The Last Bell rang.

Twelve years later, which seemed to fly by at the speed of light. It is difficult to even describe the whole path I have traveled in these two thirds of my still very short life. It is difficult to put into words all the experiences and emotions, it is also difficult to understand how much I changed myself during this time. And now it ends. Of course, there are a few more exams ahead, graduation, but the last real lesson was today. I’ve been waiting for this day with impatience and anxiety all these school years, and as it usually happens when something ends, I started thinking more and more about what started it all.

It seems not so long ago that I, the happiest girl in the world with two pigtails carefully braided by my mother, was walking with my whole family to my first September 1st in my life. I remember how I got lost when I went to my class for the first time, and for a moment I thought that I would miss meeting my classmates, and how later, with all the children snapping their fingers, I had no idea how to do it. When, as a fourth grader, I stood on stage with other children graduating from elementary school at the end of May, I already knew how to snap my fingers. I knew more. I knew how to read and write, I knew how to count, I knew the names of the most important lakes and rivers in Lithuania and many, many more things. And I understood why it is often said that the school is the second home, and the class teacher is the second mother. I had the best teacher in the world, Loreta Ruzgaitė, and I am extremely grateful to her for everything. For lessons and smiles. For seeing in us the potential to do more and better, for advice, praise and reprimands. For serious conversations with a naive little person. For pushing me not to be afraid to achieve goals and not to sit in one place, because without your efforts, Teacher, I would hardly be where I am today. For being just special. I will never forget how I once got confused and bragged about the thick book I had read not to Teacher Loreta, but to her sister, but now I know that I would recognize my somehow radiating kindness First Teacher in a crowd in any country in the world, and She would smile and say: “Oh, hello, Adriana!”

Today, the 26th of May, I celebrated my Last Call at a school where the bell never rings, so this strange celebration did not give me that numbing feeling that everything is over. Teacher Loreta was the person who started my whole journey of twelve years. And today she became the person which the journey ended with. The school principal, at the very beginning of his celebratory speech, talking about the fact that every ending is also the beginning of something new, said how good it was for him to see the schoolgirls first teacher with a bouquet of flowers, and I smiled. Therefore, I just want to say thank you, dear Teacher Loreta, for being by my side all this time, and for once again turning me into the happiest girl in the world, even if I cried a little with joy.

With love, Adriana Otilija Vilkaitė

All parents are concerned that their child, after entering school, not only receives quality education, but also feels safe, surrounded by a warm, friendly atmosphere. These are just a few things that made us choose the primary “Saulė” gymnasium. And we got much more. Throughout the school year, the warm communication of the teachers and the administration was pleasing not only with our son, but also with us, the parents. It was very important for us that we were consulted and consulted – we always received feedback not only about the results of our son’s education, but also about his development as a personality.

Our young man was educated here in a comprehensive manner, his good character traits, creativity were encouraged, and the values that guide our family were also developed. The teachers who contributed to this really love not only the students, but also their work. Thanks you for this to primary school teachers Lina Ožaliene and Daiva Gailiušiene, English teacher Vida Sinkevičiene and music teacher and pop-choir leader Lydija Biržietyta.

We are grateful to the teachers of this school for their extremely careful educational work, the creation of a positive learning environment, the acquired knowledge and the miraculously created desire of the child to go to school. The teachers who contributed to this really love not only the students, but also their work. We appreciate and cherish it and wish you energy that is never too much when working with the little ones and new ideas that would be interesting not only for the students, but also for you. Good luck in creating our future, because as V. Hugo said, “The future is in the hands of school teachers”. We believe that working with such excellent educators will give us a bright future.

With great respect and love
Bogdanov family
Comenius Tarptautinis Projektas 
 “Skriskime per Europą” 
 “Flying through Europe” 
 To ‘’Saule’’ Private Gymnasium 
 Congratulations on your 20th anniversary from all your ‘’FLYING THROUGH EUROPE’’ Comenius friends

Summer of High School Students at Harvard

This summer I had the opportunity to visit the city of Boston in the United States of America and one of the most famous universities in the world – Harvard. Harvard is a globally recognized university, so I am very happy that I participated in the English language camp program together with three classmates: Monika, Martina, Gaivile and another Lithuanian.

The English language camp was organized by the gymnasium’s partner, “Ames”. I am very grateful that “Saulės” private gymnasium informed us about this camp.

We were all in the camp for two weeks. At first it seemed like a long period of time, but in the end we realized that the time was really too short for a program of this size. On the second day, we all wrote tests so that the teachers could check our English levels. We all made it to the highest levels and surprised ourselves with our English language skills, because we could speak perfectly. The English lessons at the camp were interesting, unconventional, but they were not much different from the English lessons at the gymnasium. During the lessons, we discussed various topics, played games, and also participated in various projects, such as the “Harvard” camp newspaper, in which all students wrote about relevant topics.

At the Harvard camp, we did various activities, traveled a lot, learned valuable information not only about Harvard University, but also a little about the history of the United States of America, visited many museums, saw part of the city of Boston, and stayed on the campus of Harvard University. We spent most of our time in the building where all the students of the camp lived. Various drawing and sports classes were also held there. We got along very well with the teachers and managers. Most of them were very young, but very friendly, benevolent and helpful.

Attending the Harvard English Camp in the United States was the best experience. We saw a lot, learned a lot, made Lithuania famous. We have proven that we can speak, write, confidently participate in discussions and express our opinion in English.
I recommend all students who are interested and have the opportunity to participate in this or similar programs. Once again, I would like to thank the “Saulė” private gymnasium for the opportunity and the English teacher Ona Karpavičienė for the strong preparation.

Sincerely, Kornelija Biekšaitė IXth edition graduate)

We grew up and became a high school

Graduation is approaching – the end of the first stage of life. And for the first time, we think more seriously about the unstoppable flow of time, which was previously only reminded by those around us, saying: “How great you have grown up!” But growing up is not enough, it is more important to grow up – to become mature, to earn respect and recognition through your work.

We grew up together with our school – we are high school graduates, and the school which became “Saulė” private gymnasium, and brought us together in 2010 October 9th for the inauguration celebration held at the Opera and Ballet Theater. In the celebration, we realized that the recognition of Vilnius society is an integral part of our adulthood and mobilizes the high school community to continue to achieve the set goals.

Simon Steen, President of the Ministry of Education and Science, Vilnius City Municipality Administration, Department of Education, European Association of Private Schools, Simon Moris, Principal of Kingswood College in England and his deputy Angela Dadly, Rector of Amsterdam Lyceum Roel Schoonveld, British Council staff, Klaipėda will remain in the guest book for a long time. the founders of the private school “Universa Via”, F. Gulbinienė, the director of Vilnius J.Basanavičiaus Gymnasium, V.Strimaitienė, the director of our neighbors – J.Ivaškevičius, E.Astapovičienė, the director of the “Atgaja” special school, I.Jadzevičienė, the director of the “Pelenė” kindergarten , Antakalnis secondary school principal V. Kirkilienė, Karoliniškiu high school principal O. Mačernienė, Žemyna, Medeina schools, Montessori center, “American English school” general director E. Kesylienė, Marina Mižigurskaja, founders of Grigiškiu secondary schools, “Šaltinėlis” private school and the greetings and wishes of the witnesses of the creation of our high school: parents and students and former graduates.

High school graduate Karina Statinaitė, VIth edition edition graduate

Letter to English teacher Onutė Karpavičienė

I have been preparing to write you a letter of gratitude for a week now. I would like to thank you for everything I have learned from you. And not only for the English language, although now I even dream mostly in English. Now while studying, I remember how in sixth grade you taught me to read the clause three times and understand it before starting the assignment, and I think no one explained that to half my group. I remember how you were able to find and underline important words in a text, and I think I use that a lot now. I remember how before the exam you taught not only English, but how to take the exams and understand what is really wanted from us. This has come in handy more than once. I remember how I used to dread presenting projects in front of the class and thought that I would get confused in English sentences or forget a word, and I’m glad that now I feel calm and my hands don’t shake when I stand in front of an audience, I can speak loudly and freely. I remember how you taught presentation methodology and planning, I am grateful for the fact that I sleep peacefully before presentations. And I remember very well how I had to diligently learn self-control in the work group, when Aurelija and I did creative work in the last year. Then it seemed unpleasant and tiring work, but now I can remember it with a smile. I see how far we have advanced in life then. I see that you taught all of us not only the language, but also life: everything that is useful and useful, everything that now saves me from stress, nerves, fatigue, useless work and a great desire to return to a warm home where you are always welcome.

Sincerely yours, with sincere gratitude,
Austėja Vaičytė

2010-11-18

I finished “Saulė” a year ago. I spent seven years of my life at this school and I can safely say that the experiences gained during this time will remain in my memory for a long time. Like every child, school was one of the most hated things in the world for me for many years, because every day you are forced to get up early and go to a single building, where most of the time there is nothing good. You are often scalped and tested, you must constantly prepare for something that, in your opinion, is completely unnecessary and will not be of any use to you in the future. The eighth and ninth grades are especially stuck in my memory, which were spent breaking the rules and driving different teachers crazy, and finally from work. However, like all phases, this period of chaos and uncertainty in our lives ended, and problems began to change for both me and my parents. More and more often I had to think about my future after graduation.

It is at this moment that I am happy that my parents once made the right decision and let me go to “Saulė”. I will try to explain. At first glance, this school is almost no different from other schools in Lithuania. Teachers teach students in classrooms. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. On one of the bulletin boards in “Saulė” hangs the theoretical philosophy of the school, which, in short, is based on the discovery of individual talents and their development. Having spent quite a few years at this school, I can say that it is implemented. Every year, the school participates in many local and international events, during which not only the knowledge of the English language (which is of a very high level in our school) is developed, but also the students’ worldview is deepened. They can travel to different foreign countries and meet different people, and it is not sad there.

However, in my eyes, the strongest side of the “Saulė” is the creation and development of critical thinking. It may sound a little strange, but basically, a person who graduates from this school will not be just an obedient creature of the system. He or she will have their own view of the world and will not be afraid to change it with their own ideas and beliefs. I believe that all this is created through the use of humane and young person-centered methods of leadership and training. This is the main aspect that distinguishes “Saulė” from other Lithuanian (especially state) schools and allows students (those who want it) to get really high-level education and enter world-class universities.

To be fair, at least during my schooling period, this school was famous for its humanities disciplines, but did not show the best results in mathematics, etc. In my opinion, it was due to an excessive desire to have teachers who would be the best specialists, have the highest pedagogical degrees, but a good specialist is not always synonymous with a good teacher. Since I am writing this letter during Christmas, I would like it to contain a lot of good and positive emotions. It is understood that in “Saulė”, like in real life, is both good and bad and someone may disagree with my opinion, but I think that a good school should be one that you want to return to even after graduation, and it is always nice to return to “Saulė”.

Thank you.

Daumantas Dvilinskas IInd edition graduate, Lancaster University UK

28/01/2008

I would like to thank the entire teaching staff of the “Saulė” private school, and especially the principal, for giving me an excellent education and opportunities to achieve the highest in life. Thanks to your great work, I got this opportunity to study at one of the best universities in Europe and the world, Manchester City University. As the gaps in Lithuanian higher education, the outdated education system, when it is almost impossible to get a good and qualified job after graduating from university, I am increasingly beginning to understand that studying abroad becomes a great opportunity to achieve something. Many people think that to study abroad you need endless acquaintances, or the only way is to finish the International Baccalaureate class of the Lyceum, but in my opinion, the most important thing is the desire and the pursuit of the goal, and a great team of teachers who try to help in every way makes this dream even closer. Apparently, it goes without saying that the nature of work while studying architecture in Manchester is quite different from that in Lithuania. They try to focus all their attention only on the necessary subjects, they only teach what will be needed to be an architect, and additional knowledge must be acquired on one’s own initiative, which is completely opposite to studying in Lithuania, where everything is taught in sequence and where most subjects, except for one’s general intelligence, you will never need it. In my opinion, “Saulės” school is a great place to prepare for studying abroad. The small number of students, the teachers’ individual attention to each student, the abundance of additional information and the dedicated work of the team provide the student with even more than enough knowledge and skills to enter a ranked higher education institution abroad. The teaching of English in the school is especially commendable. The impeccable work of teacher Onutė Karpavičienė, teaching me from primary grades, gave me excellent knowledge of the English language. Just the fact that her students, including myself, are winners of many English Olympiads says a lot, but the biggest credit of the teacher for me is that the university (as well as the students of the Lyceum International Baccalaureate) recognized my level of English and did not ask not even take any English exams. And this is just one of the many examples that prove that the “Saulės” private school is exactly the place where a student can achieve much more than students from other schools with their own efforts and being taught by an excellent team of teachers. Further, it could be mentioned that the students of the first edition of the school entered really prestigious specialties: law, engineering sciences, medicine, which only confirms the fact that “Saulės” school can be mentioned among the leaders in terms of the level of education provided.

Thank you again, Sincerely, Marius Macejauskis

Marius Macejauskis Ist edition graduate

2007-02-12