KEVIN D'ARCY – Principal
Kevin D’Arcy opened Gdynia International School (GIS) in September 2013. This is an important starting point for the development of a full international school to serve the international and local families of Gdynia and the surrounding area.
Previous to opening GIS, Kevin D’Arcy founded the British International School Gdansk (BISG), where he served as School Principal from 2007 to 2013, at which time it was the most successful international school in Gdansk.
Kevin D’Arcy has a range of teaching and leadership roles which include working as the Head of Secondary School at the British International School Wroclaw, teacher of mathematics at The British School Warsaw, Lecturer at the University of Wollongong (Australia), and various teaching roles at the University of New South Wales as well as schools in Australia and Ireland.
His broad range of interests and hobbies include educational theory, the arts, especially philosophy, as well as the mathematical sciences. When it comes to sport, Kevin would rather participate than spectate. He enjoys squash and cycling, and long walks along the beach and in the woods around the Tricity. Kevin also enjoys garden landscaping, singing and public speaking with Toastmasters.
Qualifications:
- BSc in Physics, University of Wollongong, Australia
- MA(hons) in Philosophy, University of Wollongong, Australia
- Higher Diploma of Education (hons), University College Dublin
MARTA SZYMAŃSKA – Vice Director Preschool - Administration
Marta has a Master’s Degree in International Studies from the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia. She also graduated from postgraduate studies in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Gdansk College of Health. She has always worked in areas related to culture and education. Before working in GIS she worked at American Corner in Gdansk, at British International School Gdansk and at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk.
From 2013, since GIS opened, Marta has been involved in administration, marketing and social media. From early 2020, Marta has been working full-time in GIS. As well as taking care of the administration of the preschool, Marta is very involved in the day-to-day details of running it.
In her free time she attends lady latino classes and pilates. She is interested in healthy eating and sugarfree sweets. Marta is very close with her family. She is very involved in various activities with her sons (Mateusz and Adam). They love spending time outside and they want to be close to the nature.
ANNA MAMAJEK – Teacher, Nursery
Anna Mamajek is a graduate of the Foreign Language Teacher Training College at the University of Gdansk.She co-created the concept of one of the first English-language preschools in the Tri-City and for years was one of its pillars.
She perfected her skills, believing that the changing world requires us to be constantly observant and flexible. In her work she uses the techniques of “non-violent communication”, placing great emphasis on positive discipline as the basis for creating bonds, building a sense of security that is the foundation for all other aspects of child development and education.
She is enthusiastic about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle – her passion is long bicycle trips. She never sits still, looking for new inspirations and challenges.
MAGDALENA RZYSKA - Teacher's Assitant
Magda has been working in our preschool from July 2020 as a general assistant and in June 2022 she received qualifications as Preschool Teacher’s Assistant. She is planning to study pedagogy.
Working with children gives her a lot of energy and motivation. Magda knows how important it is to have an individual relation with every child. She is a very empathetic and a family person. She loves to spend her time with her son Kajetan, who also attends Gdynia International School. In her free time she likes singing, going for long walks and exploring her knowledge about healthy eating.
NATALIIA DANILOVA, Teacher, Class 0
Nataliia is a graduate of pedagogical education and a graduate of English and Russian languages at the Riwne Pedagogical Institute. She has many years of experience in teaching English.
She concentrates on developing communicative and socio-cultural competence in children during the lessons of English language, upbringing all-round personalities, evolving interest and passion to the process of learning.
Nataliia enjoys communicating with children, teaching them, and feels happy for their success and achievements. She tries to understand the needs of each child and put all the effort into creating a secure, safe and sane environment of the classroom. She finds it important to teach children at this age to be open, hospitable, kind, and communicative- these skills are critical for the future life and interpersonal interaction.
EWA SZAWŁOWSKA - Teacher's Assistant in Class 0
Ewa is a teacher’s assistant in Class 0. She graduated from the Academy of Physical Education and Sports in Gdańsk, where she was certified as a fitness instructor. She has also an extensive experience in conducting sports and animation classes for children. In her work, she tries to encourage the youngest to be physically active, while teaching them mutual respect and empathy.
Ewa is an enthusiast of a holistic approach to human health. On a daily basis, she tries to lead and promote a healthy lifestyle, because she knows that it is an important foundation for both physical and mental health. She believes that physical activity and a nutritious diet are human privileges that everybody should take advantage of.
In her free time, she enjoys walking in nature and doing a variety of physical activities such as yoga, strength training and spinning.
ALEKSANDRA GERASZEK, Teacher, Reception
Alexandra is studying at the final year of her master’s degree, in early childhood and preschool pedagogy. She is also planning to start postgraduate studies of teaching English in early childhood. She loves and appreciates working with children of all ages and knows that every child needs attention, motivation and individual support. At preschool she focuses on comprehensive development of her students. She is a very warm and sensitive person. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, reading books and spending time with her family.
VALENTINA DULNY- Teacher, Pre-0
Valentina comes from Slovakia. She is a qualified preschool teacher and holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Bratislava. For her, working with children is not just a profession but above all a mission and a privilege. She strongly believes that early education should always be imaginative and creative.
In her career, she has also worked in a children’s home. She spent some time living in England, where she gained new experiences and improved her English skills.
Privately, she is the mother of Adam, who also attends Gdynia International Preschool. Her passions include traveling, sports, and culture. She enjoys spending time outdoors, going for walks in nature, mushroom picking, and discovering new places. Staying active and open to new experiences is very important to her – she does not like stereotypes or monotony.
KAROLINA BRUDZIŃSKA - Psychologist, Support Teacher. Coordinator for Standards for the Protection of Minors
Karolina graduated from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. She continues her education at SWPS University – clinical sexology.
At work she is focused on a child as an individual and works with their strenghts. Her interests focus on child development and sexual education.
She spends her free time on the couch with a book and the dog.
