Mission Statement

The Independence School serves students age three through grade eight by working toward educational excellence and personal growth. We strive to graduate students who are academically successful and intellectually curious, demonstrate leadership and self-responsibility, and are appreciative of the arts and athletic competition. Our caring and nurturing school environment reinforces the core principles of discipline, honesty, citizenship, personal integrity, and respect for others in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Philosophy

The Independence School believes that educational excellence results when there exist in combination outstanding teachers, moderate class sizes, a pleasant yet disciplined classroom environment, and a sequential arts-and-sciences curriculum taught in a structured manner. A vital element in the success of an Independence education is a strong parent- school relationship fostered by extensive communication.

Independence welcomes any student age three to grade eight, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, subject only to his or her ability to demonstrate sufficient promise of academic success, parent-student agreement with and subscription to the school’s philosophy and regulations, and the satisfaction of financial obligations. The school offers need-based financial aid to accepted students to the limits of its availability.

The faculty, administration and trustees of The Independence School personally and professionally reflect and emphasize traditional American values in the Judeo-Christian tradition: moral and spiritual values, the family, the work ethic, the free enterprise system, patriotism, and the contributions of the cultural traditions that have formed our national heritage.

A student graduated from The Independence School should not only be highly educated in the basic literary and computational skills, but should also be a sensitive, moral citizen, intellectually curious and critical, a potential leader in society.

A critical element in the success of an Independence education is a strong parent-school partnership. An important aspect of this partnership is the school’s openness to parents’ and students’ concerns, as well as the parents’ and students’ willingness to abide by and to support the school’s philosophy, polices and practices, even when not in total agreement with them. Since teachers function as parents during the school day (in loco parentis), their judgment should be respected.

Goals

  • Moral and Spiritual
    • Faith in a transcendent, personal God, to whom persons are accountable for their actions; and belief in eternal life.
    • A moral/ethical system of values based upon the Judeo-Christian tradition: Holy Scripture.
    • With the school’s framework of religious and ethical values, a respect for the views and rights of others, whether individuals or groups, regardless of religion, race, nationality or ethnic origin.
  • Intellectual
    • The habit of objective, orderly thinking which originates in an esteem for truth, logic and fact.
    • A spirit of intellectual inquiry and honesty.
    • Clarity of judgment with no support given to prejudice, sloganism or propaganda.
    • Competence in understanding and expressing the written and spoken word, in problem-solving and computational skills, and in the principles of modern science and technology.
    • Early exposure to and later competence in a foreign language.
  • Social and Civic
    • Knowledge of and devotion to our heritage of democracy and loyalty to the ideals of America.
    • The assurance that American democracy is based upon the sound moral principle that all persons have inalienable rights.
    • Active and conscientious participation in the political processes of our Republic.
    • A sense of civic responsibility and a regard for all duly constituted authority.
    • Daily practice of the social graces through refinement in manners, speech and dress.
  • Aesthetic
    • An appreciation of excellence in literature and the other fine arts.
    • A sense of discrimination in regard to all media of communications: newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, television, radio, and theater.
    • The ability to discover and appreciate the treasures of art and the masterpieces of music, dance, drama, and film.
  • Health and Physical
    • A respect for the human body.
    • Active participation in the physical education program in proportion to individual capacity and ability.
    • A program of intramural and interscholastic sports as broad and diverse as possible.
    • A concern for physical fitness and personal hygiene that will carry over into the adult years.
    • The development confidence, discipline, self-control and team leadership.