Independence SPIRIT - Fall 2016

Spirit

Independence

in this issue

LESSONS WORTH LEARNING:

EXPLORING CHARACTER EDUCATION

T H E I N D E P E N D E N C E S C H O O L M AG A Z I N E

fall 2016

TEACHABLE MOMENTS AT WORK OR AT PLAY, OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES EVERY DAY TO GROW IN CITIZENSHIP, LEADERSHIP, AND VALUES. OUR COVER STORY EXPLORES THE MANY WAYS CHARACTER EDUCATION IS WOVEN INTO THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL.

in this issue OPENING NOTE / PAGE 1 COVER STORY / PAGE 2 PORTFOLIO / PAGE 5 NEWS + NOTES / PAGE 6 Q + A / PAGE 9 ALUMNI PROFILES / PAGE 10 REPORT OF PHILANTHROPY / PAGE 13

PA G E 1

O P E N I N G N OT E

When a goal is vitally important, you don’t trust to luck or fate that it will be achieved. You direct all your intention to ensuring that it is. At Independence, this is how we embrace the priority of character education.

a point of great pride Some of the best moments I experience in my work at Independence occur when people go out of their way to share feedback with me on the poise, maturity, and character of our students. This happens when new families visit our school for an admission event or their children come to spend the day. They tell us how warmly they were greeted and how fully they were included and involved. It happens when our students venture beyond campus on field trips and overnight stays. The adults they encounter along the way describe how polite and responsible, how attentive and engaged Independence boys and girls are. Perhaps most importantly, it happens when students who have now graduated look back on their time at Independence and report that the growth they experienced as scholars was just one part of an invaluable experience. The other lasting impact came as they grew into strong and caring individuals—citizens and leaders committed to a solid core of values.

Our cover story in this issue of Spirit explores how our school community comes together to achieve these impressive outcomes. It’s a story about high expectations, thoughtful pedagogy, and the power of a deeply held, widely shared commitment. It’s also a story

“WE’VE DELIBERATELY WOVEN CHARACTER EDUCATION INTO ALL WE DO EVERY DAY.”

about intentionality—about the way we’ve deliberately woven character education into all we do every day. Finally, it’s a story in which we should all, as members of the

Here’s to another outstanding year filled with exploration, invention, achievement, and growth!

With Spirit,

Victoria C. Yatzus Head of School

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

Independence School community, take great pride.

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 2

lessons worth learning: exploring character education

PA G E 3

As teachers at Independence instruct their students in reading and math, history and technology, they also focus on building strengths of another kind—quite different, but possibly even more important. These are lessons in character and citizenship.

It’s not unusual for schools to embrace a set of core values or work to nurture personal growth, but ask any educator who’s arrived here from another institution, and you will hear that Independence takes this commitment further. It is evident in formal programs such as the middle school Character Development Program (CDP) and a school-wide commitment to community service.

It’s also woven into everyday class discussions starting in the earliest grades and into myriad teachable moments beyond the classroom.

“This is not a package we bought or a program that we just decided to develop,” explains Bernadette Gilmore, director of academics and curriculum. “It’s in the bones of the school.”

Jonas Raab, technology education teacher, adds, “Every teacher here is working not just to focus on their content area but to help our students grow into good people and good citizens. If we weren’t, we’d only be doing a portion of our job.” “ U N D E R STA N D I N G A N D S E L F-AWA R E N E S S” Listen in on a discussion about ethical decision-making or digital citizenship at Independence, and you will see that character education is about more than do’s and don’ts. In fact, it encompasses some fascinating intellectual terrain. Yes, students learn to follow rules, but they also learn to ask questions: First of all, “Why are these rules important?” “What would happen to our classroom community if we didn’t follow rules?” And eventually, “Are there times when it’s right not to follow a rule?”

“Even with our young children,” says third-grade teacher Michelle Robinson, “we want to go beyond, ‘You just don’t treat someone that way’ and explore why. We want to build a framework of understanding and self-awareness.”

To do so, teachers talk through scenarios that make abstract ideas concrete. They draw on experiences from students’ own lives. They role-play.

“What does courage look like in everyday life? Let’s discuss a situation. What would a courageous person do if this happened?” continued on page 4

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

“THIS IS NOT A PACKAGE WE BOUGHT OR A PROGRAM THAT WE JUST DECIDED TO DEVELOP,” EXPLAINS BERNADETTE GILMORE, DIRECTOR OF ACADEMICS AND CURRICULUM. “IT’S IN THE BONES OF THE SCHOOL.”

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 4

lessons worth learning: exploring character education continued

Sometimes all it takes to unlock a world of insights is asking just the right question: “How could we do things differently next time so no one would feel hurt?” “If we replayed that moment from your school day, would you feel proud of what you saw?” “Are the things you say online things you would feel good saying to someone face-to-face?”

“Talking through questions like these has value on multiple levels,” explains Gilmore. “We’re giving our students a set of tools, as well as practice in using them. We are equipping them to work through important problems and questions.”

MEET RUDE JUDE As in every subject area, one of the key challenges teachers face in the realm of character education is to present ideas in an age-appropriate way—meaningful to students from age four through grade eight.

That’s where Rude Jude comes in—also his friends Patsy Pig and Bad Sport Mort. The characters all feature prominently in the book May I? Please? Thank You!, a text on manners perfect for third graders. It turns out that Jude is actually not a bad guy, explains Robinson, but he has a terrible habit of staring when he meets someone who appears different from him. Not surprisingly, his pals each exhibit their own instructive problems with manners.

“These characters give us a way to make an idea like empathy understandable to a nine-year-old,” explains Robinson, “something that would be impossible to talk about as an abstract concept.”

THE IDEA OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T EVEN EXIST A FEW YEARS BACK. NOW IT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

The I-to-I conflict resolution program, an established process for getting together and talking things through respectfully and kindly when disagreements arise, is another powerful tool for young learners.

“These approaches make a lasting impression,” says Robinson. “Children will bring up the example of Bad Sport Mort on the playground months after we’ve read about him. And, although you might not hear a middle schooler calling for an ‘I-to-I,’ they’ve internalized the essence of it. It’s still something they draw upon.”

A LWAYS E VO LV I N G “I’ve been at Independence over 20 years,” says Gilmore, “and I can say that character education has always been at the heart of what we do. However, the way we do it has grown and changed.”

One key has been to formalize the school’s approach.

Gilmore explains, “We wanted to be as intentional in the way we teach citizenship, leadership, and values as we are in any other academic discipline—to map the curriculum at every level.”

The result is a plan that builds from skill to skill and year to year, with clear expectations even in kindergarten. By sixth grade, the focus is on strengths of character, in seventh grade on beginning to imagine your professional future, and in eighth grade on digital citizenship.

The idea of digital citizenship is something that didn’t even exist a few years back. Now, it’s critically important. Students and teachers explore topics ranging from media use and cyberbullying to the online personas we each create and the digital footprints we each leave.

Like other aspects of character education, these are issues critical both here and now and far into the future.

“We only have the chance to work with children through their middle school years,” says Gilmore, “but we know what they do at this age is crucial to the people they will become in the adult world.”

-

PA G E 5

P O RT FO L I O

NEW DIMENSIONS IN LEARNING: STUDENTS EXPLORE THE MANY POSSIBILITIES OF 3-D PRINTING FOURTH GRADERS DESIGNING A BOARD GAME PRINTED OUT THE PLAYING PIECES FOR IT. EIGHTH GRADERS MAKING MODEL CARS PLANNED AND PRINTED AXLES AND WHEELS. A TEACHER WHO NEEDED A WHISTLE FOR RECESS PRINTED THAT, TOO. WITH 3-D PRINTERS IN OPERATION IN THE SCHOOL’S FOUNDERS’ LIBRARY AND ART ROOM, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE MIND-BOGGLING. “IT’S ALMOST MAGICAL,” SAYS TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION TEACHER JONAS RAAB, “BUT TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY IN MEANINGFUL, ORIGINAL WAYS, YOU HAVE TO GO BEYOND THE MAGIC AND KNOW HOW IT WORKS.” THE PRINTERS, HE EXPLAINS, MAKE THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS BY DEPOSITING MANY THIN LAYERS OF PLASTIC ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. “WHEN STUDENTS REALIZE THAT, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN PRINT AND WHAT THEY CAN’T,” ADDS RAAB. “THEY START TO THINK

“IF YOU TRY TO LAY DOWN LAYERS WITHOUT SUPPORT,” HE ADDS, “YOU JUST GET DRIPS. OF COURSE, THAT’S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, TOO.”

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

LIKE ENGINEERS.”

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 6

N E WS + N OT E S

Science Olympiad TEDxYouth@IndependenceSchool Biomedical engineering lessons

Green Service Club BioBlitz

TEDxYouth@IndependenceSchool

BIOENGINEERING AND BIOBLITZ

MOTIVATING CHANGE

Two recent projects gave Independence students

Taking inspiration from TED conferences that bring

fascinating opportunities to experience real-world

together influential thinkers and their “ideas worth

applications of science.

spreading,” Independence hosted its first-ever

In the first-ever BioBlitz, members of the Independence Green Service Club participated in a biological survey conducted in partnership with National Geographic and the National Park Service. Their goal as citizen

TED-themed event: TEDxYouth@IndependenceSchool.

In March, 100 middle schoolers joined nine engaging speakers, including eight Independence graduates, in exploring the topic of “Motivating Change.”

scientists: to work side by side with researchers and

Gathered in the Founders’ Library, the speakers

park rangers to survey ecosystems in Beaver Valley

described both their personal successes and struggles,

National Historic Park, using the iNaturalist app to

explaining that the path to achieving your dreams is not

identify and record the plants and animals they located.

always an easy one. Afterward, students joined in lively

Meanwhile, eighth-grade science students took part

breakout sessions.

in two innovative biomedical engineering lessons

“The goal of learning to lead is central to an

developed by University of Delaware professors and

Independence education,” says head of school Vicky

graduate students. In one, they were given the task

Yatzus. “And no matter what kind of leaders our

of examining spinal cord X-rays to assess the severity

students may become, the idea of how to motivate

of patients’ scoliosis and suggest treatment plans. In

change is one that will be important to them for years

another, they analyzed the ways in which bones fracture

to come.”

using physics concepts.

“These are perfect examples of how hands-on, realworld experience can bring science to life and yield a deeper understanding for students,” says science teacher Sarah Ferrell.

PA G E 7

Tennis

Science Olympiad

Boys’ Soccer

Quiz Bowl

Girls’ Soccer

ACADEMIC TEAMS EXCEL

PATRIOTS PERFECT

This marked an outstanding year for both the

The tennis and girls’ soccer teams each wrapped up

Independence Quiz Bowl and Science Olympiad teams.

their 2016 seasons with unbeaten records. In doing so, they joined boys’ soccer as undefeated; that team

In regional competition, the seventh- and eighth-grade

completed its second consecutive unbeaten campaign in

Quiz Bowl teams swept first through fourth places in

the fall.

a field of 22 squads. They thereby earned the honor of traveling to Nationals in Atlanta in May. Facing 160

For the 9-0 tennis team, this marked the fifth

teams from across the country, the Independence

consecutive undefeated campaign. The team’s overall

‘A’ team—eighth graders Dustin Fang, Raghav Garg,

unbeaten streak now extends to 50 matches, dating to

Aman Singh, and Stephanie Sullivan—went 6-2 in the

April 21, 2011.

preliminary rounds to qualify for the playoffs, ultimately finishing in the top 20 percent of the field.

Girls’ soccer went unblemished for a second consecutive season, and the third in four years, outscoring the

In April, Independence fourth through sixth graders

opposition 47-1 and amassing nine shutouts.

Elementary School Science Olympiad State Tournament.

Among other spring highlights, the boys’ lacrosse team

Event topics ranged from Estimation and Measurement

recorded eight straight victories to conclude the season

to Our Solar System and Amazon Ecology. First-place

at 9-2, marking its fifth-straight winning year.

finishers included fourth grader Olivia Jordan, fifth graders Sam McKeown, Richie Smith, and Michael Connolly, and sixth graders Mikul Duggal and Nick Zhu.

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

combined to earn 25 medals in the Delaware Private

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 8

E

“I REALIZED THAT ART IS A WAY TO REACH CHILDREN ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL, AND I FOUND THAT POSSIBILITY VERY EXCITING.” THERESE RISPOLI

PA G E 9

Q& A

U P C LO S E W I T H T H E R E S E R I S P O L I

A faculty member at Independence since 2004, Therese Rispoli teaches art to students age four through grade eight. She is the recipient of the 2016 Patricia A. Ireland Faculty Award, honoring the qualities of professionalism, compassion, and good nature exemplified by the school’s retired head, for whom the award was named. Rispoli’s daughter, Liliana, is a first-grade student at Independence and her son, Carmine, a preschooler.

HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER YOU WANTED TO TEACH ART?

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE

WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR

FOCUS OF THE ART CURRICULUM?

STUDENTS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM

I was always interested in drawing and

Each project is centered around one or

painting. Then, one summer, I did some

more of the Elements and Principles

volunteer work in inner-city Washington,

of Art. They are the building blocks for

I hope we can help create a love and

DC, with low-income families in a shelter.

creating, viewing, and discussing art.

appreciation for their own creative

Working there, I saw the power of art to

Our students gain an understanding of

capabilities, for the creative process, and

make a connection with kids who you

these building blocks by observing and

for the art that surrounds them.

might not be able to engage any other

analyzing famous works of art and how

way. I realized that art is a way to reach

artists in various cultures and throughout

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE YOUR

children on a different level, and I found

history have created. Creating their own

CHILDREN LEARNING AT THE SAME

that possibility very exciting.

artwork makes it tangible.

SCHOOL WHERE YOU TEACH?

WHAT’S THE PLACE OF ART IN THE

Most important, though, our program

INDEPENDENCE EXPERIENCE?

is about experiencing the process of

We give students the opportunity to

creating. By the end of eighth grade, I

challenge themselves in ways they might

want every student to be comfortable

not during the other parts of their day.

stepping out of their comfort zone and

They come into art and relax their left

taking risks. Creating art is a process that

brain a little and draw on different skills

often requires practice and multiple failed

than those they use in reading and

attempts before success. As Matisse said,

researching. The creative process is an

“Creativity takes courage.”

THEIR EXPERIENCE IN ART AT INDEPENDENCE?

I’m thrilled. Having taught here for

whole child.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN ART-MAKING. I still draw and paint on the side, especially in summer. Mainly, I paint portraits that family members and friends request, although my focus has shifted to creating pieces that my own children can take part in. I recently took up photography, capturing moments from my everyday life. It is a way for me to stay creative while on the go.

rounded, confident, and successful people our children become. I hear them say they owe it to Independence. That’s my husband’s and my dream for our kids, too.

“WE GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE THEMSELVES IN WAYS THEY MIGHT NOT DURING THE OTHER PARTS OF THEIR DAY.” THERESE RISPOLI

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

essential experience for developing the

so many years, I see the kind of well-

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 1 0

A LU M N I P R O F I L E S

IN THEIR DIVERSE ACHIEVEMENTS, GRADUATES PROVE THE POWER OF AN INDEPENDENCE EDUCATION.

“I HAVE THE CHANCE TO BRING SOMETHING NEW TO MY TEACHING EVERY DAY.“

KIM STERIN ’03: MAKING HER MARK IN TEACHING

When Kim Sterin stepped on stage at last year’s TEDxYouth@IndependenceSchool event, the situation was actually somewhat familiar. As a teacher at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, MD, Kim spends every day among an audience of young people, striving to engage and inspire. It’s work that offers both great pleasures and great challenges: “On the one hand, I have the chance to bring something new to my teaching every day. On the other, I need to guide and support kids who often face a lot of heartbreak in their home lives and unmet basic needs.” A practicing poet and aspiring educational leader, Kim is equipped with degrees from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins. One of her early inspirations, she says, came from a role model at Independence, Mrs. Holton, her seventh- and eighthgrade English teacher. “I could tell that she was truly passionate about her subject. She loved every book, every poem, every day. I thought, ‘Wow. I want to feel that way.’”

TEAGAN GREGORY ’01: AT HOME IN THE LAW

An attorney with the firm Williams & Connolly in Washington, DC, Teagan Gregory focuses on complex commercial litigation involving antitrust matters and intellectual property. It’s fascinating, challenging work, to which he brings an impressive background. A highly honored graduate of the University of Delaware, he was a scholarship student at the University of Michigan Law School, and upon graduating, clerked for a federal judge in Wilmington. (During the year of his clerkship, he lived with an old classmate from Independence—one of several to whom he remains quite close.) Immersed in a profession that demands notoriously long hours, Teagan says he’s fortunate that he actually enjoys the work. “I like the competitive aspect of it. I like the public speaking. And I love the chance to learn. With each new case, I get to immerse myself in a new industry, new technology, or new area of the law.”

“WITH EACH NEW CASE, I GET TO IMMERSE MYSELF IN A NEW INDUSTRY, NEW TECHNOLOGY, OR NEW AREA OF THE LAW.”

PA G E 1 1

TROY ’10 AND COLBY ’12 REEDER: BLUE HEN BROTHERS

For football standouts Troy and Colby Reeder, the events of this fall have a bit of a storybook quality. The brothers grew up attending football games at the University of Delaware, where their dad had played, dreaming of one day playing together at the college level. Now they’ve seen that dream come to life. Troy, a junior who transferred to Delaware from Penn State, and Colby, a new freshman, are both strong students, both finance majors, and both starting linebackers for the Blue Hens. “Not only are we together on the same team,” explains Troy, “we are literally on the field together for just about every snap.” The brothers acknowledge the demands of being high-achieving scholar-athletes, in class all morning and on the field until 7:00 each night. “Fortunately, one of the lessons we really learned at Independence,” says Colby, “was how to manage our time.”

“FORTUNATELY, ONE OF THE LESSONS WE REALLY LEARNED AT INDEPENDENCE WAS HOW TO MANAGE OUR TIME.”

KATIE JACOBY ’04: HOW TO GET TO CARNEGIE HALL

“I always thought about a career in music. It was the thing I loved most, but the idea was a bit terrifying. Then gradually, it started to seem reasonable.” That’s Katie Jacoby’s description of her path to becoming a professional violinist—a path that’s since led to performances at Carnegie Hall and the White House, playing everything from heavy metal to big band jazz.

Currently, she’s putting together music for a planned album of her own. At Independence, Katie seized every opportunity to perform and also enjoyed Science Olympiad and Math League. “I may not be doing science these days,” she says, “but all the intense exhilaration of those years prepared me for all the intense exhilaration of life as a freelance artist in the New York music scene.”

“I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT A CAREER IN MUSIC. IT WAS THE THING I LOVED MOST, BUT THE IDEA WAS A BIT TERRIFYING.”

GREG MCCORD ’12: A FUTURE SO BRIGHT

His years at Independence left Greg McCord with many lasting friendships and positive memories, tracing all the way back to EC1. It also provided a great start to his academic three sports and graduated as valedictorian, Greg is now in his freshman year at Princeton studying computer science and also playing rugby. Looking back to his Independence days, Greg recalls great people—including 16 fellow Patriots who went on to join his class at Archmere—as well as a strong, balanced academic program. Looking to the future, he sees the possibility of a career in Silicon Valley. “It’s early to speculate, but my interest has always been in the ways you can apply math—maybe data analytics or programming.”

“MY INTEREST HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE WAYS YOU CAN APPLY MATH—MAYBE DATA ANALYTICS OR PROGRAMMING.“

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

and athletic careers. After four outstanding years at Archmere Academy, where he played

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 1 2

TELL US YOUR STORY INDEPENDENCE IS EAGER TO LAUNCH A CLASS NOTES FEATURE— AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. Specifically, we need your news: word of births and weddings, jobs and hobbies, and all of life’s milestones, major and minor.

Send us your notes and photos and we will look to share them, either in future print issues of Spirit magazine or online. Remember to tell us your class year and those of any Independence friends you mention!

Send your class notes to: Tanya Godsey, Alumni Relations Coordinator, tgodsey@tisde.org, 302-239-0330.

SPREAD THE WORD Independence has a beautiful new website and package of admission publications, but neither can match the power of another vital form of marketing—you.

Word of mouth from parents, students, alumni, and friends who love our school is the most effective advertising of all!

THEINDEPEND E NC ESCHO O L.O R G

PA G E 1 3

THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL REPORT OF PHILANTHROPY 2015-2016 The Independence School celebrates the generosity of each and every one of our donors who supported our students with a philanthropic gift to the school during the 2015-2016 school year. Each year, we reach out to all members of the Independence School Community— parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff, and former parents—to ask for their support of our mission. It is this unwavering support that allows us to create an exceptional educational experience for our students.

INDEPENDENCE CLUB $10,000 AND UP

STARS CLUB $1,500 TO $2,999

Bank of America

Ms. Denise Axe

Drs. Kieran and Chantel Connolly

Dr. Jeremie Axe

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Georgov

Barclaycard US

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Greggo

Dr. Jose and Dr. Marcia Castro

Mr. Jerry Hamstead and Mrs. Kim Hamstead

Christiana Care Health Services

Mr. and Mrs. J. Kevin Heitzenroder

Mr. and Mrs. William Crouse

The IPA

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Czerwinski

J.M. Huber Corporation

Mr. and Mrs. Satish Dola

Mrs. Victoria Yatzus

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Eddens

FREEDOM CLUB $5,000 TO $9,999

TOTAL AL GIVING GIVIN

$367,667

Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Goble Gunnip & Company CPAs Mr. Ryan Haydu and Dr. Barbara Albani

Dr. Deep Kahlon and Ms. Mona Singh Mr. and Mrs. Porter Schutt

Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland Mr. and Mrs. Jim Jennings Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Julian

SPIRIT CLUB $3,000 TO $4,999

Dr. & Mrs. Robert Kacmarcik, Jr.

Corporation Service Company

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kenton

Mr. and Mrs. Rohan D’Souza

Dr. Jag Kumar and Mrs. Shuba Gangaswamiah

First State Orthopaedics

Mr. and Mrs. Victor Marcelo, III

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Glick

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mark

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Johnson

Master Seo’s Tiger Kicks Martial Arts

Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Julian

Dr. Farid Moosavy and Dr. Azita Ravanbakhsh

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Keen

Dr. Carey Nathan

Dr. and Mrs. Alan McKersie

Mr. and Mrs. P.J. O’Dwyer

Drs. Munish and Anjala Pahwa

Dr. and Mrs. Michael J. Ryan

Pike Creek Animal Hospital

Drs. Sunjay and Neena Shah

Turf Pro Lawn and Landscape

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Shahan

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Vrana

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Sheets

WSFS Bank

Dr. and Mrs. Gary Singh

ANNUAL FUND

$198,920

Mr. and Mrs. J. Merrill Keen

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Slowik Mr. and Mrs. Lee Starnes Mr. Ravi and Dr. Vidyarani Subbaraya University of Delaware Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wyant Dr. Ray Yin & Ms. Jamie Wang Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP

The Independence Community has a strong tradition of giving back. We are so fortunate to have parents and friends who give freely of both their time and resources—including 588 donors who supported the school in the past year.

(Total Giving is a compilation of all philanthropic gifts to the Annual Fund, restricted endowments and scholarships, event sponsorships, and in-kind donations; Annual Fund is the total amount of all unrestricted gifts that support school operations.)

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Johnson

R E P O RT O F P H I L A N T H R O PY PA G E 1 4

INCOME 2015-2016

STRIPES CLUB $1,000 TO $1,499

Dewson Construction Company

Agilent Technologies

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Genoese

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ambler

Mr. and Mrs. David Hoffmann

Mr. Donald Ashwell

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Jensen

Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Berner

Dr. Paul Johnston and Dr. Jennifer Nauen

Dr. and Mrs. Kyle J. Bottorff

Dr. and Mrs. John MacMillan

Choice Medwaste

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Martin

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Craft

Mr. and Mrs. William Martin

Mr. Chunquan Dai and Ms. Yajiong Liu

Mr. and Mrs. Leith Munson

Dr. and Mrs. Steven Dellose

Mrs. Kathleen D. Neal

D’Souza & Associates

Dr. and Mrs. John Powell

ENT and Allergy of Delaware

Mr. and Mrs. David Roach

First State Orthopaedics Delaware Shoulder

Salesianum

to Hand Center

• • •

Mr. and Mrs. Clay Thomson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Freeze

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Warnke

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Giffin

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ziegler

Mr. and Mrs. John Heitzenroder

OTHER REVENUE 11%

Highmark Delaware

*Income from endowment, summer camp, and facility rentals

Mr. and Mrs. Rich Howe

FUNDRAISING 3%

Dr. Xintian Hu and Mrs. Chunhui Guo Dr. and Mrs. Alberto Iaia IFS Benefits Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Jones, Jr. Dr. Kaz Keen Compressed Gas

EXPENSES 2015-2016

Dr. Krzysztof Kowal and Dr. Wen Li Mr. and Mrs. Keith Mayhew Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Miller Mr. and Mrs. Jason Motta Mr. Dave & Dr. Joan Neikirk Dr. Lynn Okagaki Mr. and Mrs. Peter Peddrick Pegasus Technologies, LLC Mrs. Catherine S. Pomeroy Mr. and Mrs. Dante Principe, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Luca Saggese Dr. Amarnath Sortur and Dr. Jarita Dihenkar

• • • •

SALARIES & BENEFITS 61%

Dr. and Mrs. Peter Stchur Dr. Mani Sundararajan and Mrs. Meena

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 19% FINANCIAL AID 11% BUILDINGS & GROUNDS 9%

Service Unlimited, Inc.

Dr. Mark Fiss and Dr. Marissa Schnelle

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gilmore TUITION 86%

Mrs. Jane Fouracre

Panchapakesan Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Thomas To-Jo Mushrooms Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vrana, ‘00 Dr. Sean Wang & Ms. Monica Ho

WHITE CLUB $350 TO $649 ab+c Creative Intelligence Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balthis Dr. Ganesh Balu & Dr. Rooperani Bhat Benchmark Transmission Brandywine Urology Consultants, P.A. Mr. and Mrs. George Brown, IV Mr. and Mrs. Carmine Ciccolella Ms. Erin Coomes CE Solutions Mr. and Mrs. Martin Coyne Mr. and Ms. Joseph D’Amico Mr. and Mrs. Mark deGarbolewski Mr. and Mrs. Nitin Dhir Diamond State Financial Group Dow Chemical Foundation Dr. Cynthia Fallon Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ferris First State Printing Mr. and Mrs. Tom Fiss Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Foley Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Fullmer Drs. Manish and Shilpa Garg G. Fedale General Contractors Genoese & Associates, P.A., CPA Dr. Subramanian Gnanaguruparan and Ms. Rajeshwari Sunder Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella

RED CLUB $650 TO $999

Mr. Matthew Haney

Alpine & Rafetto Orthodontics

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Helmick

Mr. and Mrs. James Bischoff

Drs. Matthew and Trisha Jordan

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Brindley

Mrs. Laura Julian

Mr. and Mrs. Blake Cleary

Just In Time! Communications

Dr. and Mrs. John Courtright

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lentz

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Harra, III

PA G E 1 5

Dr. Shuiyuan Luo and Dr. Man Zhang

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Axt

Mr. and Mrs. Prodromos Mavridis

Mr. Srikanth Balagangadhar and

Ms. Teresa Messmore

Mrs. Sheela Srikanth

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Mitchell

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bair

Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Moritz, ‘91

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Berryman

Dr. and Mrs. David Nagurney

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Boyer

Nephrology Consultants

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brechter

Mr. Ruijie Niu and Dr. Lihua Wang

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bree

Dr. Jing Pan and Dr. Zhiying Zou

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Burke

Mr. Stephen and Dr. Michelle Papa

Mr. and Mrs. Damian Carlson

Mr. and Mrs. Vishal Patel

Mr. and Mrs. David Chorlton

Penna Orthodontics

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Corbett

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perkins

Crave Eatery

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pomeroy, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Cullen

Premier Urgent Care of Hockessin

Mr. and Mrs. William Dempsey

Ms. Terry A. Press and Ms. Victoria L. Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fairfield

Punk’d Pineapple, LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fallon

Dr. and Mrs. Declan Quigley

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Farrall

Dr. and Mrs. William Schmidt

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Fedale

Mr. Mark Seifert

Mr. and Mrs. Darrin Frampton

RACHEL WOOD AND JOE MILLER

Mr. and Mrs. John Shone

Mr. Michael Gattuso and Dr. Jean

INDEPENDENCE GRANDPARENTS

Dr. Kirsten Smith

Stewart-Gattuso

Dr. Jorge Soares and Dr. Elizabeth Bayley

Mr. and Mrs. William Gore

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Spear, ‘94

Ms. Amy Graham

Dr. and Mrs. Donald Suh

Mr. Nagesh Gummadivalli and

Dr. Jun Sun and Dr. Linda Peng

Ms. Pallavi Nandula

Drs. Deepika & Mihir Thacker

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Hayter

Dr. Mei-Wei Tsao and Ms. Sherry Huang

Mr. and Mrs. John Helmick

Mr. Brian Urbanek and Dr. Rebecca Urbanek

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hermes

Pratt Insurance, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Horsey

Dr. Harry Wang and Ms. Carrie Fang

Mr. Richard Julian, Jr., ‘93

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Wheat

Mr. and Mrs. Hong Jun Zhao

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Wilke

Mr. Taekyu Kang and Ms. Hyeryoung Yoon

Wilmington Infrared Technologies, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Vince Keedy

Dr. and Mrs. Gary Witkin

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Kirk

Dr. Tom Xu and Dr. Sharon Luo

Mr. and Mrs. Blair Kitching

“We believe in the critical importance of education, particularly in the sciences and particularly in middle school, a key period in children’s development.

We also believe in Independence.

We’ve known the school from its founding days and seen it grow from a corner spot in a shopping center to all it is today. That growth speaks volumes about the excellence of this school.”

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Knox

BLUE CLUB $160 TO $349

Mr. and Mrs. Chad LaFazia Dr. Cheng-Yu Lai and Dr. Daniela Radu

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Aghajanian

Mr. John Langan

Mr. Ashish Agrawal and Ms. Pooja Gupta Dr. and Mrs. Vivek Agarwal

Mrs. Christine Lewis Dr. Paul Li and Ms. Linda You

Mr. and Mrs. Sameer Ahuja

Mrs. Rose Maria Lombardi

PARTICIPATION PERCENTAGES

100%

100%

64%

9%

4%

3%

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

FACULTY

PARENT

GRANDPARENT

ALUMNI

PAST PARENT / GRANDPARENT

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

Mr. Joseph Lombardi

Mr. Thomas Antonelli

R E P O RT O F P H I L A N T H R O PY PA G E 1 6

Dr. and Mrs. Gary Lyons

Mr. and Mrs. Mike August

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Marley

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Baker

Mr. and Mrs. Sunil Mathur

Mr. Michael Barlow and Dr. Jennifer Barlow

Mr. and Mrs. John McMahon

Mr. Jack Barton, ‘15

Ms. Susanne Moran

Miss Adair Bartram, ‘14

Mr. and Mrs. David Morse

Mr. Carter Bartram, ‘10

Mr. Ted Myrick and Mrs. Laura Mackey

Mr. and Mrs. Brent Bartram

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Ng

Mr. and Mrs. William Bechstein

Mr. Kern Paark and Mrs. Myae Han

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bergner

Mr. Jun Young Park and Ms. Eun Kyung Cho

Ms. Vita Biddle

Mr. and Mrs. Paresh Patel

Mr. Derek Bischoff, ‘11

Mr. Chip Phillips and Ms. Aurora Gonzalez-Phillips

Mr. Maurice Black and Mrs. Dina Hollingsworth

Dr. Shaoming Qu and Dr. Siyan Wang

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Boettner

Mr. and Mrs. William Reid

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Bojanowski

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Reilly

Miss Cara Bottorff, ‘07

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Robinson

Mr. Christopher Bouchard, ‘11

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Ross

Mr. Nicholas Bouchard, ‘15

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaver

Dr. Steven Bouchard and Ms. Regina Bevel

Mrs. Rachelle Schindler

Miss Ana Bowe, ‘06

RYAN HAYDU AND BARBARA ALBANI

Mr. and Mrs. Doug Schneider

Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Boyd

CURRENT INDEPENDENCE PARENTS

Dr. and Ms. Shawn Shi

Mr. and Mrs. David Boyle

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Sieja

Mr. and Mrs. James Brady

Mrs. Denise Stitik, ‘86

Mr. Will Brechter, ‘01

Mr. and Mrs. Rodman Stull

Mr. Brandan Bree, ‘10

Mr. Stanley Sykora

Miss Margaret Bree, ‘10

The Sykora Family Charitable Foundation

Mr. Ryan Bree, ‘12

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Tamassia

Mr. and Mrs. Cory Brennan

Target

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brennan

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Tomaszewski

Mr. Joe Brennan and Ms. Amy Eyberger

Ms. Leila Toukan, ‘90

Mr. and Mrs. George Brown

Ms. Lixia Wang

Miss Frances Buckley, ‘12

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Wayock

Miss Madeline Buckley, ‘07

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Wenger

Ms. Kelly Bush

Mr. Bill Williams and Dr. Dahra Williams

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Camoirano

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Mr. Dominic Casarino

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Woodland

Mr. Daniel Castle, ‘12

Drs. Michael and Maria Woods

Miss Henna Castle, ‘14

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wuerstle

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cercena

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Yanick

Dr. Ross Chambers and Dr. Irene Rombel

Dr. Zhengang Zhang and Dr. Yan Jiang

Mr. and Ms. Steven Chantler

“We believe in the concept of giving back, and it’s something we want to teach our kids. We donate our time and invest in causes we know are important—and Independence is one of them. We believe in the philosophy of the school, we want to see it grow and succeed, and we want to support it in whatever way we can.”

DONOR CLUB UP TO $159

Dr. Avinash and Dr. Anuradha Chandra Mr. Hungcheng Chen and Ms. Chishu Chang Mr. Matthew Cleary, ‘12

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Abrams Miss Madeline Aghajanian, ‘13 Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Allen Mr. and Mrs. Jake Annable Mr. Philip and Dr. Anne Annone Mr. and Mrs. David Anshen Miss Lauren Anshen, ‘15 Mr. Mohammad Arif and Mrs. Ghazala Ilyas Miss Catharine Armiger, ‘08 Mr. Matthew Armiger, ‘06 Mr. Thomas Armiger, ‘12

Mr. Ryan Cleary, ‘11 Ms. Lauren Clift Dr. Brian Cohen and Mrs. Leslie McGregor Mr. and Mrs. Marc Comer Miss Natalie Comer, ‘14 Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Copeland Mr. Cavin Crowl and Ms. Michele Culotta-Crowl Mr. and Mrs. Michael DeBaecke Mr. and Mrs. Ralph DegliObizzi, Jr. Mrs. Nancy Deleski

PA G E 1 7

Lozada-DeNardi

Mr. Matthew Hogan, ‘12 Dr. and Mrs. William Hohman

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel DiGiacobbe

Dr. and Mrs. Mark Holliday

Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Doncel

Mr. Mark and Dr. Martha Hollomon

Mr. and Mrs. F. Neil Dougherty

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Horsey

Mr. James Duffy, ‘07

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Houseal

Mr. Joseph Duffy

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Howe

Mr. Sanjay Durgadin and Ms. Natasha Singh

Dr. and Mrs. John Hurt

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Durkee

Dr. and Mrs. Galicano Inguito, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Anit Dutta

Mr. Woo-Seok Jang and Ms. Bong-Kyung Cho

Dr. Matt Eichenbaum

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dr. and Mrs. Ozer Elbeyli

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Evans

Mr. and Mrs. James Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Evans

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Julian

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Evans, III

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Julian

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Evans

Mr. Andrew Kacmarcik, ‘11

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fabian

Miss Claudia Kacmarcik, ‘13

Dr. Shane Fang and Dr. XiaoQing Li

Drs. Chandra and Lalitha Kambhamettu

Ms. Josee’ Faubert-Spence

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kamps

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Ferreira

Mr. and Mrs. Parag Karnik

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ferrell

Dr. Stephen Kayiaros

Mr. Benjamin Fickes, ‘12

Mr. Nagaraj Kedda and Ms. Arathi Jayaram

Mr. Donald Finney and Dr. Victoria Finney

Mr. Brad Keen, ‘13

Mr. and Mrs. David Finocchiaro

Mr. Peyton Keen, ‘10

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Fox

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Kersey

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gandolfo

Mr. and Ms. Jahanzeb Khan

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Garrett

Mr. and Mrs. Sanjay Khanna

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Gelmann

Mr. Scott Killen and Ms. Amy Maliner

Mr. Matthew Georgov, ‘04

Dr. and Mrs. Brian Kipp

Mr. Ryan Georgov, ‘09

Dr. and Mrs. William Kipp

Mr. and Mrs. Otis Gilliam

Mr. Daniel Kitching, ‘01

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Godfrey

Mr. and Mrs. David Klaes

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Godsey

Miss Lisa Klein, ‘01

Mr. J. Gonsecki & Ms. E. Green

Ms. Christine Koense

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Gorton

Mr. Drew Koense, ‘14

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gouge

Miss Katy Koense, ‘15

Mr. and Mrs. Manish Goyal

Dr. Francis Kolpak

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Greevy

Miss Andrea Kowal, ‘15

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Griffin

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Koziak

Mrs. Robin Grogan

Dr. Heidi Kozic

Mr. and Mrs. William Grothaus

Mr. and Mrs. David Krahn

Mr. Michael and Dr. Heather Hahn

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krapf

Miss Magdalene Hall, ‘11

Mr. and Mrs. Marc A. Kreider, ‘82

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hanulik

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis LaFazia

Mr. and Mrs. William Harman

Mr. and Mrs. Sean Laird

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Hasty

Mr. Richard Langan, ‘12

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hasty

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Law

Mrs. Trina Haxton

Mr. Andrew Liss, ‘14

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hayes

Mr. and Mrs. David Liss

Mr. Jiamin He and Mrs. Sushuang Huang

Miss Jane Lyons, ‘15

Ms. Carley Hecht

Mrs. Jan MacLeod

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Highsmith

Mr. Lewis MacMillan, ‘15

Mrs. Anita Hodson

Mr. and Mrs. Suhas Mahuli

Ms. Jennifer Hogan

Mr. and Mrs. Zeke Maki

HIGHEST PARENT PARTICIPATION RATES

BY CLASS

+ 2ND GRADE

89%

ECI

89% 1ST GRADE

82 %

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

Mr. Stephan DeNardi and Ms. Elizabeth

R E P O RT O F P H I L A N T H R O PY PA G E 1 8

Mrs. Marie Maks

Mr. Troy Reeder, ‘10

Drs. Arun and Reema Malhotra

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Reeves

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Maloney

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reynolds

Mrs. Margie Masino

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Rispoli

Mr. Christopher McCord, ‘07

Mr. Charles Ristano, ‘97

Mr. Gregory McCord, ‘12

Mr. and Ms. Edward Ristenbatt

Miss Kerry McCue, ‘06

Mr. and Mrs. David Rodeheaver

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McDonald

Mr. Matthew Ryan, ‘14

Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDonald

Mr. Michael J. Ryan, ‘09

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McKeown

Miss Rebecca Ryan, ‘07

Dr. and Mrs. Carl Mease

Mr. Stephen Ryan, ‘11

Dr. Rupal Mehta and Dr. Shelly Arora

Ms. Tae Sakamoto

Mr. Russell Michalak and Ms. Jennifer Smith

Dr. Angela Saldarriaga

Mr. Adam Miklovis

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Samuels

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mills

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sanders

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Molen

Dr. and Mrs. Donald Sandusky

Mr. and Mrs. William Moses

Dr. Ragu Sanjeev and Dr. Ramya Varadarajan

Mr. and Mrs. Clark Mosier

Drs. David Satran and Tricia Wachtendorf

Miss Rebecca Moylan, ‘92

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Savage

MUNISH AND ANJALA PAHWA

Mr. David Myrick, ‘08

Dr. and Mrs. James Scarborough

CURRENT INDEPENDENCE PARENTS

Mr. Kevin Myrick, ‘11

Mr. Alexander Scarpone, ‘13

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Mumford

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Scarpone

Mr. Karna Nagalla, ‘14

Miss Samantha Scarpone, ‘09

Miss Cate Nathan, ‘13

Mr. Vincent Scarpone, ‘15

Mr. Christopher M. Novak

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Scherf

Drs. Kenneth and Nagella Nukuna

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Schweizer

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Nyabiosi

Mr. and Mrs. David Sentman

Miss Meghan Okoniewski, ‘10

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Shaw, ‘99

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Olsen

Mr. and Mrs. Yingwei Shi

Mr. Andrew Orzel, ‘12

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shockley

Miss Claire Orzel, ‘10

Mr. Lloyd Shorter and Ms. Jolly Clarkson-Shorter

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Osborne

Ms. Nancy Signorielli

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Osborne

Mr. and Mrs. Milt Simonds

Ms. Lara Osborne

Dr. and Mrs. Anuraag Singh

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Osland

Miss Maddy Singh, ‘15

Ms. M. Tina Palmer and Mr. Charles Perkins

Miss Sophia Singh, ‘13

Dr. and Mrs. Dhruval Patel

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Skiles

Mr. Kushal Patel, ‘15

Mr. Kieran Smith, ‘07

Mr. and Mrs. Victor Pelillo

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Chic Perry

Mr. Edward Z. Sobocinski

Dr. Kathy Pirestani

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Souleles

Mr. Jim Pizzutto and Ms. Janis Julian

Miss Kate Spaulding, ‘97

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Polis, Jr.

Ms. Tiffany Spencer

Mr. Paul J. Pomeroy, III

Mr. Peter Stchur

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Powell

Mr. and Mrs. Tristan A. Steichen

Mr. and Mrs. Sunil Prashar

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stepanic

Mr. and Mrs. Mario Procope

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stepek

Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Raab

Ms. Noelle Sugalski

Mr. and Mrs. Dariel Rakestraw

Miss Janelle Styons, ‘99

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Ramage

Mr. Jason Styons, ‘01

Mr. Sreenivas Rao Amara and Mrs. Savithri

Drs. Daniel and Regina Sullivan

“The school is providing our sons with a fantastic education, in terms of academics, extracurriculars, and citizenship. We’ve watched our boys grow each year in independence and responsibility, and we know this will serve them well in life. We feel grateful that they are having such a positive experience and are eager to help the school succeed.”

Bonala

Mr. and Mrs. Gurinder Syan

Mr. and Mrs. J. Paul Raymond

Mr. and Mrs. Jatinder Syan

Mr. Colby Reeder, ‘12

Dr. Xinyu Tan and Ms. Zhen Pan

PA G E 1 9

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Tarburton, ‘84 Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Thomas Mr. and Mrs. Chris Tourge Mr. and Ms. Loc Hai Tran Mr. Jason Tremble and Mrs. Linda Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Uebler, Esq., ‘95 Mrs. Joan Valentine Dr. Akash Varshney and Dr. Ekta Agarwal Mr. and Mrs. James Venema Miss Paige Vichich, ‘06 Mr. and Mrs. Tom Vichich Miss Laura Vrana, ‘03 Dr. and Mrs. Yushan Wang Dr. and Mrs. Lanier Watkins Mr. and Mrs. William Watt Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Whitaker, III Mr. Ross Whitehead

A NIGHT IN MONTE CARLO

Miss Emma Whitney, ‘09

On Saturday, March 12, The Independence School hosted its annual

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wilds

auction, this year with the theme “A Night in Monte Carlo.” More than

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Willin

200 parents, alumni, and friends enjoyed an evening of gambling,

Dr. Robert Wolf and Dr. Rachel Davidson

dancing, and bidding, all in support of our students. A special thank

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Wolhar

you goes out to our auction planning committee members, Pooja

Dr. and Mrs. Eric Wommack

D’Souza, Ann Balthis, and Ashley Procope, for helping to make the

Mr. Cullen Worsh, ‘06

night a success! This event raised more than $53,000 to support our

Miss Hannah Worsh, ‘08

students and faculty members.

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Wriggins Mr. and Mrs. William Wright Miss Elizabeth Wuerstle, ‘10 Miss Olivia Xu, ‘09 Mr. Zhengyi Xu and Ms. Shiyan Li Miss Erin Yatzus, ‘08 Miss Haley Yatzus, ‘11 Miss Katherine Yatzus, ‘04 Miss Emily Yin, ‘13 Dr. Hongwu Yu and Dr. Holly Shen Drs. Joseph and Elizabeth Zaher Dr. Zugui Zhang and Dr. Fang Fang Chen Dr. Yong Zhu and Ms. Yang Wu Mr. and Mrs. Lance Ziering Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Zinszer

Accuracy is very important to us.

If you feel that we have made an omission or error, please contact the Development Office at 302-234-9715.

THE INDEPENDENCE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION Created nearly 40 years ago, The Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) works to foster a closer relationship among students, faculty, and staff to further strengthen the educational experience of our students.

Every school year, the IPA sponsors many fun events and activities that benefit our students. This past year, the IPA raised $32,500, which went directly back to the school and helped support enhancements such as special field trips for each grade level, educational and cultural speakers and programs, yearbooks, and an iPad cart.

INSPIRE DREAM ACHIEVE

Drs. Neal and Susan Zondlo

S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 2 0

+ HEAD OF SCHOOL Victoria C. Yatzus

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016-2017 Kevin Heitzenroder, ‘85 President Bruce Georgov Immediate Past President Tom Czerwinski Vice President

WELCOMING

Bryan Keen Treasurer Bianca Fraser-Johnson Secretary Kieran Connolly, M.D. Joe D’Amico Peggy H. Eddens Daniel P. Johnson, Esq. Jennifer Kenton Margaret Shen O’Dwyer Lynn Okagaki, Ph.D. Michael Ryan, DMD, ‘80 Jeffrey Shahan Mona Singh Vincent Thomas, Esq. Rajeev Vaidya, Ph.D. Amelia Wyant, ‘90 Victoria C. Yatzus (Ex-officio)

KEVIN HEITZENRODER, ’85 AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kevin Heitzenroder has many points of connection to Independence. He’s a proud member of the Class of 1985, who went on to high school at St. Mark’s and then to the University of Delaware. He and his wife, Beth, are the parents of three daughters, Ashley, who graduated in 2016, and two current Independence students: Emma in seventh grade and Lily in fifth. In addition, Kevin has served for several years as a member of the board of trustees and is now stepping into the role of board

ADVISORY COUNCIL Ross W. Fasick Sally Gore Vincent N. Greggo Patricia A. Ireland Francis Julian Richard Julian Doris LeStourgeon David P. Roselle, Ph.D.

president.

As an alumnus, Kevin remains impressed by his experience at the school: “I didn’t fully realize the quality of the education I received until after I graduated. Then I saw how well prepared I was for the challenges of high school—and life.” As a parent, he’s grateful that his daughters have the same opportunity: “There’s just nothing like dropping your kids off at a place that is

SPIRIT PRODUCTION

safe and nurturing, with outstanding teachers, where

Sandy August Director of Development

you know they are going to have a phenomenal learning

Claire Brechter Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing

experience every day.”

As he takes on his new leadership role, Kevin’s goal, he says, is simple: “This is a way to give back to a school

Charles Ristano, ‘97 Communications Manager

that’s been so good to me and my family and to make

Kelli Wilke Photography

offer that same great education to more children in the

Kelsh Wilson Design Design and Photography

years to come.”

+

sure Independence thrives into the future so that it can

CONGRATULATIONS

AND BEST WISHES TO THE CLASS OF 2016!

“MY YEARS AT INDEPENDENCE HAVE BEEN A FABULOUS JOURNEY. I THRIVED IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND BUILT UNIQUE SKILLS TO FIT MY LEARNING STYLE. THE FACULTY SET HIGH STANDARDS AND INSPIRED ME TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY, AND I WAS ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE MY INTERESTS AND TALENTS THROUGH MANY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. AN INDEPENDENCE EDUCATION IS UNSURPASSED!” KATY CRAFT, ’16, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARD WINNER, ATTENDING TOWER HILL SCHOOL

“AS I BEGIN MY FIRST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, I AM VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM A GRADUATE OF THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL. DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL SEARCH, I REALIZED HOW WELL-RESPECTED MY SCHOOL WAS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW PREPARED I WAS FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC STEP. THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL PROVIDED ME WITH CHALLENGING ACADEMICS WHILE NURTURING ME TO BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER. THANK YOU!” JOSEPH SHEETS, ’16, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARD WINNER, ATTENDING SALESIANUM SCHOOL

THEINDEPENDENCESCHOOL.ORG

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

1 30 0 PA P E R M I LL R OAD, NEWAR K, DE 1 97 1 1 • 302 . 239.0330 THEINDEPENDENCESCHOOL.ORG