Independence High School

I graduated from The Big I way back in 1970. It is a wonderful school and always has been. Times change and students in Charlotte-Meck sometimes have to travel a long way to school. This is a very diverse student body. There are a lot of teachers there who graduated from Independence and that should speak volumes As times change everyone has to adjust. Overcrowding occurs and new schools are built. Sometimes that splits up friends, but Independence has always seemed to come out at or near the top. The football team is coming back. They were undefeathed for many years (7 to be exact) and both of my children went there. I am glad to say we are alumnus of The Big I.

this is a horrible school i went there and I'm happy that I'm leaving there and getting transfered. every time you call the school they will always transfer you to a voice mail as if the people in the front office don't know a thing. like they can't even answer the simplest questions. also when you leave a message you hardly ever get a call back. independence has brought too many many bad things to me and it was only my first year there.
—Submitted by a student

This School Is A Great School The Principle Is great. The teachers are great and the Safety of this Is school I great to I recommend It for parents who wanna enroll there kids In a high school
—Submitted by a parent

I go to independence high school and this is my last year in high school! i have been going to independence since i was in the 9th grade and i loooovvvve this school! the teachers taught me so much that i have never knew! the best teachers at independence i think personally are mrs. lipp, mr. starnes, ms. lee, ms. currence, ms. apsega, ms. frank, ms. noto, and ms. davis even though she isnt teaching anymore! but other than that it is a great school and a safe one!!
—Submitted by a student

As a member of Independence Student Council I would say that this is a really grest school. We have our problems just as any school has. The student- body is really active in the community and has a lot of school- sprit. We currently have an over populated student body. However, by next year a new school will be compleated and more students will leave our general population. A school that typicly revoled around our great football team is now trying to become more active in other extracuricular activites. Overall Independence is a great, diverse school, and I'm proud to be a Patirot!
—Submitted by a student

Not only did I graduate from Independence, I cam back to teach there. The reputation of Independence has always been one of mediocre achievement...that is we've always been in the middle of the pack for test scores, etc. That is all changing. Four years ago they added the Academy of International Studies which is associated with The Asia Society and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. And last year, our math scores (geometry) were second in the county (only behind Myers Park). There are fierce rivalries with nearby schools. They are mostly healthy but some of the rhetoric against Indy is fueled by the fact the our students are as affluence as nearby high schools...and we had an undefeated football team for 7 years straight. This is a great school staffed by some of the most talented and caring teachers you will ever find. Many teachers are alumni of Independence...that speaks volumes.
—Submitted by a teacher

I attend Independence high this school year 08-09 And this school is great i just moved up here from miami,fl and i heard that this school was a very bad school but i guess i was hearing the wrong information i loveee this school!!
—Submitted by a student

I went there in 2005-2008 and I generally had a good time when I went there some of the teacher are a pain but for the most part they are okay the students at the school can be a pain too but that's a small majority overall i like the school
—Submitted by a student

High school can certainly be difficult to navigate. The IS/AIS program at BIG I has been a wonderful learning experience for my guys (3 of them!). It has created community, challenged their thinking on a global level and provided opportunities that only a small environment (300+ students in a sea of 3100+) can provide. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself!
—Submitted by a parent

I think that the Big I rocks! My son attends Indpendence and he has obtained an outstanding education. The school offers a safe place to learn, great teachers and a wonderful administrative staff.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended Big I , and it was a terrific school- great administration, teachers, extracurricular activities, sports program ( go, Patriots!)- She had so many opportunities at the school, and it opened the doors for her to travel overseas, receive a college scholarship, compete in national competitions. She is now a caring, well-educated young woman who is giving back to the community in her career. I am proud of her and the role Indy played in her upbringing. I was a working, but involved parent. Take part in groups like the school leadership team as a parent if you have questions or concerns and you will learn more about the school and how hard they work to help their kids- I know Mrs. Bartles and Dr. Hinson both worked extremely hard to help all the kids at Big I. Some schools don't do that.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had personal involvement within Independence High School and I find it to be mismanaged and unorganized leaving the students in a state of confusion. Administration deals with minor behavior issues through suspension which most students go to school and just hang out so it doesn't work. The principal gives daily speeches that the students ignore and then she disappears. I have a child that will not go there next year because of my inside involvement with the school. If I have to home school, I will so that my child would not attend that school. The principal does not believe in the students but she talks a good game by pretending to care.
—Submitted by an administrator

What a difference a year makes! The new administration at IHS has worked really hard to help this school. The teachers are working harder and the students are too. Sure the school has issues but at least the school is aware and reports the issues unlike other schools. When my daughter needed help, she felt very comfortable talking with one of the female administrators who was so kind and nuturing. My youngest child will enter the BIG I this fall. He can't wait!
—Submitted by a parent

Independence is not only the state champion in football, they are the champions of education. Under the new leadership of Nancy Bartles, the school has done an amazing turnaround. I am so proud to be affiliated with the best school in CMS. If you talk to the parents, staff, and/or students, you will hear the same thing....IHS has improved tremendously and students love going to school. The teachers are awesome! We just need more parent involvement. I think IHS is the best kept secret in CMS!
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Independence in 2001. I'm not certain what's happened to the school since I left, but I do know several of the most passionate, dedicated teachers I've ever known are still teaching there. Every school goes through cycles of problems. If you'll recall, the gang violence that erupted at Butler when it opened had many people questioning how long it would remain open! The only thing Independence needs is a little TLC from CMS and possibly a fresh perspective from a new principal. My education there afforded me many opportunities, both in high school and after I left. When I was there, it was perfectly safe. The only thing that puts students in jeopardy is their own ridiculous behavior. When a parent says that the majority of students at their child's school do not perform to expectations, what does that say about the parent?
—Submitted by a former student

I am currently a rising senior @ Independence, and i have attended it for the past 3 years. I would never go anywhere else. Sure it has its problems but so does EVERY high school; drugs, violence, bad teachers...all of these things are present in every other high school in America, whether they be private or not. Dr. Hinson was a great influence upon this school, sure he liked football, but he knew everyone and said hello to you every morning when he saw you. There are over 600 students in my class alone and i don't even know half of them, but he did, he knew every one of us, all 2200 students at HIS school. You can complain about Independence all you want but you aren't going to find a staff or student body anywhere that has more spirit and cares more about their school. -Heather Parnham
—Submitted by Heather Parnham, a student

This is not a school to send your child to when selecting a high school. I think Independence is an unsafe environment for any student. The staff seems more concern with getting out at 3:00 than caring for the students. There are a few good teachers but majority I feel are incompetent. They lack the ability to control their classroom and teach in a manner to stimulate learning. I think part of the problem is the administration at the school and of course the leadership at the superintendent office.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm glad to find out there are others here who have had the same bad experience as our family did. The comment about the Pickering's is correct; also the comment about teacher favoritism, dumbing down of cirriculum, disciplinary problems --all accurate. I had to take my child out of that school! I have a rising 8th grader and I, as well as other families at our middle school want to know how we can avoid Independence? If she can't go to Butler --private school here we come.
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Independence in 2003, then it wasn't so bad but it wasn't as great as its talked up to be. You'll only get noticed if you do something bad or miss too many days. The education is not that great either. There are some teachers who are great for example the Pickerings are awesome teachers they teach math try to get one of those. The principal may walk around pick up trash and what not but thats only to try to make his school look good on his part he may say hey to a few people but my whole 4 years I've never really talked to the guy except for walking off the stage 'Congratulations' Oh, Wow! Hopefully they'll make it better, who knows!
—Submitted by a former student

The quality of the academic programs at this school is absolutely nonexistant, and parental involvement with the school is limited due to poor management, poor security, and slanders in the system. The administrators and principals I've experienced at this school are as another parent described... 'an ego trip'. It's a very accurate representation of this school as a whole. Test scores are frequently upped because of the incompetency of the teachers they've hired, due to CMS's lack of participation and lack of cash flow directed toward the school. When I started going here in 2000-2001... the school was tolerable, and disciplinary measures seemed to have been met. Now we have at least two to three fights a week, and the teachers communication with students has lowered dramatically. I recommend something be done about this school before it gets any worse.
—Submitted by lee, a student