Category: school

Everything’s coming together well after our opening with staff this week.  We all gathered on Monday, then took a break for the Polish national holiday on Tuesday, and settled back into our preparatory work today, getting ready for student arrival next week.  It’s been wonderful catching up with everyone as they return, hearing about summer adventures, new learnings from conferences and classes, and generally getting reconnected on the coming academic year.  I’m sure we’ll experience similar with families upon arrival.

Our focus this year revolves around our Board adopted Core Values that we presented to staff in June as culmination of a broad team of community designers who met over many weeks toward the end of last school year.  My thanks to those participants and especially to all of you who contributed to the Project Nest in our main entry area.  We have a new mission to share some of our developing plans and success stories as they develop in the first part of this year.  You are welcome to join in that conversation of how we start to live our values, telling the stories of your experience, both youth and adult, in aspiring to the tennets of our values.

So that you can start becoming familiar with them and begin crafting your own stories to give these values depth and insight, they are posted here for your review:

https://goo.gl/HSPWm1

I’ll have them out for vibrant conversation at our welcome coffee next week on Tuesday.  Looking forward to seeing all of you.  Enjoy your final weekend!

Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year, everyone!!  We hope the summer break was refreshing and fulfilling for all of you and that your travels are bringing you safely to our midst for school opening. For those newly joining us, welcome to the family and we hope our earlier message reached you without difficulty.

It’s an exciting year for the American School of Warsaw, building on the success of last year as we refined our programs and brought stability to our range of options and services.  We welcome a recently adopted and ready to launch set of Core Values that will guide our work this year and beyond, the aspirational qualities of ASW and what we hope to become as the future unfolds.  Core Values form the important foundation of the strategic work that will follow.  We are very excited about sharing this work as part of the opening of the school year in the coming days.  So, stay tuned and look for some exciting details on the near horizon.

This newsletter will come each week to your mailbox.  This is a combined newsletter that works in conjunction with our website and PowerSchool interface.  Please click on the buttons to get to important sections, but be sure to scroll through the information provided each week to make sure you have 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, assuring a unique experience in the early days of the school year.  We open with an enrolment of 997 and are finishing our welcome of 10 new faculty and 2 new administrators, who will be joining returning faculty next week for our annual preparation activities.

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 small number of changes in rooms and common spaces as you explore the building.

One important 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:

• First Day of School, August 22, 8:30 am
• New Family & Student Orientation, Monday, August 21, 9:00a, Cafeteria
• Director’s Welcome Back Coffee, Tuesday, August 22, 8:45a, Cafeteria
• PTO Kickoff General Meeting, Thursday, August 24, 8:45a, Multi-Purpose Room

Also, remember that the school start and end times have been adjusted for this year, and are summarized below.  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
School starts for all at 9:30 am
School ends for all at 3:30 pm

I encourage all families to subscribe and participate in the Director’s blog – Zimplicity! Please join the conversation here:  https://zimplicity.org  You have opportunities to add your comments and responses to my ongoing dialog with the community.  Each week’s newsletter will include the link so that you can easily join.  All of the history of last year’s entries is there as well.

Best wishes to all for a wonderful first week and a successful new year!

Mr. Z

It is important and appropriate to take this final newsletter opportunity to share my thanks and appreciation for a wonderful year, my first in Warsaw.  While my arrival was a bit of a whirlwind, I can now count myself as comfortable and settled in my new home.  I have a wonderful team of professionals at this school, administrative, faculty and staff, who make my job easy, each and every day!  We have a wonderful cadre of supportive parents that embrace and enhance the experiences of our children every day.  My warmest regards to all of you for a job well done this year!

Please take the time to watch our LiveStream of the closing ceremony if you were not able to attend!  The link is provided below:

https://livestream.com/accounts/15498644/events/7433986/videos/158559008/player?width=640&height=360&enableInfo=true&defaultDrawer=&autoPlay=false&mute=false

To  all of our families who are returning next year, I wish you a wonderful summer of rest, relaxation and fulfilling adventure!

To our families who are departing, we wish you the same, but also a smooth transition to your next new home, whether it be back to your home country or another place that further expands your horizon.  Always remember – once a Warrior, always a Warrior!

Looking forward to continuing the work that we all love and embrace.  Next year is shaping up to keep us engaged on this path of accomplishment.  I look forward to our continued partnership in this regard!

Mr. Z

This week, as we head into the final week of the school year, I’m repeating a section from last week to make sure that you review this information in preparation for next year.  Please take a moment to look at it in depth.  Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible next week at our closing ceremony.  If you are unable to attend, you’ll be able to watch via livestream at the following link:

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

From last week’s newsletter:

Schedule and Tweaks for Next Year

After significant work on the part of the leadership team, we are moving forward to now implement and inform the community of our work on scheduling for next year.  This primarily applies to Upper School at both the middle and high level, but also have positive implications for Elementary scheduling.  One core component of these changes is better alignment with the IB philosophy that we are currently implementing, and particularly the alignment between the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).

But, this has been a broad based effort and we also intend to capitalize on this opportunity to improve other overall aspects of our daily schedule that in many ways have been carried forward year-on-year with little consideration for the inconveniences nor the opportunities that might exist.  With much research and with increasing competition for time and space, we have undertaken some key decisions that we are implementing next year:

1. We are making slight changes to our start and end of school times.  Starting next year, the school hours will be aligned and affirmed with school beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the end of school at 3:30 p.m.  Based on a number of scheduling requirements, this is a modest change that solves many problems.
2. The more significant change, introduced at a recent PTO meeting, is the change to the Wednesday schedule for next year.  The need for teacher work time continues and the small carve out that we have secured for a number of years is critical for ongoing curricular, planning, and accreditation work.  But, the administrative team and teachers have been considering all year the implications of the current structure, particularly in regards to after school programs and the availability of teachers to support and muster the important and growing array of activities and athletics.  After research involving review of other international schools, both in the region and around the world, we have decided to move to a late start rather than early dismissal on Wednesdays.  This means that the Wednesday school day for 2017-2018 will change to a 9:30 a.m. start and a 3:30 p.m. dismissal.
3. There will be a slight difference to the above schedule for our DP students in grades 11 and 12 that will have them starting at slightly adjusted times from the above.  This difference is small and should be easily managed, providing them with necessary alignment and offering them the additional minutes needed to their upper level studies.  More on this in August.

We will be working during the summer to prepare for a smooth transition to this model, including necessary morning supervision in our cafeteria and additional options for student support in the morning before school, while teachers are engaged in their work with colleagues.  We’ll be correcting our website and literature to align with this as well and will send reminders in August as families prepare for their return to a new school year.

Thanks in advance for your insight and partnership in adjusting to these changes.

Welcome to the next iteration of the new ASW newsletter.  As announced last week, we are in pilot mode, so please keep your comments coming back to the Communications Department as we continue to improve our publication.

There are many things that I’m sharing with you in Zimplicity this week that is linked from this newsletter as well as through my many subscribers, so please follow the link below to get an update on many fronts including Strategic Planning, the Project Nest, changes coming next year, and our new End-of-Year Closing Assembly.

But, the key message is our thanks to PTO and all of the people involved in a wonderfully successful Summer Send Off!!  Since PTO activities are coming to a close for this year with the Boot Sale on the weekend, let’s take this time to applaud their work throughout the year in building community and involvement through the many wonderful events and activities.  For those returning, as you consider next year, please consider how you might contribute in your own way when we all return in August.  PTO is built on a culture of contribution and participation.  Think about your talents and, if you haven’t been able to contribute this year, think about how you might get involved next year.  For those who have participated throughout this year in our many opportunities, our gratitude for your partnership!!  Thank you, PTO, for all that you do!!

End-of-Year Assembly

This year we are adding a new tradition and plan to end the school year with some wonderful acclimations that celebrates our diversity and community.  We’ll gather in the Annex Gymnasium as a whole school for our final minutes together before summer break. Please plan to join us if you can, but know that there will be limited seating and possibly standing room only.  Doors open for parents at 10:20 a.m. and we begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21st.  Students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 11:30 a.m.

Strategic Work – The Project Nest

After two full days of working with the material in the Project Nest, we have brought the first round of drafting to a close with the contributions of the Design Team over the last two days.  You will notice now that the Project Nest has been emptied and a holding note has been placed there to explain our process and next steps.  Never fear, all the material that was shared in the Nest has been captured and is part of our ongoing work to compile and clarify direction for the school.

The Project Nest lives on.  The next round of storytelling will begin soon in earnest and will carry us into next year as our work on the final core values develops in the coming days.  The Design Team capably handed the draft work to the leadership team o Tuesday through retelling stories from our work over the last several weeks.  The work continues with the draft statements in collaboration with our consultant and we will work diligently until our presentation to the board on June 19th.  We will then launch these core values with staff on the day after school finishes and a broader launch in the first days of the new school year.  My thinks to the members of the Design Team for their diligence and stay tuned for the final product in due course.

Schedule and Tweaks for Next Year – Planning Ahead

After significant work on the part of the leadership team, we are moving forward to now implement and inform the community of our work on scheduling for next year.  This primarily applies to Upper School at both the middle and high level, but also have positive implications for Elementary scheduling.  One core component of these changes is better alignment with the IB philosophy that we are currently implementing, and particularly the alignment between the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).

But, this has been a broad based effort and we also intend to capitalize on this opportunity to improve other overall aspects of our daily schedule that in many ways have been carried forward year-on-year with little thought for the inconveniences nor opportunities that might exist.  With much research and with increasing conflict over time and space, we have undertaken some key decisions that we are implementing next year:

1. We are making slight changes to our start and end of school times.  Starting next year, the school hours will be aligned and affirmed with school beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the end of school at 3:30 p.m.  Based on a number of scheduling requirements, this is a modest change that solves many problems.
2. The more significant change, introduced at a recent PTO meeting, is the change to the Wednesday schedule for next year.  The need for teacher work time continues and the small carve out that we have secured for a number of years is critical for ongoing curricular, planning, and accreditation work.  But, the administrative team and teachers have been considering all year the implications of the current structure, particularly in regards to after school programs and the availability of teachers to support and muster the important and growing array of activities and athletics.  After research involving review of other international schools, both in the region and around the world, we have decided to move to a late start rather than early dismissal on Wednesdays.  This means that the Wednesday school day for 2017-2018 will change to a 9:30 a.m. start and a 3:30 p.m. dismissal.
3. There will be a slight difference to the above schedule for our DP students in grades 11 and 12 that will have them starting at slightly adjusted times from the above.  This difference is small and should be easily managed, providing them with necessary alignment and offering them the additional minutes needed to their upper level studies.  More on this in August.

We will be working during the summer to prepare for a smooth transition to this model, including necessary morning supervision in our cafeteria and additional options for student support in the morning before school, while teachers are engaged in their work with colleagues.  We’ll be correcting our website and literature to align with this as well and will send reminders in August as families prepare for their return to a new school year.

And on a final note…

I want to take a moment and express our condolences to nationalities recently impacted by terror attacks in their home countries.  We have all watched in horror as these events have unfolded before us.  If you are like me, there is a growing sense of powerlessness in these now overly regular reports.  I fear we are increasingly becoming immune to these events as they become more frequent and, as we are bombarded with the political messages that often follow, fill our screens with acrimony and blame.

For me, it is important to discuss these events with our children, helping them to understand that everyone deals with tragedy in their own way.  It’s important that children feel free to express their thoughts openly and without judgement in safe family and school environments.  But, we should reinforce in our conversations the importance of preserving and protecting life, an amazing gift that cannot be squandered on the basis of political and ideological squabbles.  It should always be our hope that future generations can address the human condition with greater tolerance, kindness, and forgiveness.

To our friends who are experiencing grief, whether because of national connection or through the actual impact of tragedy on friends or family, know that the Warrior Community is always keeping you in our thoughts and offering our deepest and warmest condolences.

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