News & Notes

Rosetta Lee

Earth-a-Palooza

Inspired by a school-wide commitment to educating strong stewards of the environment, Independence marked the 52nd annual Earth Day in April with Indy Earth-a-Palooza, an event challenging members of the school community to record at least 520 hours of service to the environment during the week between Earth Day and Arbor Day. Indy’s first graders won the challenge, logging more than 85 hours of earth-friendly activities, from cleaning up litter to building bug hotels.

30 Years of Patriotism

In May, Independence third graders took to the stage in the 30th-anniversary edition of one of the school’s most cherished traditions, the Patriotic Program. Created by teachers Debbie Grothaus, Louise Irwin Thomanek, and Russ Ramage in 1991, the program has inspired generations of Indy patriots and continues to thrive under the guidance of Mrs. Grothaus and Mrs. Michelle Robinson, her teaching partner and Patriotic Program collaborator for the past 15 years.

Fully Accredited

In 1996, Independence first received accreditation by the Middle States Association’s Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools—the gold standard for measuring and evaluating school performance in our region. Re-accreditation followed in 2014. Now, following a comprehensive self-study and an evaluation visit by a team of outside educators, Independence has proudly received accreditation for the next seven years.

Practicing the Platinum Rule

In October, educator and diversity expert Rosetta Lee led students in grades four through eight in a session titled “No Joke Zones,” which explored the ways teasing and joking can be hurtful. Lee shared the concept of “the Platinum Rule” (an upgrade of the well-known Golden Rule), encouraging students not only to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated, but to try to understand what other people might appreciate and consider words and actions that could lift them up.

MY INDY STORY

Stephanie N. Del Tufo, Ph.D. Roger Harrison, Ph.D.

Steve Kerlin, Ph.D. Faith Muirhead, Ph.D. Meredith Hershey Perny, PT, DPT

CWIL Advisors Named

Since 2016, the Center for Wellness, Innovation and Learning, or CWIL, has led efforts at Independence to implement research-based approaches to supporting the whole child and provide valuable resources for parents. Indy’s CWIL team members will now have a valuable new source of expertise to draw upon: a recently formed CWIL Advisors group. Its highly accomplished members include Stephanie N. Del Tufo, Ph.D., U.D. College of Education and Human Development & Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program; Roger Harrison, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist with Nemours Children’s Health and clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University; Steve Kerlin, Ph.D., director of education at Stroud Water Research Center; Faith Muirhead, Ph.D., senior associate director of the Professional Development Center for Educators at U.D.; and Meredith Hershey Perny, PT, DPT, owner of Balance Physical Therapy, LLC.

Outdoor Learning Days

In the spring, Lower School students, teachers, and parent volunteers had the chance to experience education beyond the classroom in a new way as each grade took part in its own full day of outdoor learning. The goal was to explore how true learning can happen outdoors and understand the many benefits of spending time outside while making the most of the Funk Outdoor Classroom and taking part in activities ranging from herb planting to book walks and student performances.