February 2024 Employee Spotlight - Ms. Jones!

ICS February 2024 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Mrs. Jones, Registrar.

How long have you been at ICS and what do you do?

Pictured is Kim Jones, our ICS Registrar, with her son, Brayden from the class of '21, and husband, Craig.

I have been at ICS for 9 years and was hired in 2015 as an accountant. My current title is Registrar however, my job encompasses so much more than the title suggests. I would say for the elementary families whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my role is Registrar/Scheduler/Academic Administrative Assistant/FACTS/RenWeb Administrator and Graduation Program Director. 

What brought you to ICS?

My husband's company transferred us to Salt Lake from Southern California and we were introduced to ICS through mutual friends who are alumni parents.

What is one encouraging thing that has happened at school recently that you'd like to share?

The ICS memory that I will hold in my heart forever is being invited by the class of 2023 to give their commencement address last year. I know the question was not about memories but I mention it because sometimes when a momentous moment like that passes, you can question your relativity to the students moving forward. I am encouraged because I was recently asked to chaperone the Music Retreat and God has once again encouraged my heart to trust His will for my ministry here at ICS. 

What is your deep hope for your students and/or our school this year?

My Deep Hope for students is when their souls feel unsettled, when life's storms come, in the middle of chaos, failure, brokenness, striving for perfection, or the approval of others, in the middle of all the mess, that God would reveal His love for them so powerfully through me and others, that they would know their value is absolute, unchangeable, constant, complete, irrevocable. That they would believe in their worth so deeply that their spirit can be unleashed to change the world around them. 

January 2024 Employee Spotlight - Ms. Reed!

ICS January 2024 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Ms. Reed, middle school science and STEM teacher

How long have you been at ICS and what do you do?

Ms. Reed

I've been at ICS for 1.5 years (since August 2022) and I mainly teach middle school science and STEM (plus a new computer programming class, a creative writing class, and a high school physics study group)!

What brought you to ICS?

I came to ICS to begin a teaching career after many years in academic research. It's been a joy getting to see middle schoolers learn and make science fun for them.

What is one encouraging thing that has happened at school recently that you'd like to share?

Something that I find encouraging is hearing that my students are learning to like science more, when they may not have been as invested in the subject before. I appreciate they're willing to give my favorite subject a second chance!

What is your deep hope for your students and/or our school this year?

My deep hope is to build foundational knowledge, encourage creativity, and promote perseverance by engaging with God's world, resulting in increased awe and wonder of our Creator.

March 2023 Employee Spotlight - Mrs. Florell

March 2023 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Mrs. Florell, ICS high school science faculty

How long have you been at ICS and what do you do? 

I have been part of ICS for more than 20 years as all three of my children started in PreK and have attended all the way through 12th grade. My youngest is a senior at ICS this year. I coached volleyball for 14 years and have been a part of the HS faculty teaching Strength & Agility and Anatomy & Physiology for the past 6 years.

What brought you to ICS? 

Before my husband and I had children, I worked at what was Carden Christian Academy in Park City. The school was PreK-8th grade and it was there that I was "introduced" to ICS. Many families chose ICS for their children's high school experience after graduating from 8th grade, so when we had a family of our own we knew we wanted them to be part of ICS.

What is one encouraging thing that has happened at school recently that you’d like to share?  

My love of teaching is ultimately rooted in my love of learning, so when I learn something new, it feels natural for me to want to share it. The student reflections from my Anatomy & Physiology class upon completion of our recent FLEx project were of great encouragement to me. Hearing from each individual what surprised them about the topic, what they learned about themselves, and how the process integrated their faith with their work fulfilled me as a teacher. There are so many layers of intentionality that go into teaching as I attempt to connect each subject matter to a biblical worldview and draw out of students their potential in various categories of life. For my students at this time, my hope and expectations for them were matched by their experiences - and that was encouraging!

What is your deep hope for your students and/or our school this year? 

My deep hope is "What if my students humbly believed that their human bodies are evidence of an intelligent, imaginative, Creator of complex systems driven by God's order?"

February 2023 Employee Spotlight - Mrs. Harp

February 2023 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Mrs. Harp, ICS pre-kindergarten teacher!

How long have you been at ICS and what do you do? 

I teach full-day PreK and this is my first year teaching here at ICS.

What brought you to ICS? 

After teaching PreK for many years in the valley, I was looking to teach in a vibrant, authentic Christian community. Through a series of events, I feel God led me to ICS. I feel very grateful and blessed to be a part of this community.

What is one encouraging thing that has happened at school recently that you’d like to share?  

Working at ICS, I feel encouraged in so many ways! We have an amazing administrative team who lets us know when we are doing well and helps us grow, supporting us in our spiritual walk through devotions, prayer, and worship. There are also wonderful teachers here who are welcoming and so helpful.

What is your deep hope for your students and/or our school this year? 

My deep hope for the boys and girls in PreK is that they would grow in wonder and awe, exploring God’s creation and His deep love for us. My prayer for our school is that we would continue to shine God’s light in this valley and grow in Him!

January 2023 Employee Spotlight

ICS January 2023 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Mr. Uzi, ICS Maintenance Director!

Mr. Uzi Montiel came to ICS in 2007 with the understanding that it was a two week long work assignment. Fifteen years later, Mr. Uzi is still at the helm of ICS as Maintenance Director.

Before working at ICS, Uzi and his wife ran a women’s clinic that served women from Tooele and Salt Lake City. Mr. Uzi did a lot of the clerical and administrative work. The clinic eventually closed, and Mrs. Montiel took a position at ICS as the Spanish and health teacher. The Montiels also had 4 kids attending ICS at the time. The next natural step was for Mr. Uzi to join ICS’s team, too!

Mr. Uzi appreciates working in a Christian environment and considers it his ministry to work on Lion Lane. His favorite parts of his day are when he gets to interact with the kids and the people in the hallways. He can often be seen on the lift retrieving lost items from the tall ceiling in the gym, salting our walkways on wintery days, assembling furniture, painting walls, and doing whatever else he is asked to do. His ICS community can vouch that he completes all tasks willingly and cheerfully.

The ICS students and teachers alike would agree that Mr. Uzi is very deserving of much more than a month of recognition. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to your work at ICS, Mr. Uzi!