuanian language have been deteriorating. It is not the fault of a teacher, nor a parent nor a student. The weak system of education is responsible for that, especially the weak system of teaching Lithuanian language “, – emphasized the president of ”Macierz Szkolna “.

Another problem is that only some students would like to sit the state exams from such subjects as physics, chemistry or biology. As Józef Kwiatkowski said, during the last 30 years the Ministry of Education has carried out no reform of the curricula. It restricted to the minor measures that do not affect the content and level of education, as a result, Lithuania is in the second half (of the ranking) in terms of teaching indicators in Europe, while Estonia is in the top ten.

Marcin Zieniewicz, the head of the Consular Department of the Polish Embassy in Lithuania, thanked teachers for their everyday work and effort put into the education of children and subsequent generations of Poles in Lithuania. “Teaching is one of the most difficult and responsible professions of great social importance. Thank you very much for that. The Republic of Poland and Poland’s Embassy in Vilnius appreciate your work. I can say that supporting Polish education in Lithuania is our priority “, stressed the consul.

“Polish education achieves its successes thanks to your work. The greatest satisfaction are the students’ results and their further position in life. Many graduates of Polish schools occupy higher and higher positions and more and more prominent places in the social hierarchy in Lithuania “, said Marcin Zieniewicz. The diplomat expressed the hope that the problems of Polish education in Lithuania will be successfully resolved. “We are aware of these problems, we are taking action and we hope that in the dialogue with Lithuanian partners, there will finally be a breakthrough in matters that are crucial for the Polish community in Lithuania,” noted the head of the consular department.

Michał Dworczyk, the head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, also thanked teachers. “I would like to thank you for your service. The teacher’s work is very important, but primarily it is a service. The service is to make Polish identity be able to survive and develop. The basis of every national and Polish identity is language and education in the culture of this nation. It is your everyday work and you put a lot of effort and commitment into it. Thanks to you, the Polish identity in the Vilnius region, in Lithuania, not only continues, but also develops. On behalf of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the government of the Republic of Poland, I would like to thank you very much, ” said Michał Dworczyk.

For the patriotic attitude, long-term, reliable and devoted work, for the education and upbringing of children and Polish youth in Lithuania, eight people were awarded medals of the National Education Commission, prepared by the Minister of National Education, Anna Zalewska. The awards were given at the request of the “Macierz Szkolna” association and the Poland’s Embassy in Vilnius. Michał Dworczyk presented honorary awards to Halina Antropik, headmaster of the kindergarten in Ejszyszki, to Łucja Jurgielewicz, headmaster of Pawel Ksawery Brzostowski junior high school in Turgiely, to Stanisława Kaczanowska, vice-headmaster of Konstanty Parczewski junior high school in Niemenczyn, to Elwira Lepiłowa, vice-headmaster of John Paul II progymnasium in Vilnius, to Janina Łabul, head of the team “Wilenka” from Władysław Syrokomla junior high school in Vilnius, to Irena Pukieniena, math teacher at St. Jan Bosko junior high school in Jałówka, to Waldemar Szełkowski, history teacher from Józef Ignacy Kraszewski junior high school in Vilnius, to Mirosław Szostak, headmaster of Eliza Orzeszkowa junior high school in Biała Waka.

”Today’s award is a big surprise for me. I am very proud that I received it. I believe that this is an estimate not only of my work, but also of my entire team. The work that we do flows from the heart, that is why it gives satisfaction. From an early age in Ejszyszki we talk in Polish. We try to promote the correct Polish language and traditions, live in the Polish spirit every day”, said to “Kurier Wileński” Halina Antropik, who was awarded the medal of the National Education Commission and who initially as a tutor, then as a headmaster, devoted 40 years of work in the kindergarten in Ejszyszki.

In this year’s ranking, Junior High School in Mickun was awarded the title of one of the best schools. According to its headmaster Małgorzata Radziewicz, the secret of the school’s success is a work-friendly atmosphere.

”We have great teachers, enough resources to provide the necessary literature and help, a rich offer of free extracurricular activities”, said the headmaster. She thanked mainly the high school graduates, thanks to which they managed to achieve such good results. ”Students got six “hundreds” during exams this year, all exams – Polish, Lithuanian, English, Russian, mathematics, computer science, biology, physics, chemistry – high school graduates passed. All our high school graduates got to universities or colleges, one of the students chose to study in Denmark” said Małgorzata Radziewicz. Speaking about problems, the headmaster mentioned the issue of teaching the Lithuanian language in primary classes. ”Our little ones, who grow in the Polish environment, hear Lithuanian language only in school at a lesson, and have to learn it already according to the standard curriculum. It is certainly very difficult for them ”, said Małgorzata Radziewicz. As she maintained, the high school graduates manage to pass the Lithuanian matriculation exam, but their results leave much to be desired. ”The standard Lithuanian language exam is not for us. We are not Lithuanians, we do not think in Lithuanian, so the problem is how to prepare this exam in the level appropriate for Lithuanian student – emphasized the headmaster.

Adam Błaszkiewicz, the headmaster of another awarded school, thinks the same. ”The Lithuanian language exam is discriminating. I think that a high school graduate in a Polish school must know that he has a worse situation and have to try harder. From what we see, high school graduates pass, but not so well, not at the level of “hundreds”, says the headmaster of John Paul II junior high school in Vilnius. ” We teach according to very old patterns, very old programs and outdated textbooks. We need to invest in education”, he adds.

Awarded Lithuanian teacher from Adam Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius, Halina Stankiewicz-Mordas, also spoke about the problem of teaching Lithuanian. ”It is very difficult to meet the requirements we have. The Lithuanian teaching program is overloaded. There is a huge amount of material, the standards become more and more strict. Sometimes the teacher is forced to take responsibility and give up some of the curriculum content on the principle of “better fewer, but better” or conduct some lessons  superficially “, she said to the Lithuanian “Kurier Wileński.”

She added that despite the fact that the curricula have been unified, however, the students still have lack of knowledge from the previous years, when the curricula had a different number of hours in Polish and Lithuanian schools. ”Children from Polish families come to school from home, from “greenhouse” conditions, do not speak Lithuanian, often even in 5th or 6th class. They lack a lively contact with the Lithuanian language. Therefore, when they come to the 1st class and need to learn a language as in a Lithuanian school, it is shock, especially for young children. I think that the new language must be introduced gradually, because the cold shower method causes negative emotions, which translates into poor results”, emphasized the teacher who had been working in the school for 20 years.

Her graduates from this year did well in the Lithuanian matriculation exam. In the range from 36 to 100 points. 81 percent of pupils (21 high school graduates) passed Lithuanian, higher scores (from 86 to 100 points) have 15% (4 pupils). ”There is no other recipe for success, just a systematic, hard work”, commented Halina Stankiewicz-Mordas.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS AWARDED IN THE XVI EDITION OF THE COMPETIOTION „BEST SCHOOL. BEST TEACHER”

1.Szymon Konarski School in Vilnius headmaster Walery Jagliński
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Barbara Zinkiewicz
2. John Paul II Progymnasium in Vilius
headmaster Janina Wysocka
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Irena Szostak
3. Lazdynai School in Vilnius headmaster Mariola Klimaszewska
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Regina Abłom
4. Primary school in Podborze
headmaster Halina Molis
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Maria Ligowska
5. M. Zdziechowski Primary school in Suderwa
headmaster Teresa Młyńska
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Anna Miluszkiewicz
6. Primary school in Mościszki
headmaster Waldemar Klimaszewski
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Danuta Czerniawska
7. A. Stelmachowski Primary school in Stare Troki
headmaster Romuald Grzybowski
president of „Macierz Szkolna” Renata Szuscickaja

TEACHERS OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS AWARDED IN THE XVI EDITION OF THE COMPETIOTION „BEST SCHOOL. BEST TEACHER”

1.Elwina Kuginiene, Sz. Konarski School in Vilius, Lithuanian teacher
2. Barbara Zinkiewicz, Sz. Konarski School in Vilius, initial classes
3. Jolanta Staszewska, John Paul II Progymnasium in Vilius, initial classes 4. Janina Orszewska, John Paul II Progymnasium in Vilius, speech therapist
5. Regina Abłom, Lazdynai School in Vilnius, Math
6. Danuta Czerniawska, Primary school in Mościszki, Polish teacher
7. S.Ludmiła, M. Zdziechowski Primary school in Suderwa, religion teacher
8. Leonarda Barnatowicz, Primary school in Podborze, initial classes
9. Wioleta Naumowicz, A. Stelmachowski Primary school in Stare
Troki, initial classes

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS AWARDED IN THE XXIV EDITION OF THE COMPETITION “BEST SCHOOL. BEST TEACHER “IN THE 2017/2018 SCHOOL YEAR

Among the schools of the city of Vilnius:

Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius

Headmaster Czesław Dawidowicz

President of ‘’ Macierz Szkolna’’ Anna Makowska

Wł. Syrokomla junior high school in Vilnius

Headmaster Helena Marcinkiewicz

President of  „Macierz Szkolna” Danuta Korkus

J.Kraszewski Junior high school in Vilnius
Headmaster Helena Juchniewicz
President of „Macierz Szkolna”  Maria Dunowska

Among the district cities:

Śniadeckiego Junior high school in Soleczniki
Headmaster Irena Wolska
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Irena Gredziuszko

H.Sienkiewicz Junior high school in Landwarow
Headmaster Franciszek Żeromski
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Janina Raińska

Among the schools of Vilius region:

St. Moniuszki Junior high school in Kowalczuki
Headmaster Zygmunt Jaświn
President of  „Macierz Szkolna” Renata Krasowska

Junior high school in Awiżenie
Headmaster Waleria Orszewska
President of  „Macierz Szkolna” Janina Stacewicz

Among the schools in the Šalčininkai region:

A.Krepsztul Junior high school in Butrymańce

Headmaster Teresa Sawiel
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Maria Ładziato

WINNERS OF XXIV EDITION OF THE COMPETITION “BEST SCHOOL. BEST TEACHER”

Among the schools of the city of Vilnius:

John Paul II Junior high school in Vilius

Headmaster Adam Błaszkiewicz,
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Wiktor Łozowski

In the category of schools of district cities:

Parczewskiego Junior high school in Niemenczyn
Headmaster Tadeusz Grygorowicz
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Irena Karpawicziene

In the category of schools of the Vilnius region:

Junior high school in Mickuny
Headmaster Małgorzata Radziewicz
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Leokadia Malewska

Among schools in the Šalčininkai district (equivalently):

Orzeszkowa Junior high school in Biała Waka
Headmaster Mirosława Szostak,
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Walentyna Bartoszewicz

A. Mickiewicz Junior high school in Dziewieniszki
Headmaster Danuta Anichowska,
President of „Macierz Szkolna” Jadwiga Tużyk

TEACHERS AWARDED IN XXIV EDITION OF THE COMPETITION „BEST SCHOOL. BEST TEACHER”

Awarded Lithuanian teachers:

1.Halina Stankiewicz–Mordas, Adam Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius
2. Irena Zacharevskienė, Junior high school in Zujuny
3. Irena Belousova, St. Kostki Junior high school in Podbrzeze
4. Nadiežda Maslauskaitė, St. Kazimierz Junior high school in Miedniki
5. Renė Lučiūnienė –H. Sienkiewicz Junior high school in Landwarow

Awarded Russian teachers:

1.Genoefa Paszkiewicz, J.I. Kraszewski Junior high school in Vilnius
2. Anna Czerniawska, St. Moniuszko Junior high school in Kowalczuki
3. Ala Lebedewa, Junior high school in Mickuny
4. Janina Kazarina, H. Sienkiewicz Junior high school in Landwarow 5. Wioleta Bogdiun, J. Śniadeckiego Junior high school in Soleczniki
6. Stela Sankowska, L. Narbutt Junior high school in Koleśniki
7. Irena Pietuchowa, A. Krepsztul Junior high school in Butrymańce
8. Lilia Urbielewicz, A. Mickiewicz Junior high school in Dziewieniszki
9. Danuta Jermałowicz, E. Orzeszkowa Junior high school in Biała Waka

Awarded Math teachers:

1.Teresa Michniewicz, Wł. Syrokomla Junior high school in Vilnius
2. Anna Wankiewicz, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius
3. Ana Taraszkiewicz, Junior high school in Mickuny
4. Regina Tamosziuniene, T. Konwicki Junior high school in Bujwidze
5. Wioleta Bogdanowicz, Junior high school in Pogiry
6. Walentyna Tumasz, K.Parczewski Junior high school in Niemenczyn
7. Alicja Jankiewicz, Junior high school in Ejszyszki
8. Helena Moroz, J. Śniadecki Junior high school in Soleczniki

Awarded History teachers:

1.Danuta Radewicz, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius
2. Lilia Gajewska, J. Słowacki Junior high school in Bezdany
3. Wida Barkowska, Parczewski Junior high school in Niemenczyn
4. Janina Śliżewska, Junior high school in Ejszyszki
5. Andriej Sziłobrit, A. Krepsztul Junior high school in Butrymańce
6. Alina Narkiewicz, H. Sienkiewicz Junior high school in Landwarow

Awarded Biology teachers:

1.Donata Berdiugina, Adam Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius
2. Aleksandr Kisielewski, J. Lelewel Junior high school in Vilnius
3. Alicja Jankuniene, Junior high school in Awiżenie
4. Aleksandra Sinkiewicz , J. Śniadecki Junior high school in Soleczniki
5. Walentyna Cwilik, A. Mickiewicz Junior high school in Dziewieniszki

 Awarded Computing teachers:

1.Tatjana Rodewicz, Adam Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius
2. Bożena Korwin-Piotrowska, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius

3. Alina Szpakauskiene, Junior high school in Troki
4. Grażyna Giedrojć, A. Mickiewicz Junior high school in Dziewieniszki

Awarded English teachers:

1.Nina Sienkiewicz, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius 2. Katarzyna Kuzborska, A. Mickiewicz high school in Vilnius
3. Swietłana Żurowicz, Wł.Syrokomla Junior high school in Vilnius
4. Jelena Boroda, Junior high school Grzegorzew
5. Renata Aliuk, Junior high school Awiżenie
6. Grażyna Czeraszniowaja, St. Moniuszko Junior high school in Kowalczuki
7. Natalia Tiurnina, Junior high school in Mickuny
8. Wioleta Leonowicz, J. Obrembski Junior high school in Mejszagola
9. Jelena Tamašauskienė, R. Kalinowski Junior high school w Niemież
10. Žana Narbutienė, U. Ledóchowska Junior high school in Czarny Bor
11. Rozalia Visockienė, M. Baliński Junior high school in Jaszuny
12. Jelena Wojtkiewicz, E. Orzeszkowa Junior high school in Biała Waka.
13. Walentyna Ławrynowicz, „Żejmiana” Junior high school in Podbrodzie

Awarded Polish teachers:

1.Regina Paszuto, J. I. Kraszewski Junior high school in Vilnius

2. Danuta Korkus, Wł. Syrokomla Junior high school in Vilnius
3. Anna Jasińska, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius 4. Diana Oberlan, Junior high school in Mickuny
5. Ilona Herman, F. Ruszczyc Junior high school in Rudomin
6. Aldona Sudenis, K. Parczewski Junior high school in Niemenczyn
7. Edyta Jasielonis, A. Krepsztul Junior high school in Butrymańce
8. Walentyna Dulko, P. K. Brzostowski Junior high school in Turgiele
9. Janina Snarska, E. Orzeszkowa Junior high school in Biała Waka

Awarded Chemistry teachers:

1.Krystyna Tuczkowska, Wł. Syrokomla Junior high school in Vilnius
2. Ewa Walma, John Paul II Junior high school in Vilnius

Awarded Physics teachers:

1.Czesław Robert Pawłowskij, M.Baliński Junior high school in Jaszuny

Different subjects:

1.Janina Mozol (religion), St. Jan Bosko Junior high school in Jałówka
2. Stanisław Zajankowski (music), St. Moniuszko Junior high school in Kowalczuki
3. Jolita Gilewicz (social pedagogist), Junior high school in Rukojnie
4. Renata Krasowska (music), L. Komołowski Junior high school in Połuknie