of those who attend Independence

and, for that, I want to express our

heart-felt appreciation. Because of

their generosity and dedication,

our students learn from guest

speakers, job shadow to expand

their concept of future careers,

attend concerts and benefit from

one-on-one mentoring.

2014-2015 has been an amazing

year and I am pleased with all that

has been accomplished. But as it

draws to a close, I realize that,

once again, it is time to set new

goals for our school and our

students. While I look back with a

sense of pride, I look ahead with

anticipation to the wonderful goals

yet to be achieved.

Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

Tabatha Taylor, Principal

“One Vision, One Mission,

One Goal:

Success For All Students”

Dear Stakeholders,

If you were to ask ten people for

their definition of success, you

would most likely receive ten

different answers. Some would

measure success by status,

others by finances, some by

health and others by love and

friendship. Many people

probably view it as a

combination of all the above.

However you may imagine it, I

think you would agree that in

order for success to be achieved,

goals must be set and,

ultimately, realized.

Independence students have, by

the very act of applying here, let

the world know that their main

goal at this stage of their lives is

to graduate from high school.

Each class taken, each credit

received and each mini-

semester completed are the

stepping stones that move them

from where they are to where

they want to be; on stage in a

cap and gown receiving their

diploma. Someone has said,

“Don’t wait until you’ve reached

your goal to be proud of

yourself. Be proud of every step

you take toward reaching that

goal.” We hope the 155 students

who have graduated this year

have been as proud of

themselves as we have been of

them and their

accomplishments. Our current

graduating class will be

moving on to two and four

year colleges and universities,

enlisting in the military and

entering the work force.

Independence will be

represented at no fewer than

19 post-secondary schools in

five states, as well as in the

U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

The work we do here impacts

our students’ lives in myriad

ways. We are the springboard

that provides students who

wish to graduate early the

opportunity to complete their

studies and move ahead more

quickly. We are the haven for

students who need a place of

calm to focus on their work

without distractions and

progress steadily toward their

goal. And we are the safety

net for those who may be

overwhelmed in larger set-

tings and who need more

personalized support to realize

their dream.

We are supported in our

endeavors by our students’

parents, area merchants, local

faith partners and community

volunteers. Each individual,

house of worship and business

contributes in a unique way to

enrich the lives and education

I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E

CTE Pathway

Completers

2

Daycare

Center Grant

2

Interact 3

From the AP 4

Post

Secondary

Acceptances

4

Star Students 5

Staff

Recognition

6

Check It Out! 6

Grad

Comments

7

Graduation

Events

8

Independence Insights M A Y , 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 4

86 School Drive

Alpharetta, GA 30009

Phone: (770) 521-7611

FAX: (770) 521-7621

independencehighschool.org

Mrs. Tabatha Taylor,

Principal

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as

important as what you become by achieving your goals.” Zig Ziglar

P A G E 2

IHS Students Complete the CTE Pathway

once they reach high school.

Georgia’s initiative is based on

the National Career Cluster

Model.

Students who meet these

standards will receive a national

Certificate of Completion

endorsed by industry. The

certificate can be a valuable

credential when seeking

employment or when qualifying

for postsecondary credit at

colleges or universities. The

number of CTE pathway

completers who earn industry

certification is used in

determining post-high school

readiness in the College and

Career Ready Performance

Index. Fifty percent of

students tested passed the

licensing exam and our

pathway completers increased

by 50%.

This year, Independence

celebrates four career pathway

completers:

Early Childhood Education:

Erika Cobbs

Kendra Cooper

Shannon Isaacs

Small Business

Entrepreneurship:

Maximiliano Godinez

On March 6, 2015, the Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation

awarded a $1,500 grant to the Independence High School Daycare

Center. This money was used to purchase books, community leader

costumes, puzzles, playground balls, a see-through crawling tunnel, a

parachute, and a water table.

I N D E P E N D E N C E I N S I G H T S

Georgia’s Career Clusters

allow students to choose an

area of interest in high school

from the 17 clusters. Students

take classes tailored to their

cluster, which helps them

navigate their way to greater

success – no matter what they

choose to do after high school

graduation. Each cluster will

include multiple career

pathways. The aim of the

program is to show students

the relevance of what they’re

learning in the classroom,

whether they want to attend a

two-year college, a four-year

university or go straight into

the world of work. Students

will begin to learn about

potential careers in elementary

and middle school so that they

are ready to choose a pathway

Career &

Technical

Education

Independence Daycare Center Receives Grant

Welcome and Thank You to our two newest partners,

Northbrook United Methodist Church and The Summit Counseling Center.

We appreciate you reaching out to our students and staff to make our

year-end festivities so much more special!

Interact

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 4

The members of the Interact Club continued their commitment to serve local and global communities

with the undertaking of a spring blood drive and a clothing and book collection campaign. The blood drive was held on Friday, April 17 in partnership with Life South Community

Blood Centers. Students and staff members donated 23 pints of blood which translate to almost 70 recipients being given a life-saving gift. The clothing collection was part of a ripple effect to benefit multiple non-profit organizations. The clothing collected will be donated to the American Kidney Fund. In turn, the AKF will donate $.10/pound of clothing back to the school. Those funds will be used to support “Operation Oreo,” a project of Alpharetta First United Methodist Church which sends Oreo cookies to troops serving overseas. The book drive targeted K-8 level

“Your Just Desserts”

To show our appreciation for all the time,

talent and material support provided to

Independence High School by our many

volunteers, business and community

partners, IHS hosted the second annual

“Your Just Desserts,” an afternoon

dessert reception on Tuesday, April 28. It

was an honor and pleasure to personally

thank all those who have helped make

2014-2015 such a fantastic year.

Teacher Appreciation Week

With the thoughtful assistance of

The Vanguard Church, Alpharetta First

Baptist Church and Northbrook United

Methodist Church, and the generosity of

the IHS Administration, each day of the

week set aside to honor teachers was filled

with touching moments and fun

festivities.

Thank you, All!

Staff Gift Card Tree

Georgia Certificate of Merit

In recognition of outstanding scholastic

achievement throughout the first three years

of high school, the University of Georgia

annually presents the Georgia Certificate of

Merit to high school juniors who are ranked

in the top 5% of their class. The 2015 IHS

recipients are:

Paul Wallace

Matthew Isaacs

William Aguilar

reading material that will be shipped to Zimbabwe. The books will benefit children in that country who love to read but do not have the resources for or access to educational materials. Donations to these two causes is welcome year-round at IHS.

For the past few years, Fulton County Schools has focused on Strategic Plan 2017: Building Our Future and its goals:

Graduation Rate - 90% of our students will graduate on time

College Readiness - 85% of our seniors will be eligible for admission to a University System of Georgia college or university

Career Readiness - 100% of Fulton’s graduates will be work – ready certified

Continuous efforts are being made to build on current successes and develop new strategies to ensure reaching these goals. The instructional focus has been on

Continuous Achievement, Assessment and Feedback, Tailored Supports and Challenging and Innovative Instruction. The most recent development in that last

category has been the district’s commitment to creating a student-centered culture and learning environment, using personalized instructional strategies to meet

this commitment. In a collaboration among students, parents and teachers, students will take a proactive role in designing their current learning and planning for

future learning. They will participate in the evaluation of their learning and in deciding how to demonstrate their learning. Students will have choices regarding

curricular options and, by using personalized learning plans, teachers will help students manage their own educational experience.

Independence High School is in roll-out Group 5 and, beginning in the summer of 2016, we will go through an 18 month process to develop:

a vision and plan for personalized learning aligned to our Strategic Plan.

professional development and communication plans.

selection and roll-out of student devices.

We will share IHS updates with you as this exciting new strategy takes shape. As always, you may also stay informed by visiting the FCS website at

www.fultonschools.org

Gwendolyn H. Harris

Assistant Principal

Test Coordinator

P A GE 4

From the Assistant Principal

“Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process.”

Euripides

Post Secondary Acceptances

Congratulations to the following students who have received acceptance letters from the colleges/universities and branches of the military of

their choice. Scholarships awarded are in parentheses:

Lindsey Strozier - University of Mississippi

Mackenzie Wagner - University of Alabama

Menas Fawzi - Georgia Perimeter College

Meghan Lively—Kennesaw State University

Shannon Isaacs—Mercer University ($72,000), Eckerd College ($76,000), University of Tampa ($12,000), University of North Carolina Charlotte,

Flagler College, Agnes Scott College ($80,000), University of Miami

Amanda Miller—Georgia Southern University and the University of Alabama

Demitri Shannon—Voorhees College

Chris Bautista—United States Army

Chimezie Williams—United States Army

Oliver Leal—Georgia Southwestern University

Alaleyone Randle—Lane College

Cristopher Moreno—Georgia Military College—Cristopher will be a new addition to their soccer team.

Alexandra Butson—University of West Georgia

Isabella Londono—Georgia State University

Mason Haly—Valdosta State University

Sydney Stone—Gwinnett Technical College

Aashatha Dalal—Georgia Perimeter College

V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 5

S

T

A

R

S

T

U

D

E

N

T

S

Congratulations to the Mini-Semester IV Star Students! Selected by their

teachers for academic success, dedication to their studies and admirable

character, these shining stars were joined by family and friends during a

ceremony and reception in their honor on May 12:

Alberto Avelar

Joseph Bomboy

Elanté Cater

Erika Cobbs

Marissa Davis

Dominique Gore

Shannon Isaacs

Meghan Lively

Akia Lloyd

Christopher Manning

Zachary Murphy

José Ruiz

Edson Segura

Stanley Simpkins, Jr.

Tyler Stredrick (2)

Sandra Tellez-Guzman

Certificate of Merit

Recipient, Paul Wallace

P A GE 6

Bringing Their “A” Game

Congratulations to the members of Independence’s Support Staff for completing

their 2014-2015 book study, Bring Your “A” Game to Work. This team building

exercise focused on “seven values that will make every employer want to hire you

and fight to keep you.” In addition to generating lively discussion, the time spent on

the study enabled staff members to become better acquainted with their

co-workers, strengthening the bond of an already awesome team.

———————————————————————

Ms. Tanya Ellis, Independence Head Counselor,

along with her colleagues from other FC schools,

was invited to participate in a photo opportunity

with Governor Nathan Deal at the State Capitol on

March 24. In conjunction with National School

Counseling Week, Gov. Deal issued a proclamation

honoring the work of all Fulton Professional School

Counselors.

IHS Represented at the

State Capitol

For almost 20 years, young ladies in

area high schools have benefitted

from Check It Out!, a health

program addressing breast cancer

prevention and the risk factors

associated with the disease. Each

spring, the Oncology Department

of Northside Hospital and the

Greater Atlanta Hadassah, a

volunteer organization focusing on

promoting issues of women’s health

and family well-being, partner to

provide educational materials and a

nurse/speaker for our school.

The attendees at the March event

learned that one in every eight

women will have some type of breast

cancer in her life; that the number

one risk factor in getting breast

cancer is simply being a woman; and

that a mammogram is still the best

test for early detection. This year,

Ms. Annie Kohut of the Greater

Atlanta Hadassah and Ms. Susan

Casella of Northside Hospital were

joined in their presentation by

Check It Out!

Ms. Vickie Atkinson, a breast

cancer survivor who shared the

personal story of her battle with and

ultimate victory over breast cancer.

She encouraged the young ladies in

the audience to take ownership of

their health care, to make smart

choices and to practice good habits

now to reap the benefits as they

grow older.

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 PAGE 7

Independence Graduates Speak Out!

“Right before coming to Independence, I was on the brink of

dropping out of high school. I had always been a straight A

student and everybody who knew me was appalled at the

idea of me quitting with months left to graduate. Coming to

Independence was the best decision I ever made towards my

education. I was able to get back on track, earn the rest of

the credits needed to get that diploma and end my senior

year with amazing grades. Thanks to Independence, I made it

to graduation and I will be the first in my family to graduate

on time. All I’ve got left to be nervous about is those high

heels I bought for the big day. Other than that, I made it!!!!!”

Nidia, 2015

“I honestly thought all hope was

lost. I was just going to be anoth-

er statistic (a high school drop-

out). Hearing about Independ-

ence was hope...and hard to enroll

in. I managed everything, but my

stay here was even harder. Wak-

ing up and bringing my baby girl

every morning almost seemed

impossible, but my teachers helped

a lot. They stayed with me even

after school and with my will and

their help, today I graduated from

high school. Thank you, Mrs.

Rogers, for helping me even when

I had given up and thank you,

Independence High School for the

second opportunity at success.”

Cinthya, 2015

“It has been a long journey,

but I got through it. I want

to thank IHS for helping

me graduate on time and

not have to stay in high

school longer than I had to.

I have had my ups and

downs with high school, but

that didn’t bring me down

at all. I MADE IT.”

Tierra, 2015

“Independence High School has been my saving grace. I have met

so many amazing people at this school, from faculty members to

students. Independence has given me the opportunity to excel not

only in my learning, but in my high school career. I will be forever

grateful for the incredible people who have made Independence

thrive.” Shannon, 2015

“Independence was the key to my success

in high school. I don’t know how I would

have graduated without Independence.

The traditional setting didn’t work for me

but this was a much better fit. I’m very

grateful for the chance to come to this

outstanding school.” Sarah, 2015

“It’s been great. I’ve had a

rough time outside of school

and the teachers have been

very supportive and

understanding. Without them

believing in me, I would not

have made it through.”

Dominique, 2015

“My time at Independence High School has been

a fun and life-changing experience. I take my

work more seriously and the teachers absolutely

make sure that you understand the subject. It

has been an honor attending this school and I

highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling

or has failed at their home school.” Carl, 2015

“My experience in Independence High School was truly

amazing. I’m proud of myself for making it this far to

graduation . Each and every teacher that I’ve had were

just awesome and dedicated. I’ll miss them truly. I

wish each and every student the best of luck in their

future and I’m glad I came to this school. CLASS OF

2015!

Raymundo, 2015

“Independence helped me get

through the rest of my high

school career and finish out

strong. I wish I could have come

earlier.” Mason, 2015

Congratulations Class of 2015!

It is the policy of Fulton County School System not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, natural origin, age, or handicap in any employment practices, educational

programs or activities. Es la polÍica del Sistema Escolar de Condado de Fulton De no discriminar por la carrera, por el color, por el sexo, por la religión, por el origen nacional, por la edad,

ni por la incapacidad en cualquier práctica del empleo, en el programa educativo, ni en cualquier otro programa, la actividad, ni el servicio.

GRADUATES’ COOKOUT,

May 20

THE ANTICIPATION

A GROUP SELFIE

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

TIME TO CELEBRATE!