Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year, everyone!! Looks like we will be ushering in the new decade together this year! I hope this message finds you well and either settling back into your Warsaw environment or concluding your journeys and finding your way on the final steps toward home!
It’s yet another exciting year for the American School of Warsaw, building on the success of last year as we achieved our goal of becoming a “continuum school” with all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) now in full operation. We continue with our Core Values that will continue to guide our work as the aspirational qualities of ASW and what we hope to become as the future unfolds. We add to this our revised mission, vision, and key objective that forms the foundation for our strategic design work. More about all of this after we get the school opened and students welcomed to their new classes and teachers. For now, know that our theme this year is:
Taking our next steps toward the future!
We look forward to engaging conversations on this theme as we work together to refine and design the next most important steps for you, your children, and for ASW!
We continue this year with our combined eNotes newsletter, which will come each week to your mailbox. Please click on the buttons to find your way to important sections, but be sure to scroll through the message each week to scan for all of the important information from each of our divisions and departments.
We have a wonderful team of educators and leaders ready to greet your children on the first day, ensuring a unique experience in the early days of the school year. We open with an enrolment of about 950 students. We are in the midst of our welcome of 16 new faculty and 1 new administrator, who will all join returning faculty next week for our annual schedule of preparation meetings.
As usual, all of our summer teams have worked hard to assure that the facility has been prepared for your arrival and you will see a number of changes in rooms and common spaces as you explore the building. Please be aware of a revised “Kiss and Go” area on the High School side of the building that should help traffic flow in that area. Other upgrades and renovations have been completed throughout the facility which you will likely note at you browse around the building.
An important annual note: Please be sure to become an active PTO member and look for welcome meetings to attend and committees where you can make a contribution of your time and talent toward enhancing our sense of community. PTO is, by board policy, empowered to assure that we have a wonderful set of events and activities throughout the year to reinforce and enhance our strong sense of community. This is an important time of year to build new relationships, renew collaborations, and enhance what we do to make ASW such a special place for all of us.
Here’s a summary of the key events in the first week:
- New Family & Student Orientation, Monday, August 19, 9:00a, Cafeteria & Theater
- First Day of School, Tuesday, August 20
- Director’s Welcome Back Coffee, Tuesday, August 20, 8:45a, Cafeteria
- PTO Kickoff General Meeting, Friday, August 23, 8:45a, Multi-Purpose Room
School start and end times remain the same as last year. Wednesday morning late start begins with the first week of school:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday
- Student arrival – no earlier than 8:00 am
- School starts for Grades 11-12 at 8:20 am
- School starts for PK-10 at 8:30 am
- School ends for Grades 11-12 at 3:20 pm
- School ends for PK-10 at 3:30 pm
Wednesday (Late Start for students!)
- Student arrival – no earlier than 8:45 am (cafeteria open)
- School starts for all at 9:30 am
- School ends for all at 3:30 pm
I encourage all of you to subscribe to and participate in the Director’s blog – Zimplicity! Please join the conversation! All of the history since my arrival is there as well.
Welcome back one and all as we take the next important steps for you and for ASW together!
Mr. Z