History of the Polish School in Windsor

History

The first Polish language lessons started in 1919, in an unfurnished room at the newly built church building of the Holy Trinity Parish, 1035 Ellis St. E., Windsor, Ontario. In 1925 the Polish School was moved to a newly erected the Polish People’s Home (Dom Polski), at 1275 Langlois Ave. A number of students varied annually from 19 to 45. The people who devoted most of their time and hearts to the Polish school were: Mr. Jan Kaniewski, Mr. Waclaw Morszczyzna and Mr. Tadeusz Basinski. In 1947, there was created an Interorganizational Committee to look after the school. Father Wawrzyniec Wnuk, the consecutive pastor of the Holy Trinity Parish (1961-1983), was granted permission from the Catholic Separate School Board to use the classrooms of St. Angela School for Saturday Polish classes. The teaching was done by Mrs. Pola Kosobudzka, Mrs. Julia Wolanska and Mrs. Maria Zehaluk.
Since 1965, the Ursuline Sisters AHJ, who were brought over from Poland by Fr. Wawrzyniec (Lawrence) Wnuk to look after the young people, took over most of the teaching and the school administration. At first they started with the youngest children in the Parish Hall to move later to the elementary, high school and university students. Consecutive Polish School principals were the following: Sr. Daniela Kolak (until 1983), Sr.. Urszula Wolniewicz (until 1996), Sr. Maris Komorska (until 2012), Sr. Elzbieta Mruczek (2012- 2014) and since September 20th 2014 – Sr. Anna Maria Fidor.

Consecutive pastors of the Holy Trinity Parish are Spiritual Supervisors of the Polish School.
Fr. Wawrzyniec (Lawrence) Wnuk: 1961-1983; Fr. Piotr (Peter) Sanczenko: 1983-2003; Fr. Roman Waszkiewicz: 2003-2009; Fr. Zbigniew Sawicki: since 2009.

The Parents’ Polish School Committee cooperates with the school administration.

Consecutive chairpersons of the Committee since 1968 were as follows:
Mr.Wawrzyniec Pernal, Prof. E. Kuffel, Mr.Witold Polewski, Mr.Wiktor Bas, Mrs.Maria Lachowicz, Prof. Marek Zaremba, Mr.Ryszard Kusmierczyk, Mrs.Teresa Wolfson, Mr.Antoni Kulinski, Mrs.Teresa Baran, Mrs.Roza Rzazewska, Mrs.Ewa Barycka, Mrs.Elzbieta Kulinska, Mrs.Elzbieta Rudyk, Mrs.Justyna Jaglarz and Mrs. Magda Zielinska.