April 16, 2019 e-Newsletter A Date at the Derby From the giant moss-covered horse, to the fancy hats and bow ties, to the bourbon tasting, to the jockeys… it was hard to believe that we weren't actually in Kentucky on Saturday evening at The Independence School's Auction & Gala, "A Date at the Derby." It was a fabulous night for the Independence Community!
Not only did we all have A LOT of fun, but we also raised A LOT of money to support our students. We came together to hit our $25,000 paddle raise goal for our outdoor classroom! Between the foundation grant that we have already secured and the money we raised on Saturday night, we are well on our way to hitting our $289,000 goal to get the outdoor classroom built!
We applaud our tireless auction chairs, Laura Fedale, Julie Thomas, Ivey Helmick and Robin Moody, as well as our décor chairs, Marea Kessler and Ashley Procope, who brought the Derby to Delaware. Without their months of work, events like this simply do not happen. We also want to thank all of our sponsors, auction item donors and wine toss donors for their generosity. We truly have an amazing community!
Check our website in the coming days for a complete auction photo gallery.
EIGHTH-GRADE MATH LEAGUE TEAM PLACES 2ND AT STATES
Congratulations to our eighth-grade "Alpha" team (Ben, Eason, Mia, Michael and Rich) and our seventh-grade "Gamma" squad (Louie, Olivia J., Om, Rai and Veer) for competing at the Delaware Secondary School Math League State Invitational Meets last week at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover.
The eighth graders tied for second as a team on April 9, while Mia placed third individually. The seventh graders competed on April 11.
Mia and Om were both recognized at the state banquet for finishing second in their respective grade levels after three regular-season Region 5 meets, while Olivia J. and Veer received recognition for tying for third regionally.
Way to go, mathletes! Eighth-grade Math League team Seventh-grade Math League team
We will be hosting two in-school Spring Open Houses on Tuesday, April 23 and Tuesday, May 7 from 9:30-11 a.m. Visitors may take a tour of our facilities and observe grade levels of interest in action. Please help spread the word about this pair of opportunities for potential families to experience Independence. Open House registration can be found at www.theindependenceschool.org/admission/visit. Thanks! UPCOMING EVENTS
4/17 - Latin Day at Tower Hill for 6th-, 7th- & 8th-grade Latin students
4/17-4/24 - DAIS Middle School Art Show during school hours (8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) at Tower Hill Founders' Gallery (click for directions)
4/18 - 41st Founders' Day
4/19 - Good Friday (school and Extended Day closed)
4/22 - Easter Monday (school closed, Extended Day open)
4/25 - Sixth-grade field trip to Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.
4/29-5/3 & 5/6 - ERBs for grades 1-7
Click here for the 2019-20 calendar at a glance.
ON OUR WEBSITE
REMINDERS 2019-20 Calendar at a Glance
The 2019-20 Independence Calendar at a Glance, which provides a look-ahead at dates for the upcoming school year, is available by clicking here.
Follow our Patriot athletic teams
Spring Sports action is now underway! Be sure to click here or on the logo below to visit the "Teams & Results" page, where you can stay up-to-date on all the latest news and recaps about Patriot athletics!
Plan your child's 2019 Please click the logo above to browse our diverse variety of camp options in one of three easy ways:
Spots for many camps are filling up fast, so don't delay - make your plans today! UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN On April 9, our fifth-grade students visited University of Delaware's Department of Linguistics & Cognitive Science Laboratories. It marked the first time the labs have hosted a field trip, and our students couldn't have been more engaged with understanding how their brains work.
They learned about research methods and participated in a brain hat project, which helps students determine the parts of the brain and their functions. Additionally, the fifth graders experienced demonstrations of several tests that help measure and diagnose potential issues to brain activity, including a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), an electroencephalogram (EEG) and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) simulator.
The trip wonderfully supplemented the fifth graders' intensive, year-long Learning Applications (LeApps™) course, which includes studying the brain, neuroplasticity and many other aspects of learning.
A WELCOME ADDITION Thanks to the fundraising efforts of our Student Government Association (SGA), we now have fabulous umbrellas for the courtyard tables! Happy spring!
OUTDOOR LEARNING PODCAST AVAILABLE NOW
Our Center for Wellness, Innovation & Learning (CWILTM) recently hosted a Parent Coffee on outdoor learning. Thank you to faculty members Lisa Principe (Early Childhood I), Barb Annable (first grade), Vita Biddle (LeAppsTM Instructor/Learning Specialist) and Sarah Ferrell (middle school science) for sharing their knowledge and obvious passion about this topic.
For those of you who were unable to attend this truly informative session on April 5, we share the latest Independence Podcast. Your feedback is welcome, both on the topic of outdoor education and on podcasting as a means of communication. |