The Independence School - "Framing the Future: Seven Years of Progress"

FRAMING THE FUTURE: SEVEN YEARS OF PROGRESS

The Independence School inspires students to become independent, intellectually curious individuals who possess an exceptional spirit for learning, leadership, and citizenship.

Seven years ago, in 2011, The Independence School published a strategic plan called Framing the Future. The plan was built on a strategic planning process that included research, data analysis, and thoughtful conversations involving representatives of all constituencies of the Independence community. Framing the Future was created to provide an intentional path forward, even during times that were challenging for independent schools in Delaware and throughout our region.

As stated in the plan, “The Independence School is a leader in inspiring children to be enthusiastic, motivated learners during the critical foundation years. The strong academic program coupled with high expectations for character development and citizenship continue to result in students who are not only well prepared for the next step in their education, but who strive to excel.�

Seven years later, these statements are still true, but much has changed. As Independence marks its 40th year, it is gratifying to report that much of what was envisioned through Framing the Future has come to be. As a result, an Independence education is recognized as one of the strongest in our area. Data from our students and alumni prove why.

Graduates of Independence continue on to the best high schools in the region, with many earning significant scholarships. It is not unusual for every member of the graduating class to gain admission to his or her first-choice school. In response to surveys, 100% of our graduates report a smooth transition to high school and 85% report receiving a superior preparation at Independence when compared with peers from other schools. Our graduates step forward as leaders in their new communities and earn accolades of many kinds.

Over the course of these last seven years, our enrollment has stabilized, our program has evolved, and our graduates have become even better equipped than ever to achieve in high school, college, and in their chosen career paths. This has all been done without sacrificing the intent of our mission to inspire students in both learning and leading.

In Framing the Future, Independence set out three specific major goals: 1. Reaffirm our commitment to the mastery of foundational skills; 2. Generate a learner-centered environment; 3. Foster local and global engagement.

While working toward these goals, there has been a valuable investment in many hours of professional development, continued research, ongoing communication with our constituents, and even a rebranding process. The outcomes of the work have had school-wide impact.

Reaffirm Our Commitment to the Mastery of Foundational Skills A thorough and ongoing review of each area of curriculum has delivered updates throughout our academic program and at every grade level. Social studies, science, math, and technology curricula have and continue to be updated. Our curriculum decisions are research-based, upholding our commitment to providing the best possible foundation in the core academic areas.

The integration of science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM�) has become a commonplace experience for Independence students. Our school is now one of the only in the area with faculty trained in delivering engineering instruction to young students. We have an Innovation Station specifically for STEM education and dedicated science laboratory classrooms in which students work beginning in first grade. We also include computer programming instruction beginning in first grade, as we now recognize coding to be an important foundational skill along with reading, writing, and math.

Since its inception, Independence has had a strong and exceptional focus on Language Arts.

While reviewing curriculum with 21st-century skills in mind, we have expanded that focus around the full range of communication arts. Long-term projects, such as the 8th-grade Consumer Product Showcase and Capstone Projects, for example, allow students to not only demonstrate their proficiency in research and writing, but also in communicating complex information orally and with exhibits. While these examples are both 8th-grade experiences, they clearly demonstrate the outcome of an Independence education, with students at every grade level gaining the knowledge and confidence needed to build excellent communication skills.

With exceptional curricula at the heart of the Independence program, the work in this area continues. We are reviewing and revising the breadth of the curriculum to ensure the right amount of depth and breadth, removing certain sections and adding current knowledge.

Priority Goals: 1. Evaluate learning targets, educational outcomes, core competencies, and appropriate assessment at all grade levels.

2. Prioritize and reduce curriculum content in order to maximize student learning through different approaches.

3. Continue to develop and adjust our Character Development Curriculum.

Generate a Learner-Centered Environment For our youngest preschool students and continuing up through the eighth grade, teaching and learning have evolved since Independence was founded and even more so since Framing the Future was published. Thanks to extensive research that has led to a greater understanding about how the brain works and how children learn, we have been able to more deeply engage our students through a mix of proven teaching and learning strategies. While direct instruction still has a strong place in our classrooms, this is not the only way our students gain knowledge.

Research has informed our decision to utilize many elements of the Reggio Emilia approach in early childhood education. Developed by preschool educators in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia, this philosophy of teaching, learning, and advocacy for children includes observing what children know, what they are curious about, and what challenges them. Teachers record these observations to reflect on developmentally appropriate ways to help children expand their academic and social potential.

Since our strategic plan was published, all faculty have been trained in project-based learning, with PBL now a component in just about every subject and in every grade level. Our students gain confidence in working independently, working collaboratively, and in demonstrating knowledge through traditional tests and written work, oral presentations, digital presentations, and even video production. Blended learning opportunities are growing as we continually seek new ways to utilize technology for personalized education.

Additionally, as we as educators have continued to learn more about learning, we now know and address how important it is that the school be supportive of the overall well-being of our students. Being learner-centered, it’s no longer sufficient to only have an exceptional school nursing staff (which we do). We have assembled a group of wellness professionals and experienced faculty to address student health in every sense. With the establishment in 2017 of the “Center for Wellness, Innovation, and Learning (CWIL™), we have a team focused on everything from the management of emotions, coping skills, and a positive outlook through mindfulness practices, to training young students in peer-to-peer conflict resolution, to support for certain speech language challenges. Included in the support of student well-being is an emphasis on creating a positive “can-do” culture, through expanded offerings of our unique Learning Applications (LeApps™) curriculum and school-wide study of “Mindset” – examining the fixed vs. growth mindsets for learning.

Having made significant progress in these areas to date, there is still work ahead to fully adopt these beneficial changes in teaching and learning at Independence.

Priority Goals: 1. Explore multiple means of assessment.

2. Increase personalized learning opportunities through the use of technology and different instructional methodologies, such as Project-Based Learning.

3. Re-imagine the classroom space.

Foster Local and Global Engagement The Independence School’s 1978 founding philosophy states that each graduate should be “a sensitive, moral citizen, intellectually curious and critical, a potential leader in society." In today’s global society and international marketplace, these words are more important than ever. We have articulated our core values of responsibility, respect, and integrity, and we work to infuse these values into experiences throughout each grade level.

From preschool “Kindness Kids” to the middle school Character Development Program (evolved from our advisee program) and even a faculty and staff Diversity and Inclusion program, we know that empathy is key to being positive members of the school community as well as engaged citizens of the world.

This goal has informed curriculum, as well. For example, our social studies sequence has been revised to ensure students gain a broader view of cultures both in our own country and around the world. In certain subjects (and even cross-curricular), students now have opportunities to connect with students in other countries via Skype or other technology. The study of the novel A Christmas Carol in English class now includes a community service component by Independence students.

Engagement in community can come in many forms, including being an informed participant in the economy. Since Framing the Future was published, our highly regarded fourth-grade economics curriculum has evolved. This change acknowledges the critical importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in our ever-changing world economy and is an exciting opportunity for our students to connect with real-world experiences. Out of this classroom

experience grew a Young Entrepreneurs Club, with students in grades 5 through 8 successfully conceiving and launching actual businesses serving the needs of our school community. This curriculum in its entirety is now fondly referred to as “E3” for Economics and Entrepreneurial Education.

As the world gets smaller and global issues continue to be complex, we commit to continuing to focus attention on this important area of learning for our students.

Priority Goals: 1. Increase our outreach and community service model.

2. Increase opportunities for real-world application of knowledge to increase interest, relevance, and engagement.

3. Create a values-based culture that promotes empathy and impact, both globally and locally, with an understanding of contemporary societal issues.

4. Utilize our own campus and partnerships with others to develop environmental awareness and stewardship in our students.

Gaining and Maintaining Momentum With the introduction of Framing the Future in 2011, Independence also established a set of tactical “to-do’s” described as “Gaining and Maintaining Momentum.” These efforts resulted in attractive on-campus directional signage and improvements to our visibility from the road, along with certain upgrades to the interior and exterior of the building to better reflect the quality, energy, and variety of learning experiences and the welcoming environment. We adopted a more focused approach to relevant faculty development in support of our community of learners, including taking greater steps to broaden understanding of issues in and outside of school related to cultural awareness and diversity.

In our 40th year and looking ahead with pride, the three major goals established with Framing the Future are still extremely relevant, and our intentions remain intact. As we continue to think literally “outside of the box” - we are expanding ways of looking at how we might achieve these goals, including through better or more flexible utilization of classroom spaces, perhaps removing walls and taking greater advantage of our expansive outdoor campus. Children Learn to Learn and Learn to Lead at Independence. By taking steps to re-imagine our physical environment, we are inspired to consider how our students may Learn to Learn and Learn to Lead without boundaries.

February 2018