Category: school

We celebrate the life of Nancy Dickinson

In every way possible, Nancy FS DICKINSON NA 2015-16 (2).jpgDickinson was an inspiration to children, a valued friend and colleague, and an enduring spirit in a foreign land.  The words of those who cherished Nancy are gathering now in our hearts and minds as we received news on the weekend of Nancy’s passing following a year long struggle with cancer.

From Nancy’s family on the weekend:

Nancy left us about 2 pm our time. It was very peaceful. Carl and I were with her. We told her she could go, that she was loved by so many people and we named names and locations! The fight here was done and we reassured her that we would take care of Caroline.

Please take care of yourselves. Tell your loved ones you love and adore them. Hold our beloved Nancy in the light and say a prayer of Thanksgiving for having known this lovely woman. Her suffering is over. She is truly free and having a wonderful reunion with our Grandmother and family.

Yvonne & Carl

While we knew that Nancy was in the final stages of her battle after moving to hospice  care a short time ago, two staff members visiting her and family in Montana found in Nancy the same spirit that likely carried her to her final breath.  Joyce Husick and Tanja Kusanovic represented all of Nancy’s loved ones here in Warsaw by carrying cards, messages, and greetings to Nancy during her final days.  They noted upon their return that Nancy retained “that which was wonderfully Nancy – wit, sense of humor, and keen perceptions all on display.”  She was clearly in the midst of those who loved her dearly, enjoying every minute in a circle of trust and care.

Screen Shot 2016-10-12 at 8.05.58 AM.pngNancy served the American School of Warsaw from 2002-2015 as a Kindergarten, 3rd, and 1st grade teacher.  All who knew her remembered her warmth and kindness.  Memories of Nancy are being shared via many communication platforms in the coming days in hopes of capturing the thoughts and inspirations of her life and time here in Warsaw and throughout the world.  The shared document can be viewed HERE, our virtual wall of memories that grows with each passing hour.

Counselors have asked the library to gather resources for children and families on the topic of grief and, as always, they stand by for those who need to talk about the loss of Nancy.  Nancy had a positive impact on many young lives and families have already started reaching out to us with memories of their own through expressions of love and sadness for this loss.  I encourage you to engage here as a comment on this blog to share your memories, which we will add to the compiled document of memories.

At the time of writing this message, we had not received word from Montana with regards to plans for services in her home there.  We are asking members of the community interested in attending to join us for a memorial gathering in the Elementary Tower on Monday, October 17th at 3:30 p.m.  Adults and children are both welcome.  We look forward to this opportunity to remember Nancy in the environment where she made her most significant contributions.  Please join us!

With fondest regards,

Jon P. Zurfluh
Director

Accreditation Begins in Earnest

In recent weeks, we began a journey into a process that will carry us until Winter Break of 2017.  The scope of the work has been carefully scheduled out to maximize participation and assure accuracy of our reflection across all aspects of the school’s operations.  Accreditation is a timely and important process deserving of this level of engagement.  As a once in 10-year process, it provides a structure and backdrop to profound school improvement, informing other activities years beyond its generation.  The visiting team that will join us in early 2018 will reflect on the comprehensive product of our work and spend extended time talking to all stakeholders who were responsible for it. This process yields a long term action plan that the entire community embraces for the journey forward, in coordination with strategic planning.

The presentation below is shared for other parents who missed out on the PTO coffee.  Both the Director’s Office and the Office for Teaching and Learning are ready to take your questions and comments as we continue organizing the work that lies ahead.  Look for regular updates in posts that will follow, particularly when we share survey results and post other opportunities for participation.


Parent Accreditation Presentation – September, 2016

With sincere appreciation…

To the Community of ASW:

As you are now aware, I originally arrived in Warsaw with the title of Interim Director. This was appropriate for a variety of reasons, as detailed by the Board Chair in July. I noted at the time that I was only willing to come in an interim role if I would be allowed to further apply for the long term position. After spending a few weeks getting to know you in more depth while leading this wonderful entourage of professionals, I can only reaffirm that intent given the warmth and welcome of the community demonstrated so wonderfully and completely in such a short time. Students, parents, administration, faculty, and staff have all shared open arms and hearts as we have become part of a robust and supportive “village” of teachers and learners.

It is therefore with pleasure and excitement that I accepted the board’s appointment as your Director, sans Interim. With this message, I affirm that I’m ready to let go of that Interim title and look forward to continuing the work I’ve started, knowing that I will usher our collaboration beyond the bounds of a single year. It means that we are embracing this community and, possibly more importantly, that my daughter will graduate as a Warsaw Warrior!!

I can only confirm the tremendous energy and enthusiasm that I’m ready to bring to this role, now and throughout my time here. I look forward to each and every opportunity for earnest conversation and collaboration toward crafting ASW, both for the moment and the future. Together, we will prepare our students and empower them for a life filled with hope and possibility. I look forward to your partnership and friendship in that journey.

Best Regards,

Jon P. Zurfluh
Director

P. S. – See you at the PTO BBQ later today and note that I’ll be perched atop the dunk tank sometime after 3p!!

Announcement from the Board of Trustees

Dear Fellow ASW Parents and Community Members,

The Board of Trustees of the American School of Warsaw is pleased to announce we have appointed Mr. Jon Zurfluh as Director of ASW.  Mr. Zurfluh was previously hired as Interim Director of ASW for the 2016-2017 school year.  In his new, long-term role, Mr. Zurfluh will continue to provide steady, community-focused leadership as we implement the IB Primary and Middle Years Programs (PYP/MYP), complete the NEASC/CIS re-accreditation process, and work to further strengthen ASW’s long-term success and competitive position. 

Mr. Zurfluh brings to ASW an impressive track record of educational leadership:  Prior to coming to Warsaw, he was Director of the Anglo-American School of Moscow and St. Petersburg for five years.  He previously served as Head of School at Shanghai Community International School, and as a Principal in the White River School District in Washington state, in addition to many earlier positions as both a teacher and an administrator. 

In deciding to appoint Mr. Zurfluh as ASW’s long-term Director, the Board of Trustees consulted with a variety of stakeholders.  We were struck by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from parents, faculty members and administrators, who noted Jon’s deep knowledge and experience as an educator and the positive effect his leadership style has already had at ASW.

The Board of Trustees is confident Jon Zurfluh is the right person to continue to lead our School at this critical juncture in its history.  He is one of the most sought-after international school directors in the world, and we are fortunate to have secured his long-term commitment to lead ASW.  We ask you to join us in congratulating him on his appointment as Director.

Sincerely,

The 2016-2017 ASW Board of Trustees

Rob Batchelder, Chair
Sonia Kandathil, Vice Chair
Simeon Netchev, Secretary
Chrissie Graeber, Treasurer
Artur Banaszak
Mariusz Banaszuk
Peter Chudy
John Gabrovic
Massimo Merighi
Gael Reilly
Raymond Yao

The First Day is Upon Us!!

This morning we opened our doors for the soft opening of New Family Orientation and packed the theater with more than 100 families and their kids. I enjoyed greeting everyone with a brief introduction from the Newbie to the Newbies. Over the last 28 days, I’ve learned much about the American School of Warsaw.

In particular, I looked up the instrumental founding influencer of the school, Colonel Frank Gilchrist (1938-1969). In 1953, while serving as the Assistant Military Attache at the American Embassy, Colonel Gilchrist was the driving force behind the opening of a school for 12 students from 5 nationalities: American, British, Swiss, Israeli, and Yugoslav.

Then, as is the case now, the reports were of a school with a special sense of community. A place where this mix of nationalities could connect and define themselves as a collaboration amongst diversity. Writers of that time and throughout the growth and development of the school noted the warmth and welcoming spirit of the school community.

That spirit was on display today as PTO and returning parents and students helped new families navigate their orientation day. Touring around the building, teachers and support staff welcomed their presence in classrooms throughout the building. Their first impression of their new “home” was a powerful one leaving all of us ready for the coming opening for all.

One of the key messages that I’ve woven through new staff orientation, full staff meetings, and the new parent orientation yesterday emphasizes what I consider to be a critical component of the program we offer. After the hard work of designing curriculum and architecting instruction is completed, I suggest that a critical test of a school is the understanding that “Small Things Matter.” Like a drop of water in a still pond, the ripple effects of empathy and service toward others cannot be underestimated.

I taught the new kids today another important phrase that I will test them on in the parking lot tomorrow. For those returning, you’ll have to share it with your children as the mantra of the year, the motto of the new director that I give you as a gift to inspire all your future accomplishments:

“If it is to be, It is up to me!!”

May the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year bring you special joy and a true sense of anticipation for all that is yet to come! Let the learning begin!

Welcome Message 2016

August 12, 2016

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year!!  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.

As per the cover letter from, Rob Batchelder, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, it’s my pleasure to be joining the Warriors as your new Director for the exciting year ahead!!  I’m looking forward to meeting all of you and personally welcoming you to this vibrant and inviting school.  More about me and other information worth reading throughout the year will be captured on my Director’s blog – Zimplicity!  Please join the conversation here:  https://zimplicity.org/

We have a wonderful team of educators and leaders ready to greet your children on the first day, assuring consistency of practice and stability of program in the early days of the school year.  We open with an enrollment of 950 and are finishing our welcome of 39 new faculty, who will be joining returning faculty next week for important 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 number of changes in rooms and common spaces as you explore the building.  There are too many changes to list entirely here, but all of them constitute important updates to facilitate the continued growth and development of the programs we offer.

Please plan to join us for the various initial events on the calendar.  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.  This is an important time of year to build new relationships, renew collaborations, and enhance what we do to make ASW such a special community for all of us.

Here’s a summary of some key events in the first week:

  • New Family & Student Orientation, Monday, August 22, 9:00a, Cafeteria
  • Director’s Coffee morning, Tuesday, August 23, 8:45a, Cafeteria
  • PTO Newcomer Coffee, Thursday, August 25, 8:45a, Cafeteria

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

Sincerely,

Jon P. Zurfluh
Director
jzurfluh@aswarsaw.org

Greetings, Fellow Warriors!!

With messages you received earlier today, I can confirm my excitement over joining you in the coming year! Taking over one of the main communication mediums associated with my role as director is a key step in my transition toward joining you in the coming days.

After 5 wonderful years in Moscow, I’m excited by both a new country and a new community, rich with culture and diversity like all of my previous assignments. I’m looking forward to the many opportunities for getting to know you during our day-to-day interactions and through the smooth transitional activities that the board, faculty, and staff will help to orchestrate.  My email address is already up and running, so you can contact me easily through jzurfluh@aswarsaw.org.  I look forward to your messages and our many opportunities to connect as we get closer and closer to the opening of school.

Look here on this blog for many updates throughout the year.  I will post messages both small and more significant as a way to keep the lines of communication open and vibrant.  Subscribing is a great idea and I also encourage dialog through commenting.

It is also a pleasure to be bringing my family into your midst.  My wife Emily will be very present at school.  She is a teacher who will often sub in elementary classrooms, but will also be a mother to our daughter, Erin, who will be entering 10th grade.  My son Jaisen starts at college this year and will be attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, USA.

As promised at our parent gathering, I’ll be forever letting go of my Penguin background in favor of a Warrior persona.  As your newest Warrior, I look forward to cheering on our students in all their pursuits, athletic and academic!

I’m including below the board’s message from earlier today for reference and the associated documents for easy access:

Your Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Mr. Jon Zurfluh will be joining ASW next month as Interim Director for the 2016-2017 school year.  Jon is an experienced educator and international school administrator who for the past five years has served as Director of the Anglo-American School (AAS) of Moscow and St. Petersburg.  He will be accompanied to Warsaw by his wife Emily, an early childhood educator, and their daughter, Erin, who will be a 10th-grader at ASW.  Jon’s son, Jaisen, will be a freshman at Pacific Lutheran University (his dad’s alma mater) in Washington State in September.  Attached to this email are Jon’s resume and a philosophical summary of his leadership approach.

The selection of Mr. Zurfluh as interim director represents the culmination of a month-long recruitment process led by the Board of Trustees with the participation of members of ASW’s executive transition team.  This process was guided by criteria developed in consultation with a variety of stakeholders, including input from ASW’s Teachers Association.  We are excited to have Mr. Zurfluh join our community and are confident his collaborative leadership style and track record of strong community relations will be an excellent fit both for our School and our community.

The 2016-2017 Board of Trustees will continue to provide regular updates on significant events, activities and other developments.  In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any other member of the Board.  We look forward to seeing you all again at the start of the coming school year.

With best wishes for a relaxing summer,

Rob Batchelder, Chair
ASW Board of Trustees

Zurfluh-Philosophical Summary
Zurfluh-Resume