School History
Our school’s history
Our school grew out of the Saturday schools that Ukrainian families in the Philadelphia area built for their children. Since 1990 those schools have been one: Nasha Ukrainska Ridna Shkola — the Ukrainian Heritage School.
- United as one school
- 1990
- Grades
- K–12
- Teachers & assistants
- 55+
- Campuses in Jenkintown
- 2
Timeline
From a parents’ committee to UHS
1979
A permanent home
The Parents Committee of the Ukrainian Saturday School begins searching for a permanent home. Roma Salak and Yaryna Telepko find the former Cedar Elementary School in Jenkintown.
1980
The UECC is founded
The Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center elects its first Board of Directors on October 19, 1980 — creating the building our younger grades still learn in today.
1981
Dedication
On September 19, 1981, Metropolitan Archbishop Stefan Sulyk blesses the Center. Within a month, 16 Ukrainian organizations join it.
1990
Two schools become one
Spearheaded by the UECC, “Ridna Shkola” and the CYM “Nasha Ukrainska Shkola” unite as Nasha Ukrainska Ridna Shkola. Dr. Alexander Lushnycky is elected its first principal.
1991
Ukraine’s independence
With Ukraine’s independence, the school’s mission becomes even more relevant: students can now use what they learn on visits to Ukraine and in university studies.
Today
Two campuses, K to 12
Grades K–6 meet at the UECC and grades 7–12 at Manor College. A wave of new families from Ukraine has joined second- and third-generation Ukrainian-Americans in our classrooms.
Our Mission
Preserving our heritage
The main objective of the Ukrainian Heritage School is the education of its students in Ukrainian language and culture in order that they may retain their Ukrainian heritage. The school instills in its students a strong sense of their identity as Americans of Ukrainian descent, and an understanding of their responsibility to carry forward Ukrainian tradition.
Become part of our history
Know an alumnus or former teacher, or have photos from the school’s early years? We’d love to add them to this page.