Principals Message

Welcome to IHS – Home of the Panthers!

Our vision is to…Teach thinking, reasoning and how to foster creativity and innovation in all our students.

We continually strive for… Engagement, Empathy and Empowerment!

We believe all students have potential, are valued individuals, and are unique in their personalities. We respect their individuality, encourage creative thinking, and strive to provide the safest, least disruptive learning environment. Our commitment is to help our students complete the requirements for a high school diploma, acquire basic job-related skills, develop an appreciation of the importance of lifelong learning, and develop effective social skills. We are committed to providing an enriched curriculum with high expectations for all students which emphasizes the skills, concepts, and processes necessary for the technological and cultural challenges of the 21st century.

Independence High School operates on a quarter system so students are able to earn credits at a faster pace than a traditional high school. We tailor our program to individual student goals. Some of our students return to their former high schools their senior year. Others choose to stay at Independence to graduate on time or even early.

Every student joins an Advisory group when they enter IHS. This is a tightly knit cohort of about 12 to 16 learners who work with the same teacher/advisor every Monday throughout their time at IHS. This provides the space to build a family atmosphere and allows advisors to understand the learner’s interests and needs, which leads to authentically personalized learning for the student.

We are committed to Project-Based Learning:
The project-based learning vision is designed upon 4 foundational principles:
-Engages students through critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
-Immerse students in Real World Skills (Professional/Soft Skills).
-Active participants in the Common Core-aligned learning process.
-Supports different learning styles.

Within their framework, there are 10 distinguishers that guide the relevant, real-world, project-based learning curriculum and outcomes:
-Learning in and about the Real World -School Culture
-Personalization -Leadership
-Authentic Assessment -Parent/Family Engagement
-School Organization -Career/School-College Partnership
-Advisory Structure -Professional Development

As Principal, my door is always open, and I welcome your input. Please feel free to stop in, call, or email me to discuss any concerns, suggestions, or ideas to help make this a successful school year.

Sincerely,

Butch Wagner, Co-Principal Educational Options