The international school has been a home away from home not just for the Kim family’s children, but for their parents as well.
Finding a school that suits everyone in a big family can be tough. Luckily for the Kims, they managed to find one that grows with each of their five children in International Community School (Singapore). The family has been part of ICS’ community for almost 10 years, with their oldest graduating from Grade 12 soon, and their youngest just starting Grade 2.
When asked about their time with ICS, Sam and Annie Kim described it as “10 years of wonderful experiences”. Read on for a detailed account of why they love this school, and what makes it the right fit for their family of seven.
Hi Sam and Annie, what are some of the key things you were looking for in a school?
School culture is very important to us. We want our children to grow in a school with values that are aligned with our family’s. ICS’ biblical worldview curriculum was the first thing that appealed to us. Following that, we’ve also heard about ICS’ caring community and the positive effects it has on students from friends with kids attending the school. This led us to choose ICS for our kids.
Your family has been part of the ICS community for almost 10 years! Tell us what it’s been like.
Our children grew up in ICS: they enjoyed their formative childhood and teenage years, thanks to the school’s supportive and loving environment. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. ICS is our village, which includes not just teachers and staff, but fellow parents as well. Our family is nestled into the bigger family that is ICS, with people who nurture our kids into becoming great individuals while also getting them to reflect on what truly matters in life.
Above all, we appreciate ICS’ teachers the most. We’ve had a wonderful experience with all of our kids’ teachers in the past 10 years. Every teacher has not just taught, but coached and challenged our kids to become strong, capable, and secure individuals. ICS encourages strong parent-teacher partnerships, making sure we as parents are involved in our kids’ educational journey. You can also tell that the teachers and staff really care about the students.
Thanks to the loving community and culture, our children love attending ICS. They appreciate their teachers and friends. It also helps that it’s a small, close-knit school where everyone knows each other.
Can you tell us more about the “parent-teacher partnership” at ICS?
ICS provides many opportunities for parents to meet with its teachers, principals, and staff. The school communicates its plans to parents regularly, and parents are welcome to share their input.
What about the school’s “loving community and culture”?
ICS’ culture encourages and enables parents to be involved with their children’s school life. This includes being involved in our child’s learning, as well as being able to meet their peers’ parents. The school runs official events to welcome families every year, such as the family fun day, BBQ get-together, as well as outings to Universal Studios Singapore and Adventure Cove Waterpark. These events bring the school community together: parents rub shoulders with each other and eventually become best of friends; while teachers and staff know every child’s name. It’s heartening to know that our kids are cared for by a community of people we can entrust to educate them.
Is there a community for parents?
Yes, ICS has a very strong parent group called the Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF) that we’re part of. In fact, one of us (Annie) has been a parent volunteer for the last three years! The PTF organises book clubs, wellness activities, social night outs, and more. It also does monthly bake sales and plans the annual school carnival fundraiser.
Being part of ICS’ PTF gives us the chance to raise kids alongside each other. Singapore is such a transient city, so being in the PTF has helped us make connections and gain precious friends along the way.
Sounds wonderful. Last but not least, do you have any advice for families who are still looking for a school?
Prioritise finding a school that will help your child grow holistically: one that challenges them academically and teaches them to be an individual of worth and good integrity. You’ll also want a school that partners with you and keeps you updated about your child’s learning journey. The latter is incredibly valuable to us, as we get to be a part of our kids’ school lives too. It’ll also keep you engaged and involved with their lives as they mature.
Thank you for sharing, Sam and Annie!
This post is in partnership with International Community School (Singapore).
