Parent & Student Handbook
2025-2026
6705 Julian Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46219
317.357.5359
Principal: Rosemary McCloskey Assistant Principal: Kaylynn Hooker
rmccloskey@ics-charter.org khooker@ics-charter.org
Table of Contents
2. Welcome Letter
3. Mission, Vision, and Core Values
4. Contact Information
5-6. School Calendar, Hours, and Daily Schedule
7. Attendance Policy
8-9 Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
10. Before and After Care
10-12. Behavior Expectations
12. Dress Code
13. Cell Phone Policy
13-14. Grading Policy
14. Powerschool: Accessing grades and attendance
14-15. Lockers and Textbooks
15. Inclement Weather and Outdoor Recess
16. Communication Between Home and School
16. Health and Wellness
16. Lunch and Nutrition
17. Visitor’s Policy
18-19 Bullying Prevention
20. Acknowledgement Form
Dear ICES Families,
It is with great excitement and deep commitment that I introduce myself as the new principal of Irvington Community Elementary School. While I am new to ICES, I am not new to the Irvington Community Schools district. With over 20 years of experience in education, both in and out of the classroom, I’ve had the privilege of leading change that resulted in stronger student growth and a more positive, unified school culture. I look forward to doing the same here at ICES.
I am aware that this year brings a lot of change. Our entire administrative team is new, and we’ve experienced a significant transition in teaching staff. These shifts have understandably caused concern and uncertainty within our school community. I want to acknowledge those feelings and be transparent: this is not just a period of change, it’s a period of opportunity.
ICES has incredible potential. While student achievement and school culture have faced real challenges in recent years, I want you to know that I see these as areas of urgent focus, not obstacles. Together, with our staff, students, and families, we will build a strong foundation of excellence, trust, and growth. Our work will be guided by collaboration, consistency, and clear communication.
As your principal, I believe that every child deserves a safe, joyful, and rigorous learning environment. I believe that our teachers deserve support, empowerment, and professional respect. And I believe that our families deserve transparency, partnership, and confidence in the direction we’re headed.
This year, you can expect to see renewed energy in classrooms, high expectations for all learners, and a warm, welcoming school culture where every child and family feels valued. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
Thank you for trusting us with your children. I am honored to lead this next chapter of ICES, and I look forward to meeting you, listening to you, and growing with you.
With respect and resolve,
Rosemary McCloskey
Principal
Irvington Community Elementary School
Irvington Community Schools’ mission is to:
- Provide a small, safe learning community where respectful behaviors are modeled and expected.
- Offer a college-prep, career-readiness curriculum that focuses on developing a strong work ethic and creative thinking.
- Prepare all students for post-secondary success.
- Develop responsible citizens through involvement in service learning and community engagement for the betterment of local and global communities.
Irvington Community Elementary School envisions a future where all students are empowered with the academic skills, character, and sense of community responsibility needed to thrive in a complex, global society. We aim to inspire a love of learning, foster resilience, and cultivate leaders who live with purpose and compassion.
We believe:
- Every ICS employee is here to support classroom success.
- All ICS, Inc. community members — students, staff, parents, and board members — are expected to commit to “The Irvington Way” as a way of conduct. It is a pathway to success both in the school setting and in any post-secondary educational or professional endeavor.
- Every decision is to be made in the best interests of our students.
- Every ICS parent/guardian is considered a partner in student development.
- Children learn best when they feel safe and have a sense of belonging.
- Every child we serve deserves a student-centered educational experience.
- Teacher autonomy, creativity, and expertise are essential to developing engaging, meaningful learning experiences for all students to accomplish our schools’ goals.
- A healthy learning environment for students is directly related to a healthy school culture.
- Our role is to develop students to be responsible members of the community they live and learn in.
- All children have the potential to be successful learners and members of society.
- Our business is building our students’ future.
The five basic principles of The Irvington Way are:
- Be Respectful - Be Involved
- Be Responsible - Be Focused
- Be Safe
YMCA Before Care opens: 6:30am (sliding scale fee)
Doors open for breakfast: 7:30am
School Day begins: 8:00am
Dismissal (4 days/week): 2:30 PreK only
3:00 K-5
Wednesday Early Dismissal:
Dismissal: 2:00 all grades
YMCA After Care closes: 6:00pm (sliding scale fee)
All students start their day with a 20 minute Morning Meeting. This is a time to build relationships, share, and get the schedule for the day.
We provide students with a 90 minute instructional reading block, a 30 minute block dedicated to writing, a 60 minute math block, and a 30 minute block for science or social studies.
All students will participate in Flight Time, our school-wide intervention block. This consists of two 30 minute blocks of time during each day, except Wednesday, where students will participate in small group math and reading instruction at their levels and catered to their academic needs.
Throughout the day, students will attend a cultures class. We offer STEM, art, music, and PE in our cultures rotation. Each class will have a dedicated day of the week to attend each class. On Wednesdays, each grade level will attend cultures during their allotted time but will be split into fourths. Cultures teachers will get to keep the same groups of students for a whole quarter where they will dive into a fun and engaging project-based learning activity.
We wrap up each day with a Closing Circle. The purpose of this time is to continue the relationship building in each classroom as well as reflect on the day’s activities and learning.
Note: Schedules vary slightly by grade to accommodate lunch, recess, and intervention blocks. Each student receives a full academic experience with targeted support and time to grow socially and emotionally.
Important Dates: Irvington Community Elementary School
Irvington Community School, Inc. is required to follow all applicable Indiana public school student attendance laws per the Indiana Code and the Indiana Department of Education. Aside from meeting legal requirements, regular attendance not only helps build a stronger school community but also leads to higher academic achievement. The ICS, Inc. Attendance Policy covers Irvington Community Elementary School (ICES), Irvington Community Middle School (ICMS), and Irvington Preparatory Academy (IPA) regarding the management of absences and tardies.
Reporting an Absence: There are three types of absences: excused, exempt and unexcused absences. Use the following methods to report absences to each of the Irvington Community Schools.
ICES Attendance Line: (317) 357-5359 - press 2; Email: icesattendance@ics-charter.org
Excused Absence: This is an absence for which the school has been notified for one of the following:
∙ Personal illness or injury
∙ Medical or dental appointments (only for the duration of the appointment and travel time)
∙ Death in the family
∙ Observance of religious holiday
Exempt Absence: This is an absence that will not be counted towards a student accumulation of absences. Documentation may be required for the following:
∙ Required court attendance
∙ Absences excused by state law - i.e. working Polls & College Visits (See IPA student handbook for college visit guidelines)
Unexcused Absence: This is an absence for which the school does not receive a parent or guardian communication or the reason is not listed above.
After the accumulation of 10 days of absence from school (excused or unexcused), a doctor’s statement will be required in order to excuse any additional absences. For chronic or long-term illnesses, a physician’s Certificate of Incapacity will be required. Excessive absences can lead to retention. Please refer to the ICS, Inc. Retention Policy.
For the full ICS attendance policy, Attendance / Conduct - Irvington Community Schools
At ICES, student safety is our top priority. Please review the following morning arrival guidelines to help ensure a smooth and secure start to each school day:
To ensure a safe and efficient dismissal at Irvington Community Elementary School, we use the Car Rider Pro system. Please review the procedures below carefully:
Thank you for helping us keep arrival and dismissal safe and organized!
At ICES, we believe that every minute of the school day matters. Consistent, full-day attendance is essential to your child’s academic success.
To minimize disruptions to learning, early pick-ups should be reserved for emergencies or unavoidable appointments. Please note the following:
We appreciate your partnership in ensuring your child receives the full benefit of their school day.
Before and After School Care
Before school care is available beginning at 6:30 a.m. each morning. Parents may not drop students off before 6:30 a.m. There will be no charge for before school care after 7:30 a.m. Students who are not registered for Before Care with the YMCA may not be dropped off prior to 7:30 a.m. Breakfast is served until 7:45 a.m. After school care is available for ICES families through the YMCA until 6:00 p.m. If the parent does not arrive for pick up on time or contact After Care personnel, the child may be considered abandoned and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department may be notified. Students who are not registered for YMCA After Care must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. (2:45 on Wednesdays). Parents will be charged a per-minute late fee for pick-ups.
Before and After School Care is considered a privilege for ICES families. Consequences for students who misbehave in Before or After School Care may include: in-school suspension, out of school suspension, detention, community service, and Before/After Care privileges being revoked. Failure to pay for Before and After School Care services which have been provided may also result in a student’s Before or After School Care privileges being suspended or revoked.
Behavior Expectations
At Irvington Community Schools, we believe that creating a positive and respectful learning environment is a shared responsibility between our school community and families. Together, we support students in learning and practicing respectful and kind behavior.
Our staff is here to guide and nurture each child’s growth while maintaining a safe and welcoming space for everyone to learn.
We see challenging behaviors as important chances to teach and help students grow. When behavior becomes unsafe or significantly disruptive, staff will step in to keep everyone safe.
We know that encouraging and motivating students leads to better choices than focusing on punishment. Discipline is an opportunity for teaching — helping children understand the impact of their actions and how to make better decisions.
At Irvington, we use many strategies and approach every situation with care and understanding, knowing that kindness and patience are key to every student’s success.
At Irvington Community Schools, our teachers use creative and supportive ways to help students learn and practice positive behavior. They have many tools to guide students, such as gentle reminders, private conversations, and sometimes reaching out to parents for support.
If a student has ongoing behavior challenges or a serious incident that can’t be resolved in the classroom alone, the teacher may ask for extra help from our Behavior Coaching Team.
Our Assistant Principal works closely with students to help them understand how their behavior affects themselves and others. Through respectful and meaningful conversations, students learn to take responsibility and repair any harm caused.
Depending on the situation, consequences might include reflective writing, apologies, helping with community service around the school, or other steps like detention or suspension when necessary.
A key part of this process is open communication with parents. Our Assistant Principal will make sure to keep families informed about both challenges and successes, so we can all support your child’s growth together.
Restorative Practices are at the heart of how we handle behavior at Irvington. When conflicts or disruptions happen—like disrespect, ongoing interruptions, disagreements, or not following directions—students and staff work together to find solutions.
This might include one-on-one conversations, group discussions called Restorative Circles, or agreements called Behavior Contracts. We focus on natural consequences that help repair relationships and make things right between students and staff.
While we prioritize these restorative approaches, some situations may still require traditional consequences to keep everyone safe and ensure a positive learning environment.
As a student at Irvington Community Elementary School, I promise to do the following to support and uphold The Irvington Way:
BE RESPECTFUL
BE RESPONSIBLE
BE SAFE
BE INVOLVED
BE FOCUSED
Dress Code
Shirts: red, white, black, or navy blue with a collar. Sweaters or sweatshirts may be worn but must be plain red, white, or navy blue, or ICES school logo shirt.
Aligned with Indiana State Law (HEA 1177) To support a focused and distraction-free learning environment, Irvington Community Schools follows the new Indiana state law requiring that students do not use cell phones or personal electronic devices during instructional time.
We appreciate your support in helping students learn responsible use of technology. If your child needs to contact you during the school day, they should speak with a teacher or visit the front office. Likewise, if you need to reach your child, please call the school directly.
At ICES we use two grading systems to help families understand student progress: traditional letter grades (primarily for upper grades) and a standards-based scale (often used in lower grades or for specific subjects and skills).
Used for core subjects in upper elementary grades:
Used to show how well a student is progressing toward specific learning goals:
We believe that every student can learn and grow. Grades and feedback are tools to help students understand their progress and set goals for success. If you ever have questions about how your child is doing, please reach out to their teacher — we’re here to partner with you!
PowerSchool: Accessing Grades, Attendance & Student Information
We encourage all parents and guardians to stay connected through PowerSchool, our secure online student management system. PowerSchool allows you to:
You can access PowerSchool by visiting: https://ics-charter.powerschool.com
If you need help logging in or have lost your username or password, please contact the front office and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Staying informed helps us work together to support your child’s success!
Lockers and Textbooks
At Irvington Community Schools, we provide students with the tools they need to learn and succeed, including textbooks and lockers. We ask for your support in helping your child take care of these resources.
Lockers are school property and are provided to students as a convenience. While students are expected to keep their lockers neat and secure, please note that lockers may be opened and inspected by school staff at any time to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.
Textbooks are loaned to students for use during the school year and must be returned in good condition. Families are responsible for:
If a book is damaged or not returned, a replacement or repair fee will be billed to the parent or guardian.
Taking care of school property helps teach responsibility and ensures all students have access to quality materials. Thank you for your partnership!
Inclement Weather & Outdoor Recess
We want to keep families informed and students safe during all types of weather.
In the event of severe weather, school closings or delays will be shared through the following:
We encourage families to check multiple sources and stay tuned for updates during winter weather conditions.
We believe in the importance of daily physical activity and fresh air. Students will go outside for recess whenever it is safe to do so. Please send your child with appropriate outerwear for the season.
Recess will be held indoors if:
Thank you for helping us keep students comfortable and active throughout the school year!
Communication Between Home and School
At Irvington Community Elementary School (ICES), we believe strong communication between school and home helps students thrive. We keep families informed in several ways:
To ensure you stay connected, please keep your contact information (email, phone number, and address) up to date in PowerSchool. If you ever need help updating your details, feel free to contact the front office.
Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s success!
Health and Wellness
The following policies have been developed to ensure the health and well-being of our students:
Classroom parties & birthday celebrations: Healthy options must be provided. No homemade foods. No sodas. Parents must notify and coordinate with teachers in advance of bringing in items for birthday celebrations.
Lunch: Students may not trade foods. ICES staff will promote each child having a healthy lunch available to him/her. Sodas are not allowed. Desserts must be single-servings.
Irvington Community Schools partners with Aramark to provide healthy breakfast and lunch meal services served in accordance with the USDA nutrition guidelines at all three campuses, as part of the USDA National School Lunch Program. As of the 22-23SY meals are no longer free for all students. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to complete and submit the digital Free/Reduced Lunch Application (found at Student Meals - Irvington Community Schools) to qualify for free /reduced cost meals. The student number for the application can be found in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
Visitor Policy
At ICES we value our families and community members and welcome visitors who support a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment.
To ensure the safety of all students and staff, the following visitor guidelines must be followed:
We appreciate your cooperation in helping keep our school community safe and focused on learning!
Bullying Prevention Policy
At ICES we believe that every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and included. We are committed to creating a school environment where kindness is the norm and bullying is never acceptable.
Bullying is when someone hurts or threatens another person on purpose, more than once. It can happen with words, actions, or through technology. Bullying is not a one-time disagreement or accidental action.
Examples of bullying include:
Students, parents, and staff can report bullying to any adult at school. Reports can be made in person, in writing, or anonymously. All reports will be handled with care and confidentiality.
We are all responsible for helping our school be a safe and welcoming place for everyone. When we show kindness, speak up, and take care of one another, we help stop bullying before it starts.
To view the full bullying prevention and intervention policy, please visit:
https://ics-charter.org/parent-resources/student-conduct/
20. Acknowledgment Form- 2025-2026 School Year
Dear Families,
The Parent and Student Handbook contains important information about our school policies, procedures, and expectations. We ask that both students and parents/guardians read the handbook together and discuss its contents.
Please sign and return this acknowledgment form to your child’s teacher to confirm that you have received, read, and understood the handbook.
Student Name: ___________________________________
Grade: ___________
Teacher: _______________________________________
We acknowledge that we have received and reviewed the Irvington Community Elementary School Parent and Student Handbook. We understand the school rules, policies, and expectations outlined in the handbook and agree to follow and support them.
We understand that this handbook may be updated as needed and that the most current version will be available on the school’s website or in the school office.
Parent/Guardian Name (printed): _______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: ________________________ Date: ___________
Student Signature (as able): ________________________ Date: ___________
Please return this signed form to your child’s teacher.
Thank you for your partnership in helping us create a safe, respectful, and engaging school environment for all students.