Independence Spirit, Winter 2021

Independence

Spirit

in this issue

CAMPUS AS CLASSROOM Independence explores 90 acres of learning opportunities.

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

Winter 2021

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O P E N I N G N OT E

OPENING NOTE / PAGE 1 THE GREAT OUTDOORS / PAGE 2

Stepping Out, Moving Forward This issue of Spirit explores the many recent adventures of our teachers and students in outdoor learning and the extensive use of our 90-acre campus for diverse opportunities for curricular innovation—and for joy.

Q & A / PAGE 7 NEWS + NOTES / PAGE 8 HONORS & AWARDS / PAGE 10 ALUMNI PROFILES / PAGE 1 1 STAFF TRANSITIONS / PAGE 12 BUILDING COMMUNITY WHILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE / PAGE 13

I’ve always believed that the more active learning is, the more memorable. It’s something I remember from my own days in school and something I see reaffirmed in the

REPORT OF PHILANTHROPY / PAGE 14

experiences of our students at Independence every day. When they pull on their waders and

IN MEMORIAM / PAGE 20

step into the stream, they learn lessons they’ll never forget.

The recognition that outdoor learning is, by its very nature, active learning has been at the heart of our school’s initiatives in the realm of outdoor education. This fall, our community celebrated the long-anticipated opening of our outdoor classroom—an incredible asset to the school.

But outdoor learning represents just one of several fronts on which we have continued to move forward over the course of a highly challenging year (or two!). Even as COVID-19

“ EVEN AS COVID-19 THREW US ONE CURVE AFTER ANOTHER, WE MANAGED NOT JUST TO REACT BUT, AT TIMES, TO RAISE OUR SIGHTS AND PUSH OUR BOUNDARIES.”

threw us one curve after another, we managed not just to react but, at times, to raise our sights and push our boundaries.

We started work on a new environmental science lab with easy access to the nearby stream, inspired by our partnership with the Stroud Water Research Center. We piloted and launched a new approach to math instruction in collaboration with the University of Delaware, featuring real-world application and problem-solving.

And we implemented an innovative program in social and emotional learning called Second Step. A sequential curriculum with developmentally appropriate lessons beginning in Early Childhood and continuing through eighth grade, Second Step reflects our long-standing commitment to our students’ character growth and overall well-being.

As life and school continue to feel brighter and better, but not yet quite normal, I am proud to report on these recent achievements. They remind us all how resilient and committed our school community has been—and how much progress and possibility lie ahead.

With Spirit,

Victoria C. Yatzus Head of School

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

In This Issue

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Reaction has been energetic and unanimously positive. This engaging new space pulls children toward it with a magnetic power and instantly immerses them in active, collaborative, open-ended exploration.

The outdoor classroom is an important success in itself, but is also part of something bigger: a multidimensional commitment to making learning at Independence an experience that transcends our building.

In other words, this new teaching and learning space is actually just one corner within a far larger outdoor classroom: the 90-acre expanse of the Independence campus.

An Unexpected Year The school’s interest in outdoor learning is not new. In

Fresh air catalyzes fresh approaches to teaching and learning.

fact, Independence committed to the idea of exploring outdoor opportunities in its 2011 Strategic Plan.

Sometimes, says Spence, it’s acquiring basic Spanish vocabulary, but with a twist. “The words for what you see around you are not ‘window,’ ‘door,’ and ‘white board,’ but ‘grass,’ ‘sky,’ and ‘bug.’”

Sometimes, says English teacher Kevin McDonald,

“We realized we have all this land and began asking why

it’s reading scenes from “Romeo and Juliet” or

we weren’t doing more with it,” explains Head of School

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in the atmospheric

Vicky Yatzus. “You can have a treasure at your doorstep

ruins of the Great Barn on campus.

and miss its potential.”

Sometimes it’s a lab experiment without the lab, That Strategic Plan led to the school’s highly successful

explains science teacher Hannah Pretz: “Studying

partnership with the Stroud Water Research Center.

chemical changes with baking soda and vinegar—and

Then came the idea for the outdoor classroom, with

choosing the location carefully to avoid the risk that

the understanding that this would be part of a larger

any spills or runoff would be harmful.”

initiative. Before that could take shape, however, a disruption on a historical scale arrived in the form of the

And sometimes it’s creek-jumping. Yes, first-grade

COVID-19 pandemic.

teacher Barb Annable explains, her students find the challenge of leaping back and forth across the campus

“Suddenly, we were learning outside not because it

tributary exhilarating and addictive. “Each child has a

represented a breakthrough in approach,” says Yatzus,

different comfort level with the risk, so they’ll choose a

“but to help keep our students distanced and safe.” The

point where the creek is a little wider or narrower. Some

pandemic took what had been a thoughtful evolution in

kids who are very cautious and watchful at first end up

education and radically accelerated it. However, unlike

getting totally into it.”

virtually every other twist the pandemic brought, this was a good thing.

Teachers describe the joy that comes from venturing outside, a lightening of students’ spirits—and not just

“As we found ourselves outside more and more, the

when they are jumping across creeks.

benefits became more and more clear,” says Spanish and French teacher Josée Spence. “What a silver lining this proved to be.”

Stream-Jumping and Shakespeare in the Barn So what does learning look like when you export it from four-walled classrooms to tents, lawns, woodsy clearings, and creek sides? It turns out it takes many and varied forms.

“It boosts my mood and the kids’, too,” says Annable.

“I find I can keep my students excited and attentive longer,” says Pretz.

“They are much more focused,” says Spence.

Teachers describe other benefits as well: more teacher-student bonding, in the casual walks from inside to outdoors; more ownership, as students help lug experimental materials outside and decide where

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

In September, the Independence community celebrated the culmination of three years of planning, fundraising, and hard work with the opening of the school’s new outdoor classroom. The project reimagined a former Early Childhood playground as a 57,000-square-foot educational space with 14 distinct areas for music, art, movement, building, performances, and more. The design even includes a section where children can work with “messy materials.”

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A 90-Acre Treasure Few schools are fortunate enough to enjoy a campus as

and how to set them up; and more simplicity, as some of the

“It’s one thing to say being outside is great; it’s another to have

technology and props of indoor learning are left behind for a

the data,” says Yatzus. “We now have the data.”

The researchers looked at topics ranging from student

“I would also say ‘more noticing,’” says kindergarten teacher

comfort levels with outdoor learning to changing interest in

Barb Scarpone. “The children noticed insects all around

STEM fields (which increased). Perhaps their most conclusive

and began asking about them and searching for them. They

finding, however, was a validation of a core insight shared

wondered what we could find under rocks. And their curiosity

by Independence teachers: outdoor learning makes students

pulled the curriculum in a new, unplanned direction. We started

happy. In fact, 99% of Independence students surveyed said so.

exploring this topic that the children were fascinated by in a substantive way.”

Another unanticipated outcome was that a year spent largely outside left students and teachers feeling more hardy.

“ IT’S ONE THING TO SAY BEING OUTSIDE IS GREAT; IT’S ANOTHER TO HAVE THE DATA. WE NOW HAVE THE DATA.”

These 90 acres are full of wonders: multiple streams and a wetland area, all part of the Pike Creek watershed; wooded trails; the beautiful shell of the Great Barn; a giant fallen sycamore first graders love to climb and have nicknamed Big Ben. There are also the living wonders, glimpsed by day but more often captured by motion-activated camera at night—the foxes, deer, racoons, and owls.

The land is rich with history as well, ready to be brought

“In a year of COVID-19-induced anxiety, disruption, and stress,

To this end, the school has formed an Outdoor Initiatives

to life. For generations, the property belonged to the

it’s difficult to overstate how important this finding is,”

Committee. Among its charges: to focus on professional

Eastburn family, who farmed much of it. They also burned

says Yatzus.

development to support faculty in teaching outside and to

lime; the remains of a worked-out quarry are still found

In addition to benefits they categorized as “personal and

explore curriculum mapping, finding concepts and topics in each

on the grounds. Long before the Eastburns, local Native Americans were known to inhabit the area. In plowing their

“In past years, I might have thought to take my class outside

emotional,” the researchers found outdoor learning also

subject area that can be truly enhanced by outdoor learning.

only if it was the most perfect sunny 74-degree day,” says

increased “engagement, focus, and creativity,” a point they

“This is key,” says Yatzus. “It’s not just relocation—going outside

Spence. “Now, mud and drizzle mean nothing to us. Unless it’s

note aligns with other research on this topic. Students, they

to teach exactly the same lesson we might teach inside. It’s

This special property came into the school’s possession

unbearably frigid, who cares?”

found, were not just happy, but also academically productive.

using the outdoors to develop the skills we need to in a creative

in several installments. The first 16 acres, the site of the

and intentional way.”

original building, were acquired in 1981. Then, in 1986, the

fields, later farmers often turned up arrowheads.

According to the Research

Up Next

Recognizing that the school’s adventure in outdoor learning

Given the level of enthusiasm for outdoor learning, it seems

learning in the natural world into caring for the natural world.

represented a potentially valuable educational innovation,

certain to be a part of the school’s evolution going forward.

“An essential part of our school’s mission is to educate engaged

the leadership team of the school’s Center for Wellness,

Independence educators are committed to making the most

citizens and leaders. When it comes to our environment and

Innovation, and Learning (CWIL) decided it was important to

of their time outdoors—to taking an experience that happened

the tremendous challenges we face, that means preparing

study the experience in a methodical way. They commissioned

suddenly because of COVID-19 and transforming it into an

environmental stewards and activists, young people equipped

an expert team from Stroud Water Research Center and

intentional part of their pedagogy.

to make a difference. This is a priority we are weaving into the

The campus as we know it is the result of a combination

curriculum at every level.”

of committed effort and deep generosity—a legacy to be

Millersville University to look in-depth at the recent experiences of students and teachers, analyze their findings, and offer recommendations.

She also points to another key goal going forward: to translate

school launched a major fundraising effort, the 80 Acres Campaign, to secure much of the rest, largely to ensure it would not be developed. Finally, Katherine Eastburn, a member of the school’s Board of Trustees, donated her property to the campus, a parcel that included a farmhouse which has since burned down.

preserved, cherished, and most importantly, well used.

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

while and teachers and students focus in on the essential.

expansive and beautiful as The Independence School’s.

& QA

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Outdoor Learning— As Students See It

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With Linza Kung-Godfrey, RN

Tim Mao — 8th Grade

The saying goes that for every cloud, there is a silver lining. The silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic was definitely outdoor

Now in her fourth year at Independence, Linza brings a range of experience to her role as school nurse, including working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Christiana Hospital. Linza is the recipient of the 2021 Patricia A. Ireland Faculty Award honoring the qualities of professionalism, compassion, and good nature, exemplified by the school’s retired head.

learning!

Outdoor education is very different from traditional learning, yet it yields many benefits. For me, the simple change of me connect with nature, which was crucial for studying environmental science.

Instead of reading about organisms that live in freshwater, we were catching them in the creek and then studying what we found! Outdoor learning offered so many opportunities to study nature firsthand, and I hope it continues for years to come!

Sophie Crain — 8th Grade Jai Thacker — 8th grade “Grab your campstool and your clipboard!” our teachers would announce, alerting us I hope this never ends.

that the lesson would be outside.

It turns out that outdoor learning created

pandemic. I’m talking about outdoor

a less stressful environment, and the

learning.

outdoor breaks during the school day were

The warm sun gently peeks through the

Simply put, learning outdoors is fun. For

something that really helped me reset my

tree branches and kisses my paper, and my

example, to prepare for a vocabulary quiz,

focus.

hair is illuminated by the amber glow. The

we would play a game in my English class.

From wearing waders in the creek or

Inside, not everyone participated. However,

walking through the wetlands to working

when we went outside, everyone joined in

on grammar games and vocabulary in

Why learn vocabulary by reading from

and had a lot of fun. We also learned our

English, or even doing math outdoors using

a book illuminated by fluorescent lights

definitions faster and better than we had

whiteboards, Indy took down the classroom

when you could go outside and play a

inside. My friends and I were happier and

walls by creating an outdoor learning

creative game with classmates underneath

more willing to participate, which led to

space. Being outside while we learned

a clear blue sky?

better academic performance.

allowed us to stay safer from COVID-19,

Over the last two years, every class

Outdoor learning has been a great

reduced our overall stress, and was simply

memory that matters to me has happened

experience, and while I hope the COVID-19

more fun.

outside. Outdoor learning has made me

weather is gorgeous, causing me to rub the sleepiness of the weekend from my eyes.

pandemic ends soon, I hope outdoor

realize just how lovely our campus is,

learning is here to stay.

and it is something I hope Independence continues even after I have moved on to high school.

What would you say it takes to be a good school nurse?

It’s just been very busy. There have been more questions and emails, helping people navigate the situation if they’ve been exposed or tested positive. I was also part of the task force to bring the students back in September 2020—taking part in all those webinars, making sure the protocols were in place. We needed a plan for every situation.

You have to think fast, make the right judgments, and make them on your own. In many ways, working in the neonatal ICU was more intense, but you were surrounded by people who could lend a second opinion.

Here, you need to trust your own knowledge and judgment. Every once in a while, there is a medical emergency, and you need to be ready.

What lessons did you take away from the experience?

Zhara Waters — 8th Grade

I’m not talking about the COVID-19

Would you say it has still been fun since COVID-19?

Why did you make the switch from hospital nursing to school nursing?

At first it was because of the schedule. I had three little ones, and school nursing worked better for me than the hospital hours. But now I feel working at Independence is the best of both worlds. I have the challenges and satisfaction of nursing, plus I get to be with the kids every day and really get to know them. It’s kids of all ages, the chance to see them around campus, the chance to watch them grow.

I discovered that school nursing is fun.

People have very different levels of fear and anxiety, and it can be hard to understand exactly where they are each coming from. So kindness and understanding matter more than ever.

What’s the best thing about Independence?

The community of people—from the teachers to the leadership to the plant staff. Everyone is so conscientious, so committed to doing the work they do well. That’s what has made the school so successful.

Congratulations on receiving the Patricia A. Ireland Award.

How surprised were you?

Oh my gosh—totally surprised. I remember during Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week, I did not know that I would be included, but I was.

The kids made posters for me, and I still have them hanging in my office.

The recognition is very nice.

One last thing—“Linza” is such an unusual name. How did you come by it?

That is actually a funny story.

“Linza” is a Russian name, but I am not Russian. I’m full Chinese. But my dad once had a girlfriend named “Linza” and loved the name, and my mom was nice enough to go along with it.

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

scenery was the best part. It also helped

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N E WS + N OT E S

MY INDY STORY

Live Music, Al Fresco four Independence ensembles returned to the stage,

Honoring Outstanding Service

live, in June. For safety reasons, the event was held

Overcoming pandemic-related challenges,

outside and musicians and audience members were

Independence was proud to welcome students

distanced. The mood, however, was joyous and the

to return to school in person for fall 2020 and to

performances seamless. Stage Band 101, Stage Band,

remain open through the school year. The 2020–21

Chamber Choir, and Gold Band all performed under

Outstanding Service Awards honored three

the leadership of Dan Kitching, director of bands, and

individuals key to that success, the medical advisors

Dr. Tae Sakamoto, choral director.

to the school’s reopening committee: Travis McKay,

Thanks to generous donations, Independence

DC, Independence class of ’98, Advanced Back &

acquired its first Indy-branded golf cart, an invaluable

Neck Pain Center; Mia Papas, Ph.D., Independence

asset in providing campus tours to prospective

class of ’86, epidemiologist and corporate director

When Amanda Gorman delivered her impassioned

families during the COVID-19 pandemic. “While we

of the Christiana Care Value Institute; and Deepika

reading of her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the

can’t bring families into our building while students

Thacker, M.D., pediatric cardiologist, Nemours

presidential inauguration in January, millions took

are present,” explains Donna Sentman, Independence

Children’s Health System. Drs. McKay, Papas, and

note—including the middle school English faculty

class of ’80, admission and financial aid manager,

Thacker are all parents of Independence students.

at Independence. To mark Black History Month,

“we can show them around our spectacular 90-acre

“We have been extremely fortunate to have

they developed a series of poetry lessons related

campus.” The cart will also be used by the athletics

the advice and guidance of these three medical

to Gorman’s work. These ranged from researching

department to travel between fields quickly and in

professionals,” said Vicky Yatzus, head of school.

notable figures in Black history and creating

the event a player is injured on the field and needs to

“They went above and beyond in answering our

“bio poems” inspired by their lives to exploring

be transported off.

questions, providing expert guidance, and helping us

1.13% of students nationally to answer every question

the creative elements at work in “Chorus of the

make decisions.”

correctly. Ari was one of several Indy students

Inspiring Poets

Captains,” another poem by Gorman.

All Aboard for Outdoor Tours Academic All-Stars Three Independence mathletes competed in the State Mathcounts Competition last spring, and one, Jai Thacker, a current eighth grader, finished second and qualified for the National Competition, held online. He was one of just four Delaware students to advance.

Meanwhile, Ari Satran, now a seventh grader, earned a perfect score on the 2021 International Geography Bee Online Regional Qualifying Exam—one of just

qualifying for the regional final.

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

Despite the inconvenient interruption of COVID-19,

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H O N O R S & AWA R D S

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

Founders’ Day Scholarships & Awards Independence has a tradition of recognizing students across many grade levels with a variety of scholarships and awards during the annual Founders’ Day assembly.

The following were presented in 2021:

JESS PRINCIPE ’14, LEARNING AND LEADING KERITH WANG ’08,

“It all started at

MUSICAL AND MEDICAL

Independence,” says Jess,

The Board Presidents’ Scholarship Valeria Liu, Trent Woodland

The Young Writer’s Scholarship Alice Gu, Stuart Burris

The Anne G. Hurt Memorial Scholarship Navina Patel, Paul Corbett

The Teresa T. Roach Scholarship Eliza Nichols

The Marsh Wiltbank Uebler Scholarship Landyn Harra, Joseph Nyabiosi

The Courage Scholarship Lydia and Colton Durkee

University. She is also a

The Jack DiMaio Memorial Scholarship Sam Hanna, Caroline Hahn

The Andrew N. Yatzus Scholarship Brie Wilson

Symphony Orchestra,

The Margaret C. and William H. Cantwell Award for Musical Excellence Peter Brennan, Laura Garrett

The Dr. Mia Shorteno Fraser Citizenship Scholarship Sophie Crain, Tiernan Matthews

A graduate of Princeton University, Kerith is now a third-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson violinist in the Penn Med an ensemble of doctors, students, and staff from area hospitals. “I had an itch to play, and it’s really nice to be part of that big symphony sound,” says Kerith, who started violin at three and continued through her years at Independence and after. “Looking back, the highlight of those years would have to be the teachers,” she says, “how dedicated they were and how much they

explaining her love of the sciences—a love that started her on a path to a future career in occupational therapy. After Independence, Jess attended Tatnall, where she excelled in field hockey, lacrosse, and leadership as a Delaware Youth Leader Network member. Next came Elizabethtown College. She is now a senior there, preparing to continue as a graduate student next year. Meanwhile, she’s been spending summers back at Independence as a counselor in the school’s camps, loving the chance to connect with the kids. It’s good experience as she prepares for a career she hopes will focus on pediatric occupational therapy in a hospital setting.

cared for us.” Kerith is not sure where her career will lead

Outstanding Alumni Award Dr. Jodi Kamps Varela ’87

but is enjoying the journey. “Anytime I’m learning something new, I’m happy, and these days, I’m learning constantly.”

8th-Grade Awards Each year at Graduation, a series of awards are presented, each with specific criteria.

The following were presented at the 43rd Eighth Grade Graduation Ceremony on June 14, 2021:

Read more about our award winners online at theindependenceschool.org/community/alumni

BEN JOHNSON ’11,

For Rohit, a first-year student at Yale, the biggest challenge is balancing all

The Linda Ellison Stapleford Science Service Award Cailyn Pan

Having graduated from

his interests—from the Yale

Salesianum and Penn

Alternative Investments

The Rod Hammett Memorial Award Riley Fanjoy

State and stints working at

Outstanding Academic Achievement Award Cailyn Pan, Lorenzo Santos The Independence School Board of Trustees’ Award Katherine Hanich, Brandon Liu

Rising Star Alumni Award Michaella Moore ’12

FITTING IT ALL IN

LOVING EVERY SECOND

The Helena R. Ashwell Award for World Language Excellence Lorenzo Santos Rising Star Alumni Award Nidhi Kedda ’11

ROHIT MATHUR ’17,

Club to taking a swing at

Oracle and Allbirds, Ben is

squash. But multitasking is nothing new. At Independence

now making his mark as an

and then at Archmere, Rohit was highly active in student

entrepreneur. He and a

government, serving as president for five consecutive years.

partner have launched

He also ran his own necktie company, NovelTie, through

SLCKR, a business that

which he created the Independence ties for sale in the

makes and sells a specially designed, productivity-boosting

Indy Spirit Store. He found his way onto the board of an

tool belt (actually “chest harness”) for barbers. Business is

impactful nonprofit, the Friends of Hockessin Colored School

brisk, and Ben is thrilled. “I’m loving every second of it,” he

#107—an organization dedicated to preserving the history

says. “There’s a new problem to solve every day, and that

of Delaware’s role in ending school segregation with the

variety is perfect for me.” The entrepreneurial bug may

goal of creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive

have first bitten Ben during Economics & Entrepreneurial

tomorrow. In between, he has excelled academically, as he

Education (E3) in fourth grade, fondly referred to as Mini

did at Independence, and he says, “I gained the foundation

Society by former students. “I really enjoyed that,” he

in reading, writing, and analysis still with me now.”

remembers, “and I was definitely intrigued.”

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

The Alumni Awards honor graduates who demonstrate outstanding achievement, leadership, or innovation in a particular field, whether in their profession or through volunteer activities. The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes an alumnus or alumna who graduated more than 20 years ago, and the Rising Star Alumni Award recognizes an Independence alumnus or alumna who graduated within the past 20 years. Recipients in 2021 were the following:

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STA F F T R A N S I T I O N S

Best Wishes, Goodbye & Welcome

Kathleen Neal, business manager, an alumni parent and grandparent, departed Independence in 2021 after 41 years of service in our business office. She had a variety of responsibilities during that time, including payroll, accounts payable, and financial aid management.

Kathy Osborne, nurse, worked parttime as a nurse with Independence students for 10 years.

Although a part-time employee, Kathy was an active member of the school community, frequently volunteering for special events, including the eighth-grade Boston trip.

Valerie Rodeheaver, Spanish teacher, retired after 33 years of teaching Spanish at all the grade levels. For many of those years, Valerie served as our world language curriculum coordinator, and she inspired many students to pursue Spanish in high school and beyond.

Joan Valentine, administrative assistant, retired after 40 years as the friendly and helpful face and voice of Independence in the reception office. During her time at the school, Joan responded to calls from parents and vendors, helped students with forgotten or lost items, and managed our substitutes.

Jennifer Vrana, director of Finance & Operations, retired after 14 years in the position. Prior to joining Independence as an employee, Jenny served on the Board of Trustees, including as board president from July 1996 through June 2005, and was president of the IPA in 1994–1995. She is the parent of two Independence graduates.

WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS TO...

Welcome (back) to Tommy Brangs, Class of ‘07, who has returned to his alma mater for his student teaching placement. Tommy is passionate about environmental education and is working with our Middle School science faculty. He also served as assistant boys soccer coach in 2021.

Patrick Burns, director of Finance & Operations, joins Independence from Centreville Layton School, where he was director of Finance and Operations for 10 years while also continuing to direct the technology office for CLS (his first role there). Pat holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and management information systems.

Congratulations to Jennifer Hayes, kindergarten aide and summer camp staff, who has assumed the additional role of director of Extended Day in 2021.

Kim Manno, administrative assistant, joins Independence after 12 years working in administrative roles in the beverage industry.

She’s happy to return to a school environment, since she began her career as a preschool teacher. In addition to supporting the business office and other school administrative functions, Kim greets and assists parents and students.

Leslie McGregor, extended day receptionist, joined the Extended Day program after substituting in kindergarten throughout the 2020–21 school year. She is an attorney and the parent of two current Independence students. Since coming to Independence as a parent, Leslie has been a volunteer in the school community.

Christine Pelillo, early childhood aide, joins Independence as a kindergarten aide. An early childhood and elementary education teacher with more than two decades of experience, she was most recently a kindergarten lead teacher at St. John the Beloved Catholic School. Christine is also a proud alumni parent.

BUILDING COMMUNITY WHILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE The Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) has long been a strong contributor to the school community. We appreciate the many parents who are willing to give their time, talent, and treasures to help make the Independence experience exceptional—whether that be in support of classroom improvements, outdoor learning experiences, fascinating field trips, and more!

We are grateful for the IPA-sponsored lunch program, organization, and implementation of student and parent virtual social events, as well as the IPA’s philanthropic efforts. All faculty and staff have enjoyed the IPA’s thoughtful generosity throughout the year, including

Kylie Tarburton, communications specialist, joins Independence following her recent graduation from Arcadia University with a degree in media and communication. She brings a creative eye, a talent for photography, and technical website skills that are valuable additions to our marketing and communications department.

lunches, coffees, faculty/staff appreciation week, breakfast treats, and afternoon snacks!

Among the memorable events hosted by the IPA in 2020-21 was a virtual mixology evening for adults, a game night for students, and a pumpkin-decorating contest, to name a few.

The IPA helped spread the Indy spirit by giving back to those less fortunate with a sneaker recycling program and a food drive.

While always friend-raising, the IPA is also fundraising. Their initiatives during the 2020-21 school year resulted in a $41,715 gift to the school.

A heartfelt thank-you to all!

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

GOODBYE AND BEST WISHES TO...

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The Independence School Report of Philanthropy 2020–2021 Ways to give back to Independence • Join the Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) and build connections.

The Independence School is so grateful for the continued generosity of our community, including 543 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 2020-21 school year. All gifts enhance and enrich the school experience for our students and support the faculty. We are so appreciative of each and every gift. Thank you!

Dear Independence community, I am pleased to share with you the 2020-2021 Annual Report for The Independence School. From the beginning of the school year, we knew we would have to be flexible and nimble while still in this global pandemic. We were thrilled to bring students, faculty, and staff back to campus, while accommodating those who preferred remote learning. Zoom meetings and virtual events continued to be the norm for most of the school year. As winter turned into spring, we were excited to host outdoor events, including year-end classroom parties, a cornhole tournament, band and choral concerts, and graduation.

Thank you to all of our donors, event sponsors, committee members, and school volunteers. Your support is critical to our success as a school. To the right, I have listed ways for you to give back to the Independence community that we all love. Whether your passion is helping to close the gap between tuition income and our day-to-day operating costs through the Annual Fund, financial aid for students, classroom support for faculty, or programmatic and athletic enhancements, we thank you for choosing to invest in The Independence School.

Our strength is in our ability to come together as a community to collaborate, problem-solve, plan for today and tomorrow, implement, innovate, iterate, and repeat. We remain committed to preparing our students for the real world that awaits them every day, and the much-anticipated world yet to be imagined. I hope you will join me in the Patriot Pride that I feel every day in being part of this extraordinary community. Together, all things are possible!

Many thanks and much gratitude,

Michele C. Harra Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management

• Calling alumni! Volunteer to be a class agent or a guest speaker in our classrooms.

• Participate in school functions, including IPA-hosted and athletic events and the annual Auction & Gala.

• For Amazon purchases, use Smile.Amazon.com and select “The Independence School” as your favorite charity. Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to the school.

• Make a gift each school year to support the Annual Fund. These dollars help close the gap between what tuition covers and the true cost of educating an Indy student. Being an independent school means that we are a nonprofit organization, operating without financial support from local or federal taxes. We rely on tuition income, Annual Fund income, and endowment income to support the day-to-day operation of our school. Our tuition, which aligns closely with that charged by our peer schools, covers only about 89% of what it costs to educate each Indy student.

If you have any questions or want to discuss giving back to Independence, please contact Michele by email at mharra@indyde.org or by phone at 302-239-0332.

INDEPENDENCE CLUB

SPIRIT CLUB

$10,000 AND UP

$3,000 TO $4,999

Anonymous (1) Benevity Fund Mr. Vance Funk and Mrs. Ashley Quill Funk ’95 Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Greggo Mr. J. Kevin Heitzenroder ’85 and Mrs. Elizabeth Heitzenroder Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Julian Mr. and Mrs. Alan Levin Schwab Charitable Mr. Jeffrey Shahan and Mrs. Kimberly Criscuolo Shahan ’97 Mrs. Lisa Julian Spear ’94 and Mr. Mark Spear The Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) Turf Pro, Inc. Welfare Foundation Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Andy Wilke Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 and Mr. Jack Wyant Mrs. Victoria C. Yatzus

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cook Mr. and Mrs. William Doroh Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Glick Mr. Thomas J. Hanna and Dr. Lexie A. Hanna Dr. Deep Kahlon and Ms. Mona Singh Keen Compressed Gas Co. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Keen Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kenton Dr. Mia Papas ’86 and Dr. J. Morel Symons Mr. and Mrs. Doug Schneider Mr. Hayoung Seo and Mrs. Mijung Choi Dr. Jorge Soares and Dr. Elizabeth Bayley Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Thomas Mr. Ping Xu and Ms. Boon Huei Loh

FREEDOM CLUB $5,000 TO $9,999 Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists Mr. Amish Desai and Dr. Payal Desai Dr. Matthew Eichenbaum Fidelity Charitable 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 Goldman Sachs Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra III Mr. Ryan Haydu and Dr. Barbara Albani Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. Johnson Mr.* and Mrs. Robert Mark Panaro Law Group LLC WSFS CARES Foundation

STARS CLUB $1,500 TO $2,999 Andrew N. Yatzus Scholarship Fund at Delaware Community Foundation Mr. Donald W. Ashwell Dr. and Mrs. Jeremie Axe C/MC Charles Baldwin Dr. and Mrs. Joachim Berkner Blackbaud Giving Fund Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Brindley Mr. and Mrs. George Brown IV Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Burke Mr. and Mrs. John M. Burris Dr. and Mrs. Evan Crain CSC Delaware STEAM Academy Evergreen Waste Services, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Randal Farabaugh Mrs. Jane Fouracre Mr. and Mrs. Robert J.A. Fraser Mr. Brian Funk ’94 and Mrs. Andrea Funk Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gilmore Giordano, DelCollo, Werb & Gagne, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Giordano

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

With our appreciation…

• Volunteer as a homeroom representative and for schoolsponsored events.

Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. Mr. Michael Hahn and Dr. Heather Hahn Dr. Cathy Harris and Dr. Jay Harris Mr. Steve C. Hu and Ms. Ashley H. Yu Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Julian Mrs. Grace Kirk Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knox Dr. Jag Kumar and Mrs. Shuba Gangaswamiah Dr. Joan C. Neikirk and Mr. Dave Neikirk Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ramone Mr. and Mrs. Luca Saggese Salesianum School Mr. Jack Shi and Ms. Qing Gao Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Stevens Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Vrana Dr. Harry Wang and Ms. Carrie Fang Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP

STRIPES CLUB $1,000 TO $1,499 Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center American Endowment Foundation American Philanthropic Dr. and Mrs. Kyle J. Bottorff Dr. and Mrs. John Courtright Dewson Construction Company Mr. and Mrs. Rohan D’Souza Mr. and Mrs. Manish Goyal Gunnip & Company LLP Mrs. Elaine M. Handloff IFS Benefits, LLC Dr. Feng Jiao and Dr. Zhuojia Lin Kerith Foundation Dr. Joohyong Kim and Dr. Susan Kim Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf Koch Dr. Jun Li and Ms. Fei Cheng Mr. and Mrs. Keith R. Mayhew Dr. Travis McKay ’98 and Mrs. Amanda McKay Ms. Linda Morel Mrs. Christine Julian Moritz ’91 and Mr. Garrett Moritz National Philanthropic Trust Mr. Uzor Ogbu and Mrs. Mieke Eeckhaut Dr. Munish Pahwa and Dr. Anjala Pahwa Mrs. Ashley White Palandrani ’95 and Mr. Gregory Palandrani ’95 Pegasus Technologies, LLC Dr. and Mrs. John Powell Mr. Donald Puglisi and Mrs. Marichu Valencia QVC Partners in Giving Matching Gifts Dr. Michael J. Ryan ’80 and Mrs. Cindy Ryan Service Unlimited, Inc. Tower Hill School Dr. and Mrs. Rajeev Vaidya Ms. Kerith Wang ’08 Dr. Sean Wang and Ms. Monica Ho Mr. and Mrs. Raymond White Mr. Zongping Yang and Ms. Yu Hao

RED CLUB $650 TO $999 Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Archbell Bank of America Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Scott Burris Mrs. Jessica Copeland Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Dann Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ferenz Mr. and Mrs. Jim Fischer Mrs. Julie R. Goldston Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Grieco Dr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Hershey Mr. Jonathan Kirch and Dr. Sandra Kirch Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Levin Mr. and Mrs. William N. McDonald Mr. and Mrs. Robert Midgley Dr. Parham Moftakhar and Dr. Waimei Amy Tai Mrs. Kathleen D. Neal Padua Academy Mr. and Mrs. John Reed Mr. and Mrs. David Rodeheaver Sanford School Mr. Benjamin Schwartz and Ms. Sharon Wolfe-Schwartz Mr. Jason Styons ’01 Wells Fargo Educational Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Wolhar Mr. and Mrs. James Wright

WHITE CLUB $350 TO $649 Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Allen Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ambler Mr. and Mrs. Jason Antoine Archmere Academy Mr. Michael Barlow and Dr. Jennifer Barlow Mr. and Mrs. Erik Barr Mrs. Tracy Berryman Berger ’93 and Mr. Josh Berger Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bergner Brandywine Urology Consultants, P.A. Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Brechter, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond F. Bree, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Burns Mr. and Mrs. Richard Cantera Mr. and Mrs. Damian J. Carlson Mr. and Mrs. Todd Coomes Corrective Chiropractic Mr. and Mrs. Marty Coyne Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Craft Dr. and Mrs. Hung Dam Mr. and Mrs. Mark deGarbolewski Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dougherty DuPont Experimental Station Dr. and Mrs. Ozer Elbeyli Dr. and Mrs. George C. Emmett Mr. and Mrs. Richard Epperly Mr. and Mrs. Edward Evans III Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fallon Dr. Xiao Fang and Dr. Jing He Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Fedale Mr. and Mrs. Gary Ferenz Mr. Frank Fiedler and Ms. Haiyan Weng Mr. Thomas Flick and Mrs. Marieanne Flick Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Foley Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Fullmer

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Mr. Zhenhai Gao and Ms. Wei Geng Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Goble Ms. Amy Graham Mr. and Mrs. William Grothaus Mr. and Mrs. E. Thomas Harvey III Harvey, Hanna & Associates Mr. Jiamin He and Mrs. Sushuang Huang Mr. and Mrs. John Helmick Carol and Michael Helmick Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hermes Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hicks Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Hill Dr. and Mrs. Mark J. Holliday Mr. and Mrs. Philip Horsey Mr. Stephen Julian ’00 and Mrs. Colleen Julian Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kacmarcik, Jr. Brendan and Carol Killeen Dr. and Mrs. Victor Klemas Ms. Christine Koense Dr. Krzysztof Kowal and Dr. Wen Li Mr. Harish Koya and Ms. Himabindu Yalamati Mr. Conrad Langenegger and Mrs. Sabrina K. duPont-Langenegger Mr. and Mrs. Karl Law Mr. Joseph Lombardi Mr. Yousheng Mao and Ms. Yang Lin Mr. and Mrs. Greg Martin Dr. Patrick Matthews and Dr. Jessica Matthews Mrs. Nancy Mueller Dr. and Mrs. David Nagurney Mr. David Nichols and Dr. Louise Reid Nichols North Star Swim Club Mr. Jing Pan and Ms. Zhiying Zou Mr. Zaiqi Pan and Ms. Yunqing Yuan Dr. and Mrs. Etern Park Mr. and Mrs. Shodhan Patel Mr. Matthew Perny and Dr. Meredith Perny Pike Creek Dental Mr. Jim Pizzutto and Ms. Janis Julian Pratt Insurance, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Robinson Saint Mark’s High School SB Real Estate, LLC Dr. and Mrs. William Schmidt Mr. Paul M. Shearer Dr. and Mrs. Gurmeet Singh Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Slaton Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stepek Mr. Shao-Tang Sun and Mrs. Jean-Hsien Ho Total Wine & More United Way of Delaware Mrs. Joan Valentine Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Warnke Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Wenger Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer R. Wenger Mr. Jonathan White ’94 and Mrs. Kristi White Mrs. Laura Willrich Wilmington Friends School Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Woodland Dr. Ray Yin and Ms. Jamie Wang Mr. Haibing Zhang and Ms. Yun Shen

BLUE CLUB $160 TO $349 Mr. Maurice Abbott and Dr. Melissa Tribuiani Abel Aesthetics Aloysius Butler & Clark AmazonSmile Foundation American Dance Academy Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. David Anshen AstraZeneca Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bair Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barton Mr. and Mrs. Michael Berryman Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. Boone Bright Funds Foundation Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. George L. Brown III Mr. and Mrs. Ron Burke Chubb Charitable Foundation Dr. Brian Cohen and Mrs. Leslie McGregor Mrs. Gail A. Colbert Mrs. Donna Cutrona Mr. and Mrs. Michael DeBaecke Mr. Joseph Duffy Emily Rockwell Skin Clinic Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fabian Dr. Cynthia K. Fallon Mr. and Mrs. Allan Fanjoy Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Fiss Genentech Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert Godfrey

Mr.* and Mrs. William J. Gore Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Gregory Mr. and Mrs. Nicolas Guaqueta Mr. David M. Hanich and Dr. Laurie B. Hanich Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James Hicks Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hicks High 5 Hospitality Mr. and Mrs. Andrew T. Horsey Mr. and Mrs. Richard Huber Incyte Corporation Matching Gifts Program Indulgence Jewelers Jewish Federation of Cleveland Mr. and Mrs. James Jones Mr. and Mrs. Chad Kessler Mr. and Mrs. John P. Kolodczak Mrs. Moira Fasick Kostes ’01 and Mr. Rick Kostes Dr. Heidi Kozic Mr. and Mrs. Jay Lazar Liberty Yoga Mr. Guotao Lu and Ms. Zhaochun Li Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDonald Dr. Mary Ellen McNally Dr. and Mrs. Theodore W. Michell Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moody Mr. and Mrs. David M. Morse Mr. Ted Myrick and Mrs. Laura Mackey Mr. and Mrs. Sam Nyabiosi Dr. Erin Cox O’Leary ’92 Pain and Sleep Therapy Center Ms. M. Tina Palmer and Mr. Charles Perkins Mr. Stephen Papa and Dr. Michelle Papa

Mr. Jun Young Park and Ms. Eun Kyung Cho Mr. Sheel Patel ’90 and Dr. Shveta Singh-Patel Mr. and Mrs. Vishal Patel Peter Kate Mrs. Heather Pombo-Pietuszka ’85 and Mr. John Pietuszka Mr. and Mrs. Michael Puglisi Dr. Shaoming Qu and Dr. Siyan Wang Mrs. JoAnn N. Quill Dr. and Mrs. Sadashiva Rao Mr. and Mrs. J. Paul Raymond Mr. Christopher Ross ’86 and Mrs. Melissa Ross Ms. Dana Saitis Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Schnelle Dr. Vincent See and Dr. Jennifer Ty Dr. Robert Sepelyak Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shockley Mr. and Mrs. Peter Slaton Soccer Shots Dr. Nicholas S. Souleles and Dr. Alexis M. Souleles Dr. and Mrs. Donald Suh Mr. and Mrs. William Sullivan Mr. Jun Sun and Ms. Linda Peng Mr. Weiyang Sun ’99 Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Tsaganos Mr. Thomas Uebler ’95 and Mrs. Cameron Uebler Vanguard Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Larry Weiss Mr. and Mrs. Samuel W. Whitaker III

SAVE THE DATE APRIL 30, 2022 G R E E N V I L L E CO U N T RY C LU B OR VIRTUALLY

DENIM + DIAMONDS + MAGIC = SUCCESS! What an amazing night we had on Saturday, April 17! We had no idea that one year after hosting our first virtual gala and auction, we would once again be virtual. Thanks to your generosity and support, the event was a sparkling success! We raised over $86,000 for our amazing school, with $20,161 going toward musical instruments for the Outdoor Classroom.

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

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. Bradley Why Mr. and Mrs. Roger Wilke Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Mike Womer Mr. Yonglai Yang and Ms. Wei Lai Mr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Zinszer III

DONOR CLUB UP TO $159 Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Amon Mr. and Mrs. Jake Annable Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. S. Brooks Archbell Mr. Qazi Aurangzeb and Ms. Hina Syed Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Axt Mr. Ram Bala and Mrs. Aarthi Murali Mr. Brendan Balthis ’15 Mr. Brett Balthis ’17 Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balthis Mrs. Jan Barnett Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Berger Mr. and Mrs. Richard Berk Mrs. Laura Hough Bianco ’94 and Mr. Joseph Bianco Ms. Vita Biddle Mrs. Colleen D. Black-Cooper Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Boulden Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bozeman Mr. and Mrs. Martin Brennan Mr. and Mrs. William Bressler Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Britt Mrs. Michele E. Bruxelles Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Calloway Mr. Matthew Cannon ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Cannon Mrs. Barbara Casarino Mr. John W. Castle Mrs. Marie Celano Mr. and Mrs. Amulyadhan Chakraborty Mr. and Mrs. Chad Chandler Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Cherundolo Mr. Sean Chudzik Ms. Susan Chudzik Mr. and Mrs. Richard Colliss Ms. Joanna L. Comen Mr. and Mrs. Mark Corbett Currie Hair, Skin & Nails Dr. Michael Dauner and Dr. Elham Behshad Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore DeAngelo Mr. and Mrs. Ralph DegliObizzi, Jr. Mrs. Suzanne Burton Delaplane ’85 and Mr. Mark Delaplane Mrs. Nancy Deleski Mr. and Mrs. David Dello Buono Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Dickerson Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Dombrowski Mr. and Mrs. Rex Donnelly Mrs. Janet Dougherty-Butts Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fairfield Mr. Jarrod Fala and Mrs. Nasim Sadr-Fala Mr. and Mrs. Michael Falkowski Ms. Heidi Fanjoy Mr. Christopher Fasick ’98 and Mrs. Anita Fasick Ms. Josée Faubert-Spence Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ferrell Mrs. Laura L. Fickes

Mr. Donald Finney and Dr. Victoria Finney FMC Corporation Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Fox Mr. and Mrs. Darrin Frampton Ms. Lanay S. Frazier Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Garrett Ms. Abigail Gilmore ’04 Ms. Sarah Gilmore ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Giordano Mr. and Mrs. Benard Gisiora Mr. Scott Godsey Mr. and Mrs. Troy Gordon Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gouge Mr. and Mrs. Richard Greevy Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Gregg Mr. and Mrs. James Grogan Mr. and Mrs. Xuqing Gu Mrs. Georgia D. Haldas Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hanulik Ms. Rachel Hardie Mr. Shameem Hasan and Dr. Fawzia Hasan Mr. Shoumick Hasan ’09 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hayes Mr. Changming He and Ms. Jie Xu Dr. and Mrs. William Hohman Dr. Vinay Hosmane and Dr. Aparna Hosmane Mrs. Eleanor Duffy Huether ’01 and Mr. Christopher Huether Mrs. Kelly Huxtable Dr. Antony Innasimuthu and Dr. Sangeetha Nathaniel Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jablonski Mrs. Diane M. Jackson Mr. Yi Ji and Ms. Lily Hao Mr. Guohua Jing and Ms. Yu Yao Dr. Paul A. Johnston and Dr. Jennifer C. Nauen Mr. and Mrs. Robert Julian Mr. Arjan Kahlon ’18 Dr. Stephen Kayiaros Mr. and Mrs. Brian Kipp Mrs. Peggy Kipp Mr. Justin Kirk ’05 Dr. Kathryn Sepelyak Kirsch ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Blair Kitching Dr. Francis Kolpak Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Koziak Mr. Marc A. Kreider ’82 and Mrs. Valerie Kreider Mr. and Mrs. Carl N. Kunz III Mr. and Mrs. Sean Laird Mr. and Mrs. Thomas LaPenta Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lawson Mr. Edwin Lee, Jr. Mr. Xiang Li and Ms. Ning Zhang Mr. and Mrs. Ira Lockwood Mr. Michael Lofts and Dr. Dawn Berk Dr. Liang Lu and Ms. Jing Cao Dr. Shuiyuan Luo and Dr. Man Zhang Mr. Gregory Macko and Dr. Erin Macko Ms. Margo J. Madden ’97 Mrs. Marie A. Maks Mr. and Mrs. Paul Maloney Mr. and Mrs. Victor Marcelo III Mr. and Mrs. Bo Marriott Mr. and Mrs. Michael McCord Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McDonald Mr. Patrick McGrory ’91 and Mrs. Lauren McGrory

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Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. McKeown Mr. Sam McKeown ’19 Mr. and Mrs. John McMahon Mrs. Melanie Zinn Merritt ’97 and Mr. Nicholas Merritt Mr. Russell Michalak and Ms. Jennifer Smith Ms. Joanna Michell-Kayiaros Drs. Eric and Barbara Miller Mr. and Mrs. Gene Miller Mrs. Margaret Ann Minihan Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Mitchell Mrs. Robin Moody Mr. and Mrs. Jason Motta Mt. Cuba Center Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Musiano Mr. Edgar H. Narmore and Mrs. Susan Flick-Narmore Ms. Tanya Nelson Mr. Hao Ni and Mrs. Angel Tsai Mr. Ruijie Niu and Dr. Lihua Wang Mrs. Lois B. Olsen Mr. and Mrs. Bill Osborne Mr. Kofi Osei and Mrs. Adeline Jenkins Mrs. Lisa Klein Parente ’01 Dr. and Mrs. Dhruval Patel Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Perny Mr. and Mrs. Timothy G. Petterson Pfizer Foundation Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Porto Mr. Aravindan Pratapagiri and Mrs. Kavya Annamaneni Ms. Hannah Pretz Mr. and Mrs. Dante Principe, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mario Procope Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Raab Mr. and Mrs. Dan Reeder Mr. and Mrs. William D. Reid Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Brian Ries Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rispoli Mr. and Mrs. David H. Roach Mr. and Mrs. Everett Robinson Ms. Candice Russell Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Russell Mrs. Ellen Ryan 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 Mrs. Mickey Schwarz Mr. and Mrs. Edward Schweizer Mrs. Donna Kirk Sentman ’80 and Mr. David Sentman Ms. Justine Shockley Mrs. Marci Mayhew Sieja ’79 and Mr. Steven Sieja Mr. and Mrs. Howard Simmons Mrs. Bernice B. Smith Mr. Jeff Smith Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Sokol Starbucks Coffee Company Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stepanic Mrs. Denise Neal Stitik ’86 Mr. and Mrs. Jatinder Syan Mr. K. Andrew Tarburton ’84 and Mrs. Ann Marble Tarburton

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Testa Dr. Deepika Thacker and Dr. Mihir Thacker Mr. and Mrs. Brett Townsend Ms. Edith H. Townsend Mr. Jack Tsai and Mrs. Rebecca Liu United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Ms. Brittany van Veen Dr. Laura Vrana ’03 Mr. and Mrs. Brian Walker Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Walker Mr. and Mrs. Tom Walsh Dr. Janice Wang Mr. and Mrs. Junyi Wang Ms. Ann Waring Mr. and Mrs. Paul D. Warren Mr. and Mrs. William Webb Mr. and Mrs. Craig Wemmers Mr. and Mrs. Steven Wheat Ms. Christine Whitcraft ’91 Mr. Ross Whitehead Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Wier III Dr. Dahra Williams and Mr. Bill Williams Mr. and Mrs. A. Richard Winchester Mrs. Amanda Wingate Dr. and Mrs. Gary Witkin Dr. Robert Wolf and Dr. Rachel Davidson Woodside Farm Creamery Mr. Wanfu Wu and Mrs. Lixin Wang Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wuerstle Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wyatt Mr. Muralee Yaddanapudi and Dr. Surekha Bhamidipati Ms. Erin Yatzus ’08 Ms. Haley L. Yatzus ’11 Zingo’s Supermarket Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Zinn CLASS OF 2021 BOND DONORS The following generous families participated in our long-standing tradition of donating their bond back to the school’s Annual Fund after their children graduated.

The Bayley Soares Family The deGarbolewski Family Defne Elbeyli ’18 and Doruk Elbeyli ’21 Dylan Evans ’16 and Bailey Evans ’21 Adrianne Hu ’21 Mia A. Papas and J. Morel Symons

EVENT SPONSORS The Independence School would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to the event sponsors during the 2020-2021 school year. Each year, Independence hosts several community fundraising events, including the Auction & Gala, and the 5K and Color Us Kids Run. Our first in-person event for the school year was the Cornhole Tournament in May. If your business or employer would like to be part of Independence’s events, please contact us. 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 today. Contact Michele Harra via email at mharra@ndyde.org or by phone at 302-239-0332.

PRESENTING SPONSOR Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists (Matt Eichenbaum, M.D.) First State Orthopaedics (Jeremie Axe, M.D., Evan Crain, M.D., and Deep Kahlon, M.D.) WSFS CARES Foundation

STAR SPONSOR

BLUE SPONSOR

The Desai Family

Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center (Travis McKay, DC ‘98)

Evergreen Waste Services, LLC (Marcus Stevens)

John and Cathy Burris and Family

Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. (Rob Harra)

Dann Marine Towing

Keen Compressed Gas Co. (Bryan Keen)

Andrew and Jess Levin

Tiger Kicks Martial Arts (Hayoung Seo and Mi Jung Choi)

Padua Academy

PATRIOT SPONSOR

SB Real Estate, LLC (Jeff Shahan)

Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics (Mark Fiss, DMD) American Philanthropic Dewson Construction Company

IFS Benefits, LLC

Pratt Insurance, Inc. Kristi and Jonathan ‘94 White Wilmington Friends School RED SPONSOR

Giordano, DelCollo, Werb & Gagne, LLC

Andrew J. Glick, M.D., Brandywine Urology Consultants, P.A.

Gunnip & Company LLP

Bianca Fraser-Johnson and Mike Johnson

Pegasus Technologies, LLC

The Hanna Family

Salesianum School

Sanford School

* Deceased

Service Unlimited, Inc.

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.

Doug and Shannon Schneider

WHITE SPONSOR

Tower Hill School

Aloysius Butler & Clark

Turf Pro, Inc.

American Dance Academy

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP (Vincent Thomas, Esq., Dan Johnson, Esq., Ed Morton, Esq., Rob Poppiti, Esq., and Tim Houseal, Esq.)

Anonymous Archmere Academy Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation The Ed Morton Family Michael and Lisa Ramone Saint Mark’s High School Soccer Shots The Vince Thomas Family

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.

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

★ HEAD OF SCHOOL

Remembering

Bob Mark and

John Stapleford

Victoria C. Yatzus

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2021–2022 Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 President

The Independence School sadly

Mrs. Rachel Wood Vice President

of two former members of the

Wherever their journeys of learning may lead, our best wishes go with them.

marked the passing in 2021 school community, Robert (Bob)

Mrs. Kristin Giffin Secretary Mr. Bill Doroh Treasurer

Through academic challenge and pandemic stress, they persevered and thrived.

Mark and John Stapleford.

Bob Mark

Mr. Amish Desai Molly DiBianca, Esq. Mr. Kevin Dombrowski Ms. Carrie Fang Mrs. Bianca Fraser-Johnson Mr. Thomas Hanna Dr. Mia Papas ’86 Mr. Jeffrey Shahan Mrs. Mona Singh Vincent Thomas, Esq ADVISORY BOARD Command Master Chief Charles Baldwin Mr. Robert J.A. Fraser Mrs. Sally Gore Mr. Vincent N. Greggo Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland Mr. Francis Julian Mr. Richard Julian Mrs. Barbara Kraus-Blackney Mrs. Lisa Ramone

John Stapleford

The Independence School sadly marked the passing in 2021 of two former members of the school community, Robert (Bob) Mark and John Stapleford.

We fondly remember Robert “Bob” Mark (Major, US Army Ret.) as our Business and Facilities manager from 1998 until his retirement in 2007. During his time at Independence, Bob was instrumental in the growth and development of our beautiful campus. Following graduation in 1967 from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Bob was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. He served on active duty with distinction for 20 years. He and his wife, Sue, retired to The Villages in Florida in 2007, where he pursued an active lifestyle, including golf, dancing, cruising, and gourmet cooking as well as volunteer service.

In addition to Sue, Bob is survived by his children, Heather Mark Horsey (Philip) of Wilmington, Delaware, currently co-athletic director at The Independence School, and Robert Arnold Mark (Susan Bailey) of Newark, DE, and three grandchildren,

SPIRIT PRODUCTION

including Independence student Riley Ella Horsey, Robert Sullivan Mark, and

Michele Harra Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management

Marshall Thomas Mark; his sister, JoAnne Mark Parke Gerhardt; and a brother, John Stover Mark.

John E. Stapleford, Ph.D., is remembered as a Trustee Emeritus of The

Claire Brechter Director of Marketing and Communications

Independence School and an alumni parent. John was a member of the school’s

Julie Goldston Advancement Manager

Ph.D. in urban and regional economics from the University of Delaware and had a

Kelli Wilke Photography Kevin Monko Photography

Board of Trustees during the 1980s as Independence was growing. John earned a long career as a researcher and teacher in economics and public policy. Following his retirement, he continued to work as a consultant and analyst, including for the Caesar Rodney Institute.

Kelsh Wilson Design

HERE’S TO THE CLASS OF 2021!

Surviving John is his wife, Linda Stapleford, a former Independence science teacher for whom an award was named. Surviving John also are a son, Tom (Cathy), and daughter, Liza, both Independence alumni, and grandchildren

★

Jane and William Stapleford.

THEIND EPEND ENCESCHOOL.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 T H E I NDEPENDENC ESC HO O L .O R G