Student Support Services

Parents as Partners

Parents and the school community working in partnership can and do make a difference in each individual child’s learning.

Here are some ways you can help us in this partnership:

• Ensure that your child attends school regularly and arrives punctually. If your child cannot attend school, please notify the elementary office.

• Become knowledgeable about the ICS Learner Profile. Discuss and reflect with your child about the attributes in the Learner Profile on a regular basis.

• Support the school in its efforts to maintain proper student conduct based on mutual respect.

• Communicate with the school about any problems or issues outside of school that might affect your child’s learning, self-esteem, or schoolwork. We are here to support the child, you, and the whole family.

• If you have concerns or questions about any aspect of the school program, please do not hesitate to ask your child’s teacher. Your child’s teacher and the Elementary School Principal are available to discuss areas of interest or concern with you.

• Be visible! Attend parent conferences and school events so that you and your child’s teacher can get to know each other and develop a proactive relationship.

• Look at and support your child in the work and inquiries they bring home.

• Read with your child each evening.

Student Support Systems

Our Student Support plan requires an investment by staff, students, and parents in a partnership to help students learn academic and social responsibility. We will provide any assistance we can to help students be successful academically and behaviorally. Classroom teachers, administrators, counselor, and the elementary student support team stand ready to assist all students in solving individual problems (academic and/or social) that occur at school.

Professional Learning Communities (PLC)

At ICS, grade level teams and student support teachers meet in planned and facilitated meetings weekly to discuss individual student progress. These collaborative meetings help ensure that students receive immediate intervention if struggling with academic or social issues. They also provide opportunities for teachers to reflect and improve instruction. The team is made up of teachers, administrators, the school counselor, and a member of the student support team.

Learning Blocks

Each grade level during the day has a set learning block called Grow Time. These blocks are designed to give students who need interventions or extensions within the classroom support and guidance from grade-level team members. The interventions provide targeted instruction specific to an area of need with the purpose of catching them up to grade level expectations. Extensions provide instruction to extend learning for students who have mastered what is already being taught in the regular curriculum. All learning block decisions are made by the hub teachers and the student support teacher in the collaborative team, and supported by student voice, choice, and ownership. The primary goal is to provide personalized learning opportunities so that all students can learn at high levels. 

The ICS administration and faculty support and encourage the education of all children, including those with varying disabilities, linguistic diversities, and various learning styles. ICS teachers assess a student’s skills and adjust instruction for optimal learning to occur.

Response to Intervention

ICS practices the Response to Intervention model to address student growth. The goal of Response to Intervention (RTI) is to provide immediate and targeted instruction in literacy and math to students at all levels of performance. The interventions will help students grow in performance. For those students below grade level (the ones being served in student support services) our desire is to have the students achieve grade-level performance as quickly as possible. Parents are considered partners during the whole process and will be kept in close communication by the classroom teacher and/or student support services.

The Student Support Team (SST) includes specially trained learning interventionists with expertise in teaching literacy, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and Speech & Language. SST also has highly trained and experienced educational assistants. 

Schoolwide STEP Program

ICS offers a specific percentage of students who have significant learning disabilities the opportunity to attend and be part of the ICS community. These students are supported by a specially trained group of teachers and educational assistants. They are included in the mainstream environment as much as possible and we believe our school and students are enriched with their attendance at ICS.

Elementary School Counselor

The most formative school years are during the elementary grades. Children build a foundation for lifelong learning, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills. As children progress through elementary school, they move from childhood to preteen stages, changing from self-focused to developing an awareness of others. They begin learning how to cooperate, solve problems, develop responsibility, and form friendships. The elementary school counselors are trained in understanding child development, and regularly teach socio emotional skills in the hubs. 

Throughout the elementary years, some children need additional assistance for specific concerns. Counselors offer both individual and small group counseling.

Counseling sessions give students the opportunity to discuss problems, learn new skills, consider alternatives and consequences, and take responsibility for their choices. Counselors may also refer families to outside resources.

Elementary counselor programs include student observations, assessments, intervention plans, parent education, teacher and parent consultations, crisis management, and follow up. Counseling services are delivered through collaboration among students, parents, teachers, and administrators. School counselors are advocates for your children. The goal is for every student to reach his or her highest educational, personal, and social potential.