Student Support Services

The ICS administration and faculty support and encourage the education of all children and believe that a diverse student population enriches the education of all. Our mission is to nurture the talents, character, and intellect of all learners, challenging them to be a positive influence and empowering them to excel in their world. Students in the middle school at ICS have access to a highly professional and well-trained Student Support Team (SST). These teachers collaborate with and advise curriculum teachers and support students to help ensure each student reaches grade-level performance standards.

ICS practices the Response to Intervention (RtI) model to address student performance, growth, and students who are not demonstrating success in the classroom. RtI is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make changes in instruction or goals, and applying child response data to important educational decisions. RtI holds the promise of ensuring that all children have access to high-quality instruction, and that struggling learners are identified, supported, and served early and effectively. Grade level teams have ongoing discussions of student progress during which they discuss student data and all other relevant information and suggest interventions and accommodations to support student learning.

RTI has three (3) tiers: 

Tier 1:

All students receive high-quality Tier 1 instruction. Our teachers and programs allow for a wide range of differentiation in the classroom and all our teachers are trained in providing accommodations for any student to help ensure their success. Teachers scaffold lessons and instruction to provide a wide range of challenges to all students. Students are regularly assessed to ensure they remain on track toward grade-level performance.

Tier 2:

Some students need regular supplemental or strategic instruction to support their learning and raise their achievement to proficiency in the curriculum. Students in Tier 2 can get most of their support in general classrooms. This instruction may consist of increasing the time and intensity of the students' exposure to the core curriculum and its intervention support materials. Other research-based supplementary materials may be used. Students served at this level are assessed regularly using progress-monitoring assessments.

Tier 3:

A small group of students will require intensive instruction. These students are not able to make sufficient progress with Tier 2 support. Remedial materials, methods, and practices may be used which, although research-based and aligned with the content of the core curriculum, are not necessarily a part of the core curriculum. Small group instruction focuses primarily on the particular components of reading or math in which these students have gaps. Students served in Tier 3 are assessed more frequently using progress-monitoring assessments. Students accessing Tier 3 services have been through a detailed referral process.

Academic Resource

Middle School Resource provides identified students with an environment for guided study. Students will receive support in written language skills, organizational skills, math skills and other study skills. 

English as an Academic Language

Our English as an Academic Language Program (EAL) offers intensive support in the acquisition of English. The course curriculum focuses on all four language skills—listening, speaking, reading and writing—with emphasis on reading fluency, comprehension, and academic writing. 

STEP Program

ICS accepts students who have significant to intensive learning disabilities or sometimes students currently enrolled are found to have significant learning disabilities. These students require an intensive level of support services, accommodations, and modifications. A STEP 1 Student is identified as a student who may display cognitive weakness, learning disabilities, significant academic, and/or other health impairments that impact his/her ability to access the curriculum without a higher level of support beyond our learning support program. The student cannot meet our academic and/or social expectations without enrollment as a STEP 1 student.

A STEP 2 Student is an identified student who has cognitive or developmental disabilities that require modification of the curriculum and functional life skills instruction. These students require multiple services, such as, small group instruction, assistance in the classroom, occupational therapy, counseling, and/or speech therapy. Due to the intensive level of support, these students’ needs cannot be met within the traditional classroom environment.

Special Notes:

If ICS determines a child requires the level of support defined in STEP 1 or 2 then this is a requirement for new or continued enrollment at ICS, additional fees will be applied.

Students in the STEP Program may not be eligible for certain course options in middle school and a graduation plan/post- secondary plan will be designed for all STEP students before they move to high school.