From Reaching New Heights to Advancing Greatness

One year ago, we committed to Reaching New Heights. It was a challenge to stretch ourselves—academically, operationally, and relationally—as we moved deeper into the implementation of our strategic plan and strengthened our identity as a Community School.

And together, we climbed.

We did not climb alone or in isolation. We climbed as families, educators, partners, and neighbors, bound together by a shared belief that every child deserves a safe place to learn, to belong, and to thrive.

 

Reaching New Heights

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, that climb showed up in real and measurable ways across our community.

Together, we refined our Community School model and expanded wraparound services that meet students and families where they are. This included launching new safety and support programs, strengthening food and nutrition access through our food cooperative, expanding translation services, and growing social-emotional learning opportunities for both students and staff.

We also saw powerful academic growth, driven in large part by a strong emphasis on belonging and attendance. When students are present and connected, everything changes.

ICS achieved an average daily attendance of 95%. Even more powerful than the number itself is what it represents: 129 of 149 students in our intervention program improved their attendance, we doubled the number of students with perfect attendance, and 60% of students made measurable progress toward stronger attendance.

Behind those outcomes are real stories of connection and care:

• Home visits that met families where they are
• Mentorship from administrators for students most at risk
• Celebrations that made attendance something to look forward to
• Ongoing partnerships with families to navigate challenges together

And perhaps most importantly, we listened.

Through our Community Needs Assessment, families spoke clearly about what they hope for next: expanded after-school programming, access to early learning and preschool pathways, more support for newcomers navigating a new school system, and continued holistic services that meet real-life needs.

We heard them. And we are already shaping what comes next.

This year also marked a significant step forward in how we care for our community, including the addition of a full-time school social worker and continued strengthening of the systems that support the whole child and whole family. This is not an add-on to our work—it is the work.

Finally, we’ve continued to grow with intention. Growth like ours requires more than additional classrooms. It requires strong leadership, thoughtful systems, and sustained support for both students and staff. 

This year, we identified a gap in our leadership and instructional capacity and launched a search for two assistant principals dedicated to supporting both early and upper elementary grades. We’re excited to welcome these new leaders in the coming school year, alongside additional expertise in gifted education. This is an important investment given that nearly 20% of our students are identified as gifted.

These are not structural changes for their own sake. They are commitments to excellence, sustainability, and care for students and for the educators who serve them.

And I am especially proud that ICS continues to be a place where educators stay and grow, with a 95% staff retention rate. That statistic reflects a culture where people feel seen, supported, and called to something meaningful.

 

Advancing Greatness

As this chapter and the 2025-2026 school year come to a close, we are entering a new season with a new theme: Advancing Greatness.

If Reaching New Heights was about ascent—about stretching upward and climbing together—then Advancing Greatness is about what we do from higher ground. It is about building on the foundation we’ve laid. It is about turning progress into permanence. And it is about moving from momentum to lasting impact.

It also means stepping more fully into the vision that has been unfolding for years: a Community School that is not only a place of learning, but a hub of transformation where education, family support, early learning, and community partnership come together in one coordinated system.

This is the next chapter of our International Community Collaborative. And it is not a distant idea. It is already taking shape. 

Thank you for climbing with us and being part of this work. 

We are grateful for what this year has made possible, and focused on what comes next.