Welcome to Elementary School

Welcome to ICS Addis!

Greetings from Colin Powell, the new Elementary Principal. I'm excited to be joining the ICS Addis community. I am a third culture kid (TCK) who originates from the United States. I have a background in elementary education, instructional coaching and school leadership. I am joined by my family, which includes my wife, Jenny, our son, Dylan, and our daughter, Sam. We are delighted to be part of ICS.

Our Leadership Team

Our Deputy Elementary Principals are Ms. Yodit Hizekiel for Upper Elementary and Ms. Mei-Lyn Freeman for Early Years to Grade 1. Yodit brings an incredible fifteen years of experience to her role, having served the ICS community as both a teacher and a learning coach. Mei-Lyn joins ICS this year, bringing her valuable background in the PYP and early childhood learning. She is joined by her husband, Matthew, who will teach in the early years. Mei-Lyn and Matthew are accompanied by their son.

Our Commitment to IB PYP

ICS Addis is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) school. This means we are deeply committed to providing student-centered classrooms that utilize the very best practices for inquiry, collaboration, and student action. The IB PYP Learner Profile attributes are at the heart of everything we do. These traits are more than just words; they are woven into our mission, vision, and daily interactions and reflections. Supporting these attributes at home is important in order to reinforce these values and maximize support for learners. 

Partnering for Success

A solid relationship between school and home is crucial to support your child’s success and wellbeing. In this partnership, we also invite you to contribute to our journey to become one of the very best International Baccalaureate schools in the world. Your support is invaluable. This means accessing clear and current information about what is happening in school. You can do this by encouraging your children's inquiry by discussing what they are learning at school. Keep an eye on your child’s classroom newsletter and Toddle posts will provide great insights too. Even a few minutes each day spent asking a question or reading a book with your child can ignite a lifelong love of learning and inquiry.

Keeping it Personal

One of our defining characteristics is our commitment to personalize learning for every student. This means you will see learning progressions unique to your child and classrooms that move beyond the traditional 'one size fits all' setting. This approach empowers your child with more agency over their own learning and maximizes support for every student.

I look forward to personally meeting each one of you. 

Thanks,  

Mr. Colin Powell

Elementary Principal
International Community School of Addis Ababa