What we refer to as modern accounting goes back to as long as 1494, when Franciscan friar, mathematics teacher, and friend of Leonardo da Vinci influenced by the intellectual spirit of the Renaissance, published the double-entry bookkeeping system in its Summa de arithmetica. Although referred to as the Father of Accounting, he was far away from being an accountant describing a financial method, his contribution was intellectual, pedagogical, and ethical, teaching the method, and a way of thinking used by Venetian merchants, and helping it spread across Europe.
In many ways, I was reminded of this when I had the honour of opening the semester for our Grade 11 Business Management students and introducing them to finance at ICS. While I spoke about budgeting, planning, and financial responsibility within a school context, or what it means to be a non-for-profit institution, what stayed with me was not the technical content itself. Yet what unfolded was far more meaningful than numbers or processes. It was an opportunity to bridge theory with lived reality, to make learning tangible, and to allow students to see that behind decisions stand mission, vision, care, and accountability.
Much of the school support services happen behind the scenes. Sitting with our students, however, brought me back to the very heart of our mission. In that classroom, I was reminded that finance, too, is an act of service — a commitment to steward resources wisely so that learning can flourish, and that it is our responsibility to sustain that far beyond a cohort, an age group or even a generation.
Teaching has always been part of my journey, and after having taught in various institutions over the years, I have experienced first-hand the unique energy that arises from the power of enquiry to spark understanding. Our Kind of Education unfolds when curiosity leads the way and when students feel empowered to explore the “What and How” behind the “Why.” Engaging with our Grade 11 students rekindled that spark. Their thoughtful questions and genuine interest were not only encouraging — they were inspiring.
In that exchange, I found myself reflecting on why I am passionate about serving this school community. For Pacioli, accounting was not merely about numbers; it was about clarity, responsibility, stewardship, and making the invisible visible.
For that reminder — and for the privilege of contributing, even briefly, to our students’ learning journey — I am deeply grateful.
In Partnership,
Cristian García
CFO
Interim Head of Administration