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Lower School Principal
International Community School of Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire)

HISTORY

Several diplomatic families associated with the US Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire founded the International Community School of Abidjan (ICSA) in 1972. Growing from humble beginnings, ICSA was located in villas for several years in residential communities in Abidjan. It was not until 1989, when ICSA moved to Riviera III, that it developed “purpose-built facilities”, which permitted a larger enrolment and the development of a comprehensive PreK-12 program. During the 2002 – 2003 school year, ICSA experienced the largest enrolment in its history, decreasing to less than 100 students by February of 2003, due to civil conflict in the country.

 

 

Between 2003 and 2007, ICSA’s enrolment declined to less than 20 students, which prompted the need to relocate its facility to a temporary location. The school faced some unexpected financial challenges associated with maintaining its 5.3-hectare campus. In 2005, in order to address rising operating costs, ICSA moved to a residential location in Riviera III, near the village of M’Pouto and rented its facility to the United Nations. Between 2007 and 2010, the school experienced increased enrolment due to the stable political conditions in the country. However, in November 2010, as a result of post-election violence, enrolment once again declined to less than 30 students by the end of the 2010-2011 school year. Since 2010, ICSA has experienced a steady increase in enrolment.

In 2013 ICSA returned to its 5.3-hectare purpose-built facility and began with an enrolment of over 180 students. The school has steadily grown ever since with the current enrolment of 545 students (and expected to increase during the year), approximately 255 of them in the Lower School.

 

ACCREDITATION

As part of continuous school improvement, ICSA follows an accreditation process with the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), based in the United States. The self-study has been completed and a team will be visiting ICSA in November 2023 as a part of the accreditation renewal process.

 

GOVERNANCE

ICSA is a not for profit organization that is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors and recognizes the US Embassy in Abidjan as its “Founding Sponsor”. Seven Board members are elected by the ICSA Association and the remaining two are appointed by the US Ambassador.

 

CURRICULUM

ICSA follows an international curriculum that is based on academic standards developed by Project AERO (American Education Reaches Out). The curriculum has been modified to meet local needs and opportunities. French, the official language of Cote d'Ivoire, is also offered. English Language support is offered. The Common Ground Collaborative, a guided inquiry-based framework, guides ICSA curriculum development up to Grade 10. The Lower School uses a balanced literacy approach in its instruction. This includes readers’ and writers’ workshop, and guided reading. ICSA offers the IB Diploma Program for students in their last two years of school.

 

STUDENTS

Enrolment at the beginning of the academic year 2023-24 is projected to be about 545 students (Grades Pre-K to 12) representing over 80 nationalities. Of these, 255 are in Lower School (Grades Pre-K to 5) and 290 in the Upper School (Grades 6-12). The parents of students largely work for the African Development Bank, Diplomatic missions, NGOs and private business.

 

 

FACULTY

For the 2023-24 school year, there are 69 full-time teachers and 22 learning assistants. The faculty represents a diverse group of qualified teachers including 27 U.S. citizens, 22 host-country nationals and 20 third-country nationals.  There are 14 administrative staff and 20 support personnel and two full-time nurses.

 

FACILITIES

The campus is very open, purpose built on 6 hectares of land, in the Riviera 3 area of Abidjan. It includes the following facilities: 3 fully equipped science labs, a large library, IT class, makerspace, music and art rooms and ample classrooms.  There are two covered basketball courts, a large soccer field and an 8 lane, 25-meter swimming pool.

 

THE LOWER SCHOOL

The Lower School program at ICSA serves students in grades Pre-K to Grade 5.

One of ICSA’s intellectual objectives is to promote the desire to learn, the awareness that learning is a lifelong process, and the recognition that there are a wide variety of resources for learning. Therefore, the lower school focuses on the total development of each child and provides many opportunities for personal, social, emotional and academic growth in a nurturing, structured environment.

The philosophy of the Lower School program is to provide the best strategies to each individual student through programs that are flexible and challenging. The students have time each day for enrichment via classes in Music, PE, Art and Design. French is the language of the host country and all students in the Lower School receive French instruction during their week.

 

 

 

The program is experiential. Children learn new concepts and skills through their class work, through interactions with texts and materials and with classmates and the world around them. Projects, long-term assignments, and group work often require students to work together through a process that eventually results in a final product. A very important part of this experiential process is the time provided by teachers for students to edit and reflect upon their work.

 

COMMUNITY LIFE

Warm and welcoming, the school is more than just a set of buildings; it is a place that is bustling with activity, after-school and at weekends, as well as during the regular school day.  At ICSA, parents play an integral role in the school and their participation is greatly encouraged. Parents are members of the ICSA Association (the organization that oversees the management of the school), the Board of Directors (parents are elected to the Board to govern the school), various committees of the Board, and the Parent- Teacher Organization (PTO). Parents volunteer in various capacities at the school.  Social events are held throughout the year. The school celebrates the UN, our diverse international community, women, Africa and its diaspora, the arts, and more!

  

COTE D'IVOIRE - ABIDJAN

Identified as a family post by the UN, Abidjan is filled with museums, cultural centers and a multitude of cultural events that take place throughout the year. Abidjan has a vibrant and internationally known music scene along with an important fashion industry. Numerous shopping complexes and amazing restaurants throughout the city ensure you won’t go without your favourite foods and commodities. Groceries and other items are easy to buy.

 

 

 

And there is so much more to Cote d’Ivoire outside of Abidjan. Beautiful beaches, golf courses, wildlife and national parks, along with local traditions and celebrations.

  

To view a video about ICSA, click here.

 

LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL POSITION PROFILE

ICSA seeks a Lower School Principal who is an experienced leader of learning. The Principal should be innovative, flexible and excited to live in, and share school leadership in a close-knit community. The new Principal should be prepared to build on the good work that the school has done in the last few years.

The Lower School Principal is responsible for the running of the Lower School and works closely with the Upper School Principal, Director of Operations, and the School Director, who is his/her direct supervisor. Additional administrative staff include a K – 12 Curriculum Coordinator, Athletics Director, Service Learning Coordinator, and Technology Director. This forms the Senior Leadership Team.

Areas that the school are wanting the new Principal to focus on are:

•  Continue and reinforce the good work that has been done and that is going on at the school now

• Continue the development of a Student Support Services program to ensure an inclusive school.

• Work with the teachers of the French Department to review and continue to develop the program to ensure the needs of all language learners are being met.

• Develop a strong relationship with faculty, staff, students, parents and the whole community to ensure a strong sense of community and belonging for all.

• Recruit and retain excellent Lower School teachers.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• At least 3 years in a leadership role in an international school.

• A Masters Degree in Educational Leadership or similar.

• Leadership experience with an inquiry-based curriculum.

• Experience working in an inclusive school.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and written communication skills.

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS

• Visionary leader keeping the school’s mission and vision front and center.

• A desire to work as part of a collaborative team.

• A commitment to DEIJ initiatives.

• Be a reflective leader.

• Have a sense of humor.

• The ability to develop positive relationships with all members of the community.

• Visible and active in all aspects of school life.

• Committed to continuous improvement.

• Committed to student-centered learning, and ensures an inspiring, innovative, and safe learning environment.

• Leads by example; with integrity, honesty and transparency.

• Be a good listener.

• Emotionally intelligent with a high degree of cultural literacy.

• Ability to manage budgets.

PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES

Ability to speak French is a strong advantage, particularly in terms of being able to integrate into the wider community.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

ICSA offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with position expectations and market benchmarks. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

ICSA has selected Search Associates to assist them in the Lower School Principal search, with Caroline Jacoby as the Lead Consultant. The deadline for applications is September 14th, 2023, GMT. Applications should be sent to: Caroline Jacoby at cjacoby@searchassociates.com

Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the required materials as early as possible as ICSA reserves the right to close the selection process AT ANY TIME if the right candidate is found. The review of applications begins as applications are received. Candidates should send the information listed below in a single PDF file (the total document size should be a maximum of (4) MB) attached to an email:

• A letter of application describing your interest in the Lower School Principal position at ICSA, listing your strengths as a candidate and how your qualifications and experience align with the position profile and the school’s areas of focus.

• A current resume not to exceed two pages.

• A one (1) page list of four (4) referees who have been your direct supervisors, with current email addresses.

• A statement describing your leadership and educational philosophy, not to exceed two pages.