American School of Warsaw

The American School of Warsaw was established in 1953 during the early years of the cold war. ASW initially started with 12 students. It is only in the past 20 years that they have expanded from a K-8 school. They now provide education for students from Preschool through Grade 12. The ASW is accredited by the European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The school is governed by a Board of Trustees which are both appointed and elected. The Board sets policy. ASW is administered by a Director along with Elementary, Middle and High School Principals.

The Director’s page on the website stresses the friendliness of the school, but also notes that it does not compromise academic rigor in its classes.

ASW has almost 900 students that represent 49 countries. There are over 100 teachers and specialists and the school has a low student-teacher ratio with an average class size of 20. Core subjects are Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts.

ASW has the IB program. It is a member of the Central and Eastern European Schools Association.

Afterschool activities include: chorus, chess, crafts, publications, sports, speech, debate, art society and many more. Athletic and Activities teams travel to such places as Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, Moscow, Munich, Prague, Sofia, Vienna and Zurich.

Graduates of ASW attend such prestigious schools as University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cambridge University, Yale and Harvard, University of Toronto and many others.

ASW admits students to Preschool who turn 4 by September 30^th. Students are admitted to Kindergarten if they turn 5 by September 30^th of the year they want to enter. ASW have a list of grade levels and ages online.

Mission Statement

We offer a rigorous, supportive and balanced PK-12 program in English for the international community of Warsaw that is driven by a strong commitment to prepare students for lives as responsible world citizens. Guiding Principles The American School of Warsaw will provide:

• An academic program of high standards that promotes excellence and mutual respect
• A faculty of the highest quality
• A strong co-curricular program
• A focus on the skills for success in a changing multicultural environment
• An emphasis on the whole child
• A variety of opportunities for parent communication and involvement

Facilities

The school moved to new facilities in 2001. They include a 350-seat auditorium, computer labs, science labs, library, an arts complex, two gyms, a swimming pool, and an early childhood area.

Elementary School

The Elementary School consists of Grades PK-5. There are around 400 students in this section of the school. ASW is a late starting school; the school day begins for all students at 8:50 and ends for the students in Grades 1-5 at 3:45. The Elementary School is structured much like other schools on the international circuit. Students have Math, Social Studies, Science and Language Arts with their homeroom teacher. They have specialists for their other classes which include: Art, Music, Technology, PE, Foreign Language, Polish Language and Culture, and Library/Research Skills.

The Early Childhood Program (PreK and K) focuses on physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth. Students at this level also work with language and math as well as science, social studies, movement, drama and music.

ASW has an ESL program for students who speak no or little English.

Middle School

The Middle School consists of Grades 6-8. There are about 175 students in the Middle School that come from 44 nationalities. The Middle School uses block scheduling, curriculum integration and team teaching in order to provide the most effective and age appropriate education possible. There are advisors at each grade level to assist students in their growth throughout the year.

Students take eight classes which meet twice a week in 90 minute blocks. Additionally, they have one 50 minute period on Friday. They can choose their subjects from these areas: Math, Social Studies, Science, Rotation Classes (such as Health, Art and Music which change every quarter),Language Arts, Language Classes (Polish, French and German), PE, and Exploratory (which changes every semester and is based on Middle School teachers’ interest).

In addition to sports teams, there are a variety of other extracurricular activities available for students. These include: Monday Fun Clubs, Honor Choir, Speech and Debate, Young Writers’ Retreat, Middle School Drama Production, MathCounts, Music Festival, Student Council and more.

High School

The High School consists of Grades 9-12 and offers the IB Diploma for those students who are interested and academically capable. There are 240 students enrolled in High School. While the IB is offered, it does not appear that AP courses are offered which I find a little curious as this is a school that works with an American curriculum.

High School students take the SAT and their average scores are well above the US average. Graduates go on the prestigious universities around the world as mentioned above.

Students need 23 units to graduate from ASW. These 23 units include: 4 units of Language Arts, 3 units of Social Studies, Math and a Foreign Language, 2 units of PE, 1 unit of Fine and Performing Arts, and 4 units of Electives. The ASW website has a complete listing and description of all courses including textbooks used.

There are a number of sports teams that students can join. These teams participate in tournaments that require travel. Students are responsible for their own costs for these expeditions which is somewhat unusual in that many of the schools that I’m familiar with pay at least a partial cost of team travel. Sports that are available for high school students include: soccer, softball, tennis, swimming, track and field, basketball, volleyball and cross country. Students that participate in team sports that require travel are expected to house visiting students when ASW hosts a tournament.

High School students can avail themselves of many extracurricular activities to balance with their academic schedule. Some of these activities involve travel around Poland or to other European countries. Some of the activities offered at ASW are: Dance Team, Art Club, Photography Club, Math Club, Services Club, Outdoor Club, Model UN, Student Council, Drama Festival, Rock n’Rota, and many others.

Employment

There are 110 teachers employed at ASW. 70% of those have advanced degrees, and three-quarters of the teachers hold US passports – good news for you Americans that are interested in working here.

Job openings are posted on the school website. They attend a variety of conferences. The school website gives three reasons why teachers should want to work at ASW: the facilities, the students and the opportunities. What they don’t give you is any information on their salary schedule or their benefits or precisely what they are looking for in a teacher.

The website does note that they do not hire couples if one of them is not a full-time teacher due to cost considerations. While this is normal for overseas schools, it is regrettable nonetheless, as it limits the choices of those teachers who do not have teaching spouses or who have very young children where one parent wishes to stay home for the early years. The website also notes that teachers holding EU passports are not eligible for employment

Teachers who are interested in applying for a position should send a cover letter, a cv, open letters of recommendation, and a complete list of all references and contact addresses to the school director.

While the school appears to offer some fine facilities and a pleasant work environment, the lack of information about salary, benefits and working conditions is a bit of a worry. I much prefer schools like WAB that come right out and lay everything on the line so that you know exactly what you are in for and what is expected of you before you spend time making an application.

About Poland

Poland is located in central Europe. It is the ninth largest country in Europe and is about the size of the state of Ohio in the United States. Being located in the center of Europe, Poland has had more than its share of difficulties throughout its history. It has been conquered by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and at one time, from 1795 through 1918, it ceased to exist as a country.

Poland is known for its food and friendly people. It offers beautiful countryside, sandy beaches on the Baltic Sea, lovely mountains and a temperate climate. There are many historical monuments and buildings for the expat to visit. Travel is easy to and from the rest of Europe which makes Poland an exciting home for an international teacher.