Independence Primary School

25 talented 3rd & 4th-grade IPS students from the English language arts enrichment program have been selected for publication in "Young Writers USA Scary Tales: The Witching Hour," a national youth writing competition. "Our students have demonstrated extraordinary creativity and discipline by crafting compelling 100-word mini sagas. This achievement showcases the exceptional writing talent within our ELA program," says Principal TJ Ebert. The student writers faced a challenging prompt: create an original, suspenseful story within strict word count limitations. The publication will come out in the spring. Shout out to IPS Gifted/Intervention Specialist Michele Crum who led the lesson!

Give Your Child the Best Start! The Integrated Preschool Program at Independence Primary School is now accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year. ✔️ Open to Independence residents ✔️ Designed for children ages 3–5 ✔️ A nurturing environment to grow, learn, and thrive ⏳ Deadline: Friday, January 24, 2025 📅 Screening Date: Friday, February 7, 2025 Learn more and apply today! Spaces are limited. 👉 Click below for details and the application process. 📞 Questions? Contact Lauren Salcer at 216-642-5870 ext. 1408 or lsalcer@independence.k12.oh.us.

Due to extremely cold temperatures, we are canceling school for Tuesday and Wednesday this week. All school activities, including athletic events and practices, are also canceled for these two days. The Board of Ed meeting tomorrow at 6 pm will still be occurring. Please stay safe and warm during this time. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff. Thank you, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Thursday.

🎊 As we ring in 2025, we're filled with Blue Devil pride looking back at all our amazing students and staff accomplished in 2024! Here's to another incredible year of learning, growing, and achieving together. Happy New Year from Independence Local Schools! 💙💛

Fourth Grade Culinary Immersion Project commenced with a holiday brunch prepared by our 16 IPS Jr. Chefs. Thank you to IHS Food Services staff Tiffany Cullison and Tammy Cwalina for their help teaching students knife skills, food preparation safety, menu planning, and much more!

Due to unforeseen staff shortages caused by illness and injury, we regret to inform you that bus schedules will be affected this afternoon (December 13). To ensure all routes are covered, we will need to consolidate services. • High school and middle school students who ride Bus 7 will be dismissed early at 2:20 p.m. and are expected to arrive home approximately 20 minutes earlier than usual. • Students on Bus 8 may experience delays of 10 to 20 minutes. • Primary school students who ride Bus 8 will likely arrive home about 20 minutes later than their normal schedule. • Primary students that ride bus 7 home may be about 10 minutes later. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Parents who prefer to pick up their children directly from school are welcome to do so. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work through these challenges.

This week, IPS students took part in the global Hour of Code event during Design Technology. They showed amazing creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. 💡 🌍 #HourOfCode #STEMFun #DesignTechnology #GlobalEvent

Families, We are staying with the two hour delay today. Therefore, school will be in session today, Thursday, December 5. If you did not get a phone call from me this morning, please contact your child's school to ensure your phone number is in the system. As a reminder, AM Preschool is canceled. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make sure our students and staff are safe. Thank you, Kelli Cogan Superintendent

Independence Local Schools are on a two hour delay due to inclement weather conditions. This is a two hour delay and at this time is not a full day closure. Decisions for the rest of the day will be made within the next hour or two. If you are a bus rider, your pick up time will be two hours later than normal...same thing if you are dropping off your student...two hours later than the regular time. AM Preschool is canceled as well. Thank you and be safe.

Due to unforeseen staff shortages caused by illness and injury, we regret to inform you that bus schedules will be affected this afternoon. To ensure all routes are covered, we will need to consolidate services. High school and middle school students who ride Bus 7 will be dismissed early at 2:20 p.m. and are expected to arrive home approximately 20 minutes earlier than usual. Students on Bus 8 may experience delays of 10 to 20 minutes. Primary school students who ride Bus 7 will likely arrive home about 30 minutes later than their normal schedule. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Parents who prefer to pick up their children directly from school are welcome to do so. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work through these challenges.

🚀 Future Engineers in the Making! 🚀 Our second graders had so much fun with the Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower Challenge! ✨ Using only spaghetti noodles and marshmallows, they worked in teams to build the tallest freestanding structures. Along the way, they learned about stability, the design process, and teamwork—all while having a blast! 😄👏 We’re so proud of their creativity and collaboration! 💡💪 #STEM #DesignTechnology #Teamwork #CreativeKids #FutureEngineers #HandsOnLearning

🤔 Did you know IHS has a "Worst Case Scenario" class that teaches vital life skills? 🚗🛠️ Students recently visited Cuyahoga Valley Career Center to learn auto skills like jump-starting a dead battery, checking tire pressure and tread, changing fluids, and changing a flat tire. 🔋🔧 The Worst Case Scenario class, taught by Jess Crooks, covers a variety of life skills, from fire safety to personal finance. 🚒💰 The CVCC automotive students taught the workshop - a great real-world learning experience that could prove invaluable in emergency situations! 🆘🚨

Independence Local Schools has assembled a diverse Wellness Committee to develop engaging health initiatives for staff. The 10-member team includes administrators, teachers, principals, central office personnel, and parent representatives. The committee is brainstorming activities and finalizing incentives & prizes. Employees can look forward to upcoming wellness programs across the district!

On December 14, The IHS Student Council is hosting an Indy Kid-Free Night, where parents can drop off their student(s) for a safe, fun evening, and parents can enjoy a night out without their child(ren). Students in first through fourth grade are invited to attend. Pizza, games, crafts, movies, and the gym will be available to your child if they choose to attend. The cost is $30 per student and you can purchase a ticket through this link. The last day to sign up is Monday, December 9. The IHS Student Council looks forward to hosting this fun event for your child(ren)! https://independence.hometownticketing.com/embed/event/456?es=n4u2ggluf44jb9pljeopi1e4jd&single=0

🍁 From our school family to yours, we wish you a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished moments. 🍽️ Enjoy the holiday! 🦃

IPS fourth-grade students are once again participating in immersion projects during the school year. Our "SPA-IPS" experience takes 15 students into the world of cosmetology, where students will learn to work on "Manikins" for the next two weeks and conclude their experience with a salon and spa showcase for their invited guests. Immersion projects are facilitated by Amanda Jaronowski, our district Career Development Specialist, and are a partnership with the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center.

Welcome to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Our first graders had a blast in Design Technology creating their own "floats." Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🥧 https://youtu.be/5cvv6CHxMas

Our IPS Junior Reporters are live in the newsroom with Mrs. Morosko. They are putting the finishing touches on their second edition of IPS Live! Stay tuned for their upcoming broadcast! ✨🎤

In Design Technology, Mrs. Morosko guided IPS 4th-grade students in using Tinkercad to design marble mazes. They followed instructions to build the outer structure using precision and attention to detail, while designing unique paths for the center. This activity encouraged independent thinking and creativity for the students.

🚌 Did You Know? 🛠️ The unsung hero of Independence Local Schools is our bus mechanic, Al DiGiandomenico! 👨‍🔧 In October, the State Highway Patrol came to inspect our school buses, and guess what? 🚨 They all passed with flying colors! 💯 That's all thanks to Al's hard work and dedication. 💪 As the only mechanic for our entire fleet of 17 buses, he's constantly inspecting, repairing, and maintaining our buses to ensure the safety of our students and drivers. 🚎 Al is always 'in, out, under the bus and hood,' making sure every vehicle is in top shape. 🔧 He never fails an inspection, and we're so grateful for his incredible efforts! 👏 Let's give a big shout-out to Al, our MVP bus mechanic at Independence Local Schools! 🏆