Hola ICS West Families – I hope that your summer break is off to a great start.  I am writing to provide you with important information to help you plan in advance for the 2021-22 school year.  Please read this email in its entirety, and as always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

• In-Person:  We are planning to provide full in-person learning beginning in the fall.  We will not provide a remote learning option if conditions related to coronavirus continue to improve through the summer months.
• Uniforms:  Students will be required to wear uniforms next year – navy blue bottoms and red or gray tops.  Please click here for more details related to the dress code.
• Start Date:  The first day of school for all students will be Tuesday, September 7, 2021.  A detailed calendar will be provided later this summer.
• Arrival/Dismissal:  The instructional day for students will change to 9:00am-4:15pm due to the shift in the schedules for the buses provided by the district. We understand the significant impact that this late start will have on our families, so we will provide free before school care that will allow students to enter the building at an earlier time.  More details will be provided later this summer.
• Transportation:  Students who live more than 1.5 miles from the school will have the following options for transportation next year:
  • School Bus:  K-6th graders who live more than 1.5 miles from the school.
  • Septa Pass:  7th & 8th graders and their siblings who live more than 1.5 miles from the school.
  • Flat Rate Program:  $150 monthly payment (up to $1,500 total) per household for the 2021-22 school calendar year to eligible parents who choose to opt out of bus, van or cab assignment and instead will drive their child to and from school.  Click here to learn more about the program. Click here to sign up.

 Please continue reading for more information about bus schedules and our new start and end times: Late last week we were notified that there has been a substantial shift in bus schedules for the new school year.  Because the city’s school bus service is still anticipating having to socially distance on buses, and because they’ve been experiencing a shortage of drivers, to be able to make schedules work across the city, they’ve had to spread all schools across three different “shifts” of bus routes – an early (7:00 to 7:20am drop off), normal (8:00 to 8:20am drop off), and late (9:00 to 9:20am drop off) option.  We’ve been given the late option.  Each of these has a corresponding afternoon pickup window as well, and since we are the late option, our bus pickup window is 3:45 to 4:05pm.  Many of our students rely on bus transportation, and this is obviously a significant change for our school community.  We have created the following daily schedule in an attempt to meet as many of our families’ needs as possible:

• 9:00-9:20am – Student arrival.  We will be able to open the doors earlier for parents who need an earlier drop-off time.  We will send details as soon as possible about how early the doors can open.
• 9:20am – Teachers pick students up
• 9:20am-3:55pm – Instructional day
• 3:55-4:15pm – Student dismissal (bus students would dismiss first, then walkers/pickups)

We realize that a shift of a full hour in our school day is a big deal.  We will have more details for you shortly about how this change will impact the after school programs, and anything else that might change as a result.  We will also host a parent session prior to the start of the school year to provide you with more information.  In the meantime, as always, please let me or CEO Sean know if you have any questions.  Enjoy the summer break and we look forward to seeing you in September!

Pr. Dana