message tuesday

To remember this week:  Social Media and Internet Presentation TONIGHT at 7 PM!
                             Clothing for the Cause Drive ends this Friday
                              Spring Clean Up day this Saturday 9 am - 2 pm  (RSVP please)
Tomorrow we will roll out our on-line re-enrollment platform for 2016-17 school year!  You will be receiving an email with the instructions and information on how you can access that through our Gradelink system. 
Last week in Message Tuesday I delineated some reasons why I would send my own children to ICA if I had it to do all over again.  That writing focused on the character-training aspects of our school.  Today I would like to lay out some of the academic reasons I think ICA is an outstanding choice. 
The classical model of education captured my attention when my oldest was in kindergarten.  While our society has experimented  with many educational models over the past 50 years with varying degrees of success, the classical model has a long history of generating well-prepared scholars in vastly different cultures and time periods. 
Although the content changes somewhat throughout the ages, the emphasis on inquiry and debate throughout the grammar, logic and rhetoric stages of the trivium does not, making the classical model easily adapted to any time period.
Building the foundation of their vocabulary through six years of training in Latin gives our students a significant edge in decoding our own English language as well as a basic foundation of language construction in general.  Since Latin also provides the basis for several other languages, our students have a head start when learning Spanish, French, or Italian in their high school and college years.
Students at ICA have the opportunity to receive an education that matches their performance level, especially in the core subjects of math and English study.  We have many students who are able to attend the next level up or down from their age level in these subjects.  The majority of our students work a year ahead in math, making them ready for more advanced math when they get to the high school level.  This preparation helps them create a more appealing portfolio as they candidate for college entrance. 
In the last five to seven years (the years I can account for since I’ve been involved here over that time period), the vast number of students who have attended ICA through their 8thgrade year or later have moved on to be successful high school and college students.  As we live in a small community, I have the opportunity to follow up with many of the students who have moved on from our school, and I have not yet encountered a student who left ICA – even students who struggled significantly at ICA – who have said they didn’t feel well prepared for what came next.  I am delighted when students or their parents report that they are wildly successful after leaving ICA.  It tells me we are challenging our students and preparing them well for whatever educational future awaits them!
I could go on, but I know I’m reaching the word limit that most people are  likely to read in one email.  :-)


Although we don’t claim to have arrived at the apex in every area as a school, our staff is always looking for ways we can make the ICA experience better for our students and families.  We appreciate and welcome input and will always do our best to be sure each student has the tools they need to flourish both in and out of the classroom.
I sincerely hope you will choose to continue to be a part of the ICA family for another school year!
MT document attached with more details!
Look for the re-enrollment email and more info on pi day tomorrow!
Blessings,
Brenda