Centrala Polskich Szkół Dokształcających w Ameryce

About the Organization

The Polish Supplementary School Council of America, Inc. is a Polish-American educational organization established in 1925 at the initiative of Wacław Bojan-Błażewicz, editor of the newspaper "Nowy Świat". The organization was created in response to the closure of bilingual ethnic schools by American authorities in the 1920s.

Mission and Goals

The goal of the Council is to conduct educational and cultural activities within the Polish-American children and youth community. The organization focuses on:

• Teaching the Polish language
• Education in the history and geography of Poland
• Transmitting knowledge about Polish culture and national traditions
• Protecting Catholic values among the Polish diaspora
• Organizing weekend Polish schools (Saturday schools)

History

The organization was founded in 1925 out of a sense of threat to Catholic values and the Polish language among the Polish diaspora. Its task was to support educational institutions operating in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

During World War II, although many supplementary schools suspended their activities, the Council continued its work uninterrupted. In the 1950s, due to the influx of a new wave of Polish immigration, it contributed to the revival of fallen educational institutions.

In 1962, at the General Assembly in New York, the Statute of the Council was adopted and approved. In 2004, the organization's website was established.

Activities

The Council collaborates with the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in New York and conducts:

• Educational conferences and gatherings
• Visits to member schools
• Methodological training for teachers
• Methodological workshops
• Development of school documentation templates

Teachers are often sponsored by the Ministry of Education of Poland, and specialized textbooks are imported from Poland.

Current Activities

As of today (2024-2026), the Council oversees approximately 75 member schools, educating over 9500 students, with the participation of over 800 teachers. The organization is officially registered as a non-profit organization in New York.

Since 2005, the president of the Council has been Dorota Andraka, who previously served as vice president since 2003. The Council collaborates with the Polish Youth Association, participating in educational and networking sessions for youth.