Dr. K's Principal Updates: Families

Dear ICIA Families,

What an incredible first few weeks of school! Our Dragon Voyagers are officially underway, and our campuses are filled with learning, laughter, new friendships, and plenty of Dragon spirit.

As I walk through classrooms and around both campuses, what stands out most is how quickly our students have jumped into learning. Our teachers are challenging students, building strong classroom communities, and creating opportunities for our Dragons to grow—not only academically, but also as confident, responsible, and caring young people.

Thank you to our families for helping us get off to such a strong start. From attending Back-to-School Night and supporting our PTO to volunteering on campus and reinforcing expectations at home, your partnership makes a tremendous difference.

As we move into the next part of our voyage, our focus is simple: keep the momentum going. We will continue holding high expectations for our students, protecting instructional time, strengthening our Mandarin immersion program, and creating meaningful experiences that help every Dragon learn and grow.

There is already so much to celebrate, and I’m excited to share a glimpse of what our students and community have been up to!

One Community. Many Cultures. Endless Possibilities.

Thank you to the many families who have helped their Dragons arrive at school each day in proper uniform. Now that we are several weeks into the school year, ICIA's uniform expectations are fully in effect.

We are asking for everyone's partnership in making sure students come to school in uniform each day. Teachers and staff will be reminding students when they are out of uniform and may contact families when we see repeated concerns.

A few reminders:

• Monday–Wednesday: ICIA school uniform

• Thursday: College apparel may be worn

• Friday: ICIA Spirit Shirts may be worn

• Closed-toe, closed-back shoes are required every day

Our goal is not to make uniforms a source of stress for families. Rather, consistent expectations help create a sense of belonging, minimize distractions, and reinforce that we are all part of one Dragon community.

If your family needs assistance obtaining uniforms, please reach out. We want to make sure every student has what they need to meet the expectation.

As we begin the academic journey this year, one of our first steps is understanding where each student is starting. Our students have been completing their beginning-of-year i-Ready Diagnostic assessments in Reading and Mathematics and Level Learning Chinese.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is not a traditional test that students “pass” or “fail.” Instead, it helps our teachers understand each student's current strengths and identify areas where additional instruction or support may be needed.

Teachers will use this information, along with classroom observations and other measures of student learning, to help guide instruction throughout the year.

One important reminder for families: please don't worry if your child tells you the assessment felt difficult! The Diagnostic is designed to adjust as students answer questions and will intentionally present material that may be above their current level. Students are not expected to know every answer. The best thing we can ask of our Dragons is simply to take their time, try their best, and not be afraid of challenging questions.

As we review our beginning-of-year data, our focus isn't simply on where students start—it's on how much they grow throughout the year.

This month at ICIA, we are focusing on the character trait of Respect.

Using resources from CharacterStrong, our students are learning that respect is more than simply being polite. It is about how we treat ourselves, how we treat others, and how we care for the community we share.

Throughout the month, teachers will help students recognize what respect looks like, sounds like, and feels like in the classroom, on the playground, and throughout our campus. From listening when others are speaking and valuing different perspectives to taking care of shared spaces, our Dragons will have many opportunities to put respect into action.

We also want students to understand that respect includes service to others and responsibility for our community. That can mean helping clean up our school, taking care of materials and common spaces, or serving and helping others during lunch. These small acts send an important message: I care about the people around me, and I care about the place we share.

Our goal is to help students move from simply knowing what respect means to actively demonstrating it. When students see something that needs to be done and step forward to help—not because they were told to, but because they recognize their responsibility to others—that is character in action.

Continue the conversation at home: Ask your child, “How did you show respect for your community today?” As a family, look for opportunities to notice and acknowledge acts of respect, service, and responsibility throughout the week.

Character development is strongest when school and home reinforce the same values. Thank you for partnering with us as we help our Dragons become not only strong learners, but respectful, responsible, and caring members of their community.

Our voyage continues, and there is plenty happening at ICIA!

From school activities and special events to opportunities for our families to connect and get involved, we have an exciting month ahead. We encourage families to stay connected and check the ICIA Family Calendar regularly for upcoming events, important dates, minimum days, student-free days, and PTO activities.

We love seeing our Dragon families on campus and at our community events. Your participation is an important part of what makes ICIA such a special community.

📅 Check out the upcoming events below and mark your calendars!

One Community. Many Cultures. Endless Possibilities.

Now that our Dragon Voyagers have settled into their classrooms, this is the perfect time to establish the habits that will help them thrive throughout the year.

One of the most important ways families can support student success is simple: be at school, be on time, and be ready to learn. Every school day matters, and those first few minutes of the morning help set the tone for the entire day.

Families can help our Dragons start each day successfully by establishing consistent bedtime and morning routines, arriving at school on time, checking backpacks and school communications regularly, and making sure students come prepared and ready to learn.

These may seem like small things, but small habits practiced consistently create a big impact over time.

As our students learn to navigate greater independence and responsibility, we appreciate our families partnering with us to reinforce these habits at home. Together, we are helping our Dragon Voyagers develop the skills they need not only for a successful school year, but for the journeys ahead.