Expertise, Diversity, Experience Define 2022 Faculty Cohort

ICS is proud to welcome a group of newly hired faculty who bring a range of unique contributions to learning across the school community.

The new cohort includes teachers from 14 countries. The members of the group are experts in teaching and learning; more than half are joining ICS with 15 or more years of school experience.

Ellie Clark is the new Inception teacher, mentoring students through projects as part of ICS’s bespoke program created to offer a highly innovative and personalized learning pathway to graduation. Inspired by her own high school experience in England, Ellie spent nearly ten years at leading international schools in Asia and most recently spearheaded the creation and implementation of a future-focused diploma program in Beijing.

“I’m excited to be part of ICS and the Inception program because I enjoy helping students learn how to learn in their own way,” Ellie said. “My role as an educator is to expose young people to new things and help them realize their potential. The Inception students are motivated individuals, and I’m excited to help guide them and be part of their journey.”

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Jaikala Prasad is joining the ICS community as a physics teacher bringing 22 years of education experience. Along with her degrees in physics, finance management, and education, Jaikala has also completed coaching courses in global-mindedness. She has experience teaching around the world in several curriculum frameworks, including the Indian national curriculum, IGCSE, NGSS, A-Levels, AP, IB MYP, and IB DP. She also serves as an IB examiner, has organized global TEDx events, and values student wellness as a key pillar for impactful learning.

“As an educator I would like to give my best to the students but also help them focus on being mindful. I would like to empower my student community for better productivity,” Jaikala said.

“The students at ICS have a keen interest in learning. The faculty members are experts in their specific areas, but more than that they all have a common element of kindness in them which reflects in the way they interact. This is what excites me the most about this place.”

Teachers in the 2022 cohort bring a wealth of specialized skills and knowledge gained from their diverse backgrounds and career experiences.

Grade 5 Hub Teacher Eric Killion is joining ICS after more than a decade teaching PYP in Japan. Prior to teaching, Eric amassed a range of experiences, with successful careers in engineering and archaeology. One of Eric’s most impactful professional projects was his time working on a large-scale reforestation project in the United States focused on environmental sustainability.

As a teacher, Eric leans on his own journey of learning through doing. He aims to support students in thinking creatively about how to acquire new skills and knowledge and then apply academic learning in the real world. One year, Eric began learning to play the guitar and performing for his students as a way to model life-long learning, the value of resilience, and making learning fun.

"Leading educational research shows that students learn better when they are allowed to investigate, explore, and connect, which are three of the pillars of the ICS Elementary School's approach," Eric said. "I joined ICS because I believe in building connections with students that help them grow as individuals, take more ownership of their learning, and see themselves as positive contributors to their communities."