Dear IAS Parents and Families,
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026/2027 academic year at the International American School of Warsaw.
I hope you and your families have had a restful and enjoyable summer. After the quieter weeks of the holiday, the school is beginning to come back to life, and we are very much looking forward to seeing our students return, reconnect with friends and teachers, and begin a new year together.
Orientation and Opening Ceremonies
Our school year opens on Tuesday, 1 September with our Opening Ceremonies and general orientation. Classes begin on Wednesday, 2 September. Before that, families joining IAS this year are invited to New Parent and Student Orientation on Monday, 31 August.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 10:00 to 11:00 | Orientation, Group 1 |
| 11:00 to 11:30 | Break |
| 11:30 to 12:30 | Orientation, Group 2 |
The school will let each family know which group to attend.
| Time | Ceremony | Year groups |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 to 11:00 | D12 Opening Ceremony | KG to Grade 5 |
| 11:00 to 12:00 | D18 Opening Ceremony: MYP | Grades 6 to 10 |
| 13:00 to 14:00 | D18 Opening Ceremony: IB/HSDP | Grades 11 to 12 |
The Opening Ceremonies are a chance to welcome everyone back, meet teachers and classmates, and begin the year together with a clear understanding of what lies ahead.
More than 1,000 graduates since 1989
This year also begins with some wonderful news that we are very proud to share. Since IAS first opened its doors in 1989, more than 1,000 students have now graduated from our school.
Behind that number are more than three decades of students who have grown up at IAS and gone on to universities, careers and lives across Poland and around the world. For us, reaching 1,000 graduates is much more than a milestone. It is a reminder of the history of our school and of every family, teacher and student who has helped shape it.
The students returning to our classrooms this September are now writing the next part of that story.
An important year academically
The 2026/2027 school year will also be an important one academically. In March, IAS will welcome teams for our joint Cognia and IB evaluation visits. These visits give us an opportunity to demonstrate the progress taking place across the school, but just as importantly, to look carefully at our work, recognise where we have grown and identify where we can become stronger.
Our central focus this year will be further strengthening academic quality across the school.
We want every student to experience learning that challenges them, interests them and gives them a genuine sense of progress. We want expectations to be clear, teaching to be strong and purposeful, and our curriculum to prepare students well for the next stage of their education.
Whether a child is beginning their first years at IAS or preparing for graduation, our responsibility remains the same: to help them develop the knowledge, confidence, curiosity and independence they will need for what comes next.
Living our school values
We will also continue to place real emphasis on living our school values.
Values should not simply be words displayed around a school. They should be visible in how students learn, how we speak to one another, how we respond when something is difficult, and how we contribute to the community around us.
Throughout this year, we want these values to become an even more natural part of everyday life at IAS.
Built together
Of course, a strong school is built together. The relationship between students, parents and teachers remains one of the most important parts of a successful education. Your communication, involvement and support make a genuine difference, and I would like to thank you for the trust you continue to place in our school.
From our beginnings in 1989 to a community of now more than 1,000 IAS graduates and alumni, every generation has left something behind and helped IAS become what it is today.
Now we begin another year and another chapter together.
I look forward to welcoming you and your children on Tuesday, 1 September, and to sharing a successful and meaningful school year with you.
Christopher Uden
Principal
International American School of Warsaw
