Dear ICS Families,
Please note the following updates as we finish our second day of the 2015 - 16 school year:
1. Thank You
Thank you to all teachers, students, parents and families for their support and hard work in getting our 2015 - 16 campaign off to such a great start. Students and teachers have been hard at work establishing quality procedures, routines and classroom culture so as to promote and enhance a strong educational atmosphere across the entire school.
2. Mrs. White, ICS Art Teacher
Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Rese White as our new ICS Art Teacher. Mrs. White holds a Masters in Education from Bellarmine University and in addition to teaching middle school mathematics and social studies, Mrs. White was the Founder of the Louisville Youth Theatre in Louisville, KY that offered music, dance, acting, photography and stage management sessions. This strong artistic background will allow her to add to our strong creative and performing arts program at ICS. Welcome, Mrs. White! We are proud to have you as a part of our dynamic group of ICS faculty and staff!
3. Grades 1 - 5
So as to offer more explicit rationale to our academic program in grades 1 - 5, please note the following:
-Language Arts and Math classes for 1st through 5th grades at ICS have been divided into two sections, offering smaller class sizes and a step toward differentiation in these two core classes.
-Science, Social Studies and Religion classes will be taught in one section for each grade / by homeroom. Instructional aides will assist these classes to help with management and instructional delivery.
-Students have been split into sections for both LA and Math so that there is a mix of students with varying abilities (known as "heterogenous" grouping in the educational world) in each class. In addition to ensuring a mix of abilities within each group, teachers also considered work ethic, peer interactions and gender in determining the division of students.
-Educational research supports that splitting students into groups of mixed abilities is better than grouping by one ability (where all advanced students are in one group and students on-level and/or in need of remediation are in a separate class). For more details about the research, please visit this link for a great summary: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct92/vol50/num02/Synthesis-of-Research-~-Is-Ability-Grouping-Equitable¢.aspx
-Moving to this structure for our academic program within these grade levels has offered stability not present prior to this switch. Prior to this year, predicting and planning for one or two sections in a particular grade was oftentimes based upon the seasonality of enrollment and nothing more. Now, we have the ability to appropriately plan and prepare for the upcoming year so that we can offer the best possible Catholic education.
-If you have any questions about this academic structure, please do not hesitate to ask.
4. Car Signs
Please note that signs to place in the front windshield of your car have been disseminated to students. Please use them to help aid us in our Pick-Up procedures.
5. 2015 - 2016 ICS Student-Family Handbook
A copy of the 2015 - 16 ICS Student-Family Handbook is on both the ICS website as well as under the documents tab of Sycamore. Handbook acknowledgement forms are due back to the Main Office by Friday August 21. Details about some of the highlights and areas of emphasis will be detailed in our Thursday Newsletter.
6. Opening of the School Year Celebration of the Eucharist
Please feel welcome to join us for our first school Mass tomorrow, Wednesday August 19, at 8:30 a.m. in the Church. Your students can sit with you if you come. They will be brought to the Church at 8:25 and will be free to join you for Mass and then return to their class at its conclusion. May God bless ICS this year and always!
More information will come on Thursday!
Thank you for partnering with us at ICS to carry out our mission to inspire disciples of Christ, challenge all to be life-long learners and to live out our Catholic faith through service to each other and our community!
HOPE WILL RISE!
Peace,
Mr. Zelenka
Principal
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