Jelgava Spidola Gymnasium

OUR SCHOOL

Jelgava Spidola Gymnasium was founded in 1990 by the Culture Foundation of Latvia with the aim of creating a new type of school, rooted in humanities. The school ethos is freedom and independence, its motto is woven in the school flag. 

There are 477 students (7-12 grades) and 50 teachers in Jelgava Spidola Gymnasium. The school has four educational programmes: Basic Education programme (7-9 grade) and Humanitarian and Social Science programme, Professional Commercial Science programme, General Education programme. School offers a wide range of after school activities: theatre, folk dance group, choir, art studio, volleyball, small business school, young entrepreneurs, aesthetic school, etc. 

Jelgava Spidola Gymnasium is situated in Jelgava, a city in central Latvia about 41 km southwest of Riga with about 64,000 inhabitants. It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was a capital of the united Duchy of Courland and Semigallia and an administrative centre of the Courland Governorate, Russian Empire until 1919. 

OUR SCHOOL IN ACTION

Jelgava Spidola gymnasium is a partner school of the Junior Achievement Latvia organization since its foundation. We have been realizing the economics and commercial science programme since 1994 and have had more than 400 students' companies established. Four times we have participated in the European finals of students' companies. All the students from the grade 7 to 12 , who are involved in commercial studies, form student companies, write business plans and participate in the competition of business ideas. Our students are involved in different projects and have participated in international conferences and seminars about business education in schools. Our teacher of economics Inta Jornina has been nominated by JA Latvia as The Best Teacher of Economics in Latvia. She is involved in teacher education about business as a teacher trainer and has written her own study materials of economics for all secondary schools in Latvia. In the future the school is planning to become the main centre for schools in business and commercial education in our region. To encourage and develop more entrepreneur skills for our students we would like to open business incubator for our students’ companies.

“Participation in JA Latvia programmes gave me the possibility to become more competitive and enterprising. Now I am not afraid to set high goals up and to do whatever I can to reach them. I suggest young people to try to participate in any of JA Latvia programmes and, of course, to join the JA Latvia Volunteer Club which helps students to develop students organisational and managerial skills,” said Marta Šaliņa, the Best Student of Economics in 2011.

SCHOOL WEBSITE: http://www.jsg.lv