Research International Community School charter Schools in Atlanta, Georgia

“This school is among the best in DeKalb. It has a diverse student body, fully engaged teachers and a challenging curriculum. You may notice that the children look happy, they also seem less restricted than kids in other schools. Hope this school goes from strength to strength.”

“This is my first year at this school, and the level of parent involvement and the love I see for this school by the teachers and administrators warms my heart on a continual basis. It is far from perfect - the administration is not particularly helpful to parents seeking information - but the overall feel is that of a real and loving community and the potlucks are fantastic! The first time I went to a potluck there, I volunteered and couldn't pay as close attention to my child as I would have liked, but the first -time feeling of letting her run around the playground with the other kids and feel as though she was in a safe environment was phenomenal. it is truly an international community, not just a school.”

“This school would be a five star school save for the lack of a decent facility. The atmosphere, the educational standards, the curriculum, the staff and the support from parents is tremendous. The learning environment is unique among public schools in the area with an emphasis on education of the whole child rather than achieving the highest test scores. The International Baccaleureate program is well administered and provides children of all abilities to learn and grow in a culturally diverse environment. After school programs offer support for working families and various extra curricular activities keep community involvement an important part of the whole school experience.”

“One thing about ICS is the inquisitive learning path. My children learn through exploration. The IBPYP approach is highly recommended! I love ICS!”

“ICS fuses academics with community building. The kids, parents, teachers, and administrators learn to face challenges collectively. This school serves a unique role in our community and I believe my children getting a uniquely rich multicultural experience. Academically, my children are performing very well and are learning to use their minds creatively and inquisitively. I couldn't be more pleased as a parent.”

“I have been very happy with my child's experience at ICS. She is a first grader, and in her 2nd year at the school. She is learning well in a supportive environment---learning not only standard academics, but also learning about her friends and teachers, who come from all over the world. While there is much variation in the children's academic preparation, since so many of the children come from refugee families, the teachers meet each child where s/he is. My daughter is blossoming in this environment, and I feel that my input as a parent if valued.”

“Academics at ICS are uneven at best, and decidedly weak in areas. While we had one great teacher we also had an awful one, and they are so overwhelmed with the needs of the refugee kids that kids at the other end of the spectrum are almost totally neglected. We also did not even know that our child qualified for gifted services until we left ICS! I could only recommend this school for parents who care more about socialization than academics. The population is very diverse, but that it both ICS' draw and its downfall. They don't manage the range of abilities well.”

“There are many things to love about ICS. There is a strong sense of community, and I love that my child has friends from many different cultures. We have had some wonderful teachers, but we have also had some awful ones. If your child has strong academic skills this is probably not the school for you. They don't serve the needs of these kids well, and frankly, they don't seem to care that they don't. When people leave the school they seem to leave because of weak academics, and a feeling that their concerns aren't being heard. There also seems to be a taboo against saying anything negative because the school is underfunded and overwhelmed, but problems can't be addressed if they aren't open for discussion. The school is also notoriously disorganized.”

“My daughter has been at ICS since its first year, and I have nothing but praise and love for the school. Every classroom teacher has been incredible (Perry, Moore, Bellamy, Hamilton), as have the special teachers (art, music, second language, p.e., etc.). The spirit of ICS is what a parent like me can only dream of: focused on community and commitment to humans across the globe. The academic education my daughter is receiving is superb, and she is considered an advanced learner. For my daughter, the fact that all of her best friends are from cultures that she does not share...is simply normal. The caring and commitment of the faculty and staff are unbelievable. My only wish is that the state and county would realize what an amazing school is ICS and fund the school more equitably.”

“Conceptually the school could be great, but the lack of quality teachers impede the progress of many of the children. In addition, there are so many children from different countries that the language barriers force the teachers to slow the speed of teaching in order to accommodate the students.”

“ICS does the 'community' part very well! Parents and children, especially the refugees, are truly made to feel welcome. The international mix of students and cultures plus daily foreign language (French or Spanish) taught by excellent native speakers were a big plus for us. Mr. Moon does indeed support his teachers but he has also been very receptive to our input for which we are grateful. Many if not most of the teachers welcome parental involvement to the point where I pulled out an advanced group of third-graders for math enrichment every week. As with any other school, the quality of education ultimately depends on the creativity and enthusiasm of the classroom teacher and this can be uneven at ICS. Biggest drawbacks: the advanced students do not get much attention and the IBPYP program is unevenly implemented.”

“Environment of school is wonderful. Some teachers are very good i.e. Ms Ruark Ms Edna and Ms Shunarrah (1st grade and K-4). Very loving office staff (Ms Santiago). Some teachers horrible. I get the impression that Mr Moon supports his teachers at all cost...so parents don't bother complaining. Overall a great school if you insist on supplemental education at home for your kids....u should probably do this anyway. International exposure for kids is well worth the agony. Parent”

“Wonderful school. Loving and truly caring teachers. Unbelievable mix of kids from all backgrounds. A lot of children are from refugee familes. My son's best friends are from Bosnia, Africa and the US too *8) Thanks to the school, I got to know and be really good friends with people from very different cultures and with unbelievable experiences. The school has not got much money but the staff is doing soooo much with what they have. The principal is awesome! And all the kids rave about their teachers. What an awesome group of people!”