To all our special guests, faculty, staff, administration, parents, friends, and family members, whether here or online watching live – I offer you my thanks for your pride and presence as we come toward the close of this, our 31^st commencement exercises for the class of 2024.  Thank you, Mr. Sheehan, for the introduction and your capable shepherding at this event and throughout the year.  You and your team always serve us proudly and with distinction.

Our additional gratitude to our past, current, and future board members who are present here or watching online today, led by Board Chair Sarah Kyle.  Thank you for your continued courage and leadership in guiding through governance the important strategic work of the school.  Your service and commitment stand as a testament to our mission and a model for all of us!!

Ines, thank you for bringing your voice to the podium today.  Our students are always central in our minds, and your message stands at the core of our recognition of your class.  It was a wonderful portrayal of your collective resolve.

Dr. Taylor, as we have come to expect, your wit and wisdom, articulately delivered, will be remembered as a highlight and powerful punctuation, more a semicolon than an exclamation, spurring the journey of your students as they continue writing their stories beyond your words.

And, Ms. Bechdoldt, as always, the voices lifted in song inspire and lift us, emanating from your guidance and inspiration that we all hold so dear. 

Whether here in this auditorium or watching from home, we thank the staff of ASW, for your continued and unwavering dedication.  Faculty, counselors, administration, and a wide range of support staff are true Warriors in all that they do to protect and nurture our students each day.  I thank you all for your continued demonstration and modeling of the core values we all hold in highest regard.

We know as an international community that many of our graduates have had other schooling experiences before joining us here in Warsaw. Some even 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 regular flux of change and transition. Over twenty nationalities sit on this stage tonight.  But, as has been our tradition, I’d like to recognize some Warriors, nurtured at ASW from the beginning of their schooling experience all the way to this graduation. As I call these names, would you please rise and remain standing so that we can recognize all of you as a group:

8 Students have been identified as having been at ASW since either Pre-Kindergarten (2010) or Kindergarten (2011):

• 1 Lara
• 2 Nicholas
• 3 Jaejoon
• 4 Philip
• 5 Ipek
• 6 Patryk
• 7 Jakub
• 8 Aleksander

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

70 years….  Birthdays are special and we should again underline that this school has now served students for seven decades.  That’s a lot to think about.  And, don’t blink, because that will be 100 years of service before we know it, and certainly will be realized in your lifetimes, graduates of 2024.

Let me share a couple of quick thoughts and a final plea before we move to distribution.  First, just a note about “Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior.”  I was thoughtful about this in recent days and, while it is true, also consider this.

For fun, I did a little inventory for myself and realized just how important mascots can be.  Here’s my list for your consideration:

In my life, I have been…

• Stallion
• Timberwolf
• Tiger
• Cougar
• Viking
• Lute – that would take some explaining, see me later
• Bulldog
• Tiger, again
• Ram
• Cougar, again, but this time in China
• Ranger
• Dragon
• Redhawk
• Penguin
• And now a Warrior…

And here’s the great thing – For every one of those mascots, I can share a dozen memories of connection, accomplishment, friendship, family, and moments of both terrible sorrow and great joy.  My point is simple, carry the memories made under your mascots through life.  You will add more to your list, but some will be particularly special.  I fervently hope that your Warrior status will be counted as one of your favorites!

As being a Warrior goes, let me insert here special thanks to our guest, Trae Holland, my friend and partner from PSI.  First, I hope you’ll allow me to add an honorary Panther to my list of mascots, owing to our partnership with PSI, now through almost three years.  I’m so proud that we have continued to have your students and families in our midst.  4 graduates on this stage today speaks volumes about how we connect and support each other through continuing turbulent times.  I know we are not done and that hangs heavy on my heart.  I want to publicly declare my re-commitment of our support as a partner school until the day peace is realized and hopeful that it will continue well beyond.

Graduates, as I shared at the assembly on Wednesday, I’m aware of what you have had to traverse to get to this stage.  The challenges of the last 4 years both here and throughout the world have been daunting, to say the least.  You are resilient and we have covered that, celebrating your accomplishments in all ways possible!

But, I’m thoughtful that you need to embolden your hearts, as we all do, for what lies ahead.  In the spirit of “changing the world for the better,” I ask you to consider how you can prepare yourselves and others around you for the larger work ahead.  When the dust settles on the challenges that we all continue to face, it would be disheartening to think that we might find calm only for a brief time, while anger, resentment, and grudges fester, waiting for an opportunity to start the fighting all over again.  We’re going to need a lot of forgiveness in this world.  In the spirit of this reflection and a plea, let’s start this way. 

Parents, take a moment today to offer a round of forgiveness for teenage transgressions, for we know there were many.  Just whisper “your forgiven” in their ears as you hug them.  Graduates, grant your parents forgiveness for being tough on you sometimes and for the occasional embarrassments – they deserve this for all that they have done to nurture what today takes flight.  Use this opportunity to strengthen your relationships so that they hold you tightly to home and family, no matter how far you roam. 

And, through these gestures, prepare your hearts now for the forgiveness we will need when the world finds greater focus on the importance of peace. We need to be ready to adopt the message that all are welcome at the table of humanity.  It is my most fervent hope for the future.  I thank you for your kind attention and I remain inspired by our common dream for a bright horizon for our children, and lovingkindness for us all. Graduates, thank you!

At this time, I would ask Principal Michael Sheehan and the Chair of the ASW Board of Trustees, Ms. Sarah Kyle and PSI Director, Trae Holland to please join me on stage for the conferring of diplomas.

First and foremost, our gratitude extends to all those who have supported and guided us on this journey – from faculty and staff to parents and mentors. Your dedication and tireless efforts have laid the foundation for the success of our graduates and the continued prosperity of our institution.

Yet, as we reflect on the achievements of the past, we cannot afford to ignore the looming challenges of the future. The rise of AI presents a myriad of opportunities, but with these opportunities come equally daunting challenges that will test the mettle of leaders at every level.

One of the most pressing challenges is that of ethical AI governance. As AI systems become increasingly integrated into every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to finance to education, leaders must grapple with thorny ethical questions surrounding privacy, bias, and accountability. How do we ensure that AI algorithms are fair and unbiased? How do we protect individual privacy in an age of ubiquitous surveillance? These are questions that demand thoughtful and principled leadership.

Moreover, the rapid pace of technological change poses a significant challenge for leaders tasked with navigating uncertainty and complexity. As AI continues to disrupt traditional industries and business models, leaders must embrace a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. This means fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation, where failure is seen not as a setback but as an opportunity for growth.

At the same time, leaders must reckon with the socio-economic implications of AI-driven automation. While AI has the potential to drive unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity, it also threatens to exacerbate existing inequalities and widen the gap between the haves and have-nots. As stewards of society, leaders have a moral imperative to ensure that the benefits of AI are equitably distributed and that no one is left behind in the march towards progress.

In the face of these challenges, we must draw inspiration from the resilience and determination of our graduates. Just as they have overcome obstacles and adversity to reach this milestone, so too must leaders summon the courage and conviction to confront the challenges of the AI age.

In closing, let us remember the timeless lessons of humility, compassion, and integrity that have guided us thus far. Let us embrace the opportunities of the AI age with open minds and compassionate hearts. And let us, above all, lead with courage and conviction as we chart a course towards a future defined not by fear and uncertainty, but by hope and possibility.

Together, we can navigate the challenges of the AI age and build a future that is worthy of the generations yet to come.

Strategic planning can be one of the most difficult parts of running a school. It takes time, effort, and attention to detail. However, it’s also one of the most important parts of running a robust educational institution. When done right, strategic planning helps you set goals, create management strategies for reaching those goals, develop implementation plans for your strategies, and evaluate how effective your strategies have been in achieving those goals.

Goals and objectives

Goals and objectives are related but different. Goals describe the end result, while objectives lay out the steps necessary to achieve those goals. For example, a goal for a school could be “to increase student literacy.” This can then be broken down into smaller objectives: “To improve our reading scores by 25% by next year,” “To implement a reading program that includes silent reading time at least three times per week,” and so on.

For each project that you undertake at work or home, set specific goals and objectives that clearly define what needs to happen for it to succeed. Not only will this help keep you focused on making progress towards your long-term goals, but it can also help prevent wasting time on unnecessary activities or tasks that don’t fit into your overall plan (and may distract from important ones).

Management strategies

• Allocating resources – This includes things such as money, people, equipment and other tangible items.
• Managing staff – This includes hiring people and ensuring that they are properly trained for the job and know what is expected of them.
• Managing time – Time management is a very important skill since organizations must complete tasks within tight deadlines to meet the demands of their parents/students.
• Managing space – Space management involves deciding how to maximize efficiency and increasing utilization. It also involves managing how much space can be allocated for each type of activity conducted by staff within your organization’s physical facility (e.g., classrooms, collaborative spaces, etc.).
• Managing facilities – Facility management deals with maintenance issues related to buildings in order to ensure they remain safe throughout their useful life span; examples include heating systems that malfunction or roof leaks caused by bad weather conditions such as heavy rains or hurricanes

Implementation

Implementation is the actual execution of a plan. It can be done in phases, with different people responsible for each phase. Implementation requires resources (money and staff time) and time. It also needs to be monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure that it’s working as well as it should be.

Evaluation

Once the strategy is implemented, you should evaluate its effectiveness. This can be done by assessing whether or not targets were met and whether or not your organization or school has made progress towards achieving those targets. Some types of evaluation include:

• Evaluation of implementation
• Evaluation of impact on learning, engagement and achievement
• Evaluation of results from implementation (curricular materials, methods used)

These are the four main parts of strategic planning.

• Goals and objectives: The first part of strategic planning is outlining your goals and objectives. These are the benchmarks you want to achieve in order to accomplish your broader mission of improving education.
• Management tactics: In this section, you’ll break down how you plan to achieve each goal or objective. You can also include timelines and methods for evaluation here.
• Implementation and operationalization: This is where you actually put your plan into action, making sure each goal or objective has been met by specific deadlines (and ensuring that those deadlines are realistic). It’s important not only that you lay out a detailed schedule but also that it be well-organized so no one gets confused as they work toward their targets.
• Evaluation: After implementing all these plans, it’s vital that they’re evaluated regularly—the whole point of strategic planning is constantly adapting your operations based on new information about what works best!

Conclusion

Strategic planning can be a very useful tool for schools and other educational institutions. It’s important to remember that even if you’re not an expert in this field, there are plenty of resources available to help you out.

Our special gratitude to our board members who are present here and watching online today, led by Board Chair Kay LaBanca.  Thank you for your courage and leadership through difficult times.  You represent and defend the needs of the community with honor and capability!  It is a pleasure serving with you all!

Ambassador Brzezinski.  I offer special thanks for your message today.  Our bonds with the Embassy are always strong.  Today you refresh this partnership with your presence and your words, not just as a wise diplomat and friend, but also as an ASW parent with similar hopes and dreams for your own in the years ahead.

Can and Nina, thank you for representing your classmates so well.  You both bring a unique and thoughtful perspective — born for both of you through spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm.  You have represented your classmates well and we thank you for your service to the greater good, a model for us all!

Ms. Hassan, your message will long be cherished by the students seated before you who both respect and appreciate you for all that you have done, and continue to do, in service to teaching and learning each day.  You are a fine choice as a representative of a world class teaching faculty that can only be revered and honored for their commitment and dedication under the most difficult of circumstances.

Whether here in the auditorium or watching from home, we thank you all, the staff of ASW, for your unwavering dedication.  Faculty, counselors, administration, and support staff have all been the beacons of hope and resilience for students and parents during the darkest of days.  I thank you all for your continued demonstration and modeling of the core values we all hold in highest regard.

We know as an international community that many of our graduates have had other schooling experiences before joining us here in Warsaw. Some even 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 regular flux of change and transition. Over twenty nationalities sit on this stage tonight.  But, as has been our tradition, I’d like to recognize some Warriors, nurtured at ASW from the beginning of their schooling experience all the way to this graduation. As I call these names, would you please rise and remain standing so that we can recognize all of you as a group:

12 Students have been identified as having been at ASW since either Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten:

Kindergarten:

• Theodore
• Helena
• Olivia
• Maksymilian
• Nina
• Karolina

Pre-Kindergarten – Age 4:

• Maria
• Zofia
• Blanca
• Noa
• Hung Dung

Pre-Kindergarten – Age 3:

• Liliane

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

I offer a simple message of closure today, punctuating a splendid return to our favorite venue and leaving behind the bumpers and headlights in hopes that they can be fond memories, but never again a reality.  Many thanks to Mr. Sheehan and his team as they dusted off their memories and brought back all but a few of our traditions in short order as it became clearer each day that this would be possible.

I’m inspired tonight by a quote that I think may resonate despite the challenges that seem to surround us.  This class is the first to have run the full course of our most recent challenge.  As you entered your final two years in the Diploma Programme, we had just emerged from lockdown and you are now experiencing life as we emerge from a long and winding, and often daunting, tunnel. So, here’s the quote I bring today:

From past American President John F. Kennedy – “Change is the law of life.  And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

While I value that we all believe that there are lessons that we have learned in recent years — and that silver linings should be plowed into new realities, I would ask you to challenge yourself and consider for a moment the unknowns rather than the knowns.  While we should all celebrate that we have survived, or will survive, it can unfortunately leave us short-sighted and often too busy in the moment to be inspired by imagination and possibility.

While tired at times, at my core, I’m an optimist.  In the darkness, I still seek light.  In despair, I look for threads of opportunity.  And even in success, I seek aspiration and vision looking toward the next horizon.

I want you to embrace this with me – this optimism and excitement.  Like every educator and parent in this room, I wanted to give you a better world, empowering you to embrace it – our legacy is your hearts and minds engaged in finding what has not yet been tried, what has not been considered, what you can bestow upon the next generation.

Look around at the faces in the audience, filled with pride and inspired by your growing.  When you greet your family and friends at the reception, see the joy in their eyes that is inspired by your journey, incomplete, but full of promise and potential.

Embrace your parents today in a new way.  Thank them for all that they have done to support you, but more importantly just make sure they know that you love them and always will.  That’s the only thing that is truly important on this day and in this moment as you prepare for what comes next.

Let’s embrace this with smiles and pride as you cross in front of us.  All sins are forgiven, officially for the school at least, and may you always look to the future rather than the past, embracing the optimism that is life.

Class of 2022 and your parents, thank you for letting ASW be part of your lives.  We love you and wish you nothing but the best in all that you seek and do!

Warriors always!