From national roots to internationality
THIS SCHOOL LIT THE LIGHT OF FINNISH CULTURE
When Finland was part of the Russian Empire and its official language was Swedish, one of the topmost requirements for national awareness was to educate a Finnish-speaking academic class of society. On provincial doctor W. S. Schildt’s initiative and according to the Emperor’s decision the first junior secondary school with Finnish as the language of instruction was founded and it started its first term on October 1st in 1858.
The first pupils to be accepted for this “experimental” school of its own days were boys only. The first matriculants took the student exam in 1865. The name Jyväskylä Lyceum was adopted in 1873 in connection with the school reform. A hundred years later – in 1973 – the state-owned boys’ school became part of the municipal school system of Jyväskylä town. The official name of the school became the Upper secondary school of Jyväskylän Lyseo and from then on also girls were accepted as pupils.
For a long time “the oldest Finnish-speaking upper secondary school in the world” received its pupils from all over Finland, even from Ingermanland. Later on, with the network of upper secondary schools becoming tighter in our country, the pupils’ home area was limited to the province of Central Finland and at the moment it involves mainly the region of Jyväskylä and its neighbourhood. In course of its long history the school can boast of “Lyseo families”, whose members from father to son and today also from mother to daughter have attended the same school – even in the fifth generation. The association of the alumni Jyly ry., established in 1945, serves as a bond between the former pupils. It has sponsored e.g. the school’s own flag and keeps up old traditions of the school and, in part, strengthens the school’s good reputation. Jyly ry works in close contact with the current students, teachers and headmaster. The association is guided by its rules and principles, which have been set down in 1945. .
Since 1993 Jyväskylän Lyseon lukio has been a non-graded big upper secondary school. A great variety of options offers the pupils a chance to develop their own talents in the arts and sciences as well as art, music and sport. Jyväskylän Lyseon lukio has been an IB World School since May 2001. It is authorized to offer the Diploma Programme of the International Baccalaureate Organization, which is taught in English. The IB Diploma programme is a rigorous two-year pre-university course for students aged 16 and 19. The first IB students graduated in 2005 and have since gained admission to universities throughout the world.
LYSEO IN SPE – THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE
The upper secondary school of Lyseo is a UNESCO school which wants to stress the importance of life-long learning and the principles of international responsibility. These principles are carried out in many different ways: the projects of the school have achieved international recognition, many exchange students annually, the school has had well established friendship school relations with Hungarian, Estonian and German schools for many years, and since 2006 with Burkina Faso, too. Lyseo participated in the KIMMOKE project launched by the National Board of Education with the purpose of developing the teaching of languages. Within the EU programmes the school seeks for contacts with other European schools.
Lyseo offers more than 200 various courses. In many courses a pupil can produce a portfolio or plan the contents of the course individually and bring a record of his attendances and performances to the teacher. Our selection of courses comprises e.g. drama, journalism, international responsibility, laboratory courses in science, a course in teaching methods and thesis writing as well as courses in co-operation with the university and other colleges.
A big upper secondary school’s advantages include a large variety of options, individual study programmes and flexibility in taking the matriculation examination. The number of pupils at the moment is almost 630.
School stamp designed by Anu Vanas
Alvar Aalto’s design for the medal of his own school
The main building of Lyseo was inaugurated in 1902. As to its architectural style, it has been called, e.g. a Moorish-Tudor castle. When the main building was restored in 1978-79 the school museum of Jyväskylä Lyseo was built in the cellar vaults. The old library of Lyseo, with its very precious collection of books, is also situated in the main building.
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