International Community School 5K this weekend [Nov 4]

"ICS Runs the World" -5K & 1 Mile run/walk. 5K starts at 9:00 am, and 1 Mile at 10:00 am at the school. Below are the maps of the course. 5K course will affect traffic between 9-10 am and the 1 mile will affect traffic from 10-10:30 am. Courses will be covered by police and volunteers, details are on the maps.

5K Route

Take note that the runners will use only the right side of the road, and cones will be placed down the middle of the road. However, because so many people park on the side of the road, there will probably be several places where both sides of the road will have runners.

Register here!

 

1 Mile route

Register here!

International Community School love

The first sign read "Stay strong, neighbors, you are all welcome here."  Then many others joined in. Read about it here:

Decaturish: Medlock Park shows support for international students

WGCL - CBS 46 (with video): Neighborhood has message for school enrolling refugee students

11 Alive (with video): Heartwarming, welcoming signs posted around DeKalb international school

AJC: A kind display for international students in wake of Trump’s executive order

Huffington Post: Neighbors Cover Lawn Of School For Refugees With Warm Welcomes

Refinery29: This Community Did The Sweetest Thing To Comfort Immigrant ...

CNN: 'You are welcome here' - School for refugees plastered with signs

ICS United Nations Day Parade [Nov 6]

The International Community School (ICS) will hosting a United Nations Day celebration to highlight the various cultural and ethnic communities that are represented at the school.

 "The Parade of Nations will start at 9:45am. Students will process from the school along Medlock Road to North Decatur Road and back. Families, friends and neighbors are invited to stand along the street to enjoy the parade. Please take note that Medlock Road will be blocked by police from 9:30 to 10:30am. Driving from Wood Trail Lane and Desmond Drive is encouraged, especially after 9:30am. It is also encouraged, if you are able, to leave your car at Medlock Park and walk to school, so spaces near the school can be left for those who are not able to do so."

Additionally, the The 2015-2016 ICS Parent Giving Campaign is under way. Donations can be made at the school or online via this link.  The school can also receive passive contributions as follows:

• "Get a Publix key card in the ICS front office and scan it every time you make a purchase. Publix will award ICS $250 for every $37,500 spent.
• Clip Box Tops from your grocery items and bring them to the ICS front office. Each Box Top is worth 10¢. Check out www.boxtops4education.com for online earning opportunities, product coupons, etc.
• Register ICS as your school at www.target.com and ICS will receive 1% of every purchase you make with your TargetCredit or Debit REDcard (through May 14, 2016).
• Designate ICS as your Community Reward partner at www.kroger.com  and ICS will receive funds for every purchase you make with your Kroger Plus Card.
• Earn money for ICS when you shop online at a number of leading retailers through www.SchoolStore.com."

ICS "walk to school" day: Wednesday, October 8

Click to enlarge.

International Communty School
WALK-TO-SCHOOL DAY
WEDNESESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 8:00 A.M.

Kids will be walking on Medlock Road/Harrington/Eastway/Winelease etc.
ICS Kids will be walking from different neighborhood intersections.

Please drive carefully.

Watch out for the little kids from 8:00 a.m. till 9:00 a.m. 

Back to school, drive safe! [Aug 11]

Just a reminder that DeKalb schools will welcome back students on August 11, and that applies to our Laurel Hill Elementary,  International Community School, Druid Hills Middle School and Druid Hills High. Please be extra vigilant for kids who will be walking or riding to school.

ICS has adjusted its hours. Instruction now starts 9:10am and classes dismissed at 4:10pm. Early arrivals start at 7:30am, and the after-school program runs from 4-6pm.

ICS names new principal

via Decatur Patch:

Edgar Miranda has been named principal of the International Community School in Decatur, a charter school in DeKalb County for grades K–5. 

Miranda has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher and educational administrator. Most recently, he has been principal of Anglo-American School of Sofia, Bulgaria. He was a principal in Rochester (N.Y.) City School District and Hempstead (N.Y.) Union Free School District. His background also includes serving as director of The Xerox Center for Multicultural Education, SUNY Geneseo, N.Y., and director of bilingual education for Rochester (N.Y.) School District.  Read the rest @ Decatur Patch

ICS Fundraiser at Seven Hens and Suno [Apr 29, 5-9pm]

Fundraiser for the International Community School...

Greetings from new ICS principal

Hello, my name is Alisa Bouer and I am the new interim Principal at ICS. Medlock Park is an amazing community and I would really like to build a partnership and alliance with the Medlock Park Community. We will be having three meet and greets so the community and have an opportunity to meet with me in person. I would love for your community to attend one of the meetings. Please know that I am very committed to our partnership and I look forward to working together. Thank you and have a great day.

Alisa M. Bouer

Interim Principal

International Community School (ICS)

2418 Wood Trail Lane

Decatur, GA 30033

phone # 404-499-8969       fax # 404-499-8968

Alisa.Bouer@ICSgeorgia.org

Support ICS charter renewal [Dec 2]

New Charter Info: http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/charter-schools

ICS UN Day [Nov 1]

Click to enlarge.

Dear Medlock Neighbors,

The International Community School sends warm greetings and an invitation to celebrate with ICS for our annual UN Day. On this day, our students and staff dress in their native garb and showcase the beauty that is ICS- diversity. There will be a parade of Nations at 10:00 a.m down Medlock Rd. Followed by our UN Day presentations in the ICS cafetorium. The day will end with our Potluck Celebration of food and fellowship. We truly appreciate you welcoming us to the community and hope that you will join us for this memorable event.

ICS Fall Harvest Festival [Oct 25]

ICS FALL HARVEST FEST
Friday, October 25th, from 5-7 p.m.
On the ICS Playground

Food and Fun for Friends and Family

ADMISSION: $5 per wristband/$20 for family of 4 or more
Forms for purchasing wristbands available in Front Office
Wristband admission includes playing all games and free popcorn.

CONCESSIONS: Hot dogs, Nachos, Pizza

GAMES: Ring toss,  Line dancing,  Limbo,  Obstacle Course and more

CHILDREN'S CLOTHING SALE: Gently-used children's and adult clothing at LOW, LOW prices. Great opportunity to do good 3 X by donating your gently used clothing, buying gently used clothing, and living simpler by fall housecleaning.

VENDOR BOOTHS: Vendor applications available in Front Office

STILL NEEDED:
Volunteers to work games - positions available for your older children
Clothing donations (bring to Front Office)
Clothing racks loaned
Water & soft drinks donated

For more information, contact Jackie Johnson-Charles by email at homesloansinfo@yahoo.com or by phone at 770/355-2350.

This Saturday: ICS movie

ICS Movie

International Community School MOVIE [Apr 27]

The International Community School (ICS) invites you to the Atlanta premiere of a documentary feature film about the school titled A Place in the World.

The movie was a Kickstarter project; to see the trailer, visit http://www.aplaceintheworldfilm.com/

Directors Adam Maurer and Bill Silva Reddington spent two years filming ICS families for a documentary that has been shown in film festivals around the world. Now, “A Place in the World” is coming home to ICS for a special screening and party at the school on Saturday, April 27.  

Bid for unique items at our silent auction! Enter to win raffle prizes! 

We’re gathering up some cool stuff to put up for bid at a mini silent-auction before the premiere, so bring some cash and you could be a winner.  

Pizza by the slice and drinks for sale, too.  

When: Saturday, April 27 from 6pm – 9:30pm
Where: ICS Medlock School Cafetorium 
2418 Wood Trail Lane Decatur, Georgia 30033 | map |

International Woman's Day at ICS [March 8]

Click to enlarge.

Annually on March 8th, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more. We are joining in with this celebration, this year the women of I.C.S. will be treated as the queens we are. We are asking that all woman as well as female students wear all purple as a sign of 'Royalty' for the day.

International Community School lottery [March 8]

Applications for the ICS lottery for school year 2013-14 are due Friday, March 8th. The lottery will take place on March 14.

The  application form and other materials required to participate in the lottery are listed on the right margin of ICS admissions page.

The lottery will take place on March 14th at 4 pm in the cafetorium.

Market, fish fry, car wash AND carnival @ ICS [Feb 23]

via ICS...

As a part of our efforts to raise money for our 5th graders trip to Washington, DC, we are hosting a fun Market Day. All vendors are welcome to come share your goods and talents with the ICS community. The vendor fee is $20 and we are asking for a donation of 10% of items sold at the market. If you would like to participate as a vendor, please make all checks out to ICS or make your payment(s) in the front office (there are envelopes in the office). Vendor fees are due by Friday, 2/22/13.
If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact Terra Gay—terra.gay@icsgeorgia or Brandon Davis— brandon.davis@icsgeorgia.org.

In addition, to our Market Day we will also be selling raffle tickets, hosting a small carnival, car wash and fish fry, along with other great food being sold. We hope that you will be able to join us. If you would like to donate to help us get to DC, please make contributions in our front office or
you may also donate online at http://www.gofundme.com/1uoccw

Doors will be open to vendors to set up at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (2/23/13).

Click to enlarge. You may pay on site for other activities listed above, however, vendor fees must be made in advance to reserve your space at the market.

Schools Update

As previously noted, the DeKalb County Board of Education (BOE) has been summoned by the Georgia Department of Education to discuss SACS's recent decision to place the school system on probation. Recent Georgia law allows the DOE to make recommendations that could result in Governor Deal replacing BOE members.

As we wait for the results of the DOE meeting (scheduled for Jan 17), please visits these links that MANA education liaison Tanya Myers has gathered for us:

• Two current BOE members, who had in the past been vocal in pointing out irregularities in the Board's functioning, are currently blogging about their experiences:

Don McChesney's blog: http://blog.donfordekalb.com/
Denese Jester's blog: http://whatsupwiththat.nancyjester.com/

• Parents for DeKalb Schools has a Facebook page where you can join the discussion.

• School choice is scheduled to happen much earlier this year.  Per this flyer, open enrollment opens on January 14 and closes on February 1, 2013 (in previous years, enrollment happened in March).

Per the DeKalb School System's website (note: catalog not yet updated for academic year 2013-2014), 

Parents in DeKalb County have the opportunity to make choices regarding their children's public school education. The DeKalb County School District offers a variety of school choice programs to students currently enrolled in public schools, private schools, and home schools. Because there are several programs serving students in grades prekindergarten through twelve, a school choice programs catalog is available to assist in selecting a program that meets the needs of your child(ren). The programs are designed to address interests such as math, science, technology, performing arts, environmental studies, engineering, career explorations, world languages, and advanced studies.

School choice applications will be completed online at http://eportal.dekalb.k12.ga.us/. Parents need to create a login/password to access the website:

• The International Community School at Medlock is a public charter school that accepts new students K-5 via a lottery system; the lottery deadline is in early March. For additional information, see the ICS admissions page.

• The Hess Academy is a new private school at 611 Medlock Road. They will host a series of open houses in the near future; see their admissions page for additional information about their curriculum, tuition, etc.

ICS United Nations Day 2012 [Nov 2]

Drummers let the way...

And the nations followed.

And followed! As the leading edge of the parade reached Medlock Road,
the rest of the delegation progressed around  the front and side of the school.
Click to enlarge.

ICS United Nations Day [Nov 2]

via ICS...

Join the International Community School for UN Day on November 2!

Please join the International Community School in celebrating the rich diversity of culture and traditions in our student body and faculty at our annual UN Day event on November 2nd.  Watch the "Parade of Nations", where our children show their pride in their heritage and dress in the traditional costumes of their home countries, followed by a themed Assembly with song, poetry, and a reading of the declaration of UN Day.

The parade will depart from ICS at 9:15 a.m. and loop through the Medlock neighborhood, with the assembly beginning at 9:45 a.m. Please join other friends of ICS at †9 a.m. in our Library and Media Center for coffee and light refreshments, and be there to greet the children as they enter the Cafetorium for the assembly.

- - - -

Update: photos of the parade

Kids' Corner: happenings at our elementary schools

+  Kilometer Kid 1 Mile Mid-Week Fun Run

Wednesday, October 24th, 5:30 - 6:00: Coordinated with the International Community School, the Atlanta Track Club is organizing a 1-mile run for kids ages 7-12. Registration ended on October 2, but please come and cheer the runners on! Also, please be mindful of traffic in the area between Medlock Park and Medlock Elementary/ICS school grounds.

+  International Community School's Student Service Project

Ongoing: Fifth graders are collecting and boxing up donated toiletries for homeless individuals and people living with AIDS. You may drop off travel-size toiletry donations at the office. 

+ Laurel Ridge Elementary's Fall Festival

Saturday, November 3rd, 11am to 3pm: Vendors, food, fun!

+  International Community School's United Nations Day Parade

Friday, November 5, 10am:  Students will dress to represent many nations; the route begins at ICS and loops through Medlock Rd., Lancelot Dr., Scott Circle, Desmond Rd. Gaylemont Circle and back to ICS.