A year ago today, this community faced a unique and unprecedented challenge; the unexpected departure of our Head of School. The abrupt change left many in the community feeling uncertain about the next school year, let alone the future of ICS. How would we go on? Would we survive? What does it mean to operate without a full time Head of School? As a Leadership Team, we were ushered into a world we did not know and had to rely on the support, good will, and expertise of others just to stay the course. Few will ever know just how much time and toil our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Greg Vlasek and the full Board of Trustees have invested in leading our community throughout the year.

And yet, very quickly, questions of survival faded and gave way to energy and excitement – new projects, innovative ideas, and new voices came to the fore. We have, in no uncertain terms, thrived in a year that could have very well left us in poor position. Our building project has come to fruition, our professional capacity has expanded, partnerships deepened, and our enrollment is higher than any of the three previous years by a significant margin. And, with our new Head of School, Patrick Phillips’ arrival, we will only move from strength to strength. One could be forgiven for showing some measure of surprise at how well this year has turned out.

How was this possible? There remains an element of mystery to the way communities respond to times of crisis. These phenomena are never fully knowable, but what we have observed in spades is people stepping up, reaching out, supporting each other, being brave, demonstrating resilience, and showing one another grace, space, and care. There is a spirit of togetherness that lies deep at the heart of who we are at ICS. It is a spirit that continually brings us together, sustains us in times of need, and brings joy to our daily interactions. It is indelible, undeniable, and ever deepening. Despite the hardships, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to discover who we really are, what we are made of, and what we can accomplish together. Thank you to all who believed and continue to believe in this wonderful little school (well, not anymore!) on the hill.

In partnership,

Gabriel Di Mauro
Secondary Principal
Interim ex-officio Head of School