Feb. 13, 2018 e-Newsletter
Spartan Speech Standouts
From left to right: Tess Wolf, Madhuram Sundararajan, Shoshi Satran, Mrs. Boettner (moderator).
Congratulations to the following Independence middle school students on their Top-3 individual finishes at the 2018 St. Mark's High School Spartan Speech Classic on Feb. 3:
- Sixth grader Shoshi Satran – first place in oral interpretation (presenting a piece of poetry or prose);
- Sixth grader Tess Wolf – second place in declamation (memorizing a 3-5 minute speech that had been delivered in a public forum);
- Eighth grader Madhuram Sundararajan – third place in declamation.
Students competed by grade level (fifth-eighth) in the tournament, which was open to area private schools.
ON OUR WEBSITE
- Official "Indy LIVE!" archive page launches
- Two Indy Robotics teams qualify for FIRST LEGO League Champions Tournament
- Seventh grader Gautam Wadhwa places 1st in Indy Geographic Bee
- Official "My Indy Story" web page launches to coincide with video series' 4th installment
- SGA, Indy Community raise nearly $1,300 for leukemia research
- Eighth graders showcase science at annual Consumer Product event
- Indy eighth graders recognized by Padua, Salesianum, Ursuline
- "Indy Insights" blog: Independence vs. Collaboration (by Vicky Yatzus, Head of School)
REMINDERS
Volunteers needed for "STEMfest"
We are looking for parent volunteers from the science, technology and engineering fields to make "STEMfest" come alive on Thursday, April 5! Those interested should email Mrs. Bernadette Gilmore, Director of Academics and Curriculum. Independence alumni are welcome back to help us give students in our community a wonderful experience in STEM. Alumni volunteers should email Mrs. Godsey, Alumni Relations Coordinator.
IPA Lunch Volunteers Needed
The IPA is still in need of lunch delivery volunteers through the end of the school year. We welcome parents and grandparents to sign up and spread lunchtime cheer to our students.
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.
15. Patriot Club
Students who attend Independence from Early Childhood I through eighth grade join the prestigious Patriot Club. From their earliest moments in education to their emotional graduation day, these students share every school year together and grow up side-by-side as Patriots.
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Several Independence Chess Club members turned in strong performances at a pair of recent tournaments.
On Feb. 3, fourth graders Kabir Goyal and Jai Thacker won first place as a team in the Under 800 K-8 Rated section at the Greater Mid-Atlantic Chess Championships in Baltimore, while Kabir also garnered sixth place individually in the U800 K-6 section. Classmate Colin Kipp earned a trophy in the U600 K-5 Rated section.
A week earlier, first grader Raphael Lombardi and second grader Johnny Wyant teamed up to win second place in the K-3 Nonrated Section at the PECO Checkmate Violence Marathon at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Independence introduced Chess Club in the fall of 2016 under the direction of Mr. Greg Rogers, of Chess Masters of Delaware. Students in grades 1-8 have the option of participating either during recess or after school in Extended Day.
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2018-19 RE-ENROLLMENT CONTINUES
Re-enrollment contracts for 2018-19 are now posted to your "My BackPack" account. Please log in to locate the re-enrollment link and follow the instructions to submit your contracts online. You will be prompted to print a payment voucher that should accompany your re-enrollment deposit check. Contracts and deposits must be received by Thursday, March 1, 2018, to secure enrollment for next year. Please contact Donna Sentman, Admission Coordinator, at dsentman@tisde.org with any questions.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2/13 - IPA Meeting from 6-8 p.m. at Food Bank of Delaware's Newark Branch
2/14 - Happy Valentine's Day!
2/15 - Parent Coffee with panel of eighth-grade parents: "From Independence to High School – The Process and the Outcomes," presented by the Center for Wellness, Innovation & Learning, at 8:15 a.m. (Founders' Library)
2/16 - Presidents' Day Weekend (school closed, Extended Day open)
2/19 - Presidents' Day (school closed, Extended Day open)
Click here for the 2017-18 calendar at a glance.
Click here for the full 2017-18 school calendar.
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Registration for our next session on Tuesday, March 20 will be available soon. If you're interested in this FREE program, please email Donna Sentman, Admission Coordinator.
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Click the logo above to visit the winter sports "Teams & Results" page, where you can stay up-to-date on all the latest news and recaps about Patriot athletics!
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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.
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Did you know that Extended Day offers a variety of special programs throughout the school year? Click here for all the details.
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PATRIOT BASKETBALL TEAMS SHOW GREAT IMPROVEMENT THIS SEASON
Congratulations to our boys' and girls' basketball programs, which both experienced dramatic turnarounds from the 2016-17 season to this winter. After going 4-7 last year, the boys finished 10-1 in 2017-18, took an undefeated record into their final game on Feb. 9 and outscored the opposition by a combined 190 points in 11 contests. The girls, meanwhile, followed up a one-win season last winter with a 7-3 mark, including a six-game unbeaten streak to open the campaign. Way to go, Patriots!
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Congratulations to Maria Lombardi and Justin Molen, not pictured, who both received the Bishop Hyle and Principal's Academic Scholarships at the St. Mark's High School Scholarship Ceremony & Reception last week. Maria also earned the "All Things Possible" Grant. Great job!
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Independence is now on LinkedIn!
Please don't forget to follow us by clicking here.
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2018 Summer at Independence registration is now live!
Please click on the logo to browse our diverse variety of 2018 camp options in one of three easy ways:
- By category
- By grade level
- By week
You will also find a helpful FAQ, and you can thumb through galleries from every week of camp last year to relive the excitement and memories or simply see all the fun your child can have this year.
Don't delay on planning your child's 2018 Summer at Independence!
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Spring Open House registration is now available by clicking here. Please spread the word if you know of any interested families.
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Have you checked out our official Alumni page? You can keep up with all the latest news on our talented graduates. If you have your own alumni submission, please fill out the new form on the page or email Tanya Godsey, Alumni Relations Coordinator.
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