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FACTS ABOUT IDS:
The Independent Day School is located on the rolling hills in the countryside of Middlefield. It is a coeducational school founded in 1961. IDS enrolls students with diverse racial, religious, and social backgrounds from over thirty surrounding communities. The student body of 188 experiences a challenging academic curriculum in a supportive and challenging environment.
Small classes allow teachers to work with individuals and cooperative groups to promote each child’s academic strengths, to develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and to stimulate natural curiosity. The natural surroundings of the campus are used to enrich the curriculum, provide recreation and develop an appreciation of nature.
QUICK FACTS:
>A co-educational independent school for three years old through grade eight
>Number of students for 2007-08 school
year: 188;
girls-99, boys-89
>Early Childhood, section Beginners through grade one; 56students
>Lower School, grades two through five; 71 students
>Middle School, grades six through eight; 61 students
Student teacher ratio: 6 to 1
>Number of faculty: 28 full-time; 9 part-time
>Towns from which we draw: 34
>Students receiving financial aid: 24%
>Students of color: 17%
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q. Do you have a Pre-School?
Yes, we have a Beginners (three-year-old) program, from 8:10 a.m.-12:00 noon, in which we offer a three or five morning a week option (depending upon openings.) We also have a Pre-K (four-year-old program), five mornings a week, from 8:10 a.m.-12:00 noon. The children who are applicants for those programs need to be three years old by September 1st for the Beginners program and four years old by September 1st for the Pre-K program.
Q. Do you have a full day Kindergarten?
Yes, The Independent Day School has a full-day Kindergarten experience, 8:10 a.m.-3:05 p.m. The program combines structure with flexibility. It is a balance of free-choice and more direct instruction. The program supports the children in the transition from Pre-K as they are guided in the development of beginning work skills and being resourceful in their learning.
The Kindergartners begin their school year with a week of transitional half-days, 8:10 a.m.-12:00 noon.)
Q. Do you have care for IDS students before and after school?
Yes, our Before School Program are for Beginners through grade one and for grade two through grade eight. They run from 7:30-8:00 a.m. There is no fee for Before School care. Our After School Programs are for Beginners through grade one and for grades two through grade eight. They run from 3:05-5:30 p.m. and the fee is $6.00 per hour or the portion of an hour that is used. A pre-payment plan is also available. Extended Day, at $16.00 a day, is available for Beginners and Pre-K children from 12:00–3:05 p.m.
Q. What are “Specials”?
Beyond the outstanding learning opportunities experienced in the self-contained
classrooms, Kindergarten through grade five students move, according
to individual class schedules, to “Specials.”
They include Science Lab, Music, Art Studio, Physical Education, World
Language and Library. Grade level classes experience no more than two
of these “Specials” each day. “Specials” provide
enriching extensions to learning with numerous opportunities to integrate
subject matter presented in the different grade levels. Students in
Middle School (grades six through eight) move to all of these subject
areas as they participate in their departmentalized daily schedule.
Q. When does World Language begin?
World Language, a critical part of our curriculum, begins in Pre-K and
continues through grade eight.
Q. Do you have transportation from different towns?
Most families carpool to IDS from over 30 towns. Some families prefer
to commute to and from school on their own. Arranged through Hunters’
Transportation, van transportation is available this year from several
surrounding towns to include the Portland, Glastonbury, Meriden and
Southington area. Pickup and drop off times, as well as fees are set
by Hunters’. If space is available on these buses, Children who
live in Middlefield, Durham and Rockfall can arrange bus transportation
through District 13.
Q. Where do the children eat their lunch?
The school does not have a cafeteria. Children in Kindergarten through
grade eight bring snack and lunch from home and eat in their classrooms.
Our Parent Association also provides a lunch program Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday. Families can purchase these lunches provided for and
delivered to the school by a local market. Thursday is always Pizza
Day. Children sign up and pay for pizza in advance. Parent volunteers
and Middle School students deliver the pizza to the classrooms. Snacks
needs to be brought to school on the days that children have the purchased
lunches.
Q. What are the school hours?
The school day begins at 8:10 a.m. for all students. Kindergarten and
grade one end their day at 3:05 and grades two through eight complete
their school day at 3:15 p.m.
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“After researching other school curricula and observing the classrooms, IDS became our first choice. The classroom size at IDS was favorable…as was the quality of the IDS science, reading, math, music and PE programs”
– IDS parent
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