General Information
School Contacts
General Email: info@fryderykchopin.org
General Phone Number: 847-307-5366
Mailing address: 2010 Carling Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
For other contact information, see our main contacts page
Curriculum
The curriculum at the Fryderyk Chopin Polish School in Palatine and Buffalo Grove covers a program for:
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- Preschool (4 years old students)
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- Kindergarten
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- First to eighth grade
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- High school
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- Polish language classes for non-speakers (Bilingual Program).
The curriculum is comprised of Polish language instruction, history, contemporary issues, geography and religion all infused with Polish culture and customs. Contributions of Poles, especially in the United States are also included in our teaching. Furthermore, students participate in dance groups, artistic programs such as “Jaselka” (Christmas Play), 3-rd of May parade, art contests and poetry recitals.
Class schedule: Friday 5pm-9pm or Saturday 9 am – 1pm.
Registration
Click here to register online for next school year or download our registration form (fill out and send to mailing address above).
Accreditation
Our school is fully accredited by the State of Illinois which resulted from Victor Barczyk’s efforts. Our middle school students can earn credit for a foreign language in their regular schools
Status
The school has non-profit status and any income is solely designated for school expenditures. The main source of income is tuition, augmented by donations from PNA (Polish National Alliance), private donations as well as fundraising efforts through dinners/dances. Main expenses involve paying expenditures of teachers and maintenance as well as rental of the classrooms and insurance. The school files annual state and federal tax reports.
Parent Association
The Parent Association manages the administrative activities of the school and their actions are regulated by the School Status. Their work is completely voluntary without any financial compensation. The Director of the School is also a member of the Parent Association.
Teachers Board
The Teachers Board is comprised of all teachers in the school and chaired by the Director of the School. The Charter of the Teachers Board governs their activities. Teachers are hired based on their academic credentials, work experience as well the number of years in the United States. It is considered critical that every educator working with students living outside their native country be very knowledgeble of local community and its customs.
History
The Fryderyk Chopin Polish School began in Palatine in 1979 and was first located in the Palatine Park District building. Soon it outgrew its space and moved to its current location at Palatine High School. A second campus was founded by Zofia and Victor Barczyk in Wheeling in 2000. In 2002 it moved to Buffalo Grove High School. The school began with 109 students the first year and currently there are approximately 1200 students and 80 teachers.
The basic operating principles of the school are steeped in the Christian spirit and governed by the School Statues, by laws of the Teachers Board and Student Code. The school welcomes all students regardless of race, color or national origin.
Bilingual Program (BL)
Our school offers a Bilingual Program for students with limited or lack of Polish language skills. Most often these are children from families, where English is the language spoken at home. Our program includes levels from 1st grade through high school.
We encourage families to sign their children up for our bilingual program. During the classes, young students are exposed to communication in both languages, which helps them learn basic Polish expressions and vocabulary. Teachers use books written in both English and Polish; we constantly strive to improve and update our curriculum and school books. In the spring of 2014, we were proud to announce three graduates of the bilingual program (BL), who showed a very good proficiency in Polish language and extended knowledge of Poland. We invite you to join our Bilingual Family.