IC Blog
Ten Years of Building Together
Reflections from Our Head of School Following IC’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and the Launch of the Strategic Plan
I would like to begin by thanking everyone who joined us to celebrate International College’s first ten years.
It was a joy to see our community come together to reflect on the journey we have shared and to celebrate all we have built together. I hope you enjoyed the activities prepared for the occasion and felt the sense of connection, joy and belonging that makes the IC community so special.
The Moment That Captured It All
There was one moment during the celebration that, for me, perfectly captured what it means to be part of IC: seeing a band on stage featuring our students alongside their teachers, Santiago and Federico, and Facundo from our Security team, who played the accordion with them. Watching Pablo, an IC parent, take the microphone to sing, while teachers formed the best backing choir imaginable, filling the Arena with enthusiasm, emotion and joy.
It was a powerful picture of who we are when we work together: a community where people from different backgrounds and roles contribute their talents to create something far greater than any one of us could achieve alone.
A community that comes together, celebrates together and grows together.
What Ten Years Really Mean
During the ceremony, I shared some reflections that have stayed with me since arriving at IC. I would like to revisit some of them here, as I believe they deserve a moment of thoughtful consideration.
When does a school cease to be a project and become a community? I believe that transformation happens gradually, as people begin to feel that the place truly belongs to them.
I was not here ten years ago. I did not witness the opening of the first classrooms or experience those early challenges firsthand. Yet over the past months, I have had the privilege of hearing many of those stories. They have been shared with pride, affection and, often, with the kind of smile that appears when people recall something they helped create.
What moves me most about this milestone is that ten years allows us to look back with pride, while still recognising how much remains to be written. Ten years is enough time to establish strong roots, yet it is only the beginning of what a tree can become.
Today, we see the fruits of that journey reflected in the words of our student representatives, whose reflections speak not only of how far we have come, but also of the promise of all that is yet to unfold.
For those who would like to read the full speeches delivered during the ceremony, they are available below:
The Video That Tells Our Story
We invite you to revisit the first ten years of IC’s journey through this commemorative video.
Looking Ahead: Our Strategic Plan
The anniversary week was not only a time for celebration, but also one of meaningful reflection and collaboration. Alongside the festivities, we conducted focus groups with students, families, teachers and staff members as part of the process of developing the Strategic Plan that will guide IC through the years ahead.
This plan will strengthen our commitment to a systematic process of continuous improvement, focused on enriching the learning experience of every student. We will undertake this journey alongside Hortensia Prieto, General Director of Colegio San Roberto in Mexico, whose extensive experience within Nord Anglia Education will support IC throughout this strategic planning and development process.
Developing our Strategic Plan provides an opportunity to assess clearly where we are today, define together where we want to go, and establish the path that will turn that shared vision into reality.
Thank You for Continuing to Choose IC
I would especially like to thank you for the openness with which you have consistently provided honest and constructive feedback. Over recent months, your perspectives have helped me deepen my understanding of the school and our community’s aspirations.
Schools are built. Communities are chosen. Ten years ago, a group of people chose to build this community. Ten years later, each of us continues to choose, every day, to make it stronger.
Clear and transparent communication will be essential throughout this process. We want every member of our community to feel included and to recognise their role as an active participant in shaping our school’s future.
As I expressed during the commemorative ceremony, I have profound respect and admiration for the history that so many people have helped build over the past decade, and tremendous excitement for the future we are creating together at IC.
Thank you for joining us as we continue to write the next chapters of this story.
Kind regards,
Carolina Ferro
Head of School