Head of School Letter to Alumni

Dear Alumni,

As we look back on a very busy year at Taipei American School, I am always reminded that self-reflection is an important part of learning for our students and also for us as an institution. Every opportunity for self-reflection is a chance to revisit the questions of who we are, why we do what we do, and how we adapt to our changing needs and circumstances, sometimes beyond our control. Individual students should remain curious and not be afraid of making independent decisions that follow where their interests and passions will lead them; at the same time, schools need to constantly adapt to a changing world.

While educators and families will come from varying economic, social, cultural, and educational backgrounds with a diverse share of viewpoints as the world continues to change around us, it is crucial that we all believe that we are all learning together and that knowledge is not a zero-sum game, but is instead limitless. In the 2023-24 school year, we will be revisited by a WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) Committee of peer educators as TAS seeks reaccreditation by this US-based accrediting commission every six years. Taipei American School has been proudly accredited by WASC for the past six decades, and we look forward to this self-reflection process which will allow us to be proud of where our school has evolved to today.

Where is TAS today? Our mission and strategic plan aim to cultivate each student’s commitment to learning, well-being, and service. While we are not changing our commitment to academic excellence, we must recognize the many tangible and intangible factors of an educated and successful student. This is what we stand for as an independent school.

We are also at a time in TAS’s history in which rebuilding this community is a top priority, and we are committed to this in our current strategic plan. The WASC accreditation team will be looking at how the entire TAS community supports student learning and what adults and students are doing to work together, listen to each other, and respect each other while honoring the school’s history, reputation, and mission.

Through the school’s work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, we often tell our students that they need to know who they are deeply to work on themselves and to be an ally and advocate for others. I know that in the last two years, as we have looked at ourselves in the proverbial mirror, we have learned much about our institution, including its successes and failures. We are now better equipped than ever to welcome students onto our campus each year because, as an entire organization, we now have a clear and compelling vision for what a Taipei American School diploma and experience stands for. I welcome you into this next historic chapter of the school’s story.

In this issue of the Alumni News Magazine, we want to share with alumni the myriad things that have been taking place at TAS this year. Our central administration has been educating students, employees, and parents about our adopted mission statement and working on reviewing the curriculum as we prepare for our WASC review. Our Board Chair, Jay Cheng ’97, has been sharing more about the board’s role. You will also hear about various curricular initiatives in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools and Well-Being and Inclusion.

In this year’s Yearbook dedication, I encouraged the graduates of the Class of 2023 to go forward and make their lives with intention and joy. We are proud to feature stories of alumni in this issue who have done exactly that, like Mike Leu ’03, who returned to TAS to teach 3D design and martial arts, and Eric Tsai ’08, who works for Taiwan Plus, representing Taiwan to the world. We also celebrate You-Yen Lee ’69, who created the statue The Thinker, and current parents Melinda Hwang ’99 and Edward Fu ’99, who created Happy Masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are so proud to share the alumni stories that exemplify the commitment to learning, well-being, and service we aim to cultivate in our students.

In closing, I’d like to thank this entire Tiger community, past and present, for its unwavering support over my headship these last three years. They have been truly unforgettable and moving on both a personal and professional level. So, while I am saddened to announce that my family and I will be moving on from TAS, I am also looking forward to future joyous times and memories created with the community as we gear up for our 75thanniversary celebrations, which are just around the corner. Thank you for your readership and involvement in the school, as it is the highest compliment and best gift any organization can receive - that of your time and continued support of Taipei American School. Go Tigers!

Sincerely,

Dr. Grace Cheng Dodge Head of School, Taipei American School