Sept. 12, 2017 e-Newsletter
RINGING IN OUR 40TH YEAR!
We kicked off our 40th Anniversary school year in a FUN way last week at our opening assembly. After the traditional bell-ringing by SGA President T.J. Tomaszewski, the entire student body cheered on Mrs. Gilmore (aka "BG" aka our Director of Academics and Curriculum), fourth-grade teacher Ms. Gilmore and middle school social studies teacher Ms. Palmer during an exciting, fast-paced round of "Indy Jeopardy!" Categories included Sports, Alumni, Faculty, Field Trips/Activities and general facts about our school.
Mr. Motta provided his wit and humor as host, while being sure to remind everyone in the audience that boys' lacrosse, which he happens to coach here at Independence, is the "best sport in the world." Mrs. Horsey and Mrs. Kacmarcik served as our esteemed judges to ensure a fair outcome! Ultimately, the Gilmore Girls tied for the championship, but the real winners were the students who earned extra recess time as a result.
The assembly concluded with a musical performance by Mr. Kitching and Mr. Raab, followed by a video slideshow that took a fond look back on the 2016-17 school year.
We are all looking forward to plenty more fun as the year carries on and we continue celebrating 40 years of inspiration, dreams and achievement.
REMINDERS
Online Ordering
You can now purchase gym uniforms, which are required for grades 4-8, and school lunches online by clicking the links below:
Additionally, if you would like to volunteer for IPA Lunch Delivery, you can sign up here.
Thank you to all who attended our Indy Rock Wall Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Sept. 5. Mrs. Yatzus, Head of School, joined Mrs. Horsey, who helped coordinate the project for the physical education department, and Mrs. Terri deGarbolewski, co-chair of last year's "An Evening Aboard The Patriot" auction, to do the honors. Mrs. Anne Wenger, who partnered with Mrs. deGarbolewski on the auction, was unable to attend the festivities. We'd also like to send a very special thank you to all of our donors, as this wouldn't have been possible without your generous support. The students are having a blast climbing the wall in the multi-purpose room!
40 Things to Love about Independence
Independence will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary throughout the 2017-18 school year. As part of that celebration, we will highlight, in chronological order, 40 points of pride for our students, our families and the Independence community as a whole.
3. Fall Sports Season
Our cross country, field hockey, boys' soccer and girls' volleyball teams all compete during the fall sports season, which kicks off in September with a spirited pep rally and concludes with the now-legendary student/faculty volleyball match in late November.
UPCOMING EVENTS
9/12 - IPA Meeting at 6:30 p.m. (Founders' Library)
9/14 - Academic Open House for grades 5-8 at 6 p.m.
9/25 - Secondary School Night for 8th graders and their parents at 7 p.m. (meet in Gore Auditorium)
9/27 - Lower School Picture Day
9/28 - Middle School Picture Day
9/28 - Academic Open House for ECI-grade 4 at 6 p.m.
Click here for the 2017-18 calendar at a glance.
Click here for the full 2017-18 school calendar.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our free Preschool Playtime sessions throughout last school year and over the summer. Details on the 2017-18 schedule are forthcoming!
THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL BLOG
Click the "Indy Insights" logo above for a collection of useful ideas, guidance and resources by members of our faculty, administration and staff.
Did you know that Extended Day offers a variety of special programs throughout the school year? Click here for all the details.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL JITTERS
By Dr. Dahra Williams, Consulting Psychologist
Happy back-to-school! With students and teachers returning to classrooms, the halls are streaming with smiling faces. We are all ready for a great new school year, right?
Often times, the back-to-school time is met with a myriad of emotions. Some kids can't wait to be back at school (yes – believe it or not!), some kids are just happy to see their friends; there is a lot of excitement but also a lot of apprehension and even some anxiety.
Unknowns are plentiful…
FIRST IPA MEETING
The Independence Parents' Association (IPA) will hold its first meeting of the 2017-18 school year at 6:30 tonight in the Founders' Library. The IPA is a great way to meet other parents, get involved in school life and even make some new friends! All are welcome, and we hope to see you there! Also, please be sure to check out the IPA's official page on our website by clicking here. You can find details on all upcoming IPA-sponsored events and initiatives.
"FAMILY BINGO NIGHT" COMING SOON!
The next installment of our wildly popular "Family Bingo Night," presented by the IPA, will take place on Friday, Oct. 13, from 6-8:30 p.m., in the gym. Further details, including how to register online, will be available on our website in the coming days, as well as in next week's edition of the Patriot Page.
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