IndependenceElementary School

First Days of School Arrival Information

In an effort to maintain social distancing and allow students to go directly to their classrooms, we will be staggering arrival times for our students for the first few days of school.  No students will be allowed into the building until 8:40.   

Our current plan is to have students in grades 3, 4 and 5 arrive between 8:40-9:10 a.m.,

followed by our second grade students from 9:10-9:30 a.m.,

then first grade students from 9:30-9:45 a.m.

Kindergarten students’ arrival time will begin at 9:50-10:15 a.m.

There are procedures in place for any student who needs to come during an earlier or later arrival window because of siblings or a parent’s work schedule starting at 8:40. 

All students will enter the building on the car loop side of the school. Walkers will be directed to the double doors near the crosswalk. Bike riders will use the bike rack located in the front of the school and enter through the same doors as the walkers. Car riders will enter through the doors under the pavilion. At this time, the front doors of the school will not be open for arrival and due to construction the Arbor gate will temporarily be closed for dismissal.

All car riding students must remain in their vehicles until they arrive in the designated Drop Off Area near the front of the pavilion. This area will be clearly marked. In an effort to expedite this process students need to be ready to quickly exit their vehicle upon entering the Drop Off Area.  As an added safety measure the school staff will not be opening vehicle doors for the students.  Once students exit their vehicle they will immediately enter the building where they will be met by school staff and directed to their classroom.  Using the car loop to drop off your child is strongly encouraged.  We are asking parents to remain in their vehicles and use the car loop instead of walking children to the doors.  This will help us maintain social distancing.

Due to these social distancing requirements, parents will not be permitted to enter the building or pavilion area.  School staff will be located throughout the building to assist students with finding their classrooms.

During these first few days, students will not be marked tardy.

As always, we appreciate your cooperation and flexibility as we work to keep everybody safe!

Digital Open House Information can be found here.


Please visit our Back to School Information page for additional information about
- Arrival and Dismissal Information,
-Grab and Go Breakfast and Lunch,
-Updated Supply Lists,
-LaunchEd Information, and
-Virtual Q&A Sessions from OCPS.

Are you curious about the differences between LaunchED and Face-to-Face at Independence?  Details can be found here.  

Multilingual Services Parent Information Sessions are available this month.  Click the link for additional information.

Yearbook Information from Lifetouch:

Dear Families,
     Yearbooks are a tradition for schools throughout the US and Canada. At Lifetouch, we are humbled to be a part of providing that tradition. We know how important yearbooks are - especially in times like these.
     We want to take a moment to acknowledge this year’s delayed yearbook delivery is not what you, as our customers expect, nor deserve, from Lifetouch.
     We want you to be aware that our primary yearbook production facilities are located in some of the states that are being hardest hit by the pandemic. We have prioritized the safety of our employees; and we are following all state and local health guidelines to create a safe working environment. Social distancing requirements mean that there are fewer people available to work at any given time. These changes have impacted our production schedule in meaningful ways.
     We realize this has created a lot of frustration since we are currently unable to provide an estimated delivery time frame for your school’s yearbook. Please know our teams are doing everything possible to get your yearbook to you. Shipping is monitored daily. As soon as your yearbook ships, your school will receive tracking information so they can arrange to distribute the yearbooks to the students and families in a manner that is best suited for everyone’s safety.
     As we navigate COVID-19, our intent is to provide you with a yearbook that your student will treasure for a lifetime. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unprecedented time together.
          Sincerely,
          Lifetouch

Welcome to Independence Elementary School

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the most amazing school community in Orange County Public Schools! It is our mission to help every child feel welcome and ensure that each student knows he/she is a vital part of our Independence family.

Independence has had tremendous success over the past four years.

• We have earned an “A” school grade for our first three  years and anticipate the same once this year's school grades are released from the state. Our students’ FSA scores were some of the highest in OCPS. I even received a congratulatory letter from Governor Scott about our students’ FSA scores.

• We won the Golden School Award which is given to schools with exemplary programs that promote parent and community involvement.

• We were named a Five Star School for the past three years. This award is given to schools with exemplary community involvement.

• We were chosen as the recipient of The John Gardner Award of Excellence (Little Red School House Award) by the Florida Association of Elementary School Principals for our academics and community service.

We are looking forward to another productive partnership with you to ensure our children can achieve their highest potential. Working and learning together, we will reach the collective and individual goals for academic achievement for all children. We encourage your membership in PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) and SAC (School Advisory Council). Joining will give you a voice in the Volunteer/Academic environment at our school. My staff and I hope to continue our journey in education by remembering each day that we have the most precious thing in a parent’s life, and that is his/her child. I am honored to be able to see the smiling faces of my students each morning.