Parent Responsibilities

Being a parent at the International Community School calls for a greater commitment, dedication and investment than at many other schools. We believe this produces more effective education as well. ICS parents are required to agree to the following commitments upon their child’s enrollment:

A Commitment to Family Engagement ◊ A foundational philosophy of ICS is that the efficacy of a child’s education is directly related to the level of engagement by parents in their child’s moral, spiritual, and academic training. Families understand their responsibility to create a culture of learning in their homes that encourages spiritual pursuit, moral maturity and academic interest, and deepens the relationship between parents and children that results in strong families and responsible citizens.

The Completion of a Gateway Parenting Course ◊ Parents have one year from the date of enrollment to complete an approved, values-based Christian parenting course. Our Family Education Department can provide a list of currently approved courses.

Attendance at Parent Orientation ◊ Held the week prior to the start of academic classes, orientation is the time to meet faculty and/or staff and get vital information for your child’s success at ICS.

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Financial Partnership

Financial Responsibilities of ICS Parents

An Agreement to Meet Financial Obligation ◊ All parents are required to sign a Financial Agreement for each school year. An appeal process is available for families with challenging financial situations.

Tuition ◊ Tuition payments may be made on a one-time, semester or monthly basis. Monthly payments require an enrollment in FACTS, an automatic checking deduction program.

Fees ◊ Regular fees may include registration, classroom supply fees, athletic fees, and lunch program costs (if selected).

Curriculum and Materials ◊ Parents are responsible for the purchase of all curriculum and materials. If your child is enrolled in the Academic Program, you will receive a textbook list along with a list of contacts for purchasing supplies. ICS also offers book fairs, on-campus stores, and other opportunities for the purchase and sale of new and used curriculum at the beginning and end of each school year.

Uniforms ◊ ICS has a uniform dress code that requires the purchase of monogrammed shirts and coordinating pants, shorts or skirts. Please refer to the Uniform Dress Code for further details.

Fundraising Support ◊ The very nature of ICS requires that a majority of participants are one-income families, with one parent choosing to be at home to facilitate the home education portion of the program. In order to keep tuition levels affordable for these families and still deliver excellence in education, fundraising is a vital part of our fiscal responsibility. Parents are required to help with at least one fundraising event during the school year.

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Parent Partner Program

Parents are required to serve in their students’ classrooms or in the administrative offices on a rotating basis with other parents in the school.  Our Parent Partner Program is absolutely essential to the success of our school.  Because our teachers have such a limited time with the students during the week, parents’ help in the classroom offers administrative and resource assistance that optimizes the teacher’s effectiveness. Participating in the classroom also familiarizes parents with the teacher’s methods and strategies, and offers the opportunity to get to know their child’s classmates.  Most important, it is a special day for each student when his/her parents are present on campus.  Mandatory parent partner training is available during Parent Orientation Week for all new families.

Parent Partner Policy ◊ The Parent Partner Program is a vital part of ICS.  When members join ICS, they are joining a community of believers who desire to share in the load of responsibilities equally.  Therefore, it is required that parents participate as parent partners as long as their children are enrolled in the ICS Academic Program.

• Parents will sign up for the on-campus days they are available to work on a schedule that will be circulated at the beginning of the year during Parent Orientation Week, as well as at Community Meetings.


• At the elementary/middle school level, each classroom is assigned a classroom coordinator.  The Campus Supervisor serves as the coordinator at the high school level.  Coordinators are responsible to solicit sign-ups for the parent partner schedule during Parent Orientation Week and at the Community Meetings, to see that everyone is fairly represented on the schedule, and to interact with parents for any specific needs.  Coordinators will assign work days for any parents who did not sign up during Parent Orientation Week or the Community Meetings. Completed and updated schedules will be distributed through the family files or email.  Schedules will be made out at the beginning of each semester, but they will also be maintained and updated by the coordinator at the Community Meetings.


• Parents are accountable to their classroom coordinators.  If parents are unable to work on their assigned days, they are responsible for finding find their own replacement and informing the classroom coordinator of those changes.


• Either parent of a family may choose to serve on parent partner days.  Other members of the family may serve as occasional substitutes if they are at least 21 years old, morally mature, living a Christian lifestyle and physically able to meet the requirements of the parent partner position.


• It is expected that parents will take note of the dates they have selected or are assigned and take responsibility to be present in the classroom for the days they are scheduled.


• The only excused absence from the Parent Partner Program is in the case of extreme illness or death.  Parents who are scheduled and do not complete their partnership responsibilities are fined a $50 fee, which may be used to pay a substitute for that day.   Non-payment of this fine could result in dismissal from ICS. To accommodate the program for unexcused absences we will use a list of pre-qualified parents who will be called to fill in as necessary. 


• Due to the number of hours the staff and faculty currently serve on campus, many of them are not available to serve in the Parent Partner Program.


• Occasionally severe situations arise that may exempt a family from participating in the Parent Partner Program for a season; however, these circumstances must be put in writing and sent to the Principal/Chief Administrator, and then discussed with and approved by the Principal/Chief Administrator before the family is given an exemption. 


• The number of times each family serves on campus per semester is based upon the number of eligible parents in each classroom or level.   However, families with more than three students are given consideration and asked to sign up for fewer days than other families in their students' classes.
• Classroom coordinators and paid parent partner substitutes are not exempt from serving in the classroom as part of the regular schedule.


• If, for any reason, parents choose to remove their children from the ICS program, it is the parents’ responsibility to fulfill their obligation for the currently published parent partner schedule.  (For example, if the student was removed from the school on February 15 and the parent was scheduled to work on March 20, it is expected that the parent would work on March 20 or pay the $50 fee for a substitute.)


• Hours for parent partners are from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parent partners are to sign in upon arrival in the Parent Partner Notebook.  High school parent partners should check in with the Campus Supervisor to receive their list of duties for the day.  Elementary and middle school parent partners are expected to take their classes to lunch while the teacher has a lunch break.  Parent partners will be given a separate lunch break time. 


• If a family consistently avoids their parent partner days on campus because their schedule does not allow participation, a meeting will be called to discuss the appropriateness of the family’s placement at ICS.


• Siblings are not allowed to accompany parents on parent partner days.  Therefore, make other arrangements for the care of all children not enrolled in the academic program.


• To keep distractions to a minimum, parent partners should keep their cell phones on silent while in the classroom.

General Safety Issues while Parent Partnering ◊ In order to keep students safe, the following guidelines must be enforced at all times by Parent Partners.

• An adult should accompany or stay in visual contact with students.


• Pre-kindergarten through 3^rd grade students must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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Community Meetings

All parents, faculty and staff are required to attend the mandatory Community Meetings held five times throughout the school year.  Classes meet for their breakout sessions prior to or after the corporate meeting at 7:00 p.m.   Please check the school calendar to confirm meeting dates.  Meetings are held at First Presbyterian Church in Maitland.

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Moral Training at Home

Completion of an approved parenting course is required of all families, staff and faculty during the first year of enrollment.  Both parents must attend the parenting course.  Families with students in grades 7 through 12 are required to take a teen specific parenting course. Each family is to notify the Family Education Director upon completion of each course.

We understand that simply taking a parenting course does not guarantee responsible parenting or perfect children; however, the heart of this requirement is that our families be recognized as people who are actively striving toward a standard of moral excellence in their homes. 

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Family Education Units (FEUs)

Part of the mission of ICS is to educate, encourage and equip our partner families in the twin vocations of parenting and educating their children at home.  Families are required to earn a minimum of five Family Education Units (FEUs) per school year, June 1 to May 31. One FEU will be awarded for every hour spent in an approved seminar, workshop, class, lecture, conference, etc.  To be approved, a class must pertain specifically to marriage, family, parenting or education.  We recognize that general Bible studies (i.e., Bible Study Fellowship, Precepts) help in marriage and parenting, but courses of this type will not count for FEUs.  For a list of classes offered on campus, please contact the Family Education Department.  Failure to earn the minimum required FEUs per year could result in loss of “good standing” status for the family and would affect re-enrollment eligibility.

“Principles of Community” ◊ Parents have one year from the date of enrollment to complete this one-hour workshop taught by Margi McCombs. Parents earn one FEU while they learn about the twelve principles that form the identity of a Christian Community School.  This workshop is taught at various times throughout the year.

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Parent/Teacher Communication

Elementary /Middle School

Parents should follow the guidelines listed below for proper communication with their student’s teacher.

• Ask your teacher for the preferred way to schedule a conference.
• When possible, please communicate in writing.
• As co-instructor with your teacher, please communicate as clearly as possible and as often as necessary to facilitate academic progress for your child.

High School

Each teacher will give parents communication guidelines, which will include options for appointments, email and phone calls.  In addition, a weekly high school newsletter is emailed from the office to all high school families.

Some Don’ts to Remember

• Please don’t discuss your student’s needs with the teacher outside of scheduled conferences. 
• Please don’t bring a classroom problem to the Administrative Team until you have first tried to work out a solution with the teacher.
• Please don’t talk with other parents or teachers if you have a problem with your student’s teacher.  Go directly to the teacher first, and if the problem is not resolved, bring the issue to the Administrative Team.  Use this scripture as a guideline:  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”   (Ephesians 4:29). Likewise, if someone comes to you with a situation that does not concern you, please respond with integrity and gentleness in refusing to listen.  A great way to do that is simply to offer to pray with the person on the spot and lovingly encourage them to go to the person directly involved.

Confidentiality Issues

Teachers will take every caution to keep issues with families and students confidential.  Teachers will only address the appropriate parties when dealing with a confidential issue.

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