Dana Narvaiša

Dana originally planned to make enough money in business to be able to invest in an education establishment, but she grasped the opportunity when she saw on Twitter that local parents suggested starting their own non-profit school and were looking for a principal. Dana had a good grounding from the teacher-leader program ‘Mission Possible’, and within two years her school has grown six-fold.

Dana’s teaching approach focuses on enabling students to be resourceful and succeed in real-life situations. Almost all students have individual learning plans, and they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own development by planning their specific study topics. Her school integrates theory with practice, and she ensures that students are directly involved in organising school events, changing school systems and decorating the premises. Learning outside school in other institutions and interacting with the community are also important components of her method, winning her and her team the Cesis municipality ‘Social Investment’ prize.

Dana has given radio and TV interviews on the methodology of her school and has trained other principals and teachers. This has led to new schools being opened that follow the same principles.