History

The International Community School of Addis Ababa (ICS Addis), founded in 1964, is an independent, co-educational day school that teaches students of all nationalities in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The school was founded as the American Community School, but changed to its current name in the 1978–1979 school year. Today we serve approximately 620 students from over 60 countries.

The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredit the school; ICS Addis has maintained continuous accreditation since 1992. The International Baccalaureate Organization has also authorized ICS Addis to offer the IB Diploma Programme since 1982.

The school has been located on a 15-acre hillside tract in the southern part of Addis Ababa since 1966. In the early days of the school there was a main classroom block, the Abebe Bekele Gymnasium, a small library and an outdoor amphitheater. Purpose-built early childhood and elementary classrooms were soon added, and other construction followed to accommodate growth.

Early childhood and elementary classrooms have been recently (or are in the process of being) renovated, and the adjoining play areas were expanded. Other facilities now include elementary/secondary libraries, a cafeteria, two computer labs and several sets of laptop computers, outdoor basketball court, four clay tennis courts, 80-m soccer pitch, outdoor amphitheater and the only all-weather track in Ethiopia. The libraries now include over 30,000 volumes. The Abebe Bekele Gymnasium is still used daily for volleyball, basketball and other indoor sports, games and assemblies; it includes a fitness center as well. A new classroom block built at the bottom of the campus in 2005 includes modern middle/high school science labs and classrooms. Wifi is available throughout the campus for student, staff and parent use.

Beginning in 2010, the school is embarking on construction for 25 new classrooms. The original building from 1966 will also be taken down to build a performing arts center, with an indoor theater, and large choir, drama and band rooms. In 2010, ICS Addis will also begin implementing a 1-to-1 laptop program in the middle and high school.