The Indy Experience

Learning and playing in nature is woven into the student experience at every grade level. Our 90-acre campus of fields, streams, wetlands, ponds, and woods provides endless opportunities for exploration, discovery, and content-rich lessons. Independence teachers make the most of this extraordinary resource, knowing that outdoor education strengthens every academic area while supporting students’ health and well-being.

A highlight is The Funk Outdoor Classroom, a 57,600-square-foot space with 14 unique play and learning areas right outside our early childhood and kindergarten classrooms. From hands-on exploration to imaginative play, the possibilities are as limitless as the sky itself.

At Independence, we teach our students the skills that are key to academic success. We teach them to engage deeply and explore widely. Most importantly, we help them discover that the process of learning is full of joy.

Through our research-based LeApps™ curriculum (pronounced “leaps”), a long-standing hallmark program unique to Independence, students explore how the brain works, develop strong organizational habits, and implement the learning strategies that work best for them. The LeApps™ curriculum also provides opportunities for individual support in certain situations, guided study halls to apply and practice new skills, and drop-in lessons for lower school classrooms. 

Our classrooms foster learning and creativity through rich, language-focused experiences that guide each child on their exciting journey as a growing reader, writer, and public speaker. Independence students master foundational skills such as phonics, grammar, cursive writing, and vocabulary study. From early elementary research projects on mammals to major research papers as part of Capstone Projects, students acquire the knowledge and gain the confidence to produce the impressive writing that places them well ahead of peers in high school, college and even the workplace. Students grow from emerging readers and writers to confident, independent communicators capable of expressing their ideas thoughtfully and effectively.

Independence recognizes the importance of social-emotional learning because a child’s ability to manage emotions, build positive relationships, and approach challenges with confidence is essential for both personal and academic success. Students engage with a research-based curriculum, which helps nurture their social-emotional competence alongside foundational learning skills. The program focuses on growth mindset and goal setting, emotion management, empathy and kindness, and problem-solving, equipping students with the tools to thrive in the classroom and beyond. The school also has a dedicated Student Support Team, including a Licensed Psychologist, School Counselor, Literacy Specialist, Learning Specialist, and Dean of Student Life, to reinforce this work. In addition, students participate in a Health and Wellness course that emphasizes personal health practices, mindful habits, and strategies for overall well-being. 

The Center for Wellness, Innovation and Learning

Children master not only math, science, and English at Independence, but also conflict resolution, ethical decision-making, leadership, and character development. As students grow, so do their opportunities to take on meaningful roles, such as student-led conferences starting in kindergarten, Student Ambassadors, members of the Student Government Association (SGA), or leaders in athletics and the performing arts. In our unique Middle School Character Development Program (CDP), students explore ethical decision-making, our rights and responsibilities as citizens, and timely topics such as countering cyberbullying. Our students learn character and values daily from caring educators, through both direct instruction and quiet, powerful examples.