Author: jzurfluh

To all of our special guests, faculty, administration, parents, friends, and family members – we thank you for your pride and presence as we celebrate this, our 24th commencement exercises for the class of 2017.

First, my sincere gratitude to Ambassador Jones for your words and your presence in our graduation ceremony today.  This is reflective of the role the U.S. Embassy plays as our key partner here in Poland. The American School of Warsaw highly values its powerful sense of community and your participation in our midst confirms once again the commitment we all make as a global village to the children we nurture and educate.

Mr. Sheehan, you opened our event eloquently, confirming our handshake yesterday that noted a job well done in preparing this class for their final moments.  You are proud of them and, in return, they honor your leadership, guidance, and friendship.

Katherine and Penelope, thank you for representing your classmates so eloquently.  You both captured the experience brilliantly, each in your own special way, and, in the process, served your friends exceptionally well.

Mr. James, my thanks for your message, one that is consistent with your mentoring in the classroom every day.  You have engaged our minds and hearts in this moment and I’m quite certain that the students on this stage will take strong memories with them of your inspiration and dedication.

We know as an international community that many here on this stage have had other schooling experiences before joining us in Warsaw. Also, some have stayed with us for a time, left for a bit, and then returned. It is part of being an international school that we embrace change and transition.  But, as has been my tradition in many schools over the years, I’d like to recognize some special warriors, nurtured from the beginning of their school experience entirely to graduation at ASW. As I call your names, please stand and remain standing so that we can recognize all of you as a group:

5? Students have been here since Pre-Kindergarten:
Anna Buksowicz
Aylin Buyukbayrak
Murat Buyukbayrak
Michal Szczurek
Tanay Lalwani

6 have been here since Kindergarten:
Kenji Asakura
Ronnie Kerem
Zofia Motz
Mandana Vakil
Josephine Teresa Villamin
Stanislaw Zdziech

Please recognize these 11 students as our Warriors of longest standing.

I offer today some final words to bring punctuation to our gathering and in preparation for that final special moment when hands will clasp and folders are presented.  Everything that we have done builds to this moment — and the smiles and hugs that will follow.  I dare not delay much further that important crossing.

I speak to you today about something called “grit”.

When I look across this stage, I see it in eyes filled with determination.  While they might have you thinking that they are a bit bruised by exams and shattered by the emotional trauma of decisions, they are seated before you hungry.  Hungry for the next adventure.  Hungry for the next challenge. Hungry for all that life can bring to them.

And that is “grit.”  Grit is a relatively new term on the educational spectrum.  While it has always been there in the colloquial, the definition today goes like this:

Courage and resolve; strength of character

Angela Duckworth, a distinguished professor at the University of Pennsylvania, offered that there is a difference for those who have grit.  She has spent more than a decade researching grit, what it is, how it is learned, and how to measure it.

Grit is something special.  She writes and offers advice to those seeking grit:

“I won’t just have a job; I’ll have a calling. I’ll challenge myself every day. When I get knocked down, I’ll get back up. I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I’ll strive to be the grittiest.”

But, I have a thought about how we get grit.  It requires telling a short story.

When I was a 6^th grade teacher I had a student named Lori.  She was a troubled teenager with a step-mother and a broken relationship with her father.  She often snuck out of her home and without describing too much of this, she got into difficult situations and generally led a dangerous life.  I did what I could as a teacher for her in the classroom, providing a safe harbor and a listening ear.  I could see tremendous potential and always yearned for some stability in her life, but felt powerless to change her circumstances.

Fast forward 15 years.  I happened to be visiting back home and bumped into Lori at a grocery store in the local community.  I recognized her immediately and we smiled and exchanged greetings.  Nervously, she asked if we could sit down at the nearby Starbucks and have a coffee.  Over that coffee, she shared a story with me of many difficult times, following the pattern of her adolescence.  Many broken relationships, many difficult years struggling through community college and then college.  There were a couple of gap years taking care of her father through illness.  But, the happy ending were the most recent years.  She had finally married someone who nurtured her and they were raising two children together.  She had become a teacher, which caused my heart to jump.

But, not just any teacher, she was working as a special needs teacher in my old school district, helping homebound children with serious medical conditions.

But, the story is not done.  I was so happy for her and beamed with pride at her accomplishment.  But, she paused.  She pulled her wallet from her purse reached into a pocket for a folded piece of paper and as she unfolded it, I recognized it.  She handed it to me and it was the tattered comment page from her report card, given to her in 1987.  To the best of my recollection, I remember writing:

Lori – Never forget that you are something special.  Whatever challenges, whatever you seek to accomplish, know always that you are capable and worthy of all that life can bring.  Believe in yourself and always know that I believe in you.

She told me in that moment over coffee that she had carried that paper through many difficult situations.  In her mind that piece of paper made all the difference.

Class of 2017, because of this experience, I can say in all honesty that Grit is all about granularity.  It is the single moments of life, the grains of sand, that form the strength of our character.  It is the small moments, the tiny kindnesses, the pivotal experiences, the individual connections that we make as human beings that bind us and strengthen us.  Grains of sand when mixed with the water and stone of our spirit and strength form the cement that is character. You have to look back to look forward.  You have to bind your experiences together and find your path in the grittiest way possible – surmounting any challenge by being true to your calling – to your passion.

From what I observed at yesterday’s awards assembly, your teachers know you as engaged learners, empowered by your passion, caring of each other, and motivated to accomplish goals that reach far beyond our walls.  Faculty, counselors, and administrators seated before you are beaming with pride.  As this is our profession, a moment like this carries deep satisfaction and meaning for us.  We do not consider it the filling of a vessel, but more like the launching of a ship.  Because of their nurturing spirit, you are now prepared for your voyage and the challenges that lurk beyond the horizon.

You’re ready.  You have reached the time when others will take over guiding you until you are ready to guide others yourself.  Your take your grit with you.  Whether at university or in the career that follows, your world just got a whole lot bigger.

Last year was a special graduation for me owing to my son crossing a stage very similar to this one.  I now plan to include my message then as a closing thought for all future graduations.

This last part is for all the parents in the audience and I know it will resonate in your hearts as it did in mine.

To the children in the Class of 2017, when we say we love you, as we often do, it is not because it is a habit, or part of routine. Today it is because in this moment, and in all others leading to it, the following is true:

• you inspire us
• you complete us, and
• you give our lives meaning

While we will feel lost without you, we’re proud of your launching, warmed by the anticipation of all that we know you are yet to become.

We love you so much!!

Go forth all of you, Class of 2017 — embrace your parents and then life!!

Please watch…

Such an impressive man who knew the path despite the challenges he faced.

https://livestream.com/accounts/15498644/events/7434006/videos/157209053

It is with great pride and excitement that I formally announce that our students will have the unique opportunity to meet and greet former Polish President, Lech Wa??sa on Monday, May 29th.  We have prepared for a panel discussion with Mr. Wa??sa in the auditorium at 12:00 p.m. with High School in attendance (Our Saturday graduates are still welcome).  There will be limited extra seating, but we will open the doors for other guests at 11:30 a.m.  and until all seats are filled.  After that, we will direct others to our Multi-Purpose Room or other school locations for a simultaneous Livestream of the event on projected screens.  You can also watch from home at the following link:

https://www.aswarsaw.org/livestream/speakers

Those who have been part of the school for an extended time may remember President Wa??sa as a visitor to the American School of Warsaw on January 17, 2003. Even then it was a profound moment meeting someone unique in history.  A Nobel prize winner, I remember Mr. Wa??sa from afar.  As a young teacher, I know that his messages and images were often included in my lessons to students, teaching them about aspirations and accomplishment in the face of adversity and setback.  I also quoted him in my quick remarks this morning at the Senior Awards Assembly.

What until then seemed impossible to achieve has become a fact of life.

Our thanks to Iga Lis and her father for capitalizing on a unique opportunity that emerged in the former President’s schedule.  While quickly arranged, we are grateful for these brief moments with someone who speaks volumes with his presence alone.  True to our nature, former President Wa??sa will take questions from Iga and her partner, Mr. Alan James, our graduation speaker and a member of our Social Studies faculty, in a panel discussion format.  Time will be allowed for questions from the student audience as well. Translation will be provided.

Please plan to join the Livestream linked above.  We will have limited access to the auditorium for this event, but hope to seat as many as fire regulations will allow.  We thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility at the event.

Best Regards,

Mr. Z

For those that may have missed it, the Pope, direct from the Vatican, submitted a recorded message to the current global TED Conference finishing up in Vancouver, BC, Canada. For those not familiar, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, but later became known as TED.com, a video repository of leading thinking on a wide range of topics.  Much of what is presented is in accordance with their mission:

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.

Just within the last few days, the Pope’s message was delivered to the TED live audience as part of the current year’s theme of “The Future You”.  I couldn’t help but take notice of the ideas presented that are similar to our thoughts about relationships that are appearing in the Project Nest as part of strategic planning.  Sharing this video (in Italian with English subtitles) with you here as additional fodder for our ongoing dialog in this space:

https://youtu.be/ZK3xlw2k7NM

I urge you to consider stopping in to our Project Nest in the days following the break, as clearer ideas start to develop out of the ideas and stories so far shared.  We are looking to work toward some synergy, reorganizing and developing the key facets that are now starting to emerge.  Relationships, belonging, environment, innovation, and many others are helping us to come closer to the values that underpin these concepts.

This is a community process and the design team needs your help.  We’ve also setup a channel for you to communicate with them through a Google Form, which will capture open thoughts on the process and help us inch ever closer to our goal of a developed list of values for consideration by the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Team.  You can add your thoughts here:  https://goo.gl/forms/8jZbz9wV3t2yque32

Have a wonderful May break, and we all look forward to a rested and focused return for the final weeks of school!

And, lest I forget, best wishes to seniors and their exams this week.  I’m quite confident that you will all do fine and looking forward to your preparations for graduation following!

We had a wonderful Aspiring Board member session last night.  With two sessions now complete, we are ready to open nominations for the two elected positions to the Board of Trustees.

Serving on the Board of Trustees is one of the most important roles in the school. Governance is a valued opportunity to bring your voice to the collaboration that oversees the ongoing growth and development of ASW as we all work toward realizing the mission of the school.  Whether you have attended the trainings or not, if you think you have knowledge and insight that will help the school along its journey, we encourage you to consider placing your name in nomination for the open positions that are elected by the members of the School Association, also known as the parents of students attending the American School of Warsaw.

If you are interested in standing for election to the Board or Trustees, two positions are open.  According to the bylaws of the board, one elected position is a U.S. citizen and the other position as a non-U.S. citizen.  Details regarding citizenship requirements can be found in the Board Policy Manual, Section 1.04f.  Two documents are available to guide you.  Click on these links for more information and for the forms required to establish your candidacy:

• Nomination Explanation Sheet
• Nomination Form

The election process will proceed according to the follow general calendar with some dates still to be confirmed.

Deadline for Nominations, April 7, 4:00 p.m.
Governance Committee Meet the Candidates, April 12, 8:30 a.m.
Governance Committee Meet the Candidates, April 20, 5:30p
Voting Begins, April 21, 8:00 a.m.
Voting Closes, April 27, 4:00 p.m.
Announce Election Results, April 28

If you have any questions about the process, please contact any of the current board members, the Board Chair, or the Director.

Errata

Finally, a correction from the last Zimplicity post.  I accidentally had incorrect dates for upcoming board meetings.  The correct dates, which are accurate on your printed calendars, have now been corrected in the prior post and are also included here:

April 3, 6:00 p.m.
May 22, 6:00 p.m.
June 19, 6:00 p.m.

Please join us for the board meeting on Monday night!  Agenda is here.

Have a great weekend!!

My thoughts for those in strife

One word as an opener for this Zimplicity post.  We have seen over the last few weeks a set of incidents that have shaken us yet again with regards to personal safety and the impact of terror in our lives, and particularly in the lives of international travelers.  We saw an attack in France that reminded us of incidents in recent years that shook us terribly.  The recent attack in London has also reminded us that even the most iconic and traveled locations are potential scenes for making statements through harm and injury to others.  Given our diversity, it’s important to take pause and reach across national boundaries to offer the message of condolence, offering the hand of peace in the midst of adverse circumstance.  So, I offer a moment to our nationalities affected by terror in recent weeks, a moment of pause to consider how you feel and an offer of my deepest condolences for those injured or killed in these horrendous incidents.  Whether American or British, French or Polish, Chinese or Korean, or the other 50+ nationalities at ASW, we are all bound by our humanity and concern for each other.  When any one of us is harmed by hatred, we all feel the pain of intolerance.  Let’s find others in person this week across all nationality lines and reach out the hand of common purpose, filled with empathy and the pursuit of peace and dignity for all.

Governance & Elections

If you missed it previously, we are fully engaged in many items in the governance arena.  The Board of Trustees is fully engaged on work that has been progressing all year and was captured in the recent letter from your Board Chair, Mr. Rob Batchelder.  The board continues there work with meetings in April, May, and June.  We would hope you could join us for the public comments section of the meeting that is now a key fixture of the regular professional meetings.  One and all are invited and encouraged to join us on these dates.  Your printed school calendars are already marked and you are welcome to each of these remaining meetings, all to be held in the MPR.

April 3, 6:00 p.m.
May 22, 6:00 p.m.
June 19, 6:00 p.m.

New and Aspiring Trustee Training – Reprise

For those who may have missed it the first time, back by popular demand is the New and Aspiring Board trustee training.  We’ve pulled together another session to give you insight into the workings of school governance and prepare you for aspirations to become a board member, either here or at other international schools around the world.  This session provides good insight into what it means to be a member of the primary governance body of an international school.  Topics covered include the dynamics of board functions, responsibilities of a board member, and best practices as described by leading publications associated with non-profit governance.  With elections for the ASW board coming soon, this is a perfect opportunity to gain insight into your interests in becoming a part of guiding this school into the future.  If you would like to join us, please click on the links below to RSVP and join us Thursday for this informative session.

Thursday, March 30, 2017
6:00 p.m.
Multi-Purpose Room
American School of Warsaw
Light refreshments provided.

RSVP!

NoTosh!

NEWS RELEASE –  The American School of Warsaw is proud to announce its partnership with NoTosh Ltd. (EMEA) to complete Phase I of our strategic planning efforts that will span over the next 18-24 months.  One of seven proposals that were gleaned from an international search for potential consultants, Ewan McIntosh, Founder and CEO, will lead the efforts of the American School of Warsaw as we architect our plans for the next 5-7 years built on a foundation of first articulating our core values and frame our next adventure as a school, based in part on work already progressing towards re-accreditation with NEASC and CIS.

NoTosh Ltd. is based in Scotland, Australia, and the USA and they work with clients across the globe in sectors ranging from education and healthcare to industry, enterprise and heritage. Learning, and learning to think differently, sits at the heart of everything they do.  We welcome their collaboration in seeking the next phase of growth and development at the American School of Warsaw. Find out more about NoTosh at http://www.notosh.com/

In the coming days, we will be inviting members of the community that have been identified by the board and administration to take part in some Design and Investigation committees.  We look forward to positive responses to these invitations and look forward to immersing ourselves in this work in the coming weeks.  Ewan and his team will be with us during the week of April 17th.

Introducing Bart Kryger – Middle School Vice Principal

A wonderful welcome to Mr. Bart Kryger, our new Vice Principal for the Middle School.  Mr. Kryger was announced recently to the Faculty and Board of Trustees as our selection for Middle School Vice Principal starting in August.  Mr. Kryger comes originally from Washington State, having his BA from Washington State University in music education.  His background is in choral music, including time as a teacher in Eastern Washington and then in Shanghai, China.  He completed his Masters Degree at University of Phoenix and his administrative program through the University of Washington, Tacoma.  He has been the Assistant Principal at Narrows View Intermediate School since 2013 in the prestigious University Place School District in Tacoma, Washington.  Bart also has credentials in the International Baccalaureate in both the PYP and MYP programmes.  He is accompanied by his wife Lucia and their two elementary aged children.

I know you will all join me in welcoming Mr. Kryger to ASW.   You’ll get an opportunity to meet him during his upcoming transitional visit.  Mr. Kryger will be with us during the week of April 10-14.  More details on his visit coming soon.

Greetings to all our partners at the American School of Warsaw!  Now that we’ve all settled into our stride after the holidays, it’s time to embrace the season and recognize the emerging march toward Spring.  As we head off into vacation, we are adding more daylight with each morning sunrise, a welcome progression after the sometimes daunting darkness of Winter.  Like you, I’m embracing the ever earlier appearance of Mr. Sun each morning!

In the international school world our experience tells us that we are also emerging from a potentially difficult phase for the newest members of our community.  Whether teacher, parent, or child, there is a common occurrence in the January/February time frame just after the school’s winter vacation.  In various places around the world we refer to this as the “Winter doldrums,” the “post-holiday attitude adjustment,” or simply “homesickness.”  It’s understandable given the circumstances of leaving a place of comfort and familiarity and finding your new routines in and facing the challenges of a new environment.  Our counselors have been interacting with students and families on this in recent weeks and we continue to monitor and provide support where needed.  For those of us who have been in the international world for awhile, and for those in particular who have been in Warsaw for an extended time, it’s important to reach out to those in their first year and check in with them to make sure that their transition is going smoothly and that they are finding opportunities for connecting and deepening their relationship with the community.  It’s a great time of year for taking someone new out to lunch or finding a time to have coffee with a new face in the morning cafeteria gathering.

As everyone is also now considering their enrollment for next year, we hope that you have been able to access our Powerschool interface for this.  We have another reminder going out to get more of you to declare your intentions as we move into the important admissions season.  We hope that you will be able to remain with us next year, but we are also aware that some will leave, as is always the case in international education, to move into your next adventure. Phone calls begin after the break to catch up with those who have not yet declared their intent electronically.  If you have any questions about this, please give Admissions a call.

New and Aspiring Board Training

The American School of Warsaw has scheduled a unique training session for new and aspiring board members on March 1, 2017 at the school. Individuals interested in potentially serving on a school board, whether here in Warsaw or at other international schools around the world, should plan to attend for a comprehensive overview of governance practices in international schools with additional insight into the current governance model at our own school here in Warsaw. Topics will include best practices in governance, board policy and its role/function, the role of board members in development of policy and strategy, and overall best practices in school governance. Yours truly is providing the training based on over 20 years of experience as an administrator, union negotiator, and in strategic planning, both internationally and in Washington State.

Date: March 1, 2017
Time: 6:00p
Location: MPR at the American School of Warsaw campus
Sign-up: https://goo.gl/forms/Py0ZKyZH06cbFzXt2

Air Quality Follow-Up

As a follow-up to our increased diligence on air quality, I wanted to inform you of some deeper insight into our understanding of the issue and additional steps we are taking.  As you already know, we are making decisions on a daily basis with regards to recess and outdoor play decisions.  It’s important to note that this decision is not about suggesting that air quality, under these circumstances, is better indoors.  Instead, it is meant to implement the recommendations of our medical experts that exertion or physical activity be minimized when air quality is bad.  While this doesn’t limit exposure, it mediates the potential impact of air quality issues.  In the general sense, there is only so much you can do in a large building with many doors opening and closing all day.  While our systems have filters and do circulate air, they were not built for a high level of filtration and will not mediate the current concern in the PM2.5 range that is driving the primary air quality indicators.  We are regularly and rigorously evaluating our systems and continuously upgrading them where possible and appropriate.

To help in monitoring this, we have installed a small monitoring device just inside the building at our front entrance.  This unit is now sharing it’s data through the AirVisual interface that I previously shared in our first post on air quality issues.  You can now monitor the school’s device on your own applications via the sharing tool that this online system provides.  The “Node” for the school has the following sharing code:

FBZFKATE

In order to monitor this node, you’ll need to setup an account on AirVisual.  Then point your browser here:

https://www.airvisual.com/node/add

And, then follow the instructions for adding a node, entering the share code above.  The instructions may be slightly different online vs. the mobile applications.  You can then follow the school’s sensor and compare with the monitoring points in nearby Konstancin or in the city center of Warsaw.

We’ll keep monitoring and reflecting on our practices in this area.  Your thoughts, as always, are welcome.

Parking

As spring emerges, it’s a great time to remind us all of our parking rules and agreements.  We published these earlier this year and want to make sure we remind everyone of our collective responsibility for making the parking lot safe and comfortable for all.  Please review the simple expectations and thank you in advance for helping in this regard.

Parking Guide 2016-2017

New Hiring and a Late Announcement

We have posted for your review the list of new hires for the 2017-2018 school year.  It is linked to this blog and we’ll update it soon with pictures to go with the simple biographies that are now available.  Here’s the list:

https://zimplicity.org/asw-new-staff-for-2017-2018/

In addition, we have a late decision that we must sadly announce.  After extended consideration, Constance McGuire submitted her resignation this week and informed us that she would not be returning for the 2017-2018 school year due to extenuating circumstances.  Mrs. McGuire has been a strong contributor to the school over 9 years and we thank her for her service and the continued contributions that she will make until her departure in June.  We have initiated the search for her replacement and you can find the job posting information here:  http://www.aswarsaw.org/about-us/careers/middle-school-vice-principal

Dance!!

I’ve been delayed in my blog entry that was originally planned a couple of weeks ago.  I didn’t want that delay to eliminate the opportunity to showcase the Seniors’ Studniówka Dance that took place on January 21st.  It was an amazing showcase of talent and grace as our seniors took to the gym floor (with a few extra partners) to share a wonderful tradition that crossed cultural boundaries while be rooted in Polish Tradition.  This traditional dance comes 100 days before Senior exams and is an important waypoint in the lives of our prospective graduates.

It’s important to embrace traditions in a school.  We live by these events and practices that are embodiments of our beliefs and heritage.  When we share these with others across nationality and cultural lines, we encourage and defend tolerance and diversity.  I applaud the parents, PTO, high school administration, faculty, and students for their commitment to this event, there amazing dance skills and their wonderful presentations to all who have helped nurture them.  Let’s now offer them our unending support as they prepare for the pending exams, encouraging them to a strong completion of their preparatory education.  Let the dance of accomplishment now take center stage!

Dear Parents,

As you know from our update on Sunday, we have been facing some challenges regarding locally reported air quality.  As many of you will note, this is a new experience for us in this region and was reported broadly in the local press as we were returning from our recent extended break.  We received, in addition to the news reports, the following from the US Embassy Medical Unit on Monday:

We’re tracking the poor air quality currently, and some of our respiratory (ex. Asthma) patients have felt the impact.  In looking at the data over the weekend, we noted an average AQI (Air Quality Index) of 172, with a maximum single reading of 261.  In general, this means that many persons will feel the impact.  AQI of 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy.  Our health advisory and STATE MED guidance at AQI 172 states:

People with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion; everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.

As well, we recommend limiting outdoor exposure as much as reasonably possible.  To put some context, at levels greater than 200, we recommend avoidance of all physical activity outdoors, and we recommend masks for all personnel working outdoors.  Per Embassy Beijing guidance, MGT typically sends out health advisory to the broad community when AQI levels exceed 300 for longer than 24 hours.

We have assessed the conditions each day and made decisions each morning regarding limiting school activities and we currently are still following local school recommendations for restricting outdoor exposure and exertion levels during indoor activities, including both PE and after school activities.

To be clear, the concerns relative to air quality are equally prevalent both indoors and outside the building.  While it is impossible to judge air quality visibly, the regular testing provided by government agencies provides us with the information we use to make prudent decisions.  Current government readings this morning report that we are still in the moderate to severe range on the primary scales.  Therefore, we kept students inside again today.  However, we have seen some relief this afternoon that indicates we could be going back outside tomorrow (Thursday).  Current PMI reading is 133 at 4:23 p.m.

The limitations are primarily around monitoring and discouraging exertion, the main way by which air quality impacts health of both children and adults.  Teachers and coaches are aware of this and are modifying their plans daily to accommodate conditions and protect students from potential physical distress.

We are following all relevant sources to monitor air quality.  One mobile phone application worth considering is entitled “AirVisual“.  We will be using it to monitor conditions along with our other local resources.

More information about air quality can be found here: http://aqicn.org/faq/

We are currently tracking conditions that will have us in the moderate range for tomorrow.  If this is accurate, we will allow outside play, but provide some alternatives for students who may be at risk for breathing conditions (sensitive groups).  Our current estimated threshold for limiting outside exposure and exertion will stand at any readings greater than 150 or in order to align with local school decisions.  We make our decisions after checking available information each morning and alert teachers and staff via overhead announcement and email.

If you have any questions regarding these decisions, please feel free to contact us.  As always, we value the health and safety of the children in our charge and our ongoing partnership with parents in this regard.

Sincerely,

Mr. Z

Happy New Year one and all!

I hope everyone found themselves enjoying the vacation and I presume that all are now excited and ready to return to school.  For me, it was a wonderful vacation that included some work and reconnection with colleagues, but mostly family time and celebration through the best that the season offers.  In short, it was good to be home for the holidays!

I have some items needing your attention as we start back to school tomorrow.  Apologies for the lateness,  but some were only emerging this afternoon.

Winter Weather

We understand some may be having difficulty returning to Warsaw because of the winter cold front that has descended on Europe.  Many connecting airports closed intermittently and some travelers are having difficulty with canceled or rescheduled flights.  We are hopeful that everyone is safe and either home now or in transit.  A reminder that you can send email to the divisional offices if your child will not be attending school tomorrow for any reason.  This will help us reduce the number of phone calls we make trying to contact you when your student doesn’t arrive at school.  As an important safety practice and part of our morning protocol, you can let the divisional office know via email or phone on any day when your child is going to be absent.

Air Quality

We’ve been alerted that the area around Warsaw has been hit by air quality concerns as reported in the local press.  Some of the local schools are taking precautions including limiting outside time for students.  This often happens with cold air which creates inversion issues and tends to include increased burning due to heating needs under colder temperatures.  Please know that we will be following all public guidelines with regards to any air quality concerns and will maintain additional vigilance for students who have been logged in our health alert system for breathing difficulties.  Please let your child’s classroom teacher know if you have any concerns.

Fire Cleanup Work

Most all our cleanup work that was detailed before the vacation has proceeded as predicted.  We are moved back into our cafeteria and are ready to serve meals as normal on the first day.  We may have some minor issues with computers at the cashier tables, but we’ll be ready with backup options to assure smooth startup.

The only things that are not done include a delay in delivery of new ceiling tiles.  We’ll have a bit of a warehouse look until January 11^th when the rest of the tiles will arrive and a few additional days for installation after.  Also, while all the cleaning work in the library was completed, there was no time left for organizing and getting everything in operational order, so the library will continue to be closed for some additional days while librarians get things ready for students.

One other item of unfortunate loss was the mural that was painted in the cafeteria.  The materials and the type of paint that was used made it impossible to clean without significant damage, so the decision was made to strip and repaint the wall.  I have not yet been able to reach out to those involved in the project, but there was no way to save the mural or the attached items that were significantly smoke damaged.  I apologize for this loss that I know included student involvement.  I know you will all miss this project and I’ll be looking to our art teachers for suggestions on what might be our next project in this space in the future.

Finally, we believe that all our remaining technology systems were returned to normal operation over the weekend.  PowerSchool is back up and running for all and teachers will be fully connected upon return tomorrow.  Email and our website were not affected by the cleanup work and have remained operational throughout the vacation.  We may have some unforeseen glitches that emerge tomorrow.  Please be patient with us if we uncover any additional problems.

It’s important to thank all the staff who were involved in this work during the holidays.  The operations team, CPS staff, IT staff, Library staff, and all the administrators involved in assuring that we are ready for tomorrow.  It was a team effort on all fronts!

Conclusion

My best wishes to all as we start the new calendar year and the second semester of the school year.  I hope you all have some fun and interesting New Year’s resolutions to share on opening day.  If you have any questions about anything included herein, please feel free to contact me as always.

Best Regards,

Mr. Z

Dear ASW Parents,

We’ve now confirmed initial contracts for cleanup activities during the winter break as a result of our fire and smoke damage.  As I wrote in earlier messages, the smoke damage invaded some key spaces on the 2nd floor. We were able to complete cleanup in all but a few areas before re-opening.  The areas in question beyond the direct impact on the cafeteria includes the library and the IT spaces adjacent to the library.

On the recommendation of the insurance company and their inspectors, we postponed the work in the library and IT spaces until the vacation, owing to the delicate and highly technical aspect of work in these sensitive areas.  In particular, we received a detailed plan today on actions in the IT spaces, including the server room.  Cleanup of this area of delicate electronic equipment will require a total shutdown of our internal systems and removal of all servers and associated equipment for professional cleaning.

Therefore, after consultation with administrators and key personnel, ASW network and associated systems will be going dark starting on Saturday, December 17th and will remain offline for about 15 calendar days.  Given time for reconnection and testing afterwards, we expect that systems will be back to normal sometime on the weekend prior to January 9th.  Backups will assure that all systems return to normal and as we left them prior to the vacation.

The following summary of systems affected is provided:

Systems that will be offline and inaccessible:

Last week we reopened school after our cafeteria fire after the advice of investigators and specialists recommending that there was no further risk after our cleaning regime was complete.  As I noted in a previous note, this was to be followed with air quality tests to confirm these recommendations and reassure our community of the safety of the building and the remedial steps we have taken up until this time.  We received the air quality report in the middle of last week and then reviewed the report through verbal translation, point by point.  We can confirm that the results are in alignment with the original recommendations and found no risk to students, as all of the measurements in key areas of exposure were measured and found to be fully in compliance with current requirements in all respects.  The full report is provided to our community in PDF and downloadable here:

ASW Air Quality Report (in Polish)

We want to thank the community for all of the positive responses with regards to our communication and actions during this difficult juncture and we will continue to provide updates as any new information is known.  At this time, the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation and all companies related to the fire (e.g. equipment providers, product providers, etc.) have been notified. We expect to know something more about this after the break.

It should be noted that insurance work is not dependent on this investigation and that we are covered for work on the cafeteria and library moving forward.  We are currently at the stage of receiving bids from contractors on the various elements of work that must be completed.  In all of the proposals received so far, the expectation is still affirming that everything will return to normal after the vacation.  While there might be a limited amount of final organizational work to continue after the break, we expect to have much of this resolved before our January return.

Many thanks again to all who have shown so much flexibility during this difficult issue.  We appreciate everyone adapting to our temporary cafeteria most of all and to CPS for doing their best to provide us with modified service during this final period before the break.  Thanks as well to parents and staff who are helping in the cafeteria each day, assisting students of all ages, in the morning, during lunch, and throughout the day.

Our artisans joined us today with a wide array of holiday items displayed throughout our hallway.  It was a pleasure to see the many items spread before us, ushering in the trappings of the season.  But, the real highlight today was the wonderful sounds that warmed our hallway as staff caroling caused us pause as we were on our way to class this morning.  A perfect way to get us into the spirit of the final week before we head to a well deserved vacation!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB1IixWbB-Q

Remember that we also have the Jingle Bell Fun Run this afternoon (Friday, 3:45p) after school!  Santa will be there!  Put on your running shoes and join us! See you in the new gym!

In reflecting on the last few days, my mind has turned to how we all faced adversity in what can only be described as complicated times.  For me, walking into a clean, but “injured” building this week inspired a moment of consideration — How can we confront these challenges in a way that helps make sense of these events, while also learning from them?  How can we strive to improve and get ever better in the midst of painful experience?

Our fire was small by all estimation.  Approximately 8 square meters of space was damaged by flames and the associated melted plastic, quickly extinguished by the fire brigade, who responded in under 10 minutes.  But, as previously reported, the smoke damage was significant, affecting areas associated with the school core including both cafeteria and library.  The loss of our library and cafeteria is daunting in the final days before a vacation.  While we are quite sure we will have them back up and running in January when we return, we will miss these spaces in the final days of 2016.  The cafeteria has settled into our small gym and worked well in its trial run on Monday.  We are confident that we can manage in this space for the next 9 days.  The library will be setting up makeshift operation in the Elementary School Tower.  With over 3000 books in circulation at the time of the fire, we expect that some redistribution of these books may keep us reading and sharing until the vacation.  Maybe Christmas lists could shift a bit and accommodate a special book for a young reader during the coming holiday!

In many ways, while the hardship of renovation begins, we are all educators in our hearts looking for the lessons of how we respond in situations of this nature.  We can look on the bright side of the equation, knowing that the damage could have been much worse, or the timing of the day could have caused more challenges.  We can celebrate that the systems worked to keep everyone safe in the moment, that responders arrived in record time, and that key staff members were here doing their best to protect our interests.  We can also feel a bit better that insurance companies have arrived and are providing favorable treatment to the school, helping us to navigate our interests in the face of contractors and specialists.

The more important lessons will come in the after action review, the deeper reflection on the systems and strategies that will keep this from happening in the future.  This may be the most important lesson, gleaned from prudent and comprehensive investigation, that we may need to be more rigorous in our inspection and adjustment actions, ensuring that similar incident is avoided in the future.

But, despite all of the events associated with the fire and the work that lies ahead to bring the building back to normal by the time we return in January, we  enter the final days of 2016 with the spirit of the holidays entering our hearts and minds.  For those of us cut from the American template, the recent celebration of Thanksgiving brought the beginning of transition to the season of good cheer, a time filled with celebration and joy found through family and friends gathered in fellowship.  In the coming days, we will celebrate with our children in performance and song – having finished the high school play on the weekend, we now enter into the holiday presentations of Choir and Instrumental offerings.  These are special times for students who have worked hard to prepare their offerings through diligence and commitment.  The performance part of these artistic pursuits are so important and fleeting that we need to give special attention to them and join the audience that will applaud their accomplishment.  Join me on Tuesday and Thursday this week at 6:00 p.m. as we enjoy our Choir and Band performances in our Theater.  Students have worked hard and they deserve a packed house for their offering of time and talent.