Fast Facts
• Public charter opening in September 2016 in Southwest Philadelphia
• Initially grades K-3.
• Total # of students in first year: 300
• We will add a new grade each year, growing to a K-8 school in five years.
• Total # of students as K-8 (at full enrollment): 900
• Students per grade: 100
• Number of classrooms per grade: 4
• Average class size: 25

Teacher-to-Student Ratio
• 1 classroom teacher for every 25 students
• Early grades will have a part-time classroom assistant

Curriculum and Programs
• Global citizenship focus
• Spanish language intensive beginning in Kindergarten
• Curriculum integrates arts/music/movement
• Responsive classroom model of student behavior

Admissions and Lottery
• Admission to ICS-West is via public lottery.
• Any Philadelphia resident may enter the lottery for their child but families who reside in the high school catchments for Bartram, Sayre, or Overbrook High Schools will have lottery priority.
• Application is now open; access application via icswest.org.
• Application deadline is February 1. Applications received after this date will be added to the end of the waitlist.
• Lottery will be held February 16th and is open to the public.

Mission
Independence Charter School West (ICS-W) will be a community-based, K-8 public charter school of academic excellence, located in Southwest Philadelphia and serving a diverse community of learners. ICS will provide an intellectually-stimulating curriculum with a global focus designed to develop independent, thoughtful global citizens. We emphasize second language acquisition and integrate arts, ideas, and histories from around the world.