Independence
Spirit in this issue
LESSONS LEARNED
The challenges, surprises, and successes of a year unlike any other.
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 2020
In This Issue OPENING NOTE / PAGE 1 LESSONS LEARNED / PAGE 2 NEWS + NOTES / PAGE 6 ALUMNI PROFILES / PAGE 8 ESSENTIAL CONVERSATIONS / PAGE 9 Q & A / PAGE 10 WATCH ME SOAR / PAGE 11 BACK ON TRACK WITH THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM / PAGE 11 MEET OUR TRUSTEES / PAGE 12 REPORT OF PHILANTHROPY / PAGE 14 REMEMBERING JAN MACLEOD / PAGE 20 FOUNDERS’ DAY & EIGHTH-GRADE GRADUATION AWARDS / PAGE 20
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O P E N I N G N OT E
The Spirit of a Start-up For Independence, just as for the world at large, the recent months have been challenging, to say the least. But they’ve also yielded valuable lessons and presented opportunities for growth. This issue of Spirit explores some of those lessons and opportunities.
Starting in March of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the course of our school year in as profound and sudden a way as one might imagine, we found
ourselves faced with the task of essentially starting a new school—a virtual version of Independence. We had never done any of the things we were then instantly required to do, and I am proud to say that as a school community, we rose to the challenge with all the energy and resourcefulness of the best start-up. In the weeks that followed, we learned lessons that ranged from the practical to the deeply meaningful. We became more adept at harnessing the power of instructional technology, and we became wiser in recognizing the limits of that power. We also saw more clearly than ever the strength of our school community, the resilience of our students, and the deep commitment of our faculty. I cannot thank or praise our teachers enough for the ways in which they have stretched themselves to the limit for the sake of their students. As I write, most of our students have now returned to campus and have done so with visible joy. It would be an overstatement to say life is back to normal. But what a phenomenal stride in the right direction this is—and what a powerful reminder these recent months have provided of the value of the experience we are privileged to share as members of this remarkable school community.
With Spirit,
Victoria C. Yatzus Head of School
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
“ WE SAW MORE CLEARLY THAN EVER THE STRENGTH OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THE RESILIENCE OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THE DEEP COMMITMENT OF OUR FACULTY.”
LESSONS LEARNED The challenges, surprises, and successes of a school year unlike any other.
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A
t the time, no one knew that March 13 would be the last “normal” day of the 2019-2020 school year at Independence—the last day teachers and students would spend together in-person and on campus. And no one knew what was to come: the job of completely reinventing the Independence experience to work in the virtual world.
As it happened, the need to adapt came suddenly. Just as faculty began to plan for the possibility that in-person learning might be interrupted at some point, that point had arrived. “It was all new and very challenging,” says Head of School Vicky Yatzus. “But we committed with full force, we got feedback on our efforts as we went, and we got better at it as the weeks progressed. As in any challenging situation, we looked for lessons we could carry forward and any opportunities for wins.”
Good Teaching
Twists and Tweaks
One of the most basic insights confirmed by the school’s
None of this, however, should suggest that learning mediated
sudden immersion in distance learning was, as several faculty
through digital platforms was identical to the classroom
members agreed, that “Good teaching is good teaching.”
experience. One fundamental reality to be confronted, says
In other words, the most important skills and techniques
Bernadette Gilmore, director of academic innovation, is that
Independence faculty members use to engage and empower
distance learning is simply more distant. “Even adults have
students in person tend to be the same ones that are key to
trouble staying focused as Zoom meetings wear on,” she says.
success in distance learning.
“The research shows it, and we all know it.”
Middle school social studies teacher Tina Palmer concurs.
In response, administrators and individual teachers modified
“I tried to keep the same elements of our regular classes. I
class schedules. “We would rarely be live and online for the
worked in the same ways to keep my students participating
full 48 minutes of a period,” Gilmore says. “We would use part
and found class discussions were essentially as active and
of the time for independent work and shift portions of lessons
productive as ever.”
to asynchronous delivery.”
Palmer cites a world mapping project, long a highlight of the
This was particularly important for young students. “It’s not
sixth-grade curriculum, as an example. “I wondered how this
developmentally appropriate or healthy for younger children
would work with the kids at home and the distance keeping
to have extended periods of screen time,” she explains. “We
me from helping them in the ways I’m used to, but it turned
just could not do that.”
out beautifully.”
Effective teaching recognizes and responds to the natural
The same proved true for the first-grade Mammal Zoo.
limits of learners’ attention spans, and when working by
Costumed raccoons and whales presented themselves via
Zoom, those attention spans can be particularly short. Mike
video rather than on campus, but on the upside, some were
Gwaltney, a nationally respected expert on distance learning
able to do so from habitats appropriate to their species.
who conducted a multi-day professional development workshop with Independence faculty, cites six minutes as an
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
Those opportunities, she says, ranged from the chance to accelerate technology adoption, to explore new approaches for assessing student achievement, and to think even more rigorously about the most effective ways to present curricular content.
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 4
important benchmark. A single video or activity running longer than this limit seriously risks losing its audience. Fourth-grade teacher Sarah Gilmore agrees. “You have to use a multitude of ways of reaching your students,” she says, explaining the need to change approaches frequently, for instance, shifting from whole-class activities to breakout
Reassessing Assessment Faculty members agree that one of the greatest challenges of working remotely is the difficulty of reading student reactions. In a physical classroom, good teachers sense when students are keeping up and when it’s time to pause and review.
rooms, from group discussion to independent work, from live
But, as Yatzus points out, “Zoom is very flat. You’re looking at
interaction to asynchronous learning.
a grid of tiny faces, and they are very hard to interpret.”
Unfortunately, she says, recording video segments for
In response, teachers came to rely on more frequent and
asynchronous viewing proved to be the single most difficult
different forms of assessment, particularly formative measures
challenge of the whole distance learning transition. Looking
designed to allow students to demonstrate—and to themselves
into a camera and delivering content with no chance to draw
understand—how well they were comprehending the material
on students’ energy and reactions took effort and imagination.
as a lesson or unit progressed. (These are in contrast with
“I had to pull out all my old high school acting tricks,” she says.
summative assessments, like exams, that come at the end of a
“I also got my dog involved. At one point, when I was recording
unit, too late for teachers to make real-time adjustments.)
a segment about adverbs and prepositions, she got to go on a very vividly described adventure in the woods.” Another important adjustment was to scale back expectations
“The goal is to see what the students know,” Sarah Gilmore says. “It’s also to let them use their strengths and show them off—one more way to keep them engaged and feeling positive.”
about the total scope of content that was possible to cover— prioritizing, focusing in, and aiming for depth of understanding. “There’s just no way we could move as fast over as much material,” Sarah Gilmore says. “But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t do good, meaningful work.”
THE STUDENT SIDE OF THE STORY To gather students’ insights on the distance learning experiences, a questionnaire was created for middle schoolers. Here’s a sample of the thoughts they shared.
What was your favorite part of distance learning?
What was your least favorite part of distance learning?
Probably waking up later in the morning.
Not being able to see/work with my friends. Doing work with a team makes the project so much better, and while there were breakout rooms in Zoom, they just weren’t the same.
Definitely waking up later. I had more time during the day to really work on some subjects I was confused on and put in that extra time. My favorite part of distance learning was the ability to track my homework and schedules very easily—and not having to dress up that seriously. My favorite part was the connection via Zoom. I was worried that I would have no contact whatsoever with my school friends. Many schools did not offer Zoom, and I was grateful to get to see everyone during this hard time of lockdown.
My least favorite part was that we couldn’t really do hands-on projects together. My least favorite part was the scheduling. Schedules were packed!
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She and other teachers found student-made videos a
with classmates. Independence has adopted a Pre-K through
particularly powerful tool, like the segment one eighth grader
eighth-grade Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program, which
made to demonstrate her understanding of the causes of
Gilmore says has proven particularly important for students
World War I—using an unusually articulate cow puppet as
during this period of remarkable uncertainty. SEL focuses
her narrator.
on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, increase children’s resilience in times of stress.
Perhaps the most profound insight confirmed by the
The school also planned some surprise “drive-bys” in which
school’s shared experience of distance learning was one
faculty dropped off materials at students’ homes and said
that transcends the purely academic. It is that connections
hi, fun events such as virtual field trips, and (thanks to a
between students and their friends and between students and
generous parent’s inspiration) even a virtual magic show.
their teachers are irreplaceable and essential to learning.
Administrators also went to great lengths to plan a drive-
“Children learn best in social settings,” explains Bernadette
by celebration in place of graduation. But then, at the last
Gilmore. “We know from research the power of the social
minute, Delaware’s governor changed the regulations in
and emotional components of school, but now we know it
place, making it possible for an on-campus event after all—
firsthand, too.”
and requiring that event to be instantly planned.
She explains that faculty and staff realized early on they
“It was wonderful that we had that opportunity,” says Yatzus.
needed to set aside time specifically for nurturing personal
“And it underscored another vital lesson of this experience:
connections—sparking dialogue, playing games, chatting
the constant need for flexibility!”
What new technology skills did you learn through this experience? How to operate Zoom meetings easily and smoothly. My typing has improved a lot. Also, I have learned all kinds of new ways to import a photo taken on your phone to put it on your laptop to turn in for a class. I learned how to screen record, scan papers, and join Zoom. I learned tips and tricks on Google Classroom and Zoom—shortcuts to manage the software faster and easier.
Do you have any suggestions for changing distance learning? I would have more class/group projects, even though it would be harder. First, I would limit the amount of Zoom. I would give 30-40 minutes of talking and then 30 minutes to finish classwork. I would also find a way to encourage more participation in Zoom so that more people would feel comfortable speaking.
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
A Sense of Connection
relationship skills, and decision-making, which can all help
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 6
N E WS + N OT E S
Best in Show—and Beyond
colorful interpretations of stained-glass windows
Eighth graders Rai Kahlon and Veer Pahwa earned
life—and to light—in a new way.
brought Ottorino Respighi’s “Church Windows” to
first place and Best in Show honors for middle
developed as part of Indy’s eighth-grade Consumer
A Broadway Favorite Comes to Visit
Product Showcase, was called “The Best Ball for
What could combine a loyal reindeer, a goofy
Your Buck” and evaluated which brand of tennis
snowman you can’t help but love, and memorable,
balls provided the optimal value while meeting
musical lessons in sisterly devotion and courage?
International Tennis Federation standards. The pair
It had to be the school’s full-costume production of
then moved on to the Delaware Valley Virtual Science
Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” in the Gore Auditorium early
Fair, presented by Drexel University, where they
last spring. To build excitement, the cast and crew
placed third to qualify for the Broadcom MASTERS
visited classrooms throughout the building the day
(Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering
before the show’s debut.
school competitors at the 25th Annual New Castle County Science Fair last spring. Their project, initially
for Rising Stars), the nation’s top middle school STEM competition.
Visualizing the Power of Music
“Screenagers Next Chapter” Like families everywhere today, those at Independence must navigate the multidimensional
When the Newark Symphony Orchestra gave a
wonders and challenges of life in a digital age. To
(pre-pandemic) performance at Independence, art
provide some useful insight, the school screened a
students in Early Childhood II and grades 3 and 6
timely documentary on this subject: “Screenagers
drew inspiration from it to create beautiful visual
Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills for Stress
works related to the featured musical program. Their
Resilience.” As the title suggests, this follow-up
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MY INDY STORY
to “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age”
White House Commission on Presidential Scholars for
explores ways of helping young people thrive in a
excellence in the classroom and beyond. He attends
world where virtual interactions play an increasingly
Princeton University.
important role and can bring considerable stress. Presented by CWILTM (the school’s Center for Wellness, Innovation and Learning) and sponsored
The Show Goes On
by The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of
Music—both choral and instrumental—is a cherished
Children and SafeStudents Online, the event included
and integral component of the Independence
a panel discussion and drew more than 400 students,
experience. Thanks to the creativity of our music
parents, educators, and interested members of the
department, led by Daniel Kitching ’01, director of
community.
bands, and Tae Sakamoto, orchestra and choral director, students were able to continue their music instruction and practices throughout our spring experience of distance learning. Making the best use
Any school would be proud
of available technology, band, choir, and orchestra
to claim the honor once;
students were ultimately able to collaborate to
Independence can now do so
produce a virtual spring concert.
for the fifth time in six years.
The event was recorded using Zoom and then
Yes, another Independence
scheduled for the school community to share via
alumnus has been honored
YouTube on June 2.
as a U.S. Presidential Scholar. He is Umar Aulia (Independence Class of 2016), a recent graduate of Tower Hill School. Umar is one of two students from Delaware singled out by the
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
Five and Counting
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 8
A LU M N I P R O F I L E S
JUSTIN XU ’17, MICHAELLA MOORE ’12,
PPE PROVIDER
MARSHALL SCHOLAR
A senior at the Charter School of Wilmington,
An honors graduate
Justin has always been
of Howard University,
interested in STEM and
Michaella has received
especially 3D printing.
a prestigious Marshall
When COVID-19 struck
Scholarship, which will allow her to pursue her master’s degree in the field of medical anthropology at the University of London starting this fall. She will then return to the United States to enter medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. Michaella’s ultimate goal is to practice medicine while also working in the areas of health policy and advocacy to reduce global disparities in health and healthcare. She notes that Independence helped
and many healthcare workers found themselves facing a shortage of protective equipment, he saw a wonderful way to put his talents to work. Justin began 3D printing face shields, with help from volunteers across the state, ultimately providing 300 shields to nurses and others in need. The highlight of the experience? The day staff at an area nursing home shouted their enthusiastic thanks across a parking lot as Justin made a drop-off.
her become “a versatile and creative learner,” and she still fondly remembers experiences including Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, and Mini-Society.
PAIGE KENTON ’16, SCHOLAR AND ATHLETE
A first-year student at the
ANDREW CERCENA ’13,
University of Pennsylvania,
START-UP STAR
Paige is interested in
For Andrew, a University
studying neuroscience
of Delaware senior,
and was recruited to play for the Quakers’ NCAA
entrepreneurship is much more than his field of
Division I women’s soccer program. But balancing excellence
study; it’s a way of life.
in athletics and academics is nothing new for Paige. Her
His ventures to date have
soccer credits include designation as the Delaware Gatorade
ranged from Wilmingo, a
Player of the Year as a senior at Padua Academy, while her
golf cart taxi service in
academic distinctions include being nominated as a U.S.
downtown Wilmington, to Snoop, a service connecting college
Presidential Scholar. Even more meaningful, however, was
applicants with college students ready to share unbiased
the chance she had to be a high school intern in the lab of
insights on school selection. Now, Andrew is exploring a
UPenn professor Angela Duckworth, a noted psychologist
new start-up that would serve professionals in the wealth
and recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Genius grant.
management field—a project with real career possibilities,
Paige’s favorite aspect of her time at Independence? “The
he notes. Andrew says his entrepreneurial mindset traces at
teachers! They were still some of the best I’ve ever had, and I
least as far back as middle school. “Even then, I knew I didn’t
remember every one.”
want to follow a typical career path. Independence helped me gain the strong sense of ambition and confidence I needed.”
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ESSENTIAL CONVERSATIONS The school’s committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion begins its important work. “It all has its roots in the school’s mission,” says Lynn Fabian, a middle school English teacher. The “it” she is referring to is the school’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a working group currently composed of eight faculty and staff members. Fabian explains her point about the mission: “To prepare students for lives of leadership and citizenship,” she says, “we need to equip them to thrive in a world that is ever more diverse and with people from an ever wider range of backgrounds and perspectives.” “We weren’t launched to fix a problem,” adds Dr. Dahra Williams, a consulting psychologist who works with Independence and co-chairs the committee. “Instead, the idea is to expand our thinking about the meaning and value of diversity and to bring greater intention to efforts that have been underway.” The committee is not a response to race-related issues that have commanded national headlines in recent months (the idea for its inception dates back nearly a year earlier), but those headlines have certainly underscored the relevance of the work ahead. “The idea began when several faculty and staff members attended an area independent school conference on multiculturalism research,” says Jenny Vrana, director of finance and operations and the other committee co-chair. “We left with the realization that there were some issues we at Independence should be thinking about more deeply.”
Several events and activities are planned or have already taken place. Committee members have attended professional conferences on diversity-related themes. Together with partners at Archmere Academy, they have invited Rosetta Lee, a nationally noted expert on anti-racism, to visit and speak. And they have planned an in-service activity focused on allyship in the independent school setting—allyship being a social justice-focused practice through which members of various “in” groups recognize the roles they can play in joining forces with those who are in some way marginalized. In addition, Independence faculty are excited to consider the possibilities for enriching classroom learning by engaging with issues of diversity. “This is fascinating territory to explore,” says Fabian, “and exploring it involves important skills: critical thinking, clear communication, and the ability to take part in civil dialogue. We have the chance to help our students learn how to have essential conversations with respect.”
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
This work is in its early stages and is beginning largely with exploration: building a baseline understanding of people’s concerns and perspectives, researching initiatives underway at peer institutions, and thinking about the most effective ways to include parents, alumni, and board members in a conversation that has begun with faculty and staff. “This is very much an exploration,” says Vrana. “We are not experts. We are learners.”
Q& A
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 1 0
W I T H BA R BA R A A N N A B L E
Now in her 15th year at Independence, Barbara Annable has taught first grade right from the start and has been a leader in creating the school’s new outdoor classroom. Annable is the recipient of the 2020 Patricia A. Ireland Faculty Award, honoring the qualities of professionalism, compassion, and good nature, exemplified by the school’s retired head. She was also named one of Delaware’s Top Teachers by Delaware Today magazine this September.
WHAT KIND OF HUMOR CONNECTS WITH FIRST GRADERS?
I might tell them that we are going to do something incredibly hard that’s actually super easy, or I might make a very serious announcement that snack has been canceled, and, of course, they know it hasn’t been. It doesn’t take much to tickle them. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU’VE SEEN IN 15 YEARS AT INDEPENDENCE?
YOU’VE NOW TAUGHT FIRST GRADERS FOR A TOTAL OF 26 YEARS. WHAT IS IT YOU LOVE ABOUT STUDENTS AT THAT AGE?
I love everything about them. They learn and grow so much in one year. They come to me as babies, and by the time they leave, they have become so independent and confident. In the first days of school, they want my help with all sorts of things. By the end of the year, their motto is, “I can do it myself.” First graders are eager to learn, they have absolutely no filters, they are hilarious, and they happen to like my jokes.
When I started here, desks tended to be in a row and things in general were more teacherdirected. Now learning is more social, collaborative, and projectbased. Also, technology has grown incredibly. We started with one or two computers in each room, and now we have a one-to-one iPad program. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THAT TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM?
First, it’s highly motivating and engaging. The kids love it. Second, it helps me differentiate learning, providing lessons exactly at the level of each child. It’s like having an extra teacher in my room.
ONE OF THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS OF FIRST GRADE IS LEARNING TO READ. WHAT DO YOU FIND IS THE KEY TO HELPING STUDENTS FIND SUCCESS IN READING?
The biggest thing is just helping the children to see themselves as readers. I help them feel comfortable taking risks and figuring out words by themselves. I give them some tools and plenty of time and praise and watch the magic happen. You see a change in their entire personality when they develop the power to read independently. They beam with confidence and have a whole different smile that stays with them in everything that they do. CONGRATULATIONS ON RECEIVING THE IRELAND AWARD. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE GOOD NEWS?
Oh my gosh. It was announced over an all-school Zoom meeting for faculty. It was not only a surprise that I received the award, but that it was even announced that day. I started tearing up. Patty Ireland was the person who hired me at Independence, and I have always had the utmost respect for her. I am proud and extremely honored.
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WATCH ME SOAR. Anyone who has visited The Independence School website in recent months will have been greeted by a succession of bright, confident student faces rotating across the banner at the top of the home page. And they will have read a series of equally confident statements captioning the photos. “I am a scientist,” one proclaims, “Give me Independence. Watch Me Soar.” Other students declare themselves “A Scholar,” “A Writer,” “An Athlete,” and “A Leader.” The messages are part of one of the most integrated and successful marketing campaigns the school has launched. Not only have they appeared at theindependenceschool.org, but also in digital and print ads, weekly social media posts, and even on the walls outside the admission office in the form of large posters.
The Watch Me Soar campaign highlights the many kinds of success Independence fosters, with engaging student portraits generously supplied by parent photographer Kelli Wilke.
“We chose the concept because it’s outcome-focused,” says Claire Brechter, director of marketing and communications. “It’s not about what the school does, but what we empower students to do.” Reaction to the campaign, she says, has been very positive, noting that to date, some 3,000 unique visitors to the website have explored the pages associated with the Watch Me Soar campaign. “We’ve received many inquiries from new families since COVID-19 hit,” Brechter says. “In part, it is because people heard that we were doing an exceptional job with distance learning. And, in part, it’s because Watch Me Soar has helped raised awareness of the school at just the right time.”
Back on track with the outdoor classroom
Not only have additional donors come forward to support the project, but two Independence alumni—who are also members of our Board of Trustees—are supporting the construction. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90, a current parent and president of the Board, and Kevin Heitzenroder ’85, an alumni parent and immediate past president of the Board, are both assisting with the construction of the outdoor classroom through their businesses, Eastern States Construction Service and Turf Pro Inc., respectively. We couldn’t be doing any of this without another alumni family, Ashley Quill Funk ’95 and Vance Funk, whose generous contribution in 2019 made the project possible. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in late October 2020, with construction expected to be completed by summer 2021.
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
COVID-19 may have caused a halt in the construction of our outdoor classroom last spring, but now that we are back on campus, we are moving eagerly ahead to create this exciting new addition for outdoor learning and play.
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 1 2
M E E T O U R T R U ST E E S
Introducing The Capable and Committed Members of the Independence School Board of Trustees Mrs. Amelia Wyant, President
and a member of the Independence Class of 1990, is president of Eastern States Group, a Wilmingtonbased residential and commercial real estate company. She holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Boston College and an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is the parent of three current Independence students. As an Independence graduate herself, Mrs. Wyant is a tremendous ambassador for the school and its generational impact on students and families.
Mrs. Rachel Wood, Vice
President, is a longtime educator who knows the importance of inspiring a love for learning, especially when it comes to the subjects of science and math. A former Delmar High School teacher and the K-12 science supervisor for the State of Delaware, she cofounded the Alternative School for Math and Science (ASMS), a charter school in Corning, New York. She is a graduate of Salisbury University, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the grandparent of two Independence graduates.
Mrs. Kristin Giffin, Secretary,
is Vice President and General Manager, Services and Support Division at Agilent Technologies, Inc. In her role, she is responsible for the P&L, strategy, portfolio development, and new product commercialization. She has broad experience across Agilent, including
roles in Manufacturing, Quality, Customer Experience, Operations, Strategic Program Management, and Digital Transformation and Analytics. Kristin holds a B.S. in Engineering from Cornell University and a certificate of General Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the parent of two Independence graduates.
Dr. Rajeev Vaidya, Treasurer,
is President of Alpha Investments and Services LLC and a retired senior executive from a Fortune 100 company. He has been active in investor education for over two decades. He was the founding president of the Delaware chapter of the National Association of Investment Clubs and teaches courses on investment for the University of Delaware’s Lifelong Learning program. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is the parent of two Independence graduates.
Command Master Chief Charles (Chuck) Baldwin
has enjoyed a distinguished career in both the military and public education. He was the co-founder and commandant of the Delaware Military Academy, served as principal of George V. Kirk Middle School, and most recently, was the president at The Charter School of Wilmington. He currently serves as Chairman of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs. Commandant Baldwin holds a master’s degree in Secondary School Leadership from Wilmington University and has served on the Delaware Principals Academy Executive Board.
Mr. Amish Desai is portfolio
manager and founder of Red Spruce Capital, a privately held registered investment advisory firm. After working as an institutional investor for Susquehanna International Group and Gardner Lewis Asset Management, Mr. Desai founded Red Spruce Capital in 2011. An alumnus of Drexel University, where he currently serves as Trustee and Chair of the Board of Governors, he is the parent of a 2020 graduate and a current Independence student. In 2021, he will begin responsibilities serving The Independence School Board of Trustees as treasurer.
Molly DiBianca, Esq. is the
Member in Charge of Clark Hill, PLC’s Wilmington, Delaware office, representing employers in employmentrights claims, discrimination matters, and equal employment disputes at the state and federal level. A graduate of the Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University, she is a frequent speaker and teaches best employment practices to human resource professionals, executives, and in-house counsel.
Mr. Bill Doroh is the founder
of Agreeance LLC. Formerly a principal with FedCap Partners, he has spent his career as an investment banker and financial consultant to the government contracting industry. He leveraged his investment banking background to found Agreeance, a
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Ms. Carrie Fang is the business
administrator at the University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship, responsible for the management of finances, grants, human resources, and oversight of the operations of the University’s Venture Development Center. She also serves as the principal of the Delaware Chun Hui Chinese School. She earned her M.A. in Library Information Science at the University of Arizona and her M.B.A. at the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics. She is the parent of a current Independence student.
Mrs. Bianca FraserJohnson has over 20 years of
experience in the financial services industry. Upon graduating from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, she joined MBNA and remained there until 2019, when she retired as Bank of America’s Head of Employee Financial Services. In addition to The Independence School Board, where she chairs the Advancement and Governance Committees, she serves on the Advisory Board for Leadership Delaware. She is also engaged with Make A Wish and Easterseals and is a catechist for St. Joseph on the Brandywine. She is the parent of two current Independence students.
Mr. Thomas (T.J.) Hanna
is president of Harvey Hanna and Associates, Inc. He has been instrumental in the company’s significant portfolio growth from 1996 to the present. Mr. Hanna is involved with numerous organizations in support of children and is the creator of the Delaware KIDS Fund, a charitable organization designed to assist local Kids in Distressed Situations. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics and is the parent of a current Independence student.
Mr. J. Kevin Heitzenroder,
a member of the Independence Class of 1985, is president of Turf Pro, Inc., a Newark-based fullservice lawn and landscape company. A graduate of the University of Delaware and a successful entrepreneur, he has also developed and managed multiple real estate projects in the Newark area. He is immediate past president of the Board of Trustees and the parent of three Independence graduates.
Dr. Mia Papas, a member of
the Independence Class of 1986, is the corporate director of the Christiana Care Value Institute, an embedded research institute committed to improving the health of Delawareans. She received her Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, her M.S. in Biostatistics and Epidemiology from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and her B.S. in Mathematics from Fairfield University. She is the parent of a current Independence student.
Mr. Jeff Shahan, a founding
partner of SB Real Estate, began his business career as a portfolio analyst with MBNA after graduating from Widener University. He entered the commercial real estate industry in 2008 while pursuing an M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance Management from Goldey-Beacom College. He specializes in leasing and investment sales of industrial, office, medical, and retail properties. A Delaware native and fluent in Spanish, he is a licensed associate broker in Delaware. He is the parent of three current Independence students.
Mrs. Mona Singh has a diverse
background in nonprofit committee work, public speaking, and community relations. She earned a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Wayne State University. She has worked as an environmental engineer and environmental systems manager for various Fortune 500 companies, including Chrysler’s Newark Assembly Plant. She currently sits on the Governor’s Council for Faith-Based Partnership and is the parent of two Independence graduates.
Vincent (Vince) Thomas, Esq. is a partner with the law firm
Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Widener University Delaware Law School and his LL.M. in Taxation from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. He is the parent of two current Independence students.
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
consulting company. He graduated magna cum laude from Kalamazoo College with a B.A. in Economics and Business and is the parent of two current Independence students.
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 1 4
INCOME SOURCES 2019-2020
With much gratitude… Dear Independence community, We are pleased to present the 2019-2020 Annual Report for The Independence School. It was certainly a memorable year on many fronts. After opening the school year in September on campus, our world was turned upside down in March. Not only did student learning look different, fundraising did as well. We all had to make tough decisions with most things going virtual, and it would have been easy for many of you to decide not to participate in the end-of-year activities, such as
• Tuition: 89% • Fundraising: 4% • Endowment: 3% ther Income: 4% •O
Income from Summer at Independence and facility rentals
the virtual auction, band and choral concerts, and graduation. We are grateful that you did! Thank you to all our donors, event sponsors, committee members, and school volunteers. Your support is critical to our success as a school. Whether your passion is helping to close the gap between tuition income
EXPENSES
and our day-to-day operating costs through the Annual Fund, financial
2019-2020
aid for students, classroom support for faculty, or programmatic and athletic enhancements, we thank you for choosing to invest in The Independence School. Together, we can accomplish anything! In spite of it all, the strength of the entire Independence community shone. We are inspired by our students and are ready to stand with Patriot Pride to serve the entire Independence community. Thank you for your continued generosity. Many thanks and much gratitude,
Michele C. Harra Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management
• S alaries/Benefits: 60% • T uition Assistance: 17% • P lant Costs: 10% • P rogram Costs: 13%
PA G E 1 5
THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL REPORT OF PHILANTHROPY 2019–2020 The Independence School is so grateful for the continued generosity of our community, including 569 board members, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, grandparents, former parents, and friends who supported the school and our students with a philanthropic gift during the 2019-2020 school year. All gifts enhance and enrich the school experience for our students and support the faculty, and we are so appreciative of each and every gift. Thank you!
SPIRIT CLUB
$10,000 AND UP
$3,000 TO $4,999
Anonymous (2) Ellice and Rosa McDonald Foundation Mr. Vance Funk and Mrs. Ashley Quill Funk ’95 Mr. and Mrs. E. Thomas Harvey III Mr. J. Kevin Heitzenroder ’85 and Mrs. Elizabeth Heitzenroder Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Julian Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Julian Mr. and Mrs. Alan Levin Marmot Foundation Dr. Deep Kahlon and Ms. Mona Singh The Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 and Mr. Jack Wyant Mrs. Victoria C. Yatzus
Mr. Maurice Abbott and Dr. Melissa Tribuiani Mr. Amish Desai and Dr. Payal Desai Evergreen Waste Services, LLC Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Glick Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. Johnson Mr. Richard Julian Jr. ’93 Keen Compressed Gas Co. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Keen Master Seo’s Tiger Kicks Martial Arts Dr. Mia Papas ’86 and Dr. James Symons Mr. Hayoung Seo and Mrs. Mi Jung Choi Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Stevens Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Vrana
FREEDOM CLUB $5,000 TO $9,999 Anonymous (1) Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists First State Orthopaedics Dr. Mark R. Fiss and Dr. Marissa Schnelle Mrs. Bianca I. Fraser-Johnson and Mr. Michael J. Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Giffin Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra III Mr. Ryan Haydu and Dr. Barbara Albani Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mark QVC Partners in Giving™ Matching Gifts Mr. Jeffrey Shahan and Mrs. Kimberly Criscuolo Shahan ’97 Turf Pro, Inc. WSFS Bank
STARS CLUB $1,500 TO $2,999 Mr. Donald W. Ashwell Bank of America Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Bree Jr. Drs. Kieran and Chantel Connolly Ms. Molly DiBianca, Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Fedale G. Fedale Roofing & Siding Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Goble Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. Mr. Thomas J. Hanna and Dr. Lexie A. Hanna Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Keen Mrs. Grace Kirk Dr. Jag Kumar and Mrs. Shuba Gangaswamiah Dr. Jun Li and Mrs. Fei Cheng Louviers Federal Credit Union Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Mitchell Dr. Munish Pahwa and Dr. Anjala Pahwa Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Luca Saggese Salesianum School Mr. and Mrs. Doug Schneider Mr. and Mrs. Joyesh Sengupta Mr. Jack Shi and Ms. Qing Gao Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Thomas Tower Hill School Dr. and Mrs. Rajeev Vaidya Wyant Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wyant
Mr. Ping Xu and Ms. Boon Huei Loh Dr. Tom Xu and Dr. Sharon Luo
STRIPES CLUB $1,000 TO $1,499 American Philanthropic Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Brindley Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cook Dr. and Mrs. John Courtright Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Craft Dewson Construction Company Mr. and Mrs. Rohan D’Souza Dr. Harry Wang and Ms. Carrie Fang Mr. and Mrs. Randal Farabaugh Mrs. Jane Fouracre Mr. and Mrs. Darrin Frampton Mr. Brian Funk ’94 and Mrs. Andrea Funk Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gilmore Gunnip & Company LLP Mr. Michael Hahn and Dr. Heather Hahn Mr. and Mrs. Richard Handloff Mr. Steve C. Hu and Ms. Ashley H. Yu IFS Benefits, LLC The Incyte Charitable Giving Foundation Mr. Guohua Jing and Ms. Yu Yao Ms. Laura Julian Dr. Stephen Kayiaros Kerith Foundation Dr. Joohyong Kim and Dr. Susan Kim Mr. and Mrs. Keith Mayhew Dr. Joan Neikirk and Mr. Dave Neikirk Mr. David Nichols and Dr. Louise Reid Nichols Pegasus Technologies, LLC Dr. and Mrs. John Powell Mr. Donald Puglisi and Mrs. Marichu Valencia Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ramone Mrs. Diana Rollins Dr. Michael J. Ryan ’80 and Mrs. Cindy Ryan SB Real Estate LLC Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaver Siegfried Advisory LLC Mrs. Nevann W. Smith Ms. Kerith Wang ’08 Dr. Sean Wang and Ms. Monica Ho Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Willin Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
INDEPENDENCE CLUB
R E P O RT O F P H I L A N T H R O PY PA G E 1 6
RED CLUB $650 TO $999
The IPA continues to be a strong contributor to Independence, with members giving of their time, their talent, and their treasures. In 2019-20, in addition to the yearlong schedule of IPA-sponsored events, the IPA established the Independence Spirit Store. Through the leadership of our talented and dedicated parent volunteers, the store was an immediate success. Due to pandemic restrictions limiting on-campus shopping in 2020, the store was moved online, and sales are now stronger than ever. In the spring of 2020, after the onset of COVID-19, the IPA supported the efforts of a group of eighth-grade students to donate and deliver meals and desserts along with student-made cards to area First Responders as an expression of our appreciation for their commitment to our community.
IPA’s efforts account for $80,104 of the Total Giving in 2019-2020 and have contributed toward: • Student Field Trips • Instructional Technology • Colorful Display Boards • Professional Development • Drama • Mindfulness Studio • SafeStudents Online • Class of 2020 activities The IPA is always looking for members to get involved! If you are interested in learning more, please contact Pooja D’Souza, Development Manager, at pdsouza@indyde.org.
Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Archbell Mr. and Mrs. George Brown IV Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Copeland Mr. and Mrs. Mark deGarbolewski Mr. and Mrs. William Doroh Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fallon Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Fiss Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Greggo Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kacmarcik Jr. Dr. Krzysztof Kowal and Dr. Wen Li Dr. Travis McKay ’98 and Mrs. Amanda McKay Mrs. Kathleen D. Neal Mr. Jing Pan and Ms. Zhiying Zou Mr. Zaiqi Pan and Ms. Yunqing Yuan Mr. Matthew Perny and Dr. Meredith Perny Service Unlimited, Inc. Ms. Weifang Sun ’96 The Tatnall School Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wyatt Mr. Zongping Yang and Ms. Yu Hao
WHITE CLUB $350 TO $649 Aloysius Butler & Clark Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ambler Archmere Academy Mr. Michael Barlow and Dr. Jennifer Barlow BCM Wealth Management Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Boulden Brandywine Urology Consultants, P.A. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brechter Mr. and Mrs. John M. Burris Dr. Brian Cohen and Mrs. Leslie McGregor Mr. and Mrs. Todd Coomes Mr. and Mrs. Mark Corbett Mr. and Mrs. Marty Coyne Dr. and Mrs. Hung Dam Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Dann Mr. and Mrs. Daniel DiGiacobbe Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Doncel Ms. Sue Doroh Dr. and Mrs. George C. Emmett Mr. and Mrs. Richard Epperly Dr. Xiao Fang and Dr. Jing He Mr. and Mrs. Mark Farrall Mr. and Mrs. Gary Ferenz Mr. and Mrs. Jim Fischer Mr. Thomas Flick and Mrs. Marieanne Flick Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Foley Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Fullmer Google Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gouge Ms. Amy Graham Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Grieco Mr. Dave Hanich and Dr. Laurie Hanich Mrs. Darlene Heavlin Mr. and Mrs. John Heitzenroder Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Hershey Mr. and Mrs. James Hicks Mr. Mark Hollomon and Dr. Martha Hollomon Mr. and Mrs. Philip Horsey Dr. Xintian Hu and Mrs. Chunhui Guo
Dr. and Mrs. Galicano Inguito Jr. Dr. Feng Jiao and Dr. Zhuojia Lin Dr. Matthew Jordan and Dr. Trisha Jordan Mr. Stephen Julian ’00 Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jurczak Mr. and Mrs. Brendan Killeen Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knox Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf Koch Ms. Christine Koense Mrs. Moira Fasick Kostes ’01 and Mr. Rick Kostes Mr. and Mrs. Karl Law Dr. Liang Lu and Ms. Jing Cao Mr. and Mrs. Greg Martin Mr. and Mrs. Richard Masi Ms. Linda Morel Mrs. Christine Julian Moritz ’91 and Mr. Garrett Moritz Dr. and Mrs. David Nagurney Mr. Ruijie Niu and Dr. Lihua Wang Mr. and Mrs. Sam Nyabiosi Mr. and Mrs. Bill Osborne Mr. Kofi Osei and Mrs. Adeline Jenkins Padua Academy Mrs. Ashley White Palandrani ’95 and Mr. Gregory Palandrani ’95 Ms. M. Tina Palmer and Mr. Charles Perkins Dr. and Mrs. Etern Park Mr. Jun Young Park and Ms. Eun Kyung Cho Mr. and Mrs. Shodhan Patel Mrs. Joanne M. Pohlen and Mr. Michael F. Pohlen* Mr. Aravindan Pratapagiri and Mrs. Kavya Annamaneni Pratt Insurance, Inc. Dr. Shaoming Qu and Dr. Siyan Wang Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Robinson Saint Mark’s High School Sanford School Mrs. Rachelle Schindler Dr. and Mrs. William Schmidt Mr. Charles P. Schutt Jr. Dr. Sunjay Shah and Dr. Neena Shah Mr. Paul M. Shearer Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shockley Dr. and Mrs. Gurmeet Singh Dr. Jorge Soares and Dr. Elizabeth Bayley Mr. Jason Styons ’01 Travelers Community Connections Matching Gifts Program University of Delaware Athletics USAble Life Insurance Co. Mrs. Joan Valentine Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Warnke Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Wenger Mr. and Mrs. Steven Wheat Mr. and Mrs. Andy Wilke Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Wolhar Mr. Muralee Yaddanapudi and Dr. Surekha Bhamidipati
BLUE CLUB $160 TO $349 Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Allen American Dance Academy Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Amon Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bair
PA G E 1 7
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Berryman Brown Advisory Group Mr. and Mrs. George L. Brown III Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Burke Mr. and Mrs. Ron Burke Mr. and Mrs. Richard Cantera Mr. and Mrs. Damian J. Carlson Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Cherundolo Chubb Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Corless Mr. and Mrs. Michael DeBaecke Mr. Meidui Dong and Ms. Changqing Wu Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dougherty Empowered Yoga Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fabian Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fairfield Mr. and Mrs. Allan Fanjoy Mr. Frank Fiedler and Ms. Haiyan Weng Mr. and Mrs. William W. Fincher Mr. and Mrs. Steve Fox Dr. Zhenhai Gao and Dr. Wei Geng GFP Mobile Mix Supply LLC Mr. and Mrs. Benard Gisiora Mrs. Julie R. Goldston Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gondek Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Grieco Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Helmick Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Helmick Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hermes Dr. and Mrs. Mark J. Holliday Drs. Timothy and Sandra Hopkins Mr. and Mrs. Andrew T. Horsey Mr. Charles Hurt ’87 and Mrs. Trisha Hurt Mr. and Mrs. James Jones Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kirk
Mr. Harish Koya and Ms. Himabindu Yalamati Mr. and Mrs. Thomas LaPenta Mr. Xiang Li and Ms. Ning Zhang Mr. Joseph Lombardi Mr. Guotao Lu and Ms. Zhaochun Li Dr. Thomas Mammen and Dr. Mariam Mammen Mrs. Linda Kirk Manthey ’81 and Mr. David Manthey Mr. Yousheng Mao and Ms. Yang Lin Matthews Dental Associates, PA (Drs. Katie and Daniel Matthews) Dr. Patrick Matthews and Dr. Jessica Matthews Mr. and Mrs. John McMahon Dr. Mary Ellen McNally Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Midgley Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moody Mrs. Robin Moody and Mr. Matthew Corace Mr. and Mrs. Jason Motta Ms. Rebecca L. Moylan ’92 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Orzel Mr. and Mrs. Ravi Pappu Mr. and Mrs. Peter Peddrick Peter Kate Mr. Jim Pizzutto and Ms. Janis Julian Mr. and Mrs. Michael Puglisi Mr. Sreenivas Rao Amara and Mrs. Savithri Bonala Dr. and Mrs. Sada Rao Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. David Rodeheaver SafeStudents Online Dr. Vincent See and Dr. Jennifer Ty Dr. Robert Sepelyak Soccer Shots Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stepek Mr. Weiyang Sun ’99
Mr. Larry Tarabicos Mr. Thomas Uebler ’95 and Mrs. Cameron Uebler Vanguard Matching Gift Program Mr. Robert Vrana ’00 and Mrs. Caroline Vrana Mr. and Mrs. Junyi Wang Mr. and Mrs. William Watt Wells Fargo Educational Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer R. Wenger Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Whitaker III Mr. and Mrs. Raymond White Dr. and Mrs. Bradley Why Mr. and Mrs. Roger Wilke Dr. Dahra Williams and Mr. Bill Williams Wilmington Friends School Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Mike Womer
DONOR CLUB UP TO $159 Mr. and Mrs. Teame Afeworki Dr. and Mrs. Vivek Agarwal Mr. Ashish Agrawal and Ms. Pooja Gupta Mr. and Mrs. Jake Annable Mr. and Mrs. David Anshen Mr. and Mrs. S. Brooks Archbell Ms. Deirdre Armstrong ’99 Mr. and Mrs. Michael Aubain Mr. Qazi Aurangzeb and Ms. Hina Syed Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Axt Ms. Lindsey Bair ’10 Mrs. Jan Barnett Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barton BBC Tavern & Grill Mrs. Tracy Berryman Berger ’93 and Mr. Josh Berger
SAVE THE DATE APRIL 17, 2021 G R E E N V I L L E CO U N T RY C LU B OR VIRTUALLY
What an amazing night we had on Saturday, May 16! From the moment we made the tough decision to move the 2020 Auction & Gala online, we knew it was the right thing to do. For the first time, the auction was hosted virtually and the entire family could participate. Thanks to you, the Virtual Auction raised $75,000, with $17,315 going toward the Environmental Science Program. We applaud you—our sponsors, committee members, video contributors, auction-item donors, ticket holders, raffle participants, donors, virtual happy hour hosts, and bidders who kept the bids going throughout the night and even made extra donations of support. We are stronger together!
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
FROM IN-PERSON GALA & AUCTION TO VIRTUAL AUCTION… SUCCESS!
R E P O RT O F P H I L A N T H R O PY PA G E 1 8
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Berger Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bergner Ms. Vita Biddle Mr. Maurice Black and Mrs. Dina Hollingsworth Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. Boone Mrs. Lisa Olsen Bowe ’96 and Mr. Timothy Bowe Ms. Felicia Boyer Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bozeman Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Brennan Mr. Joe Brennan and Ms. Amy Eyberger Mr. and Mrs. Martin Brennan Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Britt Mr. and Mrs. Wayne M. Bruhn Mrs. Michele Bruxelles Ms. Kelly Bush Mr. and Mrs. Allan Camoirano Mr. Matthew Cannon ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Carlson Ms. Emily Carr Mrs. Barbara Casarino Mr. John Castle Mr. and Mrs. Amulyadhan Chakraborty Mr. Kaibin Chen and Mrs. Zuying Zheng Dr. Yi Cheng and Dr. Xiao Liu Mr. and Mrs. Charles Chitty Mr. and Mrs. David Chorlton Mr. and Mrs. Blake Cleary Mr. and Mrs. Paul Colbert Mr. and Mrs. Richard Colliss Dr. Justin Connor and Dr. Felicia Connor Mr. Eric Corradin Dr. and Mrs. Evan Crain Mr. and Mrs. Doug Curtis Dr. Michael Dauner and Dr. Elham Behshad Mr. and Mrs. Ralph DegliObizzi Jr. Mrs. Suzanne Burton Delaplane ’85 and Mr. Mark Delaplane Mrs. Nancy Deleski Mr. and Mrs. Bhasker Desai Doc’s Meat Market Mr. and Mrs. Rex Donnelly Mrs. Janet Dougherty-Gutzmirtl Mr. Vinay Dudeja and Mrs. Ritu Ahuja Mr. Joseph Duffy Ms. Lora Eckstein Dr. and Mrs. Ozer Elbeyli Mrs. Delynn Elliott Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Engelmann Mr. and Mrs. Ed Evans Mr. and Mrs. Edward Evans III Mr. Jarrod Fala and Mrs. Nasim Sadr-Fala Mr. William Fanjoy Mr. Christopher Fasick ’98 and Mrs. Anita Fasick Ms. Josée Faubert-Spence Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ferenz Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ferrell Mr. Benjamin Fickes ’12 Mrs. Laura Fickes Mr. Donald Finney and Dr. Victoria Finney Mr. and Mrs. David Finocchiaro Mrs. Nancy Fisher Dr. Brendan Fox Mr. and Mrs. Robert Freeze Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gambino Mr. and Mrs. Joel Garrett Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Garrett
Ms. Sarah Gilmore ’01 Ms. Erika Glaeser Mr. and Mrs. Robert Godfrey Mr. and Mrs. Scott Godsey Mrs. Brittany Ramone Gomez ’00 and Mr. Ray Gomez Mr. and Mrs. Troy Gordon Mr. and Mrs. William Gore Mr. and Mrs. Manish Goyal Mr. and Mrs. Gary Gredell Ms. Elizabeth W. Green Mr. and Mrs. Richard Greevy Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Gregory Mr. and Mrs. William Grothaus Mr. and Mrs. Nicolas Guaqueta Ms. Georgia Haldas Mrs. Kimberly Hamstead Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hanulik Ms. Rachel Hardie Mr. and Mrs. William Hart Dr. Naveed Hasan and Mrs. Hina Ahzaz Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hayes Mr. Changming He and Ms. Jie Xu Mr. Jiamin He and Mrs. Sushuang Huang Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hicks Ms. Tara Hoffner Dr. and Mrs. William Hohman Mr. Andy Holliday ’00 and Mrs. Kylee Holliday Dr. and Mrs. Seungpyo Hong Dr. Vinay Hosmane and Dr. Aparna Hosmane Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hubbs Mr. and Mrs. Richard Huber Dr. Antony Innasimuthu and Dr. Sangeetha Nathaniel Mrs. Diane M. Jackson Dr. Yvette Jackson Mr. Yi Ji and Ms. Lily Hao Dr. Paul Johnston and Dr. Jennifer Nauen Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kamps Dr. and Mrs. Ashok Karnik Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Keating Mr. and Mrs. Chad Kessler Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kienzle Dr. Kathryn Sepelyak Kirsch ’01 Mr. Daniel Kitching ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Koziak Dr. Heidi Kozic Mr. and Mrs. David Krahn Mr. Marc A. Kreider ’82 and Mrs. Valerie Kreider Mr. Andrew Krezel and Mrs. Christy Gallagher-Krezel Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kunz Ms. Shannon Lake Mr. Jason Lazar Mr. and Mrs. Jay Lazar Ms. Doris M. LeStourgeon Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Levin Ms. Lingchin Liao Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Liberato Mr. and Mrs. Grant Liddle Mr. and Mrs. William Liddle Mr. Qiang Lin and Ms. Wenwen Wu Mr. and Mrs. Ira Lockwood Dr. Shuiyuan Luo and Dr. Man Zhang Ms. Margo J. Madden ’97 Mrs. Marie A. Maks
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Maloney The Honorable and Mrs. David B. McBride Mr. and Mrs. Michael McCord Mr. and Mrs. Sean McCue Mr. Sean McDerby and Mrs. Hilary Olner Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McDonald Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDonald Mr. Ryan McDonald Mr. Sam McKeown ’19 Ms. Stacy McNatt Mrs. Melanie Zinn Merritt ’97 and Mr. Nicholas Merritt Dr. and Mrs. Theodore Michell Mrs. Joyce Miller Mrs. Margaret Ann Minihan Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Musiano Mr. and Mrs. Mike Napier Mr. Edgar Narmore and Mrs. Susan Flick-Narmore Mr. Shijun Ni and Ms. Jun Yang Mrs. Lois B. Olsen Ms. Lara Osborne Mrs. Lisa Klein Parente ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Perny Mr. and Mrs. Timothy G. Petterson Ms. Valerie Pfrommer Pizza By Elizabeths Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Pombo Mrs. Catherine S. Pomeroy and Mr. Brian Neumann Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Porto Mr. and Mrs. Dante Principe Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Raab Mr. and Mrs. William D. Reid Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rigby Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rispoli Mr. and Mrs. David Roach Mr. and Mrs. Everett Robinson Mrs. Margarita Rodriguez-Duffy and Mr. John Duffy Ms. Amie Rogers Mr. Christopher Ross ’86 and Mrs. Melissa Ross Ms. Candice Russell Mr. Joseph Russell Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Russell Mr. Nimish Rustagi and Mrs. Durga Nishtala Mrs. Ellen Ryan Ms. Tae Sakamoto Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Samuels Dr. Ragu Sanjeev and Dr. Ramya Varadarajan Dr. David Satran and Dr. Tricia Wachtendorf Dr. and Mrs. James N. Scarborough Mr. and Mrs. Mark Scarpone Mr. and Mrs. Ron Schnelle Mr. and Mrs. Edward Schweizer Mr. Mark Seifert Mrs. Donna Kirk Sentman ’80 and Mr. David Sentman Mr. and Mrs. Craig Sheets Mr. Skyler Shockley Mrs. Marci Mayhew Sieja ’79 and Mr. Steven Sieja Mr. and Mrs. Howard Simmons Mr. and Mrs. Sujit Singh Ms. Hillary Sophrin Dr. Nicholas Souleles and Dr. Alexis Souleles
PA G E 1 9
CLASS OF 2020 BOND DONORS The following generous families participated in our long-standing tradition of donating their bond back to the school after their children graduated. Gabriel and Suzanne Doncel Deborah and Patrick Foley The Heitzenroder Family Mr. Mark Hollomon and Dr. Martha Hollomon Galicano and Pia Inguito The Jordan Family Sumam and Walter Jurczak Parents of Maya Jurczak ’20 Arjan ’18 and Amanrai ’20 Kahlon Drs. Munish and Anjala Pahwa Bob and Joanne Shaver Dr. Sharon Luo and Dr. Tom Xu * Deceased Accuracy is very important to us. If you feel that we have made an omission or error, please contact the Advancement Office at 302-239-0330.
EVENT SPONSORS The Independence School would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to these event sponsors for helping us raise $109,168 at sponsor-supported events to benefit our students and faculty during the school year. Each year, Independence hosts several community fundraising events, including FebFest, Auction & Gala, and the 5K and Color Us Kids Run. We added a Cornhole Tournament in February. Even though we were not able to be together, in person, we transitioned to a family-friendly virtual Gala & Auction and the 5K and Color Us Kids Run moved to a “Show Your Indy Spirit” fundraiser for the First Responders Community Partnership Fund and the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund for Independence families. If your business or employer would like to be part of Independence’s events, please contact us since we are always looking for additional sponsors. Our events provide marketing to a targeted audience leading potential new customers to you. Please consider becoming an event sponsor for The Independence School.
PRESENTING SPONSOR Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists (Matt Eichenbaum, M.D.) First State Orthopaedics (Deep Kahlon, M.D., Evan Crain, M.D., and Jeremie Axe, M.D.) WSFS Bank
STAR SPONSOR
BLUE SPONSOR
Evergreen Waste Services (Marcus Stevens) G. Fedale Roofing & Siding (Glenn and Laura Fedale) Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. (Rob Harra) Keen Compressed Gas Co. (Bryan Keen) Louviers Federal Credit Union Master Seo’s Tiger Kicks Tae Kwon Do (Hayoung Seo and Mi Jung Choi) Red Spruce Capital (Amish Desai) Tower Hill School
Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center (Travis McKay, DC ’98) Archmere Academy Andrew J. Glick, M.D., Brandywine Urology Consultants, PA Padua Academy Pratt Insurance, Inc. Service Unlimited, Inc. St. Mark’s High School The Tatnall School
PATRIOT SPONSOR Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics (Mark Fiss, DMD) American Philanthropic Dewson Construction Company D’Souza & Associates, Inc. (Pooja and Rohan D’Souza) Gunnip & Company LLP IFS Benefits, LLC Pegasus Technologies, LLC Salesianum School SB Real Estate LLC (Jeff Shahan) Doug and Shannon Schneider Siegfried Advisory LLC (Jeff Mitchell) Turf Pro, Inc. Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP (Dan Johnson, Esq., Vincent Thomas, Esq., Edmon Morton, Esq., Robert Poppiti, Jr., Esq.)
RED SPONSOR Aloysius Butler & Clark BCM Wealth Management Sanford School USAble Life Insurance Co. WHITE SPONSOR American Dance Academy Brown Advisory Group (David Nichols) GFP Mobile Mix Supply LLC Dan and Suzy Johnson Francis and Mary Julian Matthews Dental Associates (Drs. Katie and Daniel Matthews) Soccer Shots Wilmington Friends School
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stepanic Mrs. Denise Neal Stitik ’86 Mr. Rahul Subbaraya ’12 Mr. Rishi Subbaraya ’16 Mr. and Mrs. Billy Sullivan Mr. Shao-Tang Sun and Mrs. Jean-Hsien Ho Mr. and Mrs. Jatinder Syan Dr. Theodore Tan and Ms. Carly Paw-Tan Mr. K. Andrew Tarburton ’84 and Mrs. Ann Marble Tarburton Mr. and Mrs. Andrew P. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Louis Taylor Bruce and Linda Tease Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Testa Dr. Deepika Thacker and Dr. Mihir Thacker Mr. and Mrs. Chris Tourge Mr. and Mrs. Brett Townsend Ms. Edith H. Townsend Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Tsaganos Mr. Jack Tsai and Mrs. Rebecca Liu Mr. and Mrs. Richard Updyke Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vander Decker Mrs. Claire A. Vrana Dr. Laura Vrana ’03 Ms. Kathy Walsh Mr. and Mrs. Hui Wang Mr. and Mrs. Tom Wayock Mr. and Mrs. Craig Wemmers Ms. Christine Whitcraft ’91 Mr. Ross Whitehead Dr. Robert Wolf and Dr. Rachel Davidson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wolhar Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Woodland Mr. and Mrs. William Wright Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wuerstle Mr. Weixi Yang and Mrs. Yan Li Ms. Haley Yatzus ’11 Dr. Yong Zhu and Ms. Yang Wu Mr. and Mrs. Lance Ziering Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Zinn Mr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Zinszer III
S P I R I T M AG A Z I N E PA G E 2 0
★
Remembering Jeannette (Jan) MacLeod
HEAD OF SCHOOL Victoria C. Yatzus
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020–2021 Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 President Mrs. Rachel Wood Vice President Mrs. Kristin Giffin Secretary Dr. Rajeev Vaidya Treasurer
It is with sadness that The Independence School community marks the passing of Jeannette MacLeod, a woman of inspiring warmth, creativity, and energy, and one of the co-founders of our school. Jan is probably best known to Independence alumni families as the lyricist of our alma mater. A graduate of the College of William & Mary and Northwestern University, Jan, a mother of five, was active in local theater and in education for many years. She served as the first female member of the Alexis I. duPont School Board during the 1970s before becoming a founder of Independence in 1978. Jan’s passion for Independence was lifelong. She continued to attend Founders’ Day ceremonies over the course of our school’s 43-year history. Jan died on August 23, 2020, surrounded by family in Columbia, Missouri. She was 89.
Command Master Chief Charles Baldwin Mr. Amish Desai Molly DiBianca, Esq. Mr. Bill Doroh Ms. Carrie Fang Mrs. Bianca Fraser-Johnson Mr. Thomas Hanna Mr. Kevin Heitzenroder ’85 Immediate Past President Dr. Mia Papas ’86 Mr. Jeffrey Shahan Mrs. Mona Singh Vincent Thomas, Esq. Mrs. Victoria C. Yatzus Head of School (Ex-officio)
The Board Presidents’ Scholarship
The Young Writer’s Scholarship
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Katie Hanich Brandon Liu
Ben Eichenbaum Amelia Haydu
Mrs. Sally Gore Mr. Vincent N. Greggo Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland Mr. Francis Julian Mr. Richard Julian Ms. Doris LeStourgeon Dr. David P. Roselle SPIRIT PRODUCTION Michele Harra Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management Claire Brechter Director of Marketing and Communications Julie Goldston Advancement Manager
Founders’ Day Awards
The Anne G. Hurt Memorial Scholarship
The Teresa Roach Scholarship
Riley Fanjoy
Claire Fang
The Marsh Wiltbank Uebler Scholarship
The Courage Scholarship
Alex Coomes Lila Matthews
Zoe Symons
The Jack DiMaio Memorial Scholarship Alaina Thomas Josh Wolhar The Margaret C. and William H. Cantwell Award for Musical Excellence Adrianne Hu Lorenzo Santos
The Board of Trustees’ Award John Foley Tess Wolf
Kelli Wilke Photography
Outstanding Academic Achievement Award Veer Pahwa Tess Wolf
★
Nischay Patel The Dr. Mia Shorteno Fraser Citizenship Scholarship Anish Chakraborty Laura Garrett
Eighth-grade Graduation Awards
Chuck Ristano ’97 Communications Manager
Kelsh Wilson Design
The Andrew N. Yatzus Scholarship
The Helena R. Ashwell Award for World Language Excellence Aili Inguito The Rod Hammett Memorial Award Gates Watt The Linda Ellison Stapleford Science Service Award Jessica Luo
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, they missed out on many of the wonderful traditions that mark the eighth-grade year at Independence, yet they showed themselves resilient and spirited every step of the way. Now they will go on to great high schools, to success in college, and to lives of achievement and fulfillment. We will miss them, and we wish them well!
HERE’S TO THE INDEPENDENCE CLASS OF 2020!
TH E IN D E P E N D E N C ESC H O O L .O R G
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
1 30 0 PA P E R M I L L R OAD, NEWAR K, DE 1 97 1 1 • 302 . 239.0330 T HE INDEPENDENC ESC HO O L .O R G
