Zimplicity

Dear Parents,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Mr. Z

Happy New Year one and all!

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

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

Winter Weather

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

Air Quality

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

Fire Cleanup Work

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

Best Regards,

Mr. Z

 

 

Dear ASW Parents,

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

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

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

The following summary of systems affected is provided:

Systems that will be offline and inaccessible:

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

ASW Air Quality Report (in Polish)

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

It has been a busy few weeks and I’m happy to report that we’re just about tying up the remainder of the Fall season of activities despite the fact we have now plunged into November.

First, United Nations Day was spectacular!!  We can’t help by thank everyone involved for this wonderful and truly inspiring event that included all ages, the bulk of our community, and one destination after another throughout the school mastered by wonderful parents dedicating their time and talents to a truly powerful day. Diversity stands at the center of our mission and vision for a school that captures and values cross-cultural experiences that promote a global village pathway to peace and harmony.  Parents modeled for students the power of our diversity and what our varied cultural heritage brings to an already robust conversation in our classrooms and programs.  PTO and all of our parent volunteers should be thanked for their diligence in presenting us with one of our best UN Days on record.  Our thanks also to those that organized the wonderful assemblies that allowed students to showcase their diversity in the performance setting.  The Grade 2 and Grade 4 spotlights shown brightly as these grade levels mastered assemblies with dialog that wove friends and tolerance into powerful presentations.  I can honestly admit to a small tear that was shed when the candles were lit, and I giggled with the rest of you when we heard the hoots and hollers as Ireland, and all of our countries, were announced to the cheers of those in attendance! 😉

After a wonderful vacation with a couple of extended days, we headed right into two very powerful events on the weekend.

The International Schools Theater Association (ISTA) was on campus for their regional conference for Middle School students, and the performance today was a powerful reminder of the talent and capability of our young thespians.  Their final production on Sunday morning was a powerful reflection on the modern age, set again with some of the same themes we saw on United Nations Day, but with a more modern and theatrical presentation.  They brought their ideas to life on stage in unique and interactive ways, capitalizing on their newfound friendships that found no boundary or barrier, despite the long distances traveled to join together in common enterprise.  Mr. Stein achieved a long held dream to bring ISTA to our campus after attending many ISTA events at other schools. With Mr. Sidaway’s help, and the entire ASW support team, the dream became reality and we believe this sets a standard for regular repeat of events of similar nature in the future.

The Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) was also on campus the very same weekend for the Middle School Boys Soccer tournament.  Like ISTA, boys from the middle years grades of schools throughout the region gathered to embrace the competitive spirit while making lifelong friends across borders and boundaries of distance and culture.  While our own Warsaw boys felt a narrow defeat in the final game in tie breaking penalty kicks, the real special moment was at the awards ceremony when a representative of the Warsaw team handed a sportsmanship button to the winning Prague team to thank them for their graceful win and support given to their opponents, even in victory.  It was a special moment capped a special weekend, where all can be proud of spirited play, and a mature demeanor that reached beyond their years. Our thanks to Mr. Matter, along with Mr. Sidaway and the Athletics and Activities Office for their diligence in making sure these two events were both successful despite their simultaneous timing on a single weekend.

For both of these events, a shout out to all of our host families.  This was truly a feat worth remembering as the largest number of host families on a single weekend.  We surpassed all previous records in the number of homes being utilized.  I know we enjoyed having our two boys from Moscow and catching up with them during their stay.  And, I know that all of you equally enjoyed your extra family members during this amazing weekend.  Our sincere thanks to you all!!

New Website!

Finally, for this post, I’m happy to announce that we have successfully launched our new website this weekend with tightened coordination of content and information.  Best that you watch the video below to get oriented and enjoy the content that serves both the purpose of keeping our current community informed, and the associated purpose of introducing the American School of Warsaw to potential new students around the world.  Please go take a look and let us know what you think!  We are all very proud of this accomplishment, which will be followed by other improvements in communication and messaging.  Thanks to Ms. Swietliczko and the team in Communications for their work on this wonderful achievement!

I would be remiss if I didn’t also add that we wish our teams well on the coming CEESA High School weekend with the following on the road:

• Boys Soccer in Bucharest
• Girls Soccer in Kiev
• JV Boys Soccer in Moscow
• MS/HS Cross Country in Tbilisi
• Boys/Girls Volleyball in Prague
• JV Girls Volleyball in Basel (SCIS)

And, of course, as we all know, Poland’s Independence Day results in a Friday holiday this week. Enjoy!

In every way possible, Nancy Dickinson 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.

Nancy 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

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