ICS Deepens Commitment to Community Wellbeing

Last week, ICS Addis deepened our commitment to fostering a thriving community.

We had the privilege of welcoming Kirsten Pontius, a leading international expert in the field of wellbeing, for a three-day campus visit. Kirsten facilitated a series of practical workshops, focusing on self-care, behavior change, and sharing the responsibility of community wellbeing. These hands-on sessions gave participants tools to enhance not only their personal lives, but also the wellbeing of the entire ICS Addis community. Highlights included meal-planning tips to minimize stress as well as a community yoga class, which brought families and staff together in a shared experience of mindfulness and movement. Additionally, Kirsten will complete a comprehensive wellbeing audit, from which she will offer tailored recommendations to help ICS Addis continue to nurture a positive, healthy environment for all.

As part of our ongoing strategic initiative to prioritize community wellbeing, this visit was a significant step forward. Drawing on her experiences in other African and international contexts, Kirsten emphasized the importance of embedding wellbeing and recovery into everyday practices, echoing our school's research-based assertion that the wellbeing of our educators and families directly influences student success.

Elementary School Principal Calley Connelly, who spearheaded the visit as strategic lead of the ICS Wellbeing Task Force, shared her thoughts. “Kirsten and I share the research-based knowledge, and deep belief from experience, that teacher wellbeing is a key driver of student wellbeing. We know that healthy, connected educators are able to nurture healthy, connected young people. I am proud to work in a school where we understand the interconnectedness of our learners and teachers, and strive to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of all of our community members. Participants in workshops walked away with actionable plans to impact their own wellbeing, and the wellbeing of the community. Our collaboration with Kirsten will continue to pay dividends!”

This visit reflects ICS Addis’ ongoing dedication to continuously improving the wellbeing of our students, staff, and broader community as part of our holistic approach to education. In wellbeing as in all actions, at ICS Addis, we take care of ourselves, take care of others, and take care of this place.