KOSTKA Public Jesuit High School
Welcome to the website of KOSTKA Public Jesuit High School in Krakow, named after St. Stanislaus Kostka. Since 2012, thanks to the help and support of many wonderful people, the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) have been in charge of this educational ministry established at the Na Kozłówce housing compound, focused on teaching and forming young people.
Jesuit schools in Poland
At the time of the suppression of the Jesuit order in 1773, there were 66 schools in Poland. In post-war Poland, the Jesuits continued their educational work in the 1990’s by opening new schools in Nowy Sącz (currently Jesuit Educational Centre consisting of kindergarden, primary and high school) as well as in Gdynia (at present kindergarten, primary and high school), and then in Kraków (high school) and in Mysłowice (primary school). Currently, Jesuits are also in charge of a university – The Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow.
The school in Krakow was established in 2012 in response to a request from the local community that wanted students from the Na Kozłówce housing compound and surrounding areas to have access to high quality education that would help them to become knowledgeable and competent adults, capable of taking up the challanges of our contemporary, fast-moving world.
History of KOSTKA
It all began with the decision of the municipality of Krakow regarding the liquidation of one of Krakow’s junior high schools. The spectre of liquidation of the school made the local community want to save its only school. They asked the Jesuits to lead the project. The Jesuits decided to take up this challenge because we claimed that it would be an excellent opportunity to work directly with young people, to be present and be known in the local community, and to get back to the roots and mission of the Society of Jesus – education.
Opened in 2012, KOSTKA Public Jesuit Junior High School chose Saint Stanislaus Kostka as its patron. This holy Jesuit, the patron of youth, is a model for young people to have great desires which our school will help them realize. As a result of the reform of the education system in Poland, in 2017 the school was transformed into a high school, which continues and develops the mission started in the junior high school. We are trying to continue the creation of a school that stimulates great desires in our students and supports them in the process, taking care in particular of the unique atmosphere and high level of teaching.
The nature and mission of the school
From the very beginning, our KOSTKA, according to arrangements with the city authorities, has a truly Jesuit character while being, at the same time, a public school (free and open to everyone). Candidates and parents are informed during individual meetings about the goals of Ignatian pedagogy, and introduced to an educational program based on Catholic values.
KOSTKA is an environment in which students, through experience, reflection and action, discover their capabilities, talents and passions, develop them and follow them. It is also a place of constant cooperation among students, between them and the Jesuits working in the school, the staff and parents. The integral development of young people is important to us and is achieved through: solid learning, physical activity, the ability to be and work with others, involvement in social affairs, artistic creativity and sensitivity to spiritual matters.
At KOSTKA, we strive to create a friendly and supportive atmosphere. We are open to contacts that are aimed at supporting the development of young people who have trusted us since they started studying at KOSTKA.
KOSTKA as a part of the Jesuit network
Nowadays it is extremely difficult to act as a lonely island. In KOSTKA we see how much can be learned through mutual support, cooperation and exchange of best practices. As a Jesuit school, we are a part of a large network of over 800 schools operating around the world and educating almost 860,000 students. As a part of this international community, we are able to live and foster a creative fidelity where tradition and innovation go hand in hand. We have been called to live our Mission, responding to the new challenges of today’s world. Our identification is who we are; our Mission is what we do. We promote lifelong learning and action in service to others. We want to develop men and women of competence, conscience and compassion.
School development
For KOSTKA’s continued growth, we need friends who, with enthusiasm for this type of activity, will be ready to offer us various types of help. As a public school, we allocate grants received to the ongoing didactic and educational / artistic activities. All investments, additional classes, educational programs and projects, as well as the support we provide to our students are realized only thanks to the help of wonderful people who are concerned about the development of young people. By devoting their time, talent and treasure, they allow us to provide our students with high-quality education in a modern, up-to-date facility..
We invite everyone who desires to help young people, to join us as collaborators in this unique educational project, thus building our common future.
