Hello! I’m Lauren Gessner, the Enrollment Manager at Immanuel Christian School. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about ICS as you prayerfully consider the best educational options for your family. Through this virtual tour and the video below, we hope you’ll be able to gain helpful information and imagine the life changing learning that takes place in our building every day. It truly is our school’s mission to partner with families to inspire students for purposeful lives of learning, godliness, and service. I know you’ll experience that for yourself once you step on campus, but in the meantime, let’s take a walk through our virtual tour.
Our main school entrance is known as the Breezeway. A ministry of Immanuel Bible Church, Immanuel Christian School was founded in 1976, serving students in kindergarten through 8th grade. After years of prayer and seeking the Lord’s direction, Immanuel Christian School expanded to include high school starting in the fall of 2019. The high school campus is two miles down the road, while our flagship K to 8 campus remains here at the corner of Braddock and Backlick in Springfield, Virginia, inside the capital beltway.
We have three kindergarten class sections, each with a full time teacher and teaching assistant. Kindergarten has its own wing with a dedicated bathroom, easy access to the gym, and an outdoor classroom where students plant a garden as part of their science curriculum, practice gross motor skills on the tricycle and scooter track, learn map reading skills in the giant covered sandbox, and even have story time outside in the fresh air. While the kindergarten classrooms each have different square footage, the largest kindergarten class has up to 16 students.
The three kindergarten classes condense to two 1st grade sections. We have two sections of each grade up through 8th grade, and teaching assistants up through 5th grade. Both the 1st grade and 2nd grade homerooms have in-class restrooms that connect the classrooms.
All classrooms are equipped with SMART flat panels and have the ability to support mobile tech labs. We have iPad carts, laptop carts, and tablet carts for student use. At ICS, we focus on integrating technology and media instruction into learning in a natural and responsive manner. Technology skills that support literacy, productivity, decision-making, and learning are acquired through practice and projects that enhance classroom interaction and hands-on competency. Our students deepen knowledge of themselves in a world that is technologically rich and ever changing through integrated content and application.
Our kindergarten through 4th grade classrooms are on the first floor, along with our updated gym space. Students in all grades participate in weekly PE classes, and starting in 5th grade, students have the opportunity to be on the school cross country team! Our 7th and 8th grades, along with high school, are members of the Northern Virginia Independent Athletic Conference (NVIAC) and the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) and compete in soccer, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and softball, with even more options in high school.
In addition to PE, kindergarten through 5th grade students have weekly art and music classes, library, foreign language, and technology instruction. Middle school students also have electives, where they choose from a variety of course options to explore a topic of interest further – anything from crocheting to sculpture to auto mechanics to photography!
On our 2nd floor, our middle school consists of 5th through 8th grade students. Students follow a bell schedule, moving from class to class with different teachers for each subject. Middle school is a critical time for students as they grow academically, socially, and spiritually. ICS is dedicated to supporting and encouraging students every step of the way as they progress through middle school. Teachers in fifth to eighth grades prepare students for Immanuel Christian High School with challenging academics and a curriculum designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Curricular, extracurricular and community service activities provide every student with opportunities for personal, social, academic, and spiritual growth.
The library media center is also located upstairs. Our library curriculum begins in kindergarten and builds from there. Special instruction is given on information literacy strategies, such as bibliographic citation, internet search techniques and resources, and understanding plagiarism and copyright standards. Our library supports our curriculum by providing quality reading, multimedia, and instructional materials to both faculty and students. Our collection of 18,000 volumes is balanced and responsive to the curriculum and recreational reading needs of our students.
All students have Bible class as part of their school day, and a biblical worldview is integrated into all subject areas. Chapel takes place on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Kindergarten and 2nd grades alternate with 3rd and 4th grades for chapel on Friday mornings, and 5th through 8th grades have chapel every Wednesday afternoon. Each homeroom also begins each day with prayer and class devotions.
Lunch and recess are also an important part of the school day! All students have at least one recess a day, with younger grades often having two. We have an expansive playground and green space for students to play and develop friendships. Kindergarten students eat lunch in their classroom to help them focus on the task at hand. Otherwise, students eat with their grade level classmates and one other grade in the lunchroom. Students pack a snack from home each day and can pack lunch every day as well, or order an optional hot lunch. We are not a nut free school because many different organizations use our facility, but parents of students with food allergies are encouraged to speak with our nurses regarding any concerns. We are blessed with two nurses on staff who serve our students in the Clinic, which is located right next to the main office.
Our website has extensive information regarding the curriculum we use and what to expect at each grade level. In addition to our rigorous academics, we offer enrichment and educational support to better meet the needs of all students and help them progress in their educational journey.
Thank you for taking the time to take this walk with us. We look forward to being in touch with you and answering any questions you have. Be sure to check out our website for more details about the admissions process and to apply online.
Thanks again and we look forward to see you soon!