THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL
BUILD ESSENTIAL STRENGTHS
AND THEY WILL SERVE YOU ALL LIFE LONG. MIDDLE SCHOOL
P R O G R A M OV E RV I E W THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ENCOMPASSES GRADES 5-8. AS STUDENTS TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY MOVE BEYOND THE HOMEROOM BASE, MIXING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPINGS OF STUDENTS FOR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS. STUDENTS FOLLOW INDIVIDUALIZED SCHEDULES,
INSPIRE
AND ACHIEVEMENT GROUPING ENSURES THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE FULLY CHALLENGED AND SUPPORTED IN EACH AREA. C U R R I C U LU M
MAJOR SUBJECTS ENGLISH —encompassing composition, literature, grammar, and vocabulary MATHEMATICS —with offerings through Intro to Geometry and Advanced Algebra I SCIENCE —General Science, Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science SOCIAL STUDIES —World Geography and US History I & II WORLD LANGUAGES — French, Spanish, Latin, or an online language course such as Mandarin LEARNING APPLICATIONS CO-CURRICULAR SUBJECTS ART MUSIC —General Music or the choice of Instrumental Music,
Orchestra, and/or Choir PHYSICAL EDUCATION/HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
H I G H S C H O O L M AT R I C U L AT I O N The school works closely with families as they apply to high school, and Independence graduates consistently gain admission to excellent secondary schools. A unanimous 100 percent report a smooth transition to high school, and 85 percent report receiving a superior preparation at Independence when compared with peers from other schools. The full list of schools graduates attend can be found on our website.
T H E C A P STO N E It starts with a letter proposing your topic (anything from Alzheimer’s Disease to Indian Dance) and ends four or five months later with an impressive public presentation. In between, eighth graders do research and fieldwork, write a major paper, and create a related artifact—a model, or scrapbook, or life-size structure. Students also track their time and reflect on their experience, gaining valuable insights for their next long-term challenge.
INSPI T EC H N O LO GY A N D E N G I N E E R I N G Middle Schoolers take a one-trimester STEM class teaching the Engineering Design Process; they take on engineering challenges with visiting university students; they conduct consumer product research and present their results to science professionals; and every year (starting in first grade) they learn to code. Not all will become engineers, but all will be empowered with the knowledge and confidence to navigate our thoroughly technological world. I N VA LUA B L E S K I L L S In our Learning Applications class, each student discovers the type of learner he or she is (visual, auditory, bodily/kinesthetic, etc.) and the best learning strategies to employ. Students track the time assignments require and use this information to manage their work. They acquire strategies for reading texts, taking tests, and studying effectively. In short, they focus on tactics and techniques that will serve them well for years to come.
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G E T T I N G I N VO LV E D Middle School is a time to explore new interests and meet new friends, and the many extracurricular choices Independence offers are a great way to do so. There’s the Student Government Association, Student Ambassadors, and drama; competitions like Academic Quiz Bowl, Science Olympiad, and Odyssey of the Mind; and clubs like the Scrabble and Sudoku Club, the Music Listening Club, and the Young Entrepreneurs Club. B U I L D I N G C H A R AC T E R How do we make the right choice when faced with an ethical problem? What are our rights as members of a community—and our responsibilities? What does it mean to show courage in everyday life? These are the kind of questions we explore in the Middle School Character Development Program, a substantive course designed specifically for young teens.
REAM S P O RTS A N D A RTS At Independence, excellent athletics and arts programs provide our students with many choices. Wrestling or band? Cross country or choir? Or—as so many students decide—both. There are opportunities for every Middle Schooler to find something fun, to be part of a team or a group, and to learn collaboration and commitment.
ACHIEVE
WITH SO MANY HIGH SCHOOLS EAGER FOR OUR GRADUATES, THERE MUST BE A REASON WHY. EACH YEAR, GRADUATES OF THE INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL EIGHTH GRADE GO ON TO SOME OF THE BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE REGION AND BEYOND. IN FACT, IT’S NOT UNUSUAL FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE CLASS TO GAIN ADMISSION TO HIS OR HER TOP-CHOICE SCHOOL. THE REASON IS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE READY. THEIR EDUCATION HERE PREPARES THEM POWERFULLY FOR EVERY ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AHEAD. IT ALSO HELPS THEM GROW INTO GREAT YOUNG PEOPLE—CONFIDENT, KIND, AND INDEPENDENT. AT SOME PLACES, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS GET LOST IN THE CROWD. AT INDY, EACH ONE HAS EVERY CHANCE TO SHINE.
INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.
1300 PA P E R MI LL R OA D, N EWA RK , D E 1 97 1 1 • 302 . 239.0330 TH E I N DE P E N DE N C ESC H O O L .O R G