Secondary School Placement

 

Independence graduates are known to be well prepared for the transition to high school. But what does that transition look like, and how do our students and their parents select the ”best-fit” high school after Independence?

Ensuring that our students (and their parents!) are well supported throughout the secondary school search and application process is a significant component – and indeed a valuable benefit – of the Independence experience.

Vita Biddle, a member of our faculty for more than 25 years, serves as Director of Secondary School Placement. Beginning in January of the students’ seventh-grade year, Ms. Biddle initiates a multi-step process to help facilitate high school enrollment for each and every student in the grade level. This process continues through the summer between the seventh- and eighth-grade years, and it doesn’t end until the students are enrolled in their high school choice, with many earning significant scholarships and financial aid awards.

• Notifications of upcoming open houses and shadowing opportunities;
• Dates and deadlines for all aspects of the process;
• A “Secondary School Night” at Independence, with 15-20 area schools represented;
• Personal meetings with parents/students to receive guidance;
• Streamlining the application process for families by gathering and submitting records, recommendation forms and other required materials, including student-created resumes.