March 6, 2018 e-Newsletter
City of Brotherly Love - Part 1
On Feb. 28, the seventh graders took the first of their two annual trips to Philadelphia, with the purpose of this visit to enrich their study of the Revolution, Articles of Confederation, Constitutional Convention and the Constitution itself. The students toured Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell and the interactive National Constitution Center, in addition to being Independence's first seventh-grade class to visit the Museum of the American Revolution, which opened in April 2017.
ON OUR WEBSITE
- Combusters place 1st at First State FIRST LEGO League Champions Tournament
- One Hundred Days of Inspiration, Dreams and Achievement (with photo gallery)
- In celebration of 40th anniversary, Independence announces 1st-ever Alumni Awards
- Eighth graders gain real-life experience on UD field trip
- Two additional Independence students receive All-State accolades
- Official "Indy LIVE!" archive page
- Official "My Indy Story" video page
REMINDERS
My BackPack closure
Parent and student access to the student information section of My BackPack will close this Thursday, March 8, at 3 p.m. so that teachers can work on report cards. It will reopen Friday, March 16, after 4 p.m. Access to online re-enrollment contracts will remain available. Thanks!
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.
The Drama Club presents
Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by JAMES LAPINE
Friday, March 16, 2018
7 p.m. | Gore Auditorium
Join us for a full-length musical with custom lights and sound and a live pit orchestra!
For more details, visit the show's official event page.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
Into the Woods JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International,
New York, NY, (212) 541-4684 (mtishows.com)
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"STEMfest" returns to Independence on Thursday, April 5, 2018, from 6-8 p.m.
This free event is open to the public and promises to be a high-energy evening of fun. Students will engage in learning experiences created by the nationally renowned science and engineering roadshow known as the Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers.
The Mind Trekkers will offer more than 40 STEM activities at the event. The principles of physics, chemistry and engineering come alive with demonstrations and activities that will appeal to both elementary and middle school students.
Registration is required. Please click here to secure your spot!
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The 40th Anniversary Auction & Gala website is now live!
Click here to get your tickets today to join us on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Deerfield Country Club.
We are still looking to include exciting events and experiences in our live and silent auctions. Would you consider donating one of the following items below?
- a vacation home that you would be willing to spare for a week or weekend
- sporting event tickets or sports memorabilia
- a round of golf at your country club
- a good bottle of wine for our Wine Wall
- a gift card to your favorite establishment (restaurant, spa, salon, etc.)
*All donations are tax deductible
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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.
17. CDP Morning of Service
At the end of each trimester, our Character Development Program holds a Morning of Service, which encourages our middle school students in grades 5-8 to contribute in one of three ways: organize or clean an area around the school or campus; make a craft or project to share with the outside community; or serve within a classroom. Activities can range from reading to our Early Childhood students, to making dog treats for local animal shelters. Ultimately, students learn to understand the value of giving their time to others and the importance of being a contributing citizen in their community, both inside of school and out.
18. Roller Skating Night
Presented by the Athletic Department, "Roller Skating Night" gives students in all grade levels the opportunity to socialize, glide along to the beat of the music and have a blast with their friends outside of a school setting. The continued success of the event even prompted the addition of a second evening of roller skating fun for our 40th anniversary year!
UPCOMING EVENTS
3/8 - End of Trimester 2
3/8 - Roller Skating Night from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Christiana Skating Center)
3/9 - In-service Day (school closed, Extended Day open)
3/13 - IPA Meeting at 6:30 p.m. (Founders' Library)
3/14 - Spring Admission Open House from 8:30-10:30 a.m.
3/15 - Young Writers Scholarship Writing for grade 3
3/16 - Report cards
3/16 - Drama Club Production of "Into The Woods JR." at 7 p.m. (Gore Auditorium)
3/19 & 22 - Board Presidents Scholarship Writing for grades 5-7
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 is available now. 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.
Roller Skating Night
presented by the Athletic Department
Where: Christiana Skating Center
When: This Thursday, March 8
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: Entry Fee - $5; Skate Rental - $3
All ECI through fourth-grade students are required
to have a parent stay at the event.
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ANNOUNCING OUR FIRST-EVER ALUMNI AWARDS
In celebration of our 40th anniversary, The Independence School is proud to introduce our first-ever Alumni Awards. Nominations for the following categories are now being accepted:
- Outstanding Alumni Award
- Rising Star Alumni Award
To learn more or if you wish to nominate a candidate for either award, please click here.
Recipients will be determined in early April, and the awards will be presented at our 40th Anniversary Founders' Day Assembly on Friday, April 20.
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RADICAL ROBOTS
"Radical Robots" is a hallmark STEM and project-based learning experience in Mrs. Annable and Mrs. Schweizer's first-grade classes. In this project, students teamed up in groups and followed certain criteria on the way to designing robots with a specific purpose.
"Bob" herds goats.
"Joey" keeps homeless people warm or cool depending on the season.
"Tobor" serves fresh-squeezed orange juice at a senior center.
And these are merely a few of the ideas these innovative first graders generated for their robots.
Each group completed a planning sheet prior to construction that detailed the finer points of its future creation. From there, the engineering process began! After several days of hard work, teamwork and dedication, the students presented their robots as a group to their teacher and fellow classmates in the Innovation Station.
Every first grader took a turn talking at the front of the room, discussing the robot's name and purpose, describing the function of any movable parts and explaining likes and difficulties related to the project. The experience served as a great lesson in public speaking for these young students!
As an exciting bonus, QR codes were placed on each robot so that teachers, students and parents who visited the "100 Day Museum" on Feb. 23 could use their smartphones or tablets to view the presentations. All of the robots are currently on display in the Innovation Station.
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REVISITING THE TROJAN WAR
Mrs. Fallon's sixth-grade Latin students recently completed a multi-faceted project on the Trojan War. They were required to research both the war and its main characters and then use that information to write a paper. Additionally, they developed a plan to build a Trojan Horse, before ultimately bringing it to life with a 3D model. Finally, the students completed a group analysis, which provided them with the opportunity to reflect on how they worked together on all aspects of the project. Click here to take a look at all of the impressive models!
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Spring Open House registration is available by clicking here. Please spread the word if you know of any interested families.
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2018 Summer at Independence registration is 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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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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