Welcome to ICS Addis
You are preparing for a significant transition for your family - whether you are moving as a family to a new country or your child is moving to a new school or starting school for the first time, this is a time of excitement and uncertainty.
Our Admissions Office team is with you and ready to support you. Below are details about starting school and about some of the more common questions that new families have. Please reach out to us for support.
We look forward to welcoming our new ICS Eagles!
Jess, Berhanu and Meheret
+251-11-371-1544
Drop In Zoom Call with ICS Addis Admissions
Every Wednesday from 4:00-4:30 PM East Africa Time (GMT+3)
Join to ask a question or just to chat!
https://zoom.us/j/7038032908
Starting School in 2023-24
New families have opportunities to connect with each other, with current families and with the school before arrival in Addis.
Get to know Addis and your new family cohort: see the Connecting with ICS page for links to our Welcome to Addis Guide, social media groups and more.
Chat with the Admissions Team: individual virtual meetings can be scheduled HERE or drop in for a chat at our weekly informal Zoom call on Wednesdays at 4:00 PM EAT (UTC+3)!
Parent Ambassadors: our Parent Ambassador Team has volunteer parents who are ready to answer questions and help with your transition! Request a parent ambassador HERE.
Pre-Arrival Transition Support: virtual sessions for new families in May and June to answer questions and make social connections with student peer ambassadors.
August New Family Orientation: new family orientation in August, prior to the first day of school.
Starting School in 2022-23
Keep the Admissions Office updated on your arrival date, so we can plan for your family orientation and your child's first day of class.
The ICS Weekly: Required Reading
Enrolled families receive a weekly newsletter from ICS every Thursday, with essential information.
Parent ICS Email Addresses
The newsletter and all other school communications are sent to your ICS parent email account, which is set up once your child is enrolled at ICS. The IT Department will send your log in information to the email account you used during the admissions process.
Use your ICS parent email address to sign into the following platforms (using "Sign in with Google"):
PowerSchool: administrative portal for all students; reporting platform for grades 9-12
Toddle: learning platform for EY to grade 8
Sora: library e-book platform
Parent Portals: PowerSchool and Toddle
Parents should access PowerSchool through the web or the PowerSchool app to access important forms. High school parents can also see their child's schedule and grades via the PowerSchool app.
Elementary and middle school parents should also access Toddle through the web or download the Toddle Family app, which is used for communication by the elementary and middle school. You will also receive your child's report card through Toddle.
Parent Email and Parent Portal Instructions
Detailed instructions and links for your parent email and the parent portal: HERE
IT Support
Reach out to help.desk@icsaddis.org or +251-954-925-200 with any IT support needs (weekdays only).
ICS Numbers
011-371-1544
0932-196-227
PTO Events
The Parent Teacher Organization is offering different classes and events for parents. Read the ICS Weekly and join the PTO Telegram group to stay up to date on PTO offerings.
Annual Physical Examination - required at the start of school
All students must submit an annual physical examination from a licensed medical professional. This is required when your child starts school. You may complete the physical examination form prior to arriving in Ethiopia, or at a clinic in Addis.
Submit completed physical examinations directly to the Health Office via your PowerSchool account when your child starts school.
School Year Calendars
The 2022-23 and 2023-24 calendars are available HERE.
Essential All School Information
Calendar: August to June school year calendar. The school year calendar is available HERE.
School Days: Monday through Friday.
School Hours:
EY5-Grade 12 and EY3-EY4 Full Day:
8:00 AM to 3:20 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
8:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Wednesdays
EY3-EY4 Half Day:
8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Monday through Friday
School Pick Up and Drop Off
Drop Off Starts at 7:30 AM / School Starts at 8:00 AM
Main Gate: Drive-through if youngest passenger is in:
ES (Grade 1 to Grade 5) students (and their older siblings)
US Embassy Buses
Gate 9: Walk in gate for ES, MS, HS students
EY Gate 5: Drive through for EY3-5 students (and their older siblings) - students will be dropped off and teachers will escort EY students to their class.
Gate 6: Walk in gate for ES, MS, HS students
MS Gate 15: Drive-through if the youngest passenger is in MS, HS
Parents may drop off ES students in their classrooms.
Afternoon Dismissal Pick Up Process
Pick up at 3:20 PM (2:00 PM on Wednesdays). All walk-through gates:
EY (Early Years) Gate 5: for EY3-5 students. Walk up process to collect EY students. Parents will walk up to the gate and EY students will be escorted to their parents.
Main Gate/Parking Lot: Grade 1 to grade 5 will be dismissed from the main parking lot. Parents/adults collecting students enter through the main gate (#1). Students are picked up from the cafeteria/lower commons.
Gate 6: MS and HS students, and ES students accompanied by an adult or older sibling.
ICS Addis Campus Map 2022-23Campus Access
Policy HERE
The campus access policy includes details on when families can use different facilities on campus, including:
Library
Track
Sports Fields
Elementary School Playgrounds
Parent Community Commons
Cafeteria
ICS has an on-campus cafeteria for students in early years 3-4 full day and early years 5 (EY5) to grade 12.
Menu is published in the ICS Weekly HERE.
Using the ICS Library
Family library access: for parents and students
Saturdays: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Monday-Friday: 3:30-4:30 PM
Search our library catalog HERE and check out physical or e-books!
Families are welcome to check out e-books through Sora at any time. Instructions on how to download and access Sora are HERE; use your ICS parent email address to sign in through Google.
To set up your ICS parent or student account in Sora, email help.desk@icsaddis.org with your full name and our IT Team will assist you.
Health Office
The ICS Health Office is staffed by three full time nurses, including our Chief Medical Officer Krista Haley. You may reach out to the Health Office at any time on health.office@icsaddis.org.
Medical information, including vaccination records, medical history and the annual physical examination, is submitted directly to the Health Office through the PowerSchool portal: https://ps.icsaddis.org/public/home.html.
COVID Protocols
Campus Playbook: detailed COVID protocols HERE.
Highlights:
Masks are optional.
We encourage all ICS community members to get vaccinated.
We are monitoring the health situation in Ethiopia and will adjust our protocols as needed to ensure a safe environment on campus for our students and staff.
After School Activities and Athletics
The Athletics and Activities Office will share sign up information with families. Contact aaoffice@icsaddis.org with specific questions.
Elementary School: 2022-23 Season 3 offerings; Junior Eagles Saturday sessions for EY5-Grade 3 sign up HERE (soccer)
Middle and High School: 2022-23 Season 3 offerings
Overview of After School Activities and Athletics
After school activities (ASAs) are available for students in EY5 through grade 12 and include clubs, activities and athletics.
Registration for ASAs is online and new families will receive an email from the Activities Office to sign up and request to join activities.
Season 1 ASAs start in early September with indoor activities, at the end of the rainy season, Season 2 starts in November and Season 3 starts in March. More information on ASAs, click HERE.
Students fluent in a language other than English may be able to join our Home Language Program, which runs for one hour on Wednesday afternoons. Home language groups are run by parent volunteer facilitators. Contact ptoliaison@icsaddis.org for more information.
ICS Summer Camp
New students are welcome to join the ICS summer camp in June 2023. Students currently in EY4 and up are eligible to join one or both weeks of the half-day summer camp: 12-16 June and 19-23 June.
For EY4 to Grade 5, the theme is the Great Outdoors. For Grades 6 to 12, students will focus on soccer and basketball skills during the Eagles Sports Camp.
Online registration opens on 15 February (early registration discount until 31 March)
Visit the summer camp website HERE for more information, and contact summercamp@icsaddis.org with any questions.