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Preparing to Contribute to an Evolving World

Submitted on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 09:24

Are we preparing our students for success or failure in the world of work? The ICS Addis mission says that we will empower “each student to contribute in an evolving world.” In the past six years there have been many changes in our school’s culture and ways of working with students. Our teachers are thoughtfully and purposefully preparing ICS students to engage successfully in their future world…but we need parents to work with us too.

A Love of Reading

Submitted on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 15:41

The 2010 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study of schools in 60+ countries found a close link between students’ enjoyment of reading and their reading proficiency. The study reveals that 37 percent of students in those 60+ countries say they don’t enjoy reading—and their achievement is often the lowest among their peers. For parents, the implications are clear. If your child is not motivated to read, she will never reach her full literacy potential.

Calendar for 2012–2013 School Year

Submitted on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 09:55

The school year calendar for 2012–2013 is now available for families. It is included in this Yezare Samint, and is available for download from our school web site here. Families are encouraged to make use of the school calendar and the school’s holidays when making their summer and holiday plans with family and friends for next year. Remember, attendance is a great predictor of student learning and success!

Thanks for a Special Year!

Submitted on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 09:43

It has been a busy 4+ months at ICS Addis and the first half of our school year is drawing to a close. All of us at ICS have a lot to be thankful for. Attentive and thoughtful teachers and teaching assistants interact with care and expertise with our children every day. Watchful and hard working maintenance crews make sure our facilities are safe, and repair problems quickly and expertly on a daily basis.

Construction Detour in the Cafeteria This Coming Week…

Submitted on Thu, 11/24/2011 - 08:33

One of the projects for the future in the ICS Addis campus master plan is to renovate and add capacity to the school cafeteria. Because of our student growth, I am preparing to ask the Board of Governors for approval to renovate the cafeteria starting in May 2012. We all have experienced how crowded our current cafeteria has become, and we will not wait for Phase II of our building plans several years from now.

Join us on Tuesday Evening...

Submitted on Fri, 11/18/2011 - 09:18

On behalf of our Board of Governors, I want to extend an invitation to our Association’s General Meeting on Tuesday 22 November at 7:30 PM. We will be in the cafeteria, and snacks and soft drinks will be provided. Our agenda for the AGM includes a report on our financial audit from 2010–2011, an update on school programs and initiatives, and a progress report on our building projects. Parents and teachers who have unanswered questions about the Board’s proposed by-law changes can ask for clarification before casting their vote at the meeting.

BIG Thanks to our Parent and Teacher Volunteers!

Submitted on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 11:40

I know I speak for the 2000+ people who joined us at Friday’s Fall Festival in giving a BIG “shout out” to the parent volunteers who made such a wonderful evening possible. Cathy Lum-Webb and Joan Jahn were our coordinators for the event, but another twenty Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) volunteers worked tirelessly to prepare and organize, and then dozens of people helped at the event.

A Tragic Warning for All of Us

Submitted on Fri, 10/28/2011 - 08:29

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of one of our ICS Addis community members. Woizerit Fikerte Tadesse worked for Arcobaleno in our school cafeteria for two years. Many of us will recall her friendly smile and helpful attitude at the snack bar window in the mornings and throughout the school day.

Recharge Your Batteries!

Submitted on Fri, 10/14/2011 - 10:23

The first quarter of our school year is over. I am sure I echo the sentiment we all feel…where did the time go? Thanks to all of our hard working teachers, staff members and parent volunteers—you made the first two months of school fly by.

Schoolwide Assessment Policy

Submitted on Thu, 10/06/2011 - 16:59

In the past two years, our faculty members have been working hard to learn more about effective assessment. We’ve been digging into the research, attending workshops and conferences, and there’s been a high level of professional dialogue at many of our Wednesday afternoon meetings. The result is a new schoolwide policy guide on assessment beliefs and practices at ICS Addis. Although the full document is a dozen pages and is still a growing work in progress, we are pleased to share our vision and beliefs about assessment with parents.