About Us

Welcome

The Independence School, an independent day school welcoming children age 3 through 8th Grade, provides an exceptionally strong academic foundation and so much more. At Independence, students learn to think for themselves. They learn independence. Our school mission, beliefs, and core values guide us to ensure we offer students an unparalleled educational experience, opportunities for leadership and a welcoming community for the entire family.

We look forward to getting to know you and your family and showing you how Independence inspires confidence, encourages big dreams, and sets young students on a path of lifelong learning.

Tim Costello
Head of School

Mission & Core Values

The Independence School inspires students to become independent, intellectually curious individuals who possess an exceptional spirit for learning, leadership and citizenship. Independence’s foundation stands on the core values of Respect, Responsibility and Integrity.

Belief Statements
Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Belief Statements

The Independence School

● Believes that educational excellence results when there exists in combination outstanding teachers, moderate class sizes, and a pleasant, well-managed classroom environment.

● Believes students benefit from a sequential, spiraling, research-based, and comprehensive curriculum.

● Believes in a learner-centered approach and various methodologies of teaching and learning.

● Believes in a strong parent-school-student relationship fostered by supportive and open communication in a collaborative environment.

●   Believes that a diverse and inclusive community provides a strong and rich learning environment and values the contributions of the cultural, ethnic, and religious traditions which form our national heritage.

●   Believes that our moral compass is rooted in the Judeo-Christian traditions on which our school was founded and recognizes and includes all spiritual belief systems.

●   Believes the development of good character emerges from a program that models and reinforces the core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity.

● Believes that all members of the school community should respect our spirit of patriotism and be responsible and engaged citizens locally, nationally, and globally.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We value the contributions of the cultural traditions which form our national heritage and believe that a diverse and inclusive community provides a strong and rich learning environment. The school teaches a respect for the views and rights of others, whether individuals or groups, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. We believe that respect for differences creates learning opportunities and increases engagement for all.

Goals:

Encourage and develop cultural empathy and involvement across all areas of school life
Engage in thoughtful and proactive efforts to encourage and welcome diverse perspectives
Promote character development and personal integrity to develop sensitive moral citizens
Create a welcoming environment by integrating our values of integrity, respect, and social responsibility

Middle States Accreditation

Strategic PLan

Our History

Independence was founded in 1978 by parents seeking a challenging education that would be strong in the academic areas, arts, foreign languages, and athletics. At that time, the school was located in a shopping center in Newark, DE.

Growth was significant, and the school purchased 16 acres of land on Paper Mill Road in January of 1980. During the early ‘80s, Independence's programs expanded, and our graduates were demonstrating the success of our program by their exceptional performances in many private and public schools throughout the county.

Today, the school occupies a 90-acre campus in the Pike Creek Valley (near Hockessin, Newark, and Wilmington, Cecil County, MD, and Southeastern Chester County, PA), and features state of the art facilities and outdoor classrooms. Please use the arrows in the timeline below to learn more about The Independence School's history, through the years.

About the Quill

Honoring The Independence School’s roots in patriotism, citizenship, and independence, the Quill has remained a strong and recognizable icon for Independence since the school was established. The original school logo featured a classic looking feather quill with the school name written in traditional script. The logo and Quill icon were updated in 2012 to reflect the school with a dynamic, celebratory, and joyful look, while remaining firmly rooted in traditional values. The addition of stars appearing to move up and out of the Quill, with the large red star visually bursting from the top, brings to mind the confident and capable Independence graduate.

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