Dear Middle School Parents & Students,

I had the pleasure of speaking on Wednesday to a group of prospective students and parents who attended our first Open House event of the year at ICS. Parents were asked, “What is one quality you hope ICS nurtures in your child?” The top answer was “Godly Character.” I was so pleased to see our school attracting families that are aligned with our mission and vision.

This week in Facegroup, we are kicking off our newly redesigned curriculum, which focuses on character development through virtue formation. We know that who we are, and who we will become, is deeply impacted by the things we practice. Our habits become vital to our growth and development. Throughout this year in Facegroup, students will embark on a book study using the classic text by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Students will see how the characters rely on virtue to carry them through, or fall into the trap of using vices to cope.

Our goal is to help students move from vices to virtues:

• Foolishness to Wisdom

• Selfishness to Love

• Weakness to Fortitude

• Intemperance to Self-Control

• Injustice to Justice

• Deceitfulness to Integrity

We know that stories are a great way to learn. Students will see Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan demonstrate both virtues and vices in action. Their choices will help us see our own more clearly. We also know that character is practiced and that virtues grow through repetition. We will see them in the text, talk about them, and try them out in our own lives.