We interview Alicja Wodecka – director of Zespół Szkół Łączności in Warsaw, winner of such titles as Leader by Vocation and Charismatic Woman. Zespół Szkół Łączności has been in existence for over 100 years, employs staff of approximately 130 and teaches almost 900 students. The Complex has just been nominated for The Best & More in recognition of its effective and innovative teaching and numerous social activities.
Are you a born Charismatic Woman or a formed one? How did you develop your competences?
I was born in January, during the so called winter of the century, and this has already hardened me for life and for hard work. Zodiacally, I’m a Capricorn, which means a hard-working and well-organised personality with an aptitude for management. Throughout my life, I’ve enjoyed learning, developing my personality and professional competences by climbing the career ladder. I obtained degrees from several universities, studying chemistry at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, law at Nicolaus Copernicus University, management at L. Koźmiński, entrepreneurship at the Warsaw School of Economics, and Collegium Civitas – Leader of Education. The knowledge I gained there and many years of professional experience in education have allowed me to effectively manage Zespół Szkół Łączności (Secondary Schools of Communications) in Warsaw.
What schools are part of the complex existing for over 100 years?
The Janusz Groszkowski Secondary School of Communications, teaching future IT, multimedia services, data communications, telecommunications and programming technicians, and the Agnieszka Osiecka Secondary School.
Are there any extra classes run at weekends?
The Janusz Groszkowski students have to gain two vocational qualifications to become a technician. We want to prepare them well, which is why we organise mock and professional examinations confirming vocational qualifications, as well as classes to prepare for the matura exam on weekends.
Please, name the school achievements you most proud of.
The school won the Srebrna Tarcza in the PERSPEKTYWY 2023 plebiscite. We are one of the best equipped technical schools in the country. We own the only labs in the country, i.e. fibre optic technology and installation of receiving systems for satellite TV, terrestrial TV, cable network. I’m proud of the achievements of our students, who get significant scholarships, win competitions and professional Olympiads. In the current school year, Piotr, a student at the Technical School, received following scholarships: the Capital City of Warsaw – ‘Sapere Auso’, the ‘Zdolni’ Programme of the Polish Children’s Fund and the Prime Minister scholarship. I’ve raised and educated several dozen generations of young people who are sports champions, artists and actors, as well as high-class IT specialists, and I’m proud when I meet them or see them in the media. I love working with the young and generally with people, not only as a coordinator, but also as a learner. I learn a lot from other people, they inspire me to grow further. In fact, I can’t imagine life without work.
How do you help students with disorders and deficits?
We employ specialists with pedagogical and psychological competences. We provide individual teaching or apply an individualised educational path when working with such pupils. We introduce inclusive education. People with dyslexia or autism spectrum disorder participate in daily classes. Pupils with profound dysfunction are placed under the care of a support teacher.
Do you enable students to develop their passion?
Depending on direction the young would like to take, we enable them to do so by supporting and funding activities. We have a chess circle and the enthusiasts who take part in numerous competitions. Artistic classes develop in the N.O.R.A Theatre under the direction of an active actor as well as of a conductor of the inter-school choir and multi-instrumentalist. They enhance district and city celebrations with their performances. It’s 17 years since we’ve been annual organisers of a prestigious event – the Mazowiecki Przegląd Artystycznych Inspiracji Twórczością Agnieszki Osieckiej (Mazovian Review of Artistic Inspirations of the Art of Agnieszka Osiecka) ‘Taką nas ścieżką poprowadź…’, participated by students from all over Poland. A physics teacher and ambassador for Space Education of the European Space Agency ESERO (POLAND), she coordinates the activities of the ZSŁ SPACE science club, participants of which are interested in astronautics with a particular emphasis on the implementation of international, team-based STEM projects. They build satellites, take part in astrophysics rallies and compete in Hackathons. In December, together with members of the ham radio club, they’re going to connect with an astronaut on ISIS – the international space station.
How do employees develop their competences?
I delegate them to various training courses. I also organise such courses in-house. This year, we will be learning particularly about artificial intelligence and how to teach and work with Generation Z and Alpha students.
Could you name institutions you collaborate with?
We cooperate with ZSŁ schools from Gdańsk, Szczecin and Kraków. We organise conferences shows, during which companies promote the latest telecommunications equipment. We also cooperate with the military and universities such as the WAT (Military University of Technology in Warsaw), Warsaw University of Technology, the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). University researchers lecture at our school and our students go to selected classes at the universities.
Development plans?
We belong to the dynamically developing IT area, so we cannot stuck on the now. We’re about to introduce new courses to prepare for new professions, such as cyber security on the web. Because of the current demographic decline, we’re stepping up work to promote the school in order to get the best students. We’re also introducing career counselling for students so that they know in which direction to develop their competences and professional future.
Effective management and achievements of such a large school are made possible not only by a well-qualified and creative team of specialists, teachers and administrative staff, not resting on their laurels, constantly developing, but also by special, positive relationships between the staff, which I believe is extremely important if not essential.
How do you recharge your energy?
I relax by going on short trips throughout Poland, e.g. Ustroń, Jurata, Kazimierz and longer worldwide travels. I’m most fond of countries with a warm climate, and I’m constantly in awe of South America and the Caribbean, of Latino music because of the love for dance. On a daily basis, I try to catch my free time in Warsaw, my beloved city since I was born, by going to theatres and philharmonics for concerts, because I cannot live without music. I usually meet lots of great friends and people whom we motivate each other with and carry out interesting projects, including helping the needy.
Could you share any of your personal plans and dreams?
I plan to further develop this extraordinary school I manage, to make it one of the top ten schools in Poland. I have many dreams, but I won’t give them away. As long as I dream, I discover the magic of life being young in spirit.
Dorota Kolano
Beata Sekuła
Alicja Wodecka is an outstanding educator with long-term experience, a chemistry teacher, director of ZSŁ in Warsaw, including the Janusz Groszkowski Secondary School of Communications and Agnieszka Osiecka Secondary School No. XCVI. Patron of the N.O.R.A. (acronym for Nadwiślańskie Oddziały Rezerw Arystycznych) Theatre, members of which are recruited from the students of the Osiecka High School. Awarded with medals and awards: Commission of National Education, the President of the City of Warsaw, PRO MASOVIA, and SEP.
