On November 16, 2017, the Georgia Charter Schools Association published an article about the achievements of three schools. ICS was one of those. It reads:
International Community School (ICS) was able to improve its 2017 CCRPI score by 14 points from the previous year through a school-wide focus on data driven instruction and differentiation in English Language Arts and math. The school also had consistent expectations for school culture.
Across the school, teachers consistently targeted student-learning needs that were highlighted in interim and classroom assessments. ICS’s School Within a School program also played a role in the achievement boost. The program pairs over 50 tutors in the community with students who are new to the country or struggling academically. Through the program, students receive one-on-one tutoring 1-2 times per week.
“I am proud of our staff’s focus on student achievement. Our teachers and teaching assistants work relentlessly to close the achievement gap and prepare our students for success in middle school and beyond,” said International Community School Principal Chad Velde-Cabrera (pictured with students on the left and above right). “Our unique model of education provides the conditions for our 440 students to be successful academically, socially, and emotionally.”
In addition to its focus on core academics, ICS provides students with a holistic education through after school programming and an additive schooling model. Students are encouraged to speak in their home language at school, and teachers use students’ home culture and prior knowledge to influence lesson and unit plans.
