Independence accepts students in the eighth through twelfth grades from all four Montgomery County Strands.

Transportation

Students take their regular bus to their home school and transfer to a bus that brings them to Independence. Christiansburg Middle and High School students take their regular bus, get off at Christiansburg High School, and walk to Independence Secondary next door. Each school year a transportation form is sent to parents for the purpose of obtaining information about departure arrangements for each student. . All transportation home will commence from Independence Secondary on a time schedule that is specified by the school staff. Changes or deviations from arrangements described by parents must be made in writing or by telephone call to school staff member by a parent.

Daily Schedule

Independence Secondary tries to keep the student/teacher ratio low. Our goal is to have no more than 14 students in each class. There are five teachers on staff as well as one full time counselor.

Academics

Courses at IS conform to the VA Standards of Learning as well as MCPS curriculum guidelines. Teachers emphasize hand-on active learning in course material. Adjustments and accommodations are made for struggling readers. Vetran students sometimes have the opportunity to attend Christiansburg High School for one or two periods for special classes such as vocational courses or specialized art courses.

Attendance

One of the school's major goals is to ensure that students are present and on time for each of their classes.

According to the Montgomery County School Board attendance policy, a student must not have more that nine absentees in a semester course or 18 absentees in a yearly course in order to receive credit for that course. It should also be noted that three tardies, three early dismissals or any combination thereof would constitute one absence.

Students are requested to bring a slip for absences the day following an absence. A request for early dismissal must also be in writing the day of the early dismissal.

Planning and Management

Planning and management of their education at IS also involves students making some of the rules of conduct and accepting responsibility for maintaining a clean and attractive learning environment. Each morning students and staff gather for a morning meeting. Teachers and students make announcements and discuss issues that concern the IS school community. Whenever possible, students are included in making choices which influence the management of the program. For example, students have made rules regarding the wearing of hats and the consumption of snacks in classrooms and decided on consequences for violations of the rules they make.

Just as students are expected to do chores in their homes, students in our community also have chores. Each student is asked to participate in transporting, serving, or cleanup during lunch. They also are asked to put up our flags and clean up after special programs.

Committees

We believe students "buy in" to their education more frequently and consistently when they are involved in the planning and management of their school environment. All students are encouraged to participate in at least one committee activity each semester. Most students choose to actively participate in a variety of committee activities.

Students initiate and participate in a number of committees at IS. These committees have specific functions and goals.

The School Services Committee plans projects around the school campus including cleaning up school grounds and recycling newspapers. Committee members also spearheaded construction of picnic tables, planting of a flower garden, and building a compost container. The Yearbook Committee is charged with the responsibility of producing, printing and selling the IS Yearbook.

The Special Programs Committee is responsible for planning events like the Annual Halloween Open House. They prepare refreshments and supervise the making of invitations and decorations. Committees vary from year to year according to the interests of the student body.

Temporary committees are sometimes formed to plan field trips or organize community service projects. They also arrange a monthly birthday celebration and order flowers or send cards for people they want to recognize.

Community Service

We at IS believe in addressing the whole student in preparing them to be productive citizens. Community Service is a vital component to the program. We want students to understand and experience the importance of giving back to their community. When students collectively work on a task, they learn cooperative and leadership qualities as well. Often students who do not perform well in the traditional school setting excel at the hands-on tasks characteristic of most community service.

Students attending IS do chores weekly. These chores include putting up the flag, transporting the food from the Christiansburg High School cafeteria kitchen, serving the food and cleaning up after lunch. In addition students are expected to help out around the school and school grounds.

In the 2001-2002 school year, IS students participated in numerous community service projects. In the winter students collected over 1200 pounds of food for the Women's Resource Center Shelter. In the fall and spring students monitor the water quality at the Whitethorn Farm to test for run-off pollutants. In the spring students and staff cleaned our Adopt-a-Spot along Ellet Road. Students did trail maintenance at the local Scout camp in exchange for using the camp and equipment. Students weeded and mulched paths at Nellies Cave Park in Blacksburg. Students also worked with a preschool class and took them bowling.

In the past, we have completed gardening and landscaping projects for area residents, and planted trees and built retaining walls at Nellie's Cave Park. We have also worked with the Humane Society, Heritage Hall Nursing Home, and other area agencies to complete projects.

We find our school community grows in closeness as a result of community service projects. Students see teachers in another arena as we work side-by-side.

Each teacher has a "family" of students. Families are chosen to be a mixture of older and younger students, veteran students and new students. Families have a variety of functions in our program. This small group can form close connections. It also provides a format for school management, decision making, problem solving, and friendly competition.

Resolution of Conflicts/Discipline

The IS approach to discipline and conflict resolution is student-centered. Students participate in establishing the rules and consequences each year. They are encouraged to become responsible for their own actions and to resolve conflicts in ways that preserve mutual respect and in which no one loses. These are skills that are valuable not only in school, but in life.

Staff and Parents

IS staff members work to establish a close relationship with parents. Teachers want to share triumphs as well as their concerns with parents. Teachers welcome parents' questions, concerns and information that can help in working with students.

Parent Involvement

The parents of the students at IS are important members of our community. A parent's involvement in the education of his/her child is one of the most significant factors influencing educational success. Each year the school sponsors activities such as Back to School Night and Open House Night. Parents are invited to attend these activities and get to know the school staff. Regular communication between teachers with questions, concerns or comments is encouraged. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled regularly. It is through the collaborative effort of the student, the teachers, and the parents that the students will have the opportunity to fulfill their potentials.

The staff at IS welcomes parent involvement in other areas as well. We are grateful for the contributions of family members with special interests, skills, or talents.

Home School Contacts

Because we do not want students to lose ties with friends at their home school and because we can not offer the wide variety of academic, vocational, and sports activities home schools do, students at IS are encouraged to participate in home school programs. Students at IS can participate in any activity at the home school that would be available to them if they were in the home school including dances, athletics, and clubs. Several of our students have been involved in sports and clubs at their home schools. All of our graduates participate in graduation ceremonies at their home schools.

Field Trips

Field trips are considered a valuable part of all Independence Secondary students learning experience. Teachers are encouraged to schedule field trips for their classes that are both educational and enjoyable. Instructional field trips are also related to specific standards of learning for that particular curriculum area.

All students will be required to obtain a signed field trip permission form from their parents before taking each field trip.

Students will travel in Montgomery County Public School vehicles for the purpose of attending field trips sponsored by the school.

Counseling Services

The IS counselor provides counseling on a daily basis including crisis, personal, academic, vocational, and family counseling. Other services included diagnostic testing, peer mediation, home school liaison and group counseling. In addition to a full time guidance counselor, counselors from local agencies offer in-school counseling to students who choose to take advantage of the service. The agencies include Family Preservation Services, Montgomery County Social Services, Community services Board, Access Crisis Counseling, Upward Bound, The Salvation Army, and the Women's Resource Center. Students may also participate in an Education for Employment(EFE) course in which provides students with the opportunity to learn the skills for independent living and to investigate careers of interest. EFE is designed to prepare students for successful participation in an occupation. Students develop work-related values, attitudes, employability skills, job search skills, job keeping skills, career portfolio, money and time management skills, and leadership skills. The class included units in self-management, relationships, communication, social skills, self-advocacy, transition, decision making, problem solving, conflict resolution and citizenship.

 

Forms and Field Trip Permission Forms

Independence Secondary will send by students or by mail to parents various forms throughout the school year. It is the goal of the school not to overburden parents with the need of such information. It is important that documents requested be completed and returned to the school as soon as possible

Listed are examples of forms that may be sent to parents by the school:

• application for free or reduced lunch and breakfast
• request for schedule changes
• verification or change in student information sheet
• interim report forms
• emergency information and telephone numbers
• school insurance forms

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