Category: school

With back to school nights complete (Ooops – not High School yet – that’s next week), let’s reflect on what we’ve heard in recent days.  First, you should have heard broad goals and timelines for key events in the coming months and should have a general sense of how the year will unfold.  You won’t know everything and our plans are flexible in order to take advantage of unique learning opportunities.  But, the general flow of the year should now be evident.

Second, you should have a better understanding of our International Baccalaureate framework and how it helps us to weave content into deeper understanding.  I saw this in presentations throughout the school at both the Elementary and Upper School opening events and in the classroom presentations in a variety of formats.  In essence, you should now be seeing the mastery of how inquiry is used as a backdrop to give students ownership of their learning, making it both relevant and accessible.  The real gift her is that our students will retain more learning and the learning will be more usable in new settings, something that education strives to assure at every opportunity.  Our capable and talented staff will work tirelessly to ensure scaffolded experiences that are both challenging and rewarding for students.

Third, you should now have a sense of how we will keep you informed of student progress.  Depending on the age level, the systems were described for you and our work to keep you informed of both process and product will expand significantly.  You are already seeing some evidence of this.  This is one area that was a clear focus for us coming out of the parent survey.  We have embraced that feedback and will seek to improve in this area across the school.

As a responsive and reflective school, our aim is always to keep pushing to greater levels of capability and accomplishment.  We never stop and the work is never done.  But, the talented teams of teachers are up to the task of working closely with you to assure student outcomes.

Facility Access

Hopefully, we are now settling into our main patterns.  Parents seem to be adapting well to wearing their badge at all times and thank you for this!  To help with after-hours access to the facility, we’ve prepared a document to guide you on the times that access is available.  In general, access to the building is only for scheduled and arranged activities outside of normal school hours.  Open access to indoor facilities is only during scheduled and published times.  Outdoor areas are accessible but limited by requirements for school ID and supervision.  While our outdoor areas are accessible, they are not the same as a public park and we depend upon our community helping us to take care of the entire campus and show responsibility for the care of our equipment and spaces.  Scheduled events will take priority over any open use.  The entire document is here: Campus Access – School Hours

PowerSchool

We have initiated our annual PowerSchool update of contact information update and permissions.  You must now complete this process before being able to access other PowerSchool features and we are logging your completion of this important GDPR and personal information task.  ALL parents must login to PowerSchool and submit their responses.  Parents who have not done so by next week, we will be calling you!!  If you need help accessing your Powerschool account, please see our divisional office staff or write to support@aswarsaw.org for assistance.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the two upcoming PTO events.  See below, but really important to come and join us for the gatherings.  Adults can join us for the Mixer this weekend and the wonderful PTO BBQ is the following weekend – fun for the whole family.  Exciting and powerful way to create community at ASW!

As is always the case, we must take stock on the routines and simple rules that help us keep everyone safe and assure that the school runs smoothly for everyone.  To that end, and continuing on the good work last year, some reminders are always helpful in the early days of school.  As I noted at the PTO meeting last week, we have done well reminding ourselves of our basic safety rules, but can continue to remind each other regularly as the year progresses.  Here’s some key bullets to check and see if you are ready for the year:

• Parents and staff must wear their ID badge visibly at all times.  This is for students to identify adults who are authorized to be on campus and have stipulated to our code of conduct.  The badge, visitor or regular, is a commitment to the code of conduct that is also in our handbooks and policy. Please wear your badge at all times.  If you need help getting or replacing a badge, please ask at the Security Desk for assistance.
• The campus working hours are 8:00a to 4:30p each day (Monday through Friday).  We’ll send out more details on this, but we have clear times for accessing the campus and a different set of rules for times outside our normal working hours.  Activities that start just before 4:30p continue until complete and then students must depart.  The basic rule is that students may only return to campus after hours for scheduled activities or to access outside areas only for recreation purposes only.  They may not re-enter the building.  In order to gain access to the campus after hours for Middle School and High School students, they must have their student ID (we are in the process of making sure students all have their ID).  For elementary students (who do not have an ID except in their classroom), they may only access the campus with parent supervision (therefore with a Parent ID).  Parents can escort their elementary students onto campus for outdoor recreation or for organized activities.  Just know for now that students will not be admitted back onto campus if they have departed unless they are coming back for a specific activity and have their ID or are in need of assistance.
• Thank you for all your work to make things as smooth as possible in the parking lot.  All seems to be going smoothly, but please remember the following:
  • Park carefully and please help to maximize our parking by staying within lines.
  • NEVER leave your vehicle in a yellow zone for any reason.
  • Turn engines off if waiting in a yellow zone or if parked for more than a minute.
  • Never drive over a curb or park in areas not designated as parking.
  • Use overflow parking outside the back entrance if necessary or drive the loop until space becomes available.  Don’t block traffic flow under any circumstances.
• Please be sure to respect the learning environments in the school.  Parents are welcome in the cafeteria after students go to class, but please don’t linger in hallways or classroom areas while school is in session unless you are there at teacher request.
• Remember that pets are not allowed on campus and we have signs posted in this regard at both entrances.  We do allow pets to transit in vehicles, but they must remain in the vehicle at all times on campus.  Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this rule.

That should be enough for now.  We’ll offer additional details and other reminders as the year continues.

Also, please note that our handbooks have been refreshed and are now available on our website for reference.  Here are the links for easy direct access:

• Elementary Handbook
• Upper School Handbook (Middle and High combined)

While we are only finishing day 2 of our school year, there are many positive reflections on reconnecting and beginning a new school year.  It’s always wonderful filling a building again and enjoying the presence of all the hearts and minds that are truly the most important part of a school community.  By the end of the week, all of our students, even the youngest, will all be on full and regular schedules.  Let the learning begin in earnest!!

In the early days of school, we settle into our routines by focusing on relationships and expectations for how we create community.  Students will be sharing lots of information with you in the early days and we encourage lots of home conversations.  If you have any questions, please reach out to the teacher or principals to get important questions answered as early as possible.  Look for upcoming opportunities for meetings to also answer many of those questions as well.

Let us know if there is anything further we can do to help in your return to school or in your transition to a new home and country.  We are all ready to assist!

Don’t forget that we have our first PTO Meeting on Friday at 8:45a in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR).  If you are new and not sure where to go, meet us in the cafeteria and we’ll take you on the short walk across to the Annex building.  Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday!!

Welcome back to a new school year!  We are now counting the minutes until our wonderful students, new and returning, cross the threshold into their school and re-ignite their learning journey.  What a wonderful time we will all enjoy in the coming week!

This summer, I had the opportunity to digest some wonderful literature, but one book stands out in my learning and growing.  Rev. Gregory Boyle has inspired me this summer through wisdom and thoughtful reflection on the things that really matter.  He brings a message that amplifies the importance of human kinship, the community becoming one in purpose and providence.  While I have reflected on it often, it is important to remind us all again of one of our core values, “Work together. Because without us all we’re nothing.”

It was profound for me to immerse myself in stories of the importance of the community.  Nothing spectacularly new here for you to learn.  We have been taught to cooperate since the day we started Kindergarten.  It is built into the human reality that we recognize the power of the group over the individual.  We accept that together is more important than alone in almost every aspect of our lives leaving only the smallest sliver to isolation.  This is even more important in schools where these truths are first tested and ultimately become part of character and accomplishment.

As we come back together this year, let’s find our unifying purpose and the collective opportunity to nurture the future in the minds and hearts of our children.  It is important, as inspired by Rev. Boyle’s words, that we fight the distraction of focusing on the narrow and instead seek the collective purpose of narrowing our focus on the things that really matter, celebrating the kinship and community that makes us one.

May the start next week offer insight and confidence in the diligent care of all our children!  Here’s the reminders of the dates and times in case you missed it last week:

• New Family & Student Orientation, Monday, August 19, 9:00a, Cafeteria & Theater
• First Day of School, Tuesday, August 20
• Director’s Welcome Back Coffee, Tuesday, August 20, 8:45a, Cafeteria
• PTO Kickoff General Meeting, Friday, August 23, 8:45a, Multi-Purpose Room

School start and end times remain the same as last year.  Wednesday morning late start begins with the first week of school:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday

• Student arrival – no earlier than 8:00 am
• School starts for Grades 11-12 at 8:20 am
• School starts for PK-10 at 8:30 am
• School ends for Grades 11-12 at 3:20 pm
• School ends for PK-10 at 3:30 pm

Wednesday (Late Start for students!)

• Student arrival – no earlier than 8:45 am (cafeteria open)
• School starts for all at 9:30 am
• School ends for all at 3:30 pm

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year, everyone!!  Looks like we will be ushering in the new decade together this year!  I hope this message finds you well and either settling back into your Warsaw environment or concluding your journeys and finding your way on the final steps toward home!

It’s yet another exciting year for the American School of Warsaw, building on the success of last year as we achieved our goal of becoming a “continuum school” with all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) now in full operation.  We continue with our Core Values that will continue to guide our work as the aspirational qualities of ASW and what we hope to become as the future unfolds.  We add to this our revised mission, vision, and key objective that forms the foundation for our strategic design work.  More about all of this after we get the school opened and students welcomed to their new classes and teachers. For now, know that our theme this year is:

Taking our next steps toward the future!

We look forward to engaging conversations on this theme as we work together to refine and design the next most important steps for you, your children, and for ASW!

We continue this year with our combined eNotes newsletter, which will come each week to your mailbox. Please click on the buttons to find your way to important sections, but be sure to scroll through the message each week to scan for all of the important information from each of our divisions and departments.

We have a wonderful team of educators and leaders ready to greet your children on the first day, ensuring a unique experience in the early days of the school year.  We open with an enrolment of about 950 students. We are in the midst of our welcome of 16 new faculty and 1 new administrator, who will all join returning faculty next week for our annual schedule of preparation meetings.

As usual, all of our summer teams have worked hard to assure that the facility has been prepared for your arrival and you will see a number of changes in rooms and common spaces as you explore the building.  Please be aware of a revised “Kiss and Go” area on the High School side of the building that should help traffic flow in that area.  Other upgrades and renovations have been completed throughout the facility which you will likely note at you browse around the building.

An important annual note:  Please be sure to become an active PTO member and look for welcome meetings to attend and committees where you can make a contribution of your time and talent toward enhancing our sense of community.  PTO is, by board policy, empowered to assure that we have a wonderful set of events and activities throughout the year to reinforce and enhance our strong sense of community.  This is an important time of year to build new relationships, renew collaborations, and enhance what we do to make ASW such a special place for all of us.

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

• New Family & Student Orientation, Monday, August 19, 9:00a, Cafeteria & Theater
• First Day of School, Tuesday, August 20
• Director’s Welcome Back Coffee, Tuesday, August 20, 8:45a, Cafeteria
• PTO Kickoff General Meeting, Friday, August 23, 8:45a, Multi-Purpose Room

School start and end times remain the same as last year.  Wednesday morning late start begins with the first week of school:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday

• Student arrival – no earlier than 8:00 am
• School starts for Grades 11-12 at 8:20 am
• School starts for PK-10 at 8:30 am
• School ends for Grades 11-12 at 3:20 pm
• School ends for PK-10 at 3:30 pm

Wednesday (Late Start for students!)

• Student arrival – no earlier than 8:45 am (cafeteria open)
• School starts for all at 9:30 am
• School ends for all at 3:30 pm

I encourage all of you to subscribe to and participate in the Director’s blog – Zimplicity! Please join the conversation!  All of the history since my arrival is there as well.

Welcome back one and all as we take the next important steps for you and for ASW together!

Mr. Z

As you can imagine, we have received multiple messages regarding our unseasonable heat in recent days and it seems that the 2018-2019 school year will be going out hot, albeit with a bit of easing if we believe the forecasts for the weekend and Monday.  Please know that we are fully aware of the challenges associated with these temperatures and are taking steps to address the 20-25% of our classrooms with the most significant southern exposure that has led to classroom temperatures that relatively match the outside temperatures or a bit warmer.  Too hot, we all agree.

To be clear on the data:

• Issues of increased temperature affect about 10-15 days each school year out of our total of 180 school days.  While there is a slight upward trend, this number has been pretty consistent since my arrival in 2016.  We started more detailed tracking of this since 2017 and monitor individual classroom temperatures as well as overall systems that are monitoring our air quality.
• The main building was constructed in 2001 and, at that time, did not have specifications or zoning that required air conditioning.  Air conditioning has been installed in selected areas over the years, primarily in closed offices and technology equipment spaces where cooling is critical to the equipment, which generates its own heat.
• We do have systems for air handling that move air into and out of the building according to normal expectations, including the expected level of filtering that would be associated with a school facility.
• We have extensive systems for blinds and windows that allow air movement when conditions are extreme, but this does not handle the temperatures in all areas.
• We have installed new air handlers in recent years and the equipment chosen has the ability to be upgraded to including a cooling component.
• We do not have sufficient infrastructure for electricity or additional ductwork for air handling to install air conditioning at this time but we do have plans to address this incrementally in the coming years if it proves feasible.
• The Annex building included cooling only on the north half and that cooling includes some effect on the main gym area.  When it was constructed, this cooling was meant to protect instruments in the band and strings area.  This may have been short-sighted at the time and did not protect the art and storage areas of the south end of the building.

Steps we have taken in the interim:

• We have tested new portable cooling equipment that can be deployed to classrooms.  But we have had minimal success.  Most available cooling units either overtax the electrical system or provide insufficient cooling for the size and types of spaces.
• We deployed dozens of fans throughout the building on demand to are trying to address the key areas most impacted.  We have allowed for multiple fans in the most affected rooms and we are still adding more as requested.
• We have adopted flexibility in classroom assignments and location of lessons and are using large spaces like the courtyards, library, MPR, and cafeteria for classroom groups.  The core areas of the school have remained cooler and comfortable.  We are also using smaller available spaces including the board room, project nest, and offices.

We appreciate all the messages and suggestions during this difficult juncture.  We are also aware that many think this may mean similar circumstances when we return in August.  It is hard to predict this and the timing of these heat waves has not been consistent.  For example, in a prior year, we experienced high temperatures in April rather than May or June.  Similarly, we have in the more distant past experienced some adverse temperatures in September after a cool and rainy August.

But, please know we are planning prudently and not unaware that temperatures may continue to increase on average and the number of days per year may also grow.  We are planning for this and do intend to implement additional changes, both for air quality and for air cooling in the near future.

As some kids are referring to it here, there are about 9 alarms left in the school year and much to complete in the days ahead.  Along with various divisional events and the last range of exams, students are bringing punctuation to their work of the year while teachers are providing final grading and feedback, ultimately to provide end of year reports.

As a look ahead to summer, may I recommend summer reading for parents that I previously recommended as related to our FCD report?  I’ve completed reading most of the book now and found that the middle section is full of profound and important advice for parenting.  We all know about the progressive nature of development and emerging responsibility in adolescence, but this book offers some deep insight into well-researched trends in parenting practices that may form the foundation of a presentation next year and much good discussion.  Happy to discuss further for those who are interested.  Here’s the link again:  Age of Possibility by Dr. Laurence Steinberg.

Parent End of Year Survey went out today as was suggested last week.  In just one short day, we have over 100 responses!!  My apologies for one small edit mistake in the invitation email.  There is a leftover 2018 in the heading that should read 2019.  Otherwise, the survey will remain open until July 1 and we look forward to a great turnout to our annual request for insight.

Finally, please remember to join us for our closing ceremony on June 18.  We will also be live-streaming this event.  Looking forward to seeing all of you!  Details to follow next week.  Program is planned to start at 10:45a with school dismissal at 11:30a.

To all of our special guests, faculty, staff, administration, parents, friends, and family members – we thank you for your pride and presence as we celebrate this, our 26th commencement exercises for the class of 2019.

Thank you to Ray for stepping in for Ambassador Mosbacher.  Our partnership with the US Embassy is again enhanced and affirmed by your words and your presence stands as a shining example of a life of service and commitment.

Mr. Sheehan, thank you again for ushering through our graduation under unique circumstances this year.  Our ability as a community to adjust and adapt is due in great measure to your leadership and counsel.  My thanks to you and your amazing cadre of administrators and teachers who usher in each day with enthusiasm and passion for their subjects, their profession, and our students.

Felix and Lucas, thank you for representing your classmates so eloquently.  You both brought light and focus to the challenges you have faced and the wisdom you have gleaned from your experiences.  You have represented your classmates brilliantly.

Dr. Kirkpatrick, I thank you for your message as you bring your time here at ASW to a close.  It is a wonderful tribute that you were selected by the students you have so diligently served in your classroom and throughout their school life. In this way, and through your words today, you have inspired yet another generation which brings powerful punctuation to a career full of accomplishment.

Our thanks also to the High School Choir and their wonderful performances here tonight. It has been a year filled with stellar moments and these will be counted as brightest among them.

Before I proceed, my own words of thanks to an important person that has been instrumental tonight, as she has been for many years before this.  Malgosia Hydzik, the class godmother, has served ASW faithfully for 26 years.  That means, and I checked, she has been in our midst for every graduation since ASW has had graduates.  She joined the school during its 40^th anniversary in the 1992-93 school year and watched the very first graduating class cross that stage.  Teacher, mentor, coordinator, organizer, historian, colleague, friend.  We can never adequately thank you for all that you have done.  While other opportunities will come in the days ahead to recognize your retirement and contributions over more than a quarter century, this event is a cornerstone to your connection to the students you have served.  My special thanks and recognition to you tonight!

We know as an international community that many here on this stage have had other schooling experiences before joining us here in Warsaw. Also, some stay with us for a time, leave for a bit, and then return. It is part of being an international school that we embrace this constant flux of change and transition. Over twenty nationalities sit on this stage tonight.  But, as has been my tradition in many schools over a number of years, I’d like to recognize some special Warriors, nurtured at ASW from the beginning of their schooling experience all the way to graduation. As I call these names, would you please stand and remain standing so that we can recognize all of you as a group:

8? Students have been identified as having been here since either Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten:

Kindergarten:
Viktor Czernin-Morzin
Grace Oh
Denice Visalda
Michal Gasiejewski
Ji Eun You
Grzegorz Telejko

Pre-Kindergarten:
Agata Buksowicz
Mateusz Pietruszkiewicz

Please recognize these students and their families as this year’s Warriors of longest standing.

So, the time is almost upon us.  I have but one question for the class of 2019:  So, What’s the T?

For those in the audience with bewildered looks, you can look this up in your Urban Dictionary and you’ll find that it means What’s up?  What’s the latest gossip?  How’s it going, maybe?

So, what’s the T, graduates?

I find myself in an odd situation that I’ve experienced only once before in my life.  For the second, and final time, an offspring of mine is sitting on this stage.  Owing to where our surname falls in the alphabet, you can easily find her in the very last seat in the back.  Sorry about that, dear!

So, it is no surprise that I find myself just a bit closer to the class of 2019.  Not too close mind you, because that would have made my daughter’s time here that much more uncomfortable beyond the already hellish reality of being the Director’s daughter.  Despite that, our move here was rather smooth, due in part to the efforts of faculty, talented administrators, and my daughter’s special friends. Because of that deeper insight gleaned through my daughter’s experience, my comments yesterday at the awards assembly ring as true tonight as they did yesterday – I’m not sure I want to let you go.  And I definitely know I don’t want to let her go.

It is the parent’s truth tonight that we are conflicted between our pride and our concern.  We know you are prepared because we’ve watched you grow, strive, struggle, stumble and survive along this journey.  There are a few scars, both physical and emotional, and yet, you are sitting on this stage tonight and that says a lot.  I’ve watched you so engaged in your learning that you literally plastered it on your bedroom walls in order to find success in your exams.  But, I’ve also watched you find the moments to chill with each other through coffee houses, the dance floor, or just kicking back on the carpets of the guitar room with a microphone in hand jamming in a chosen key.

As a parent, and representing all of the parents here assembled, we want you to know how much we care about you.  I know that’s hard sometimes to accept.  The occasional angst between adolescent and parent is well documented.  We expect it because we know we did it to our own parents, too.  It’s hard to be very mad at you when we remember how disagreeable we were in our own youth.  Even in my own house, I’m currently vacillating back and forth between being called Dad or Jon.  That’s usually dependent on how “mean” I’m being in the moment or whether I’m paying attention.

I can only say that I must warn you all now that sometime later in life, you are likely to mutter words to this effect:  Parents, just when you think you’ve got them pegged, they turn around and show you how much they love you.

For tonight, I would suggest we all find forgiveness in our hearts and enjoy this crucial evening together in earnest embrace with family and friends, cementing a connection that must now survive distance and adulthood.

Remember always: Parents paint the colors of your rainbow through love and sacrifice.  Take their palette and inspiration as your own and change the world for the better.

Students, I ask you to embrace the journey that is now before you.  You face a great challenge.  As a planet, we are seemingly mired in deceit, decay, and despair.  But, there is hope and I’m encouraged because I know you launch with character intact, inspired by your close bond with us and each other, and a demonstrated insight into the issues you will face.  We encouraged you to be thinkers, inquirers, and doers.  You’ve shown it here and I’m quite confident in your ability confront all that comes with invention, passion, and purpose.

To my darling daughter – and as a parent representing all parents – there are no words to adequately express my love and pride.  I’m sorry if I’ve occasionally been tough. But, you can always count on knowing that, when I look at you, no matter your age or which name you call me, I will always see the child that I held in the first moments of life.  I embrace your creativity and compassion, in awe of your playful spirit.  I am truly amazed at your becoming.  But, please, for me, Starbucks buddies forever, OK?!

Class of 2019 – we love and admire you, proud of all you do.  Be well and be warriors, now and always.

At this time, I ask Principal Michael Sheehan and Chair of the ASW Board of Trustees, Mr. Ray Banks to please join me on stage for the conferring of diplomas.

A note this week to honor our fathers and mothers.  We are just coming out of a couple of weeks of recognizing and celebrating mothers through the many national dates including the U.S. on May 12, Poland on May 26, and UK Mother’s Day back in March.  Similarly, Father’s Day in the U.S. on June 16, in Poland on June 23 and, again, also back in March in the UK.  While the day of recognition is widespread across nationalities and dates throughout the year, the sentiment is the same as we recognize and embrace the tremendous importance of parents to their children.

Raising a child is the most significant and important accomplishment of life.  While education is a close second, the commitment and engagement of family will always be the most important part of what any individual achieves and becomes in life.  It’s particularly important to remember this as we move into graduation this weekend, celebrating a significant milestone.  It’s an event that suggests a child is now grown and ready to embark on their own.  We know this is not really the case, because of family connections and networks of support that last well beyond the preparatory years.  But, there is something special and important about this critical step and we celebrate and embrace it with all the pomp and circumstance we can muster.

But, the central theme remains.  Schools are places of parenting.  More than any other social system, we depend on parents and thrive on the opportunity to create a partnership in supporting your efforts raising your children.  In part, when we say “Work Together,” we are talking about that important collaborative activity of raising a child.  Without you, we are nothing.  Together, we open wide the doorway to opportunity for your child. To all the mothers and fathers of the ASW community, we honor and value you through all your contributions!  Thank you!

A Note About Upcoming Survey

Next week we send out our annual Student/Parent satisfaction survey.  We started this tradition in our accreditation process and this survey is the second year of an annual commitment going forward.  Much of the survey is the same with a small number of adds and adjustments.  Our purpose is to track year on year movement on key issues, so the stability of the instrument is important.  We use the results for critical planning and reported the full survey results in my report to the board back in September. Throughout the year we have reflected on the results and set goals associated with the feedback to help inform our operational and strategic work.  I want to thank you in advance for your participation in this survey.  Remember, if you have multiple children at the school, you may be filling out the survey multiple times in order to get each child’s point of view.  Surveys are customized based on the division of the child.  Separate links will be sent for each child in the family and each parent will get their set of invitations if their email address is properly registered in Powerschool.

It has been a busy week of preparation this week at ASW.  In recent days, we welcomed new board members through our election process.  While we will have final confirmation at the board meeting on Monday, please welcome the following to their new role as Trustees.  I also thought you would enjoy links to their campaign posters and videos as a reminder:

• Ms. Ajla van Heel Merdanovi? (US seat candidate) – video
• Ms. Anna Hutten-Czapska (non-US seat candidate) – video

There are always many roles in a school for all of us to contribute.  We are all reflecting now on our cover value of step forward and making things happen.  When partnered with our value of “We’re all in this together,” it becomes clear that our village is being called to action in growing and important ways.  Our thanks to all who step forward – Ajla, Anna, and Ezra — and the many others who continue to serve in leadership roles through appointment or election.  But, equally, we value and need all the parents that meet, plan, and serve daily as volunteers in our PTO events, classrooms, and in general service to the school.  It’s a big boat and plenty of room for all of us to help steer toward achieving vision and mission together!  Without us all, we’re nothing!

A few extra notes:

• Saw a sneak peek of the HS Production, The Crucible at assembly – MUST SEE!!  Thursday and Friday, both at 6 pm – Come one, come all!!
• Concerts kick off next week with MS Band/Choir on Tuesday night – 6 pm.
• Prom! – This weekend for grades 11/12.  Many thanks to the students and parents who helped bring this to fruition!! Saturday night at 9 pm.
• And – Graduation!!  It’s really that time already – next Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the POLIN Museum.  By invitation, but look for links next week for the live stream of this important event!!

IB Exams

This is the time of year for our IB students in 12th grade to take their final examinations, the culmination of two years of work in the Diploma Programme.  It’s a testament to their studies and integration of the material to answer both knowledge and process questions in their six subject areas.  My youngest has been diligently studying (well, most of the time) since the last day of classes for seniors and the exam experience has been a complex mix of stress, sleepless, studious, and Starbucks.  It is challenging to prepare and perform in a challenging high stakes exam of this nature and I feel for the kids each day.  But, the life lesson of surmounting challenges is critical to our learning process and the precept behind summative experiences of all kinds.  The sense of accomplishment can be profound and celebratory, while defeat can give us insight into how to prepare more effectively in the future.  Experiences like these carry well to the college level in preparing students for even higher stakes, and life in general.  While I struggle with watching the suffering of preparation (not for all), I also enjoy seeing how the kids prepare.  My favorite was the “wall of knowledge” I saw one student preparing, copying notes onto a large piece of butcher paper in order to uncover the connections over two years of material. I know they emptied highlighters in recent weeks from all the colors of the rainbow!

As testing comes to a close, students deserve a break while they prepare for graduation.  The test results are on the horizon in July, so all eyes can focus on celebrating the accomplishment of earning a diploma.  In my heart I know all have done well and I look forward to wishing them well from the stage in a few short weeks!

PYPx

Our next major project is coming to a close and our 5th graders take the stage on Friday, May 17, with their culminating project.  Not unlike our seniors above and our MYP students in their Personal Project, they are experiencing what it feels like to bring a project to completion and experiencing agency and action in the context of their integrated learning.  More below in the Elementary bulletin, but please join us starting in the theater at 8:45 a.m.

A Sad Note

The ASW community has experienced a sad loss of our former ASW employee Stanis?aw St?pie?, lovingly known as Stan, who passed away on May 10th at his home in Warsaw.

Stan worked at ASW for nine years (1998-2007) in the capacity of Maintenance Director. Stan was the one to first create and then supervise the security and facility maintenance departments.  He was the one to oversee the construction process of the new ASW campus (where the school is currently located) and was also in charge of organizing the move to this location.

Stan will be remembered as a very warm and friendly person, a highly motivated, hard-working, and dedicated employee who was always ready to help everyone in need.  Please share your memories of Stan in the comments of this post on Zimplicity and we will share them with the family.

Please join us for PTO tomorrow, Thursday, at 8:45a in the Cafeteria for a wonderful agenda that will consider the future, both for the PTO and the school.  After the introduction of the new PTO Executive Board and their annual election, they have kindly given me a spot to introduce work that has been progressing since January on the school’s new mission and vision, which will formally launch in the 2019-2020 school year.  We will enjoy a highly collaborative process and engaging around our hopes and aspiration, all gleaned from the work we have been doing together over the last two years.  This is one of many opportunities for community input and engagement.

Please come and join us!

Board Election Update

You should have received your election ballot and many of you have voted – Thank you!  Your last day to vote is this coming Friday.  We will send two more reminders only to those who have not yet voted.  We ask you to kindly check your Junk Mail folder to make sure the ballot did not accidentally get there.  If you did not receive a folder and would still like one, please contact the election address at aswtrustees@aswarsaw.org !  Results of the election will be shared after they are reviewed and certified by the Board Governance Committee.

Maker – def. – From Wikipedia:

Maker culture emphasizes learning-through-doing (active learning) in a social environment. Maker culture emphasizes informal, networked, peer-led, and shared learning motivated by fun and self-fulfillment. Maker culture encourages novel applications of technologies, and the exploration of intersections between traditionally separate domains and ways of working including metal-working, calligraphy, film making, and computer programming. Community interaction and knowledge sharing are often mediated through networked technologies, with websites and social media tools forming the basis of knowledge repositories and a central channel for information sharing and exchange of ideas, and focused through social meetings in shared spaces such as hackspaces. Maker culture has attracted the interest of educators concerned about students’ STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in formal educational settings. Maker culture is seen as having the potential to contribute to a more participatory approach and create new pathways into topics that will make them more alive and relevant to learners.

Bottom line:  Come and have some amazing fun tomorrow in our latest iteration of the ASW Maker Faire!!  The fun kicks off at 9:00 a. m. tomorrow!!

Board Elections

Tomorrow (Thursday) you will receive your personalized ballot for ASW Board of Trustee Elections.  As a reminder, here are our candidates:

• Ms. Ajla van Heel Merdanovi? (US seat candidate) – video
• Ms. Anna Hutten-Czapska (non-US seat candidate) – video
• Ms. Esra Yavuz (non-US seat candidate) – video

Ms. van Heel Merdanovic will be running unopposed, whereas Ms. Hutten-Czapska and Ms. Esra Yavuz will compete for the available non-US citizen seat.  Your ballot will include a personalized link that can only be used by you.  An invite will be sent to all parents registered in our system at your registered email.  Please contact us at director@aswarsaw.org if you do not receive your ballot by the end of the day on Thursday.  You will receive reminders until you cast your ballot and click on submit.  The voting closes on May 10 and the results will be certified by the board at their regular meeting on May 27.

FCD  – A data point…

Our survey data is starting to return from our time with FCD, but the pre and post data for the presentations were reviewed today and this one result demonstrated a strong validation of the sessions and the visit of our specialist John Tummon:

One of the key protective factors for our students is having the knowledge to help a friend.  This tremendous growth in student reported reflections on their overall experience speaks volumes about the importance of open dialog and factual information so that students can make healthy choices confidently on their own, and help their friends in doing the same.  More survey data from the core instrument will be shared shortly after the break.

Last week, we had a wonderfully informative parent meeting with John Tummon, our representative from FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency).  It is important that all parents get the important messages from this meeting and that you should look to talk to parents who were in attendance as well as reviewing the contents of the slides that John graciously shared with us:

ASW FCD Parent April 10 2019

Some of the key myth-busting facts that are important to note:

• Myth: students learning to drink alcohol in the home at earlier ages protect them later in life.  WRONG!  All research supports the opposite for adolescents – the earlier an adolescent drinks, the greater the risk for later problems.
• Myth: Cigarette alternatives (vaping, chewing, etc.) are better for your health than smoking – WRONG! There are a number of slides in the presentation that dispel this myth and confirm that marketing campaigns are trying to sell this message in order to market newer products to adolescents, who are more likely to develop lifelong habits and negative health impacts when starting during adolescence.  You should be VERY concerned about the ease of access to vaping products in our general area!

An important book reference for the above and consistent with much of the presentation can be found here:  Age of Possibility by Dr. Laurence Steinberg.

There is much more to continue to discuss and we are awaiting our compiled survey results in the coming days that will help us understand the challenges we face here at ASW.  We are fully prepared to continue this conversation and make plans to address any concerns as warranted.  We are not done with this topic and are already planning for the enhancements to our health curriculum and policies as we identify areas of needed impact.  If you have any questions, please reach out to us!

Maker Faire

https://youtu.be/vNi7vPUFuII

Maker Faire is still looking for adult helpers.  We need everyone to help make it a great success for our students!  Signup is here:

• https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b44a9af28a6fd0-makerfaire

Badges

First, a thank you to all the parents who have been working hard to remember to wear their badges on the school campus at all times.  We appreciate your attention to this important regulation and practice!

Please be reminded that showing your badge at the entrance, whether in a car or on foot, is just the first step.  You should then promptly put your badge on and wear it while on campus.  Please register all visitors that you are escorting with the guards at the gate or at the front security desk.  Parents and visitors not wearing badges will be increasingly stopped and checked for this necessary credential.

School Hours

Just need to confirm with everyone that official school hours (except holidays) are as follows:

Monday to Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Access to the campus outside of these operational hours (including weekends and holidays) is as follows:

• Students who are on campus during operational hours, but depart after these hours may not return except according to the following stipulations.
• Students in Grades 6-12 must show school identification to be allowed on campus after hours and only for approved activities.  
• Elementary students in grades PK-5 may be on campus after hours only under the direct supervision of their parent/adult guardian.
• Adults must have a parent identification to gain access to the campus after hours and must wear this identification at all times.
• No outside visitors or guests are allowed on campus after hours without prior arrangement.  Visitors at all times require prior approval by the appropriate divisional or departmental office and clearance by security.

The school will announce in advance our operational hours during vacations and holidays and campus closures when the school will not be accessible to anyone due to maintenance or other concerns.