Frequently Asked Questions

What are the school's hours?

The school doors open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Classes begin at 8 a.m. Our first release is at 3 p.m. for grades K-4. Our second release is at 3:20 p.m. for grades 5-8. We have a 4 p.m. release for all students who have stayed for clubs, tutoring, or After Care.

When was the ICS established?

The ICS began in 2001. The new dedicated school building at 6705 East Julian Avenue opened in 2003. Would you like to know more about our history?

How many students attend ICS?

We have 410 students total in grades K-8. There are two classrooms for each grade K-6. Our seventh- and eight-graders are assigned homerooms. There are four homeroom teachers who each specialize in teaching science, math, English, and social studies.

What is a charter school?

A charter school provides educational programming for any grade or grades, K-12. Charter schools are often nonprofit by design. Charters are granted by entities in Indiana such as the Indianapolis Mayor's Office (charter sponsor of the ICS) and Ball State University and are renewed on average every three to five years. The charter is a performance contract between the school and its sponsor that outlines the school's mission, programming and goals, assessment methods, student population to be served, and success measurements.

Irvington Community School is a year-round, extended school days public school of choice sponsored by the Indianapolis Mayor's Office that is open to all students, grades K-10 (adding 11th grade in 2008, and 12th in 2009). The ICS does not charge tuition. We have outstanding, innovative teachers using state-of-the-art teaching tools and providing a well-rounded education featuring a challenging and rich curriculum. Our culture classes include music, art, and foreign language (Spanish and French). All students receive physical education. And because "community" is part of our name, parental involvement is essential to the educational mission of the school.

Our charter holds us accountable for both our academic results and fiscal practices to a number of entities, including the Office of the Indianapolis Mayor's Charter Schools, the ICS School Board, the Indiana Department of Education, and the parents who choose us as their preferred provider of their children's education.

How is the ICS funded?

Approximately 92 percent of ICS funding is through federal, state, and local funds. Funding is calculated based on where each student lives consistent with charter school law in Indiana. Principally, 58 percent of the total funds are provided by the state, 27 percent comes from local property taxes, 6 percent from various federal programs, and the remaining 9 percent from parent receivables for purchased items such as lunch and our Before and After Care Program.

What is the average size of each class?

Each class has 24 students.

Does ICS have athletic programming?

Yes! The ICS Athletic Program has coed basketball, volleyball, and baseball teams. Single-sex teams are offered in cross-country, basketball, and track-and-field. ICS Athletic Program

How can parents get involved with the school?

Parents are encouraged to get involved with the school on a number of levels. Because "Community" is the key part of our name, we believe that parents should partner with the school in their children's education. They can do so by making sure their ICS students are staying current with assignments, studying regularly for tests, and behaving themselves according to school values and policy.

Parents are also encouraged to volunteer at the school. At the beginning of each school year, parents sign a Student, Family, Teacher Contract committing them to a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work. This includes attending School Advisory Committee meetings and school events such as choral and band performances. We have many volunteer needs and welcome your involvement!

Where is my child between 3:20 and 4 p.m.?

If your child is staying until the 4 p.m. release, he/she is either in the gym in After Care, in his/her classroom doing homework or being tutored (required for students with less than a "C" average), or in another classroom attending a club (such as Current Events, Chess, or Journalism clubs). Please be sure you and your child communicate regarding where your child will be located each day for your convenience at pick-up.

Is half day release always at the same time, and if so, what time is it?

When school is in session for half-days, dismissal is always at 11:30 a.m. for K-4 and noon for grades 5-8.

Is lunch served on half days?

Yes.

Is After Care provided on half days?

On half days during parent-teacher conferences, After Care is available as usual until 6 p.m. On Friday afternoons during teachers' quarterly Professional Development sessions, After Care ends at 1 p.m.

What is your school's discipline policy?

The ICS administers a progressive student behavior management philosophy, methodology, and techniques that are in keeping with our founder's emphasis on dignity with discipline, which is also advanced by leading experts in the field of education, including Marvin Marshall, Henry Wong, and Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler, coauthors of the book Discipline with Dignity for Challenging Youth.

Central to our behavior management effectiveness is timely parental contact. When a student is presenting consistent if not serious behavior issues, ICS behavior coaches are in frequent contact with the child's parents. Parents are also asked on occasion to attend Behavior Referral Board meetings. In this unique group dynamic, the misbehaving student meets with his/her parents, behavior coaches, teachers who are typically not involved with this child, ICS leadership, and/or the ICS counselor. This framework of community concern has proven to be the most effective mechanism to involve parents intimately in their responsibility for their children's behavior while at school as well as to emphasize to our students in a compassionate yet firm way what we require from them behaviorally as ICS students.

Of note, due to fiscal, personnel, and facility limitations, the ICS does not offer an alternative schooling program.

Can parents visit their children's classroom?

Parents are welcome to visit their children's classroom at any time. We pride ourselves on transparency and invite parents to be involved in their children's educational experience here at ICS.

Kindergarten Readiness Skills

The following skills are recommended for a child entering kindergarten. They are not required; however, accomplishment of these skills prior to kindergarten will help a child master the kindergarten curriculum:

1. Recognizes own name in print

2. Writes own name

3. Holds crayons and pencils correctly

4. Recognizes basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, diamond)

5. Recognizes basic colors (red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black)

6. Recognizes numbers to 10

7. Recognizes some letters (especially the letters in the child's own name)

8. Can dress him-/herself (zips coats and pants, buttons shirt or pants, ties shoes)

9. Expresses feelings verbally rather than physically

10. Can listen to stories for 10 minutes

11. Can follow simple one- and two-step directions

12. Can work independently for 10 minutes

Please note that to be eligible to enroll in kindergarten in Indiana, children must be 5 years old by July 1 of the coming school year. However, the ICS offers a waiver for kindergarten-aged children who will be 5 years old by August 31, based on each child's readiness. For more information, please contact ICS Lead Teacher at 357-5359 x127.