All about us
Primary School No. 24 of The Civic Educational Association was founded in 1990 by a group of parents, residents of the „Górczewska” housing estate in Warsaw. Initially, there were two departments – a „pre-school” class and a first class. The establishment of the school was the result of a huge social commitment of its founders, who in a short time prepared all the necessary documents. The main intention of the founding-parents was to provide the children with the best possible learning conditions.
From the very beginning, the STO school has been located in the parish house belonging to the Virgin Mary parish in Jelonki in Warsaw, which in the meantime has been enlarged by one floor. In thirty years of operation, the number of classrooms and rooms has grown from three to dozens. Our school currently has over twenty classrooms, a library, few labs (a computer lab, an art and technique lab, a science lab, chemistry lab), psychological and pedagogical rooms, canteen with our own kitchen and a number of support rooms. The school also has a sports hall, a field with an artificial surface and a playground.
In the first year, our STO primary school managed to create a very good atmosphere, which is still the pride of the school. This was a result of the small size of the school community (32 students and 5 teachers) and the significant involvement of parents. Purely spontaneous activity at first was quickly changed to a formal commitment to work a certain number of hours socially. However, most parents still worked, not out of obligation but out of a sense of need, and the 250-hour limit was far exceeded by many.
The arrival of the fourth class at the school (1993/94) was accompanied by the introduction of an important innovation – the assessment method of work. Students were given the monthly requirement sheets, and a summary of each month’s learning took place in the form of an „assessment day”. The modified assessment system has functioned up to the present time, providing the basis for organizing the work of students in grades 4-6 of primary school. Moreover, in recent years, the new assessment system without grading was introduced.
The assessment was accompanied by the introduction of several other innovative solutions, such as independent projects and school skills badges, based on the idea of scout skills. In 1997/98, on the basis of the first published version of the ” Podstawy programowej kształcenia ogólnego”, teachers of Primary School No. 24 STO developed the ” Jednolity program nauczania blokowego”” for grades 4-6, which became the basis for work at this stage of education. The value of this work was confirmed by its distinction in 1998 as one of the eight best programs prepared for educational reform. Its eleven co-authors were honoured with awards from the Minister of National Education. The school also developed the „Integrated Primary Curriculum for Grades 1-3” and the „History Curriculum for Gymnasium”, which did not receive an award, were also approved for school use at that time.
The didactic and educational program, which has been implemented during the thirty years of existence of the school, places particular emphasis on educational activities.
In 2007, the Civic Lower Secondary School No. 99 was established, which in company with Primary School No. 24 STO formed The School Complex STO in Bemowo. Not only at the gymnasium stage but also in the elementary school,there were introduced a number of innovative solutions, such as individual student’s development planning, tutoring, and school services. Thanks to the efforts of High school’s teachers and students, there are carried out long-term projects such as School Art Gallery and Treasures of Nature. Nowadays, due to the education system reforms, our Lower Secondary School was transformed into Civic Highschool No. 99 and the Primary School was extended with 7-8 grades.
The first graduates left the primary school in June 1998. In the following year, 47 students from 8th grades and 16 from the 6th also graduated. First group of students from The Civic Gymnasium STO No. 99 left school in 2010. The activity of The STO Gymnasium was terminated by the school reform in 2019. The gymnasium students were replaced by high school students from the four-year STO High School, which retained the number 99. Its first graduates will leave the school in 2023.
Due to our observation of graduates, we are convinced that they are doing well in their new schools. Most of them presents characteristics such as responsibility and positive attitude towards the world, willingness to undertake various tasks, willingness to cooperate with teachers.
The activity of parents is currently limited to the activities at the Board Presidens of the STO No. 69 and occasional help provided by various persons in the organization of class or school events. Moreover, the vast majority of parents are in regular contact with class teachers and participate in various events, such as the annual School Feast. The parent-teacher-child relationship is generally based on respect, trust and good relation.
In 2020 the STO School Complex in Bemowo celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of establishing the STO Primary School No. 24. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration was not as lavish as everyone had hoped.