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Thankful Thursday: Early last week, students in grade levels ranging from Beginners (Age 3) through Grade 2 participated in our annual IDS “Friendsgiving Celebration” in Lower Galluzzo. From snacking on healthy fruits and vegetables to creating a “Gratitude Garland,” our youngest learners enjoyed both fellowship and fun during this special time together!

Happy Thanksgiving from all members of the IDS Community!!! 🦃🍽.

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: Earlier this month, Facilities Manager John Whitney served as a guest speaker in Xander Lowry’s Science Classes to explain the process of making honey. Here are pictures of Kindergarten students thoroughly engaged in the lesson, including the special opportunity of tasting honey from a honeycomb. Thanks Mr. Whitney for a great “hands-on” lesson 🍯 #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shoutout Sunday: Our 8th graders are on a roll with their passion speeches and leading All School Meeting. Christian spoke about soccer and how he's traveled to Europe to play, Andrew spoke about woodworking and how he learned it from his grandfather, and Will spoke about math and demonstrated a fun math problem for the audience. We are proud of how they share a piece of their story with the school! #IDS #fearlesslearning #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: Grandfriends Day is one of our favorite events because our students get so excited to share what they are learning. Our grandfriends played with robots in our Whelen Innovation Lab, played Spanish bingo and math games, made turkeys in art class, and figured out tangrams. Our student performances were exceptional, from the monologue of Sojourner Truth to letters to Ruby Bridges, a dramatic reading from Friday Night Lights and reciting Spanish poetry. Two 8th graders opened and closed the program with speeches about passion and the impact of an IDS education. The ensemble and choruses were equally impressive. Grandfriends walked away with a better understanding of what makes IDS a special place! #IDS #fearlesslearning #fearlessmusicians #Coyotepride #grandfriendsarecoyotestoo

Fearless Friday: Congratulations to members of our Upper School (Grades 5-8) who earned either Honors or High Honors for the 1st Marking Period! Way to go! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: Snapshot pictures of the 2023 and 2024 “Thermometers” measuring the percentage of current family participation during the Day of Giving time period for the Beech Tree (Annual) Fund. Ultimately, the 2023 thermometer rose to 99 percent!

Today, as we mark our 2024 Day of Giving, the call goes out to all IDS stakeholders to make a donation to the Beech Tree Fund. As of this writing at 7:00 am, we have 60 percent of our families participating! We have also raised $22,917 toward our FIRST development goal for the 2024-25 fiscal year of $25,000. By reaching 25K, we will also receive a match of an additional $25,000 from the Peterson Estate!!!

To make a donation, please go to the following link:

www.independentdayschool.org/support-ids/beech-tree-fund

For those that have already made a donation:

THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME!

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: IDS welcomed our new Co-Directors of our annual spring musical to campus last Wednesday: Julia Kannam and Heather McCutchen. Julia and Heather, long-time affiliated with Paper House Productions in Durham, which is “dedicated to promoting youth theater in Middlesex County,” bring extensive experience to IDS. They will lead our Upper School Students (Grades 5-8) throughout the next several months as they put on the production of Madagascar, Jr. in late March 2025!

Thank you Heather and Julia for sharing your gifts and talents with our “Fearless Thespians!” 🎭 paperhouse.productions #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefiel

Motivation Monday: Last Wednesday during All School Meeting, Joe Santinello, a staff member of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce and a friend to the IDS community, spoke to our student body about his days in the Navy from 1992-1996. His remarks were well received by our students and generated many questions from them.

On behalf of the IDS community:

“Thank you for your service Mr. Santinello!”

Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: On a beautiful fall day, our families enjoyed a farm-to-table experience at our first Harvest Meal using produce from our Fearless Gardens. Thanks to the generosity of our 2023 Call to the Heart donors and The Rockfall Foundation, we now have 10 garden beds. Students planted last spring and harvested tomatoes, greens, squash, basil, and more this fall. This was used to create various sauces for a pasta and salad lunch. Shout out to Ms. Monaco and Mr. Lowry for their vision and leadership on this event. #IDS #fearlesslearning #fearlessgardens #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: This is the 3rd annual Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day for IDS. Students learned about Ruby's impact on school desegregation and wrote letters to Ruby about issues they are concerned about. Shout out to our 1st graders who led the walk as a symbolic gesture of Ruby's bravery as a 6 year old. We are proud to join rubybridgesofficial on this national campaign to end racism and hate with love, compassion, and respect. #IDS #fearlesslearning #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #rubybridgeswalktoschoolday #rubybridgesfoundation

THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME THURSDAY!

As a follow up to this morning’s post, we would like to recognize and thank the late Dr. Jerry Peterson and the late Dr. Cynthia Peterson, the parents of Tycho ‘86 and Celeste ’90. During their lifetime, the Petersons have been generous benefactors of IDS for many years, including making a special financial donation for the Upper School Science Lab that continues to help the current generation of Fearless Learners!

As a challenge for our 2024 Day of Giving, Thursday, November 21st, the Peterson Estate, in memory of Jerry and Cynthia, will match all monies received to the Beech Tree Fund dollar for dollar up to $25,000!

To make a donation to the Beech Tree Fund to help us reach this goal, please go to the following link:

www.independentdayschool.org/support-ids/beech-tree-fund

Be on the lookout for email updates and social media posts over the next seven days to chart our progress!

#IDS #fearlesslearning #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: Here are some of the art projects that grade level classes collaborated on in September for submission to the Durham Fair. Many thanks to our Art Teacher, Mrs. Smith, for continually setting a high bar for our “Fearless Artists” to aspire to 🖼️ 🎨 #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: A special “Thanks For Being Awesome” goes out to Facilities Manager John Whitney for painting a new Four Square Box for our K-2 students to use during their morning and afternoon recesses. Four square has become more popular with our young “Fearless Learners” during this school year as they have routinely made their own Four Square out of chalk. We appreciate all that you do for our community Mr. Whitney!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: On this Veterans Day, IDS recognizes several special veterans who have spoken to our student body during the past two years. Kate Logue, IDS Class of 1994, and Coast Guard Veteran, along with her husband Michael, currently in active duty in the Coast Guard, gave a great presentation to our students in 2023 on their military experiences. We also recognize Donald Bohn, a current IDS grandparent and a Vietnam Veteran, along with Dan Cizauskas, the Director of Finance at Xavier who is a Veteran of the Gulf War in 1991. Both of these gentlemen spoke to our students in 2022 and did a phenomenal job.

We also look forward to this coming Wednesday when Joe Santinello, a staff member for the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce and a friend to the IDS community, comes to our weekly All School Meeting to speak to our students on his experiences in the Navy.

To these special people and to all Veterans, we say:

“Thank You For Your Service!” 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: The annual 3rd/7th grade trip to Plimoth Patuxet was a great success thanks to the teaching and planning of Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Boudreau, and Mr. Odum. In this living museum, they learn about the Wampanoag people, colonial life, and the Mayflower. Through a scavenger hunt as they are broken up into "families", our 7th graders take the lead in guiding 3rd graders throughout the entire trip, providing important leadership lessons on communication, patience, and collaboration. Yet another example of Fearless Learning! #IDS #fearlesslearning #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: This past Tuesday on Election Day, IDS students went to the polls to vote on the best animal to support, the Lion or the Alligator. Members of the 8th Grade formed into two teams to support and advocate for their respective animal as well as to facilitate the school wide election. In a close race, Team Lion 🦁 defeated Team Alligator 🐊 but the real winner was the entire student body who learned valuable lessons about our election process. #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: Earlier this week, members of Student Government, along with Mr. Constantilos and Mr. Mitchell, helped to load our IDS minibus with non-perishable food items that were collected during Autumn Games for delivery to the Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown. The collection of food items has been a staple of a friendly competition between Team Blue and Team Green in advance of Autumn Games, our fall Field Day, for many years. This year’s food drive competition was so close, it was decided by 0.7 lbs!!! The big winners, however, are the families that will benefit from these donations by our “Fearless Coyotes!” Go Team Blue! Go Team Green! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: Here is the front and back cover of Admissions Related materials from 2008. Note the old website address at the bottom of the back cover.

Speaking of Admissions, for all prospective families, please join us for our annual Fall Open House this Saturday, November 9th from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. To find out more information as well as to register to attend, go to www.independentdayschool.org where you will find the Open House link on our homepage!

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: Congratulations to the IDS Cross Country Team who finished up the season this past Saturday at the CT Middle School Championships at Wickham Park. The improvement by each runner throughout the season was remarkable. Way to go Coyotes!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: 7th Grade students in Mrs. Mansfield’s Science class recently completed a biology lab on dissection. At first, students needed to adjust to being “comfortable with being uncomfortable,” but by the end of the lab, there was an appreciation on what a “fun, learning experience” the lab turned out to be. Many thanks to these students, under the guidance of Mrs. Mansfield, modeling what “Fearless Learning” is all about! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: Shout out to 8th grader, Matthew, who shared his passion for martial arts as he led All School Meeting. He talked about learning discipline and focus and how it has helped him in other areas of his life. Thanks for sharing, Matthew! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: Today, the IDS community honors Kate Logue, IDS Class of 1994 as well as a current parent, for her tireless efforts since the 1st Day of School, serving as our long-term substitute teacher for Grade 4. As mentioned in Wednesday’s post, Ashley MacPhail, pictured with Kate, will take over Grade 4 teaching duties on Monday, November 4th.

Kate, words cannot fully express how grateful we all are to you, not only for helping our Fearless Learners achieve academic success, but also in creating a learning environment with empathy, compassion, and respect as the foundation!

As we like to say, “THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME, MRS. LOGUE!!!” #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: Earlier this month, IDS hosted a special Parent Health Education & Support Workshop on the topic of Technology—Boundaries, Self-Esteem, and Screen Time. Leading this effort were Alane Villar, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker and Wellness Counselor at IDS, along with Jemma Siperstein, IDS School Nurse. The workshop was well received by all who attended and we look forward to the next offering later in the school year. #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: A perfect Autumn morning greeted runners and walkers alike at the IDS Fearless 5K and Kids Fun Run this past Saturday morning. Congratulations to IDS parents Ross and Shantell Hanson who finished first in the Men’s and Women’s divisions respectively. A huge “Thanks For Being Awesome” goes to everyone who volunteered to assist in planning and organizing this annual tradition. We look forward to “running it back” again next fall!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: October is Filipino American History Month and Dr. Ro and Filipino students shared about the Philippines and the Tagalog language at All School Meeting. For EC storytime, students learned about the flag and how birthdays are celebrated in Filipino culture. Then Dr. Ro treated faculty/staff to a delicious Filipino lunch. Happy Filipino American History Month! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #filipinoamericanhistorymonth

One day to go until the annual IDS Fearless 5K Trails Run in Middlefield. Pre-race registration is closed, but you can still participate by registering in person tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. The cost to run or walk the 5K is $30.00, while the cost of the Kids Fun Run is $5.00. The Kids Fun Run starts at 8:45 am, while the 5K begins at 9:00 am. Participants will receive the pictured running shirt as well as a finishing medal. Trophies will be presented to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place for men and women. Hope to see you tomorrow morning at IDS! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: Many thanks to the Grade 7 Woodshop class, under the direction of Xander Lowry and Facilities Manager John Whitney, for painting the FEARLESS letters in blue! It is a great change of scenery moving these letters to the front of our campus for all to see. Special thanks to Mr. Whitney for also installing lights at the base of the letters for some nighttime illumination! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: Some photos from the annual IDS Halloween parade from the late nineties. This tradition will once again take place next Thursday morning, October 31st at 8:30 am in the EC circle. Stay tuned for pictures of this year’s edition 🎃 👻 #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: One of the initiatives that PE Teacher & Athletic Coordinator Adam Constantilos has brought to IDS is his passion for mountain biking and having our students enjoy our beautiful trail system. Here are some pictures of our Upper School students biking together yesterday on a glorious fall afternoon 🚴 🚴‍♀️ 🚴‍♂️ #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: One of the newest members of the IDS Community is Ashley Torres-Vidal, our Director of Finance and Operations, who joined us in August. A native of Puerto Rico, Ashley grew up in New Haven and completed her undergraduate degree at SCSU. Over the last eleven years, Ashley has worked in various educational capacities before specializing in the area of Finance and Operations starting in 2019. Ashley is the proud Mom of her two children, Ashlynn and Grey, loves to travel and watch documentaries, as well as spending time with loved ones.

Here are some reflections from Ashley on the start of her IDS career:

“In joining the IDS community, I have been impressed by the spirit of fearlessness, independence, and the focus on small learning groups that have been missing from my previous work settings. The sense of community and joy make it easy to work here. I am so happy and lucky to be a part of this community!”

Welcome to IDS Ashley!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: As a friendly reminder, the IDS Annual “Fearless 5k” will take place this coming Saturday, October 26th @ 9:00 am. All participants are encouraged to arrive by 8:00 am to check in, receive their bib numbers and enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast courtesy of our friends at Dunkin’ Batista. Additionally, all runners and walkers will receive a Fearless 5K T-Shirt (see the pictures) as well as a finishing medal. We will also have a Kids Fun Run starting at 8:45 am. To register, please go to our homepage, www.independentdayschool.org and click on the running Coyote. Hope to see you on Saturday! #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Shout out Sunday: It's that time when our 8th graders begin leading All School Meeting, a long-held tradition and rite of passage at IDS. Students receive many opportunities for public speaking and presentation starting as Beginners so by the time they get to 8th grade, it's something they look forward to. Shout out to Brooks, Student Government President, who volunteered first and talked about his passion for drumming. Thank you, Brooks, for demonstrating Fearless Learning! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: As the weather begins to feel like fall, we held our annual Autumn Games and Dancing with the Stars. This lively Blue vs. Green competition highlights how upper school students learn how to lead and work with lower school students in the spirit of fun competition. It's always amazing to see how their "dances" come together with very little prep time. Speaks to the power of cross-grade activities. #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: Members of the IDS Board of Trustees joined our Faculty Meeting on Wednesday afternoon for some special discussions on how the school year is going thus far. There were four different groupings where trustees rotated from table to table every 10 minutes, much like speed dating. All in all, this was a special opportunity to strengthen the partnership between the Trustees and the Faculty as we collectively help to model the values of Fearless Learning for our students. #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Throwback Thursday: Some past pictures of “Field Day” from the nineties. Stay tuned for an upcoming post in the coming days on how much fun our current students had during “Autumn Games” held earlier this month! Go Team Blue! Go Team Green! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: In addition to dedicating the new Whelen Innovation Lab on Monday, we also had our 1st “Centers of Excellence” day of the 2024-25 school year focusing on the topic of Innovation and Design Thinking. The day was led by members of the Student Government with students from Grades K-8 participating in cooperative group activities, testing their innovation skills. As you can see by the photos, the day was the embodiment of “Fearless Learning” in action. A huge shoutout goes to the Centers of Excellence Faculty Committee for planning the day, with special kudos to the Chair of the Committee, Charlie Mitchell, Dean of Special Programs! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: It was a remarkable day at IDS on Monday, October 14th as we dedicated our new Innovation Lab, now known as The Whelen Innovation Lab, named for the Whelen Engineering Company based in Chester, CT, who provided a most generous financial gift to improve STEM learning across all grade levels. A special Blue Ribbon Cutting Ceremony occurred at the end of the school day with James Whelen, Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Whelen, on hand to offer his thoughts and support of our new initiatives. Following the formal dedication, several 8th Grade students showed what they have learned so far in their Innovation Lab course under the tutelage of their teacher, Mrs. Pawlicki, to multiple parents, past parents, faculty members, and trustees. Finally, a celebratory reception was held in the Conference Room to mark this important milestone in our school’s history. Thanks to all who made this day possible, especially our generous “Call to the Heart” donors from last spring’s Independent Day Soiree (Auction), whose initial financial support helped get the Innovation Lab off of the ground to start the school year. #IDS #fearlesslearning #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: Here are some past pictures of IDS road races from yesteryear!!!

The 2024 Fearless 5K will take place on Saturday, October 26th. A Kids Fun Run will start at 8:45 am, followed by the 5K itself at 9 am. All runners and walkers are encouraged to participate! To register, please visit our website www.independentdayschool.org and click on the running Coyote on our homepage. The cost to participate is $30.00 for the 5K and $5.00 for the Fun Run. All 5K participants will receive a T-Shirt and a finish medal.

Hope to see you on October 26th!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Mrs. Royce, Lower School music teacher, taught K-2 students how to dance the Mexican hat dance. In collaboration with Ms. Smith, art teacher, they made their hats in art class. A great example of interdisciplinary learning at IDS! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Saturday Spotlight: A fun IDS tradition each fall is IDS Night at the Hartford Athletic! It was great being in community with each other while cheering on our local soccer team. Join us for IDS Night at a Wolf pack game this winter! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #hartfordathletic

Fearless Friday: Last evening, IDS hosted its annual Secondary School Fair. Over 40 admissions representatives from throughout New England and beyond came to our campus to share their offerings with our Upper School students as well as additional young people from surrounding communities. A huge THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME goes out to Charlie Mitchell for all of his efforts in organizing this event. Additionally, special shoutouts go to IDS alumni Rachel Papke, Tessa Phillips, and Sarah Roberts for representing Mercy High School as well as Delaney Hartenstein as she spoke about her experiences at the Lyman Hall Agriculture Science and Technology Program. #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Throwback Thursday: During Fire Prevention Week, which occurs annually during the first full week in October, the IDS community always receives a special visit from our friends at the Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department. Here are some photos, both from the past few years as well as from their visit yesterday focusing on the following theme: “Smoke Detectors—Make Them Work For You!” As we like to say at IDS, “Thanks For Being Awesome” to the Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: As play began yesterday for the 3rd Annual Coyote Classic, Mother Nature stopped the rain and let some sunshine in for a great round of golf. Thanks to all of the players, sponsors, volunteers, and the staff at Lyman Golf Club for another memorable IDS event! Mark your calendars now for the 4th edition of the Coyote Classic on Monday, October 6, 2025 ⛳️

Shout out Sunday: Shout out to the Multicultural Friends & Families Group for hosting a festive and delicious potluck! This annual event is a wonderful way of bringing together the various cultures that represent IDS and celebrating the diversity within. Special thanks to co-leaders, Deremius and Alane, for facilitating the group. #fearlessparents #IDS #DEIB #multiculturalfriendsandfamilies

Spotlight Saturday: Our Fearless Gardens are thriving and students are harvesting tomatoes, beans, squash, cucumbers, and more. Thanks again to the generous donations from families during the Call to the Heart 2023 and The Rockfall Foundation for supporting this initiative. #fearlesslearning #fearlessgardens #IDS #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: IDS hosted its first Cross Country meet of the season with teams from The Foote School, Our Lady of Mercy Prep and Watkinson participating. Special thanks to members of the Xavier High School Cross Country Team for volunteering their time to help all of the participants. Additionally, “Thanks For Being Awesome” goes out to Rob McGuinness, Ross Hanson, and Pam Ventola, for their contributions in helping to run the meet as well as to Adam Constantilos and John Whitney for their behind the scenes efforts. Go Coyotes!!! Xavier High School #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: Ava Chiappetta, IDS Class of 2024, came back home yesterday to volunteer her time during a special Mercy High School Service Day where she is beginning her high school years. Ava was very helpful in a variety of ways, such as providing assistance to Mrs. Mills with 4th Grade lessons, working with Upper School students in classes, and helping Mr. McCaffrey with Admissions-related activities. Best of luck Ava in all of your future endeavors at Mercy and beyond!!! Mercy High School - Middletown, CT #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: While students were enjoying the Durham Fair, our faculty and staff engaged in PD day focused on civic discourse, design thinking, and curriculum mapping. Many thanks to our colleagues from the Hopkins School, Becky Harper and Sarah Belbita, for sharing strategies for facilitating difficult conversations. Fun fact: Sarah's uncle helped build our trails on campus. What a cool coincidence and full circle moment! #fearlesslearning #fearlessfaculty #IDS

Fearless Friday: In less than a month, IDS will once again be hosting our annual Fearless 5k. Last year’s edition was the first running of our 5k since COVID and a great time was had by all! You can register by going to www.independentdayschool.org and clicking on the Coyote. The cost to run in the 5k is $30.00. All 5k runners will receive a T-Shirt and a Finishing Medal similar to the ones pictured from last year’s race.

On race day itself, we ask all runners to arrive by 8:00 am to pick up their T-Shirts as well as to walk the course. We will begin with a Children’s Fun Run ($5.00 entry fee) at 8:45 am, followed by the 5k itself at 9:00 am. There will also be some special guests and programs following the 5k.

Looking forward to seeing you at the starting line on October 26th!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: Thanks to the recent archivist work of Dr. Marijke Kehrhahn, Head of School Emeritus, and her daughter Jasmine, Class of 2004, a special discovery was found—the original invitation of the opening of IDS on September 13, 1961. However, as we learned last week from John Reynolds IV, IDS Class of 1969, the building was not quite ready, so the first actual day of school at IDS was Monday, September 18, 1961. Thank you Dr. K and Jasmine for your efforts at preserving our history!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: In addition to Dunkin’ Batista, we are also happy to announce that the Haskos Family McDonald’s Company, with multiple franchises throughout Connecticut, will also serve as a Co-Title Sponsor for the 3rd Annual Coyote Classic on Monday, October 7th! Many thanks to the Haskos Family who have been members of the IDS community for many years!

There are still spots open to play as well as be a sponsor, but now is the time to register! Please visit our homepage, www.independentdayschool.org to either sign up to play or to be a sponsor. Looking forward to seeing you at the Jones course at Lyman’s on Monday, October 7th!!!

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Motivation Monday: With two weeks to go before the 3rd Annual Coyote Classic, IDS is happy to announce that Dunkin’ Batista Companies are one of our Co-Title Sponsors for the tournament ⛳️. Many thanks to Dunkin’ Batista for your continued participation in the Coyote Classic!!!

There are still spots open both to play as well as to be a sponsor, but now is the time to register! Please visit our homepage, www.independentdayschool.org to either sign up to play or to be a sponsor. Looking forward to seeing you at the Jones course at Lyman’s on October 7th! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: PIN, or Parent Information Night, was a huge success and parents walked out with a good sense of what academic excellence and social-emotional learning look like at IDS. The evening began with a Specials Fair followed by opening remarks by Dr. Ro about Fearless Learning in the first few weeks of school. The Deans presented about Responsive Classroom, the Upper School program, and the Center for Innovation and Design Thinking. The stars of the night were the talented and passionate faculty who work hard to ensure every student is challenged appropriately and cared for holistically. Thanks to all our parents for your partnership this year! #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: There is not a better way to mark a Fearless Friday than with the placement of our FEARLESS letters in the front driveway. Special thanks to Facilities Manager John Whitney, Science and Woodshop Teacher Xander Lowry, as well as the 7th Grade Woodshop class for installing these letters, which were originally designed by former Maker Lab teacher Michael Pestel and a previous group of IDS students. Stay tuned for additional modifications to these letters, including fresh paint and lights!

We also welcomed our parents to campus last night for our annual Parent Information Night (PIN). More about PIN will be explained in a future post, but here are a couple of photos of parents and faculty enjoying fellowship in the Main Courtyard with our new picnic tables and IDS umbrellas!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: On October 6, 2023, both the Faculty/Staff and the Board of Trustees made a 100 percent commitment to the Beech Tree (Annual) Fund for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

We are happy to report that the goal of 100 percent by both of these stakeholder groups for the Beech Tree Fund has already been achieved for the 2024-25 school year as of yesterday, September 18, 2024!!!

In celebration, the Faculty & Staff were recognized this morning with a continental breakfast courtesy of Dunkin’ Batista, along with a special cake! Special thanks as well goes out to our Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees, AJ Cortes & TJ Grover, for their efforts in working with their fellow trustees to achieve the century mark of participation from the Board.

Additional pictures in this post include our annual Field Day in May with last year’s Faculty/Staff members scattered throughout the photo and a picture of current members of the Faculty & Staff taken in August.

Thanks For Being Awesome Everyone 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: As IDS marked “Founders Day” today, we were very fortunate to have John Reynolds, IDS Class of 1969, and his wife Simone with us for All School Meeting. After Mr. Mitchell provided remarks on the topic of “Passion,” Mr. Reynolds spoke to the entire IDS community about the very first day of school, September 18, 1961, when, as a 1st Grader, he remembered attending classes in gale force winds as a result of an autumnal hurricane. Even the windows to the school building had not been fully installed, they were covered in plastic. Mr. Reynolds went on to share stories about his eight years at IDS and how his education here prepared him for his high school years at The Hotchkiss School, his undergraduate years at Yale University, and for life itself. Mr. Reynolds also took this opportunity to thank his late father for being instrumental as one of the founding fathers of IDS. We are grateful to both John and Simone, not only taking the time to visit us today, but also for their past work in serving as members of the Board of Trustees when their children, John and Daniel, attended IDS. As we said to them in one voice before the end of All School Meeting, “Thanks For Being Awesome!” The Hotchkiss School Yale University #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: Congratulations to IDS students Nicolette and Arav, who were honored this past Saturday as the newest “Rising Stars” of Cromwell. State Senator Matt Lesser and State Representative Christie Carpino were on hand to present special proclamations to all of the recipients of this award. We also want to congratulate Grace, another Rising Star, who was unable to attend Saturday’s ceremony. She will be honored at a future time at IDS. Way to go Coyotes! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Shout out Sunday: Thanks to Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Lowry, our 8th graders hiked up Sleeping Giant Mountain for team-building, reflection time, and goal-setting. The day ended with a special ice cream treat with Dr. Ro and Mr. Sizemore. As the "seniors" of our school we look forward to seeing them step into leadership during their final year at IDS. #fearlesslearning #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct

Shoutout Saturday: Lower School Science Teacher Xander Lowry recently took the 1st Grade students outside to check on our Raised Beds. What a great “hands-on” lesson for our Fearless Learners! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: Fall Sports at IDS are up and running literally, with the return of Cross Country and Soccer. Pictured are Volunteer Coach Rob McGuinness leading our runners with hill sprints and Coach Charlie Mitchell going over soccer strategies with his players before they start with various drills. Best of luck to all of our Fearless Coyotes for a great fall season ⚽️ 🏃🏻 🏃‍♀️

For families with younger students born in the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, there is a special six session soccer clinic being offered by our friends at Sporting CT. This soccer clinic will be run by the grassroots program coordinator Trystan Ayala and the club coaching staff. This clinic is six sessions long and will cost $175 per player. The clinic is open for boys and girls and will run from 8:00 am - 9:00 am for each session. Players from all towns are welcome to sign up for this clinic. Dates for clinic are September 15, 22, 29 and October 6, 20, and 27. To register, please click on the link below:

https://sportingct.leagueapps.com/events/4312359-sporting-ct-fall-soccer-clinic

#IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Throwback Thursday: David Marottolo, IDS Class of 2014 with Now and Then pictures. After graduating from IDS, David attended Kingswood Oxford School and Trinity College, where he majored in music. David has many roles as a collaborative pianist and organist for multiple organizations, including his alma mater, right here at IDS, where he assists with the Lower School (Grades 3 & 4) and Upper School (Grades 5-8) Choruses.

Here are David’s thoughts on IDS:

“IDS set the stage for my musical journey, both technically and as a lover of music. Not only did IDS give me the opportunity as a student to engage with music in different ensembles, but my experiences here encouraged me to explore performing with a sense of curiosity that led me to pursue a life of collaborating musically with others!”

Thanks for continuing to share your gifts and talents with us Mr. Marottolo!” Kingswood Oxford School Trinity College #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Wednesday, September 11th: During All School Meeting this morning, Mr. Sizemore discussed the importance of heroism and recognizing the everyday heroes in our lives. He began his remarks by remembering Peter Gelinas, a friend and classmate from Xavier High School, who died on September 11, 2001 in the attack on the World Trade Center. Members of the 4th Grade class read special essays at ASM on what it means to be a hero. The school community marked a moment of silence at 8:46 AM at the time that the North Tower was struck on that fateful morning twenty-three years ago. Finally, instead of ending with the traditional “Sing and Sway” song, the school community sang our National Anthem in memory of those that have passed away and in honor of the heroes that helped save thousands of lives on September 11, 2001. Never forget 🇺🇸 #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: IDS is proud to announce that Jenna Driscoll, P ‘25, has become a new member of the IDS Board of Trustees. Jenna and her family have been part of the IDS community for the past four years. Jenna has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry and currently holds a position as a physical therapist at Yale-New Haven Hospital and is a part-time faculty member at Quinnipiac University. Jenna is also an avid community volunteer, not only at IDS, but for many years at Xavier High School as well as for other local organizations.

Jenna describes what IDS means to her as follows:

“While volunteering and being a parent at IDS, I have witnessed students being valued as individual learners, all with different passions and strengths. Special programs such as the Centers of Excellence, outdoor science on the nature trail, All School Meetings run by students, and the brand new Innovation Lab, encourage collaboration, self-directed learning, and greater social-emotional awareness. I am thankful to be part of this unique community and look forward to making contributions that support IDS on an incredible uphill trajectory!”

Best of luck Jenna for a great start in your tenure as a new member of the Board of Trustees! #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Magnificent Monday: Christine Foster, a past parent and former Development/Community Relations Director, is returning to the IDS community as a new member of our Board of Trustees. Christine is a self-employed writer, marketing strategist, and community builder, with recent clients including Stanford University, the University of Chicago Law School, Wesleyan University, and numerous private K-12 schools. Along with her husband David, they are the proud parents of three IDS graduates: Katie, Class of 2014, William, Class of 2017, and Andrew, Class of 2020.

Here are Christine’s reflections on the importance of what IDS means to her and her family:

“IDS gave my kids a great academic foundation and a clear sense of themselves as people. The school gave me a community of other parents who also wanted something special for their kids and we all found it here at IDS. We are forever grateful to the fantastic faculty members who helped our children love to learn!”

Welcome back home Christine and best of luck in your new role as a member of the Board of Trustees!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Wow Wednesday: On Day #2 of the school year, Dr. Ro led the IDS community in our 1st All School Meeting of the year, focusing her remarks on the importance of belonging. We also welcomed our new students as well as our new faculty/staff members, launched our new compositing program, recognized returning students who earned High Honors or Honors during the final trimester of the 2023-24 school year, and celebrated the achievements of last year’s Lower School Chorus from the Fantastic Festivals competition in May. It was a great All School Meeting and we look forward to gathering again every Wednesday morning as a community throughout the rest of the school year! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: These pictures are just a small percentage of our Back to School photos on the first day of school at IDS! It’s always great to see so many happy faces as we begin a new journey together. If any family would like a photo from today, reach out to Mr. Sizemore at sizemored@independentdayschool.org and he will email the photo(s) to you. #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Magnificent Monday: As the country marks Labor Day, at IDS, we want to thank the faculty and staff for their tireless efforts to help our students on their journey in becoming “Fearless Learners!”

We are also looking forward to tomorrow for the first day of school and the start of the 64th year at IDS!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Spotlight Sunday: Our IDS Online School Store is featuring six brand new products to start the 2024-25 school year. From now until Monday, September 9th, you can order the following items, which will be delivered by Tuesday, October 1st. This is especially helpful to current families, not only in preparation for the new school year, but also for Autumn Games, which will be held on Friday, October 4th. The six new items include revised Polo and T-Shirts, a Hoodie T-Shirt, a Crew Neck Sweatshirt, pet bowls, and a 40 ounce Hydrapeak Tumbler Cup.

To order these products, please visit our website, www.independentdayschool.org and click on the School Store link. IDS will also benefit by receiving a monetary percentage of all sales from these and other products from our online school store. Special thanks to Barkers Specialty in Cheshire for all of their efforts with the creation of these new products and for our online school store! #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Shoutout Saturday: As part of our Professional Development Days this week, Charlie Mitchell, Dean of Special Programs, led us through a series of hands on exercises as to how to improve the IDS community in partnership with our students. Topics that were discussed in small groups included the implementation of our new lunch space for Upper School students in the Main Courtyard, the continued beautification of our grounds, harvesting of our plants in the raised garden beds, design of a special maker space for our EC/LS students, and the launching of our new composting program (more details to come)! We not only look forward to our students returning to school on Tuesday to teach them in traditional classroom settings, but we also are eager to have them work alongside us in these endeavors in order to make these projects a true learning experience for all! #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Fearless Friday: There was both joy and unbridled enthusiasm yesterday afternoon on the IDS campus as our students and families joined the faculty and staff for a special Back to School Orientation Program. The festivities began with a session with our EC families (Beginners and Pre-K), followed by an orientation for our new families in Grades K-8. Later on, teachers had the opportunity to welcome students to their new classrooms for the upcoming school year, while Dr. Ro, Becca Agli, representing the Parent Association, and Mr. Sizemore offered remarks to parents on what to look forward to in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Special thanks to the Phoenix Farm (Italian Ice) and Tall Man’s Ice Cream, both based in Cromwell, for providing cool treats at the end of each of the Orientations. Looking forward to seeing everyone for the 1st Day of School on Tuesday, September 3rd! #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Throwback Thursday: Lauren Stebbins, IDS Class of 2013, with some pictures of her Coyote Days, as well as a recent photo of her graduation from Villanova Law School. After IDS, Lauren went onto to the Westover School in Middlebury for high school, then to Union College, where she was a double major in Biology and Political Science.

Here is Lauren’s perspective on her IDS experience:

“IDS’s close-knit and creative community was the best place for me to grow up in and to start to figure out who I wanted to be. And I am really lucky to still have close friends from my time there! Thank you IDS!”

Best of luck Lauren as you embark on your legal career! Villanova University Union College Westover School #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

WOW Wednesday: The IDS faculty and staff took their Professional Development activities outside yesterday afternoon for a special team building training session with Empower Leadership led by Dan Jaskot. A variety of tasks that focused on listening skills and working alongside partners/small groups were accomplished with a great deal of enthusiasm, Hi-Fives, and fist bumps. After the team picture, Pre-K teacher Julia Rorke was once again crowned as the IDS Rock, Paper, and Scissors Champion for the second consecutive year 🪨 📄 ✂️ Thank you Dan and the Empower Staff for all of your efforts as we continue to get ready for the new school year!!! Empower Leadership #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Talk About It Tuesday: A big IDS welcome to John Whitney, who joins our school community as our new Facilities Manager. A long time resident of Cromwell, John and his wife Christine live on a certified organic farm and are fixtures at the weekly Cromwell Famers Market. John has also held various maintenance positions for over thirty years and is very excited to be a part of IDS. Here are some of his first impressions:

“I knew IDS was very special when I took my first tour. The more I learned about the school’s emphasis on “Fearless Learning,” the more I realized that IDS aligns with my philosophy of learning. I am excited to help the school in anyway that I can as well as share my 25+ years of making maple syrup and 10+ years of beekeeping with the students and my colleagues. I am very happy to be a part of the IDS team!

Welcome to IDS John Whitney!!! #IDS #Coyotepride #middlefieldct #fearlesslearning

Magnificent Monday: What a fantastic day yesterday as IDS was one of many participants in the annual Wadsworth Open Air Market event in Middletown. Thanks to all who stopped by to say Hi and a special THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME to Matt McCaffrey, Director of Enrollment Management, who manned the IDS tent from setup to breakdown. It was a great event to lead into the start of a new school year!!! Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct

Spotlight Saturday: Here are a few photos taken from the 2023 Wadsworth Open Air Market in Middletown. IDS will once again be present tomorrow, August 25th for the 2024 edition, which will run from 10 am - 4 pm. Please stop by, say Hi, and take some photos with us! Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate #IDS #Coyotepride #fearlesslearning #middlefieldct