Welcome to Independence High School! We are thrilled to have you as part of Indy Nation! Below you will find some general information that is helpful to new families. Please feel free to contact our PTSO New Families Liaison at IHSPTSONewFamilies@gmail.com with any further questions you might have.
INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL
1776 Declaration Way
Thompson’s Station, TN 37179
Website: www.wcs.edu/IHS
Office: 615-472-4600
Attendance: 615-472-4605
Counseling: 615-472-4606
Skyward: Your child’s guidance counselor has already set you and your child up with Skyward accounts. Go to skyward.wcs.edu and log in with the credentials you have been given. Here you will see your child’s bell schedule, grades, test scores, and report cards – including classroom times and teacher names. You can also find your child’s student ID under Student Info.
The Declaration: You have also been set up to receive The Declaration via email. This is the weekly newsletter for our school, keeping you and your student up to date on events, academic opportunities, and schedule changes. Make sure to add donotreply@wcs.edu to your safe senders list. If you do not receive the Declaration, please check your spam folder then contact Melissa Albright at melissa.albright@wcs.edu.
School Supplies: At the high school level, teachers do not issue supply lists by school grades. Individual teachers list their course-specific supply expectations in their syllabi, which they distribute the first day or week of the school year. In general, however, students should have the following supplies every day: Pen or pencil, Eraser, Paper, Notebook, or folder for each class. Other supplies and equipment that may be helpful: Chromebook, Markers or colored Pencils, post it Notes, Index cards, Paper clips, Correction tape or fluid, Ruler or straight edge, and a Graphing calculator.
School Calendar: A copy of the official WCS school calendar can be found at https://docs.wcs.edu/pdf/hr/Student-School-Calendar-2024-2025.pdf.
Late Start Days: Late Start Days, previously known as Power Mondays, result in a 45 minute late start one day per week (either Monday or Tuesday) for most weeks of the school year. At IHS, our late start time is 8:25am. During this time, faculty and staff participate in Professional Learning sharing expertise and working together to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. Buses operate on the regular schedule on these days. Students who arrive at the regular time will be given the opportunity to choose from several supervised activities until the school day begins. You can find a list of these days at https://docs.wcs.edu/pdf/hr/Late-Start-Early-Release-24-25.pdf.
Bell Schedules: Click HERE to view the current bell schedules.
School Handbook: The current IHS school handbook can be accessed HERE.
Extracurricular Programs: Independence High School has a wide variety of arts, athletics, and clubs for your child, including band, sports, club sports, and clubs ranging from show choir to one dedicated to the appreciation of cereal. You can find a list of our extracurricular programs at https://ihs.wcs.edu/academics-programs/extracurricular.
Bus Transportation: Bus transportation is provided to all students attending their zoned schools. To find your child’s bus route, go to https://www.wcs.edu/about-us/bus-routes-transportation. Using the Stopfinder app on your smartphone, you can view the location of your own child’s bus during transportation times. If there are any delays or changes in the schedule, you will receive a phone call and an email from WCS.
Student Drivers: Students with a driver’s license may drive themselves to school but must first complete the Checkpoints Driving course at Independence. Links to sign up for this are included in each issue of The Declaration and can also be found HERE. They must also apply for a parking pass. Click HERE to complete the Parking Pass application and payment. Information on your student getting his/her Compulsory Attendance Letter (required by the DMV when applying for a driver’s permit) can be found HERE.
Car Riders: If you drive your student to school, please CLICK HERE to view the car rider drop-off and pick-up map. Do not go into the visitor’s parking area or drive into the bus lane between 7:00-8:00am or 1:30-3:00 pm. Students may not be dropped off or picked up in Tollgate Village. If your car is parked there, it will likely be towed.
Meal Payments: Your student has a five-digit number that they may use to pay for meals. Go to https://www.wcs.edu/about-us/menus-nutrition to make dietary restrictions, apply for free/reduced meals, and to connect to deposit money in your child’s meal account.
SOAR: SOAR stands for Students’ Opportunity for Academics and Recreation. During SOAR, teachers make themselves available so students can get extra academic help, make up missed work or tests, or receive advice.
Schoology: Your student may receive and do assignments within Schoology. Our counselors also have a Schoology for students with grade-level timelines, announcements, scholarships, and more.
Fees: Your child’s teacher or coach may request additional fees for classroom resources or sports equipment. Most academic fees are voluntary, though testing fees are required. Most sports fees are required. To pay these fees online, sign up for an account at SchoolCashOnline. If you have trouble paying the fees, please contact your child’s counselor for assistance.
Yearbooks: Yearbook sales will be announced in The Declaration school newsletter.
Communication: Please feel free to contact us directly via phone, or via email, especially if this resource does not get you the information you need. You can find a complete directory with phone and email information for our teachers, coaches, and staff at https://ihs.wcs.edu/staff. Emails for key contacts are below:
Administration:
PRINCIPAL:
Dr. Niki Patton
daniellep@wcs.edu
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, 9TH GRADE (A-K):
Melanie Robe
melanier@wcs.edu
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, 9TH GRADE (L-Z), ATHLETICS:
Dr. Trae Weiss
Donald.Weiss@wcs.edu
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, 10TH GRADE
Steven Pickerill
Stevenp@wcs.edu
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, 11TH GRADE:
Andrea Holder
andrea.holder@wcs.edu
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, 12TH GRADE
Naomi Williams
Naomi.Williams@wcs.edu
Attendance:
ATTENDANCE SECRETARY/STUDENT SERVICES
Angela Magnino
angela.magnino@wcs.edu
ATTENDANCE SECRETARY/PARENT SERVICES
Shalonda Hodge
shalonda.hodge@wcs.edu
Counselors:
MaryBeth Clary
marybeth.clary@wcs.edu
Cassie Smith
Cassandra.Smith@wcs.edu
Caitland Sharp
caitlands@wcs.edu
Kelsey Everett
Marianne Dolan
STARS Counselor
Dawn McGrath
New Families Liaison:
IHSPTSONewFamilies@gmail.com
IHS PTSO: We heartily invite you to join our parent/teacher/student organization. For a calendar of all our events throughout the year, including Open House, our fundraisers, spirit wear sales, and more go to www.IHSPTSO.org/calendar.
You are welcome to attend our monthly meetings, which take place one Friday morning per month at 9:00am. Your personal and financial support helps all our students and programs. To join the PTSO, visit IHSPTSO.org/join.
Social Media: You can follow Independence High School, various clubs, teachers, and administration via Twitter. Some key accounts to follow are @wcsGolden (Jason Golden, superintendent); @wcsIHS (Independence High School); @wcsIHSprincipal (Dr. Patton); @wcsIHScounselor (IHS counseling); @wcsIHSPTSO (IHS PTSO). Independence High School PTSO has a Facebook page @Indyptso.
