General Information
Students
ICS serves approximately 300 boys and girls in Pre-K through eighth grade from 15 surrounding communities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Class Size
In Kindergarten, there are 15 to 16 students per class. Grades 1-8 average 25 to 30 students per class.
Faculty and Staff
There are 11 full-time classroom teachers, five subject specialists, five full-time classroom aides, and three administrative personnel. All full-time faculty are certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Accreditation
ICS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Leadership Team
The mission of the Immaculate Conception School Leadership Team is to encourage students to use their God-given gifts and talents to lead by example, to serve others, and to foster an environment where Catholic Christian values can thrive. A student invited to serve on this team will be in good academic standing and of exemplary character. Meetings are usually held on the second Wednesday of the month.
Awards/Recognitions
We recognize the high academic standing of students in grades 5 to 8 with an academic honor roll. The following criteria are used to determine each award.
Principal’s Award:
All Academic Subjects: 95 or above
Conduct/Effort: 3 or better
First Honors:
All Academic Subjects: 90 or above
Conduct/Effort: 3 or better
Second Honors:
All Academic Subjects: 85 or above
Conduct/Effort: 3 or better
Honorable Mention:
All Academic Subjects: 80 or above
Conduct/Effort: 3 or better
A Good Citizenship Award may be given to those students who exhibit exemplary conduct and effort by receiving a rating of “five” in General Conduct and in each subject area for conduct and effort.
Any mark of less than satisfactory in conduct or effort in any class will prevent a student from attaining an honors status.
Spiritual and Faith Development
In an effort to foster the spiritual and faith development of all students, opportunities are provided for a variety of liturgical and para-liturgical services.
At least once a month the student body celebrates a Liturgy. A different grade is responsible for planning the Liturgy on these occasions. Parishioners, family, and friends are invited to celebrate with the faculty and students. Eucharistic Liturgies are celebrated in Church at 9:00 a.m. In addition, the entire school gathers daily for prayer, announcements, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Standardized Testing
The Stanford 10 and Olsat 8 are given in March to grades 2 through 8. Please note that standardized test results are but one of the ways we evaluate all students and their academic program.
The Extended Classroom
Regular opportunities exist for extended learning beyond the classroom.
- Art and Science Fairs, K to 8
- Enrichment programs presented by outside specialists, PreK to 8
- Field trips to enrich classroom learning in the arts and sciences
- Use of Newburyport’s rich cultural and natural resources, many of which are within walking distance of the school. Where appropriate, teachers utilize the Mall Pond, the Merrimack River environs, the salt marsh, local museums, the Superior Court, and the Firehouse.
Extra Curricular Activities
- Basketball, girls and boys teams, Grades 5 to 8
- Boy/Girl Scouts
- Cross-Country, Grades 7 and 8
- Destination Imagination, K to 8
- Al Mozier Playground
- “Journey” enrichment programs
- School Band, Paul Effman, percussion and wind instrument instruction program, Grades 3-8
Special Offerings:
- After-School extra help, complimentar, Grades 5 to 8
- Extended Day Program, 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm
School Events:
~ Annual Gala Event/Auction
~ Back-to-School Cookout
~ Book Fair
~ Advent Program
~ Field Day
~ Halloween Party
~ Ice Cream Social
~ Spring Concert/Art Show
~ North Pole Express
The Pre-Kindergarten Program
At the Immaculate Conception Pre-Kindergarten, we make learning fun in a structured, academically rich atmosphere. It is our belief that the more senses children use to learn something, the more likely they are to learn it.
Walk into our warm, colorful classroom and you might find students using macaroni to learn about patterns, or creating nine noodle necklaces to learn about the letter N.
In the dress-up or block area, and in the pretend kitchen, you’ll see children using creative play to learn some basic skills of daily life. Turn to the activity tables, and watch as students use scissors, paint, glue and glitter to develop small motor skills and complete the project of the day. In the ICS Pre-K program, the focus is on the whole child. The intent is to foster children intellectually, socially, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
The Pre-K program consists of a five day, 3 hour 10 minute session, with the option for a three day, 3 hour 10 minute session on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Pre-K is dismissed at 11:30 a.m. each day. Immaculate Conception offers an extended day program for Pre-K.
Tuition General Information
The tuition rate is determined based on the cost to educate a student at Immaculate Conception and in consideration of the contributions from parish assistance, development fundraising, and charitable gifts/bequests given to the Immaculate Conception School.
Families may apply for tuition assistance through www.factstuitionaid.com. Final decisions are made by the Principal on a yearly basis.