The school and its students remember this place not only in autumn. They constantly take care of the cemetery in Kirtimai, celebrate anniversaries related to this person, e.g. the school community celebrated the 60th anniversary of the death of Jan Konrad Obst in March last year.

Obst- Mostiškės- Kirtimai
What connects the Polish school in Mostiškės with the figure of Jan Konrad Obst?

Firstly, the school in Mostiškės takes its origins from teaching conducted in the mansion of Jan Konrad Obst in the neighbouring village of Kirtimai. A six-year school was opened in the manor in 1949 and it was the nucleus of the current basic school in Mostiškės.

Seeking for a patron
Secondly, the school has been seeking for an opportunity to pursue Jan Konrad Obst as its patron for many years. But without any results for the time being.

In 2008 the school administration issued first letters and requests to have the name of J. K. Obst. The State Commission of the Lithuanian Language directed the school administration to the Ministry of Education and Science, whose answer was negative.

Currently, the school management intends to resume its efforts to name the school after J. K. Obst. There will be a good opportunity to do it, as the institution will be named as 'multi- functional centre', because the building of the school will be soon expanded with new facilities under the project financed by EU funds and budget of the Vilnius district municipality. The school community will soon have a new hall, library, computer room and gym, the worth of which is more than 400 000 EUR.

Polish school - education, knowledge and traditions
Polish school means not only education, but also comprehensive development of one's personality. It is also a place where love for the native language, tradition, customs, Catholic faith and patriotism is instilled in children.

An extremely important part of maintaining Polish national identity is religion. 100% of students attend religious education lessons in the school. A Nativity play is organized each year at the school. Other religious holidays and traditions are also commemorated at the school.

The school has nearly 10 groups of extracurricular activities. Here are the names of some of them: 'Let's sing together', 'Young reporter', 'Mathematics differently', 'Gymnastics', etc.

'Investing in young people, sooner or later, always repays. Everything that has been instilled at school, shapes ones' personality, patriotic attitude, a desire to be useful for one's relatives and friends as well as for one's Homeland and Motherland,' said Teresa Demeško, Vilnius district municipality councilor, initiator and organizer of many projects, including local ones.

People joke, that Demeško is the godmother of the ' Mościszczanka' vocal band functioning in Mostiškės. 'There are mainly former students of the school, their families and relatives forming the band,' said the councilor. Demeško helps with the purchase of clothing for band members, organizes trips to various vocal trainings, concerts in Poland, promotes the band in the country and abroad.

Achievements
The school in Mostiškės was distinguished in the fifth edition of the "Best school-best teacher" contest organized by the Association of Polish Schools Teachers in Lithuania 'Macierz Szkolna' in 2007.

Besides, the school receives such distinctions every year and is one of the best basic schools in the Vilnius Region with the Polish language teaching, especially due to high rate of continuation their education in secondary schools by school graduates, successful acquisition of their secondary education, and for active and diverse after-school activities run by the school.

This year 'Macierz Szkolna' distinguished only two basic schools in the Vilnius Region: one in Šumskas and another in Mostiškės.

20 graduates of Mostiškės school work as teachers in schools and kindergartens.

Experienced and comprehensively active management
Valdemar Klimaševski has been the principal of the school since 2000. He is also very active in local community as the President of the Mostiškės Branch of the Association of Poles in Lithuania and initiator of various local projects.

Klimaševski also acts as the head of the Polish kindergarten located in the neighbourhood. The number of children attending the kindergarten is stable. It is open throughout the year, even in summer. This year the renovation of the kindergarten was finished. The costs of it amounted to more then 230 000 EUR; the money came from EU funds and the budget of the Vilnius district municipality.

Currently, there 81 students and 20 teachers at the school. 308 people graduated from the school in 1989-2015; this year's promotion was already 27th.

Love to Polish
Kinga Levko is the student of Mostiškės school, who has been the winner of declamation contest of Adam Mickiewicz 'Kresy' twice. Last year Kinga took second place in her age group (under 12 years old), while this year she was distinguished. Her teacher is Danuta Černiavska, who is a master of the Polish language and a great teacher. She has been teaching for many years and there are plenty of students grateful for her efforts and work.

Travel and broaden horizons
Students of Mostiškės Basic School have many opportunities to travel. Trips to Poland are held in cooperation with the branch of the Association 'Polish Community' in Łódź, with parish of the Holy Family in Piła, members of the Association 'Piła Patriots' and Salesian priests. Trips take place not only during the holiday season, but also throughout the school year.

Students who intensively and regularly play sports have even more opportunities to develop both physically and intellectually. They have wide possibilities of trying their hands at sports competitions in various parts of Europe, where they can also visit some places, improve their skills, and, of course, bring won medals.

'I watch our students, hence my conclusion is that children who travel are more communicative, confident, more global and have wider horizons. Such students are more open to the world, but also the environment is more conducive to such people,' said Klimaševski.

The school - an important link in the life of the local community
The school is often the initiator and co-organizer of events important for the residents of Mostiškės and surrounding villages. It is almost always in the epicenter of events. In cooperation with the school and county office in Lavoriškės, and on the initiative of the Mostiškės Branch of the Association of Poles in Lithuania, memorial plaque and tombstones were placed on the graves of J. K. Obst, his wife Róża and mother Maria in the cemetery in Kirtimai.

500th anniversary of the Kirtimai village has been commemorated in September 2013. One of the initiators and co-organizers of the celebration was also the community of Mostiškės school.

History of the school
The school in Kirtimai, which gave rise to the current basic school in Mostiškės , was opened in 1927. The education lasted 4 years then. Children went to school only in winter and from the age of 7. Firstly, the room for learning was rented from A. Grycewicz, while later the teaching was carried out in the premises owned by B. Jackiewicz. All children were learning in one class; they were divided into 4 classes after the war.

About 100 children were learning in the school in 1949. There were lessons of Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, nature, arithmetic, geometry, history, and German from 5th grade.

In 1950-1951 classes were conducted in Russian. In 1950 the school in Kirtimai became the seven-year basic school.

First graduates completed the school in 1952. In 1958 there were 90 students at the school and the teaching was conducted in Polish. In 1959, unfortunately, the school burned down, but the lessons were held in the premises owned by Mr Gudaniec.

In 1960 the school moved to Mostiškės. The teaching was conducted in two shifts and there were 152 students. In 1961, the number of students was already 197. In 1961 the school became the eight-year school in Kirtimai. Lessons have been held in the current school building since 1988. Then, there were 150 students and 16 teachers at the school.

• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
•  

"This project is co-financed from the funds granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland."