May 30, 2018 e-Newsletter
BONDING IN BOSTON
Few traditions at Independence carry as much significance as the eighth-grade Boston trip each spring. A rite of passage of sorts, it serves as a culmination of so many memorable field trips and experiences throughout the students' time here, while also bringing to life much of what they have studied.
This year's trip, which lasted from May 21-24, included the following highlights:
- Visit to Plymouth Rock;
- Pool party at the John Carver Inn's Pilgrim Cove Indoor Theme Pool, which features a replica of the Mayflower and an 80-foot water slide;
- Plymouth Ghost Lantern Tour;
- Plymouth Harbor Cruise;
- Trip to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum;
- Tour of Fenway Park, legendary home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox;
- Magic and comedy show at the historic Omni Parker House hotel, complete with audience participation;
- Exploration of the New England Aquarium, where students viewed a 3D IMAX movie on pandas;
- Boston Duck Tour;
- Blue Man Group performance at the Charles Playhouse of Boston;
- Bowling and laser tag in Connecticut on the way home.
For the graduating eighth graders, the Boston trip truly stands out as a celebration of all that is special and great about an Independence education. We appreciate all the chaperones, including parents and faculty, who help make this trip such a success each year.
ON OUR WEBSITE
- Chess Club members participate in National Elementary Championships
- First-grade Mammal Zoo project enriched with incorporation of green screen technology (with photo and video galleries)
- Tennis undefeated for 7th season in a row
- Spring Concert Galleries:
- Fourth-grade Mini Society Business Session II (photo gallery)
- Seventh-grade Latin Social Media Project (photo gallery)
- Girls' Lacrosse undefeated for 2nd time in 4 years
- Two Independence Quiz Bowl teams compete at Nationals
- Grace Gong (Class of 2014) gives Independence a U.S. Presidential Scholar for 4th consecutive year
- "Indy Insights" blog:
- I Think My Child Might Have a Learning Difference… Now What? (by Vita Biddle, LeApps™ Specialist)
- Parental Involvement in Summer Reading: Preparing Your Child for Fall Class Discussions (by Illene Courtright, Language Specialist)
REMINDERS
Alumni Volunteers Needed
We are looking for Indy Alumni to help run the stations for our 4th- through 8th-grade Field Day on Friday, June 8 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. If you have a child who is an alum and looking for volunteer hours, please sign him or her up! For questions, please email Mrs. Horsey.
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.
34. Athletic Evening
Taking place at the end of each school year, the Athletic Evening celebrates the fall, winter and spring seasons of Patriot Sports, as athletes from each of our 13 teams proudly recap their achievements and lessons learned along the way. The night concludes with a slideshow and the presentations of the Male and Female Athletes of the Year and the William Braune Athletic Scholarships.
35. Eighth-grade Reception
This special evening provides a chance for our eighth-grade students and their parents to get together prior to graduation for reminiscing while also enjoying some delicious catered appetizers and light refreshments. Faculty members who taught the eighth graders along their journey through Independence also visit to congratulate the graduates and their parents.
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The 10th Annual Indy 5K & 1-Mile Color Us Kids Run is six days away, and there are only four more days to take advantage of discounted pre-registration race prices. Don't miss out on this fun end-of-year event.
Click here to sign up and join us on Tuesday, June 5!
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Celebrating a Proud Nation
Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 24 for the 28th Annual Patriotic Program, "The United States: A Proud Nation." Our third graders sang 16 songs and recited seven speeches that all paid tribute to our great country. This year, we proudly dedicated the performance to our veterans and active duty U.S. Armed Forces, local first responders, and government officials, both locally and nationally.
The Delaware State Police Honor Guard and Sen. Nicole Poore from the 12th Senate District joined us for the event. Sen. Poore spoke to the students about patriotism and making a difference in our state and our country.
The third graders also created cards for veterans and handed them out to those who were in attendance as our special guests. What a wonderful way to celebrate Memorial Day!
Click here for photos from the Patriotic Program.
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Learning Beyond Our Campus
EARLY CHILDHOOD I
On May 25, ECI students traveled to Coverdale Farm Preserve in Greenville for a wonderful hands-on, experiential learning opportunity. They were introduced to several farm animals (mothers and their adorable babies) and learned a lot about each one. The children even had the opportunity to touch and feed some of the animals!
SIXTH GRADE
On May 22, sixth graders visited the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore and learned about every branch of science! Each exhibit is interactive, which gave them firsthand experiences with various scientific theories. Students had the chance to lie on a bed of nails to test weight distribution, and they also capped their study of the solar system by observing different satellite images and by watching a planetarium show called "Space Odyssey." Additional exhibits included Newton's Alley, which featured displays on sound, light and motion, Dinosaur Mysteries and a tornado generator.
SEVENTH GRADE
As part of a new partnership, seventh grade visited the Stream School at Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, Pa., on May 25 to explore many different living organisms in a local aquatic ecosystem. Students experienced "boots in the water" science by collecting organisms in the stream and observing them back in the lab. They conducted a full chemical analysis of the water in an outdoor laboratory, learning that stream health is about more than just seeing clear water. Not only did this trip top off the year in life science, but the seventh graders were also introduced to a variety of chemical tests to prepare them for their eighth-grade physical science class!
UPCOMING EVENTS
5/30 - Athletic Evening at 6:30 p.m. (Gore Auditorium)
6/1 - Eighth-grade parent reception from 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Fasick Gallery)
6/1 - Dance for grades 6-8 from 7-9 p.m. (gym)
6/4 - In-service day (school closed, Extended Day open)
6/5 - 10th Annual Indy 5K & 1-Mile Color Us Kids Run: registration - 5:30 p.m., 1-Mile Run - 6:30 p.m., 5K - 6:45 p.m. (register online at races2run.com)
6/7 - Eighth-grade breakfast and graduation practice
6/7 - IPA Hot Dog Lunch for all students
6/7 - Field Day for Kindergarten-grade 3 from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
6/8 - Field Day for grades 4-8
6/8 - Last day of school for all students!! (dismissal at 11:30 a.m.)
6/11-12 - Extended Day open
6/11 - Eighth-grade graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. (Gore Auditorium)
6/13-15 - Extended Day closed
6/18 - Summer at Independence begins
Click here for the full 2017-18 school calendar.
Click here for the 2018-19 Calendar at a Glance.
PREVENTING THE SUMMER SLIDE
By Ms. Vita Biddle, LeApps™ Specialist
Almost nothing beats that euphoric feeling that children, parents, (and dare I say, some teachers) feel when those first glorious days of summer begin! It is a time of universal happiness and playfulness. As one day gradually unfolds into the next, tensions and stress seem to melt away like the ice cream seeping down the side of a waffle cone!
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STUDENTS, RAISE YOUR VOICES PROUDLY
General music teacher Dr. Sakamoto created a new project-based learning lesson by combining the teaching of the Alma Mater to Kindergarten students with instruction of keyboard playing to fourth grade. Since Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" is the melody of our school's Alma Mater, Dr. Sakamoto provided the fourth-grade students with the opportunity to teach the Alma Mater to their younger schoolmates after they themselves learned to play the accompanying melody. Not only did the students in both grade levels come up with a lot of neat ideas, but more importantly, they all enjoyed spending time together.
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2018-19 SGA ELECTION RESULTS
As the 2017-18 school year winds down and we begin looking ahead to 2018-19, elections for Student Government Association Executive Officers recently took place. Congratulations to all of our candidates for running outstanding campaigns and delivering their speeches with poise. Results follow below.
- President: Marty Coyne
- Vice-President: Clare O'Dwyer
- Secretary: Tess Wolf
- Treasurer: Olivia Kessler
- Historian: Sabrina Saggese
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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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