Smiles, hugs, cheers, and countless memories. Following commencement, graduates gathered outside Independence High School to celebrate together one final time as the Class of 2026. Congratulations, Blue Devils! 💙
🎤 Powerful words. Meaningful moments. Lifelong memories. From student speeches by Tatiana and Madelyn to special recognitions, today’s ceremony is filled with moments the Class of 2026 will never forget.
📸 Caps are straight. Gowns are ready. Memories are being made. Before the ceremony begins, our graduates are taking time to celebrate with the people who supported them every step of the way. Congratulations, Blue Devils! 🎓
🎓 Today’s the day! Congratulations to the Independence High School Class of 2026! As graduates arrive with family and friends, we are proud to celebrate a class that has truly been Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence. 💙💛
🎓 Independence High School Commencement 🎓
Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2026! Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 1 p.m.
Watch the ceremony live here: https://youtube.com/live/k6T_U-VTbKs
Congratulations to the Independence High School Class of 2026 as they continue Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence! 💙💛
Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2026! Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 1 p.m.
Watch the ceremony live here: https://youtube.com/live/k6T_U-VTbKs
Congratulations to the Independence High School Class of 2026 as they continue Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence! 💙💛
A little surprise for the Class of 2026…
Independence staff members (and even retirees!) hit the road today after school with a very special mission: hand-delivering graduation yard signs to EVERY senior in the Class of 2026! 🏡✨
From front porches to front yards, signs were placed with lots of pride, love, and excitement as we celebrate an incredible group of students getting ready for their next chapter.
This new tradition is one small way to remind our seniors just how proud we are of all they have accomplished.
Keep an eye out around Independence… the Class of 2026 is shining bright! 🌟🎓 Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence!
Independence staff members (and even retirees!) hit the road today after school with a very special mission: hand-delivering graduation yard signs to EVERY senior in the Class of 2026! 🏡✨
From front porches to front yards, signs were placed with lots of pride, love, and excitement as we celebrate an incredible group of students getting ready for their next chapter.
This new tradition is one small way to remind our seniors just how proud we are of all they have accomplished.
Keep an eye out around Independence… the Class of 2026 is shining bright! 🌟🎓 Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence!
Our final induction meeting with our new educators was a celebration of growth, change, learning, and wins! This incredible team embraced our strategic vision, reflected on their first year, and set goals as they prepare for year two.
Throughout the year, these educators have learned, collaborated, and grown together while making a meaningful impact on our students and schools each day.
Thank you to our mentors, administrators, and program leaders for supporting our newest educators along the way — and thank you to this amazing group for the impact you made on the students! 💙💛
Our talented fourth-grade artists who helped create the stunning National Parks mural this year had the exciting opportunity to personally deliver their artwork to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park! This incredible mural will now be displayed throughout the Visitor Center and other locations for the community to enjoy.
During their visit, students also experienced a live demonstration from a National Park Ranger, learning firsthand how the historic canal system worked right here in our own backyard. What an unforgettable day of creativity, history, and hands-on learning! 🌿🖌️💙💛
🎓 Independence High School Commencement 🎓
Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2026! Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 1 p.m.
Watch the ceremony live here: https://youtube.com/live/k6T_U-VTbKs
Congratulations to the Independence High School Class of 2026 as they continue Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence! 💙💛
Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2026! Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 1 p.m.
Watch the ceremony live here: https://youtube.com/live/k6T_U-VTbKs
Congratulations to the Independence High School Class of 2026 as they continue Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence! 💙💛
Congratulations to Independence Primary School fourth grader Joseph Cmolik on being selected to Team Pennsylvania for the prestigious Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament this summer in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada!
After more than two years of tryouts, Joseph earned one of just 17 roster spots on Team Pennsylvania and is one of only four players from Ohio selected to represent the seven-state region on the international stage.
The Brick Invitational is widely recognized as one of the premier tournaments in North America for elite 10-and-under hockey players, bringing together top teams from across the continent.
We are incredibly proud of Joseph for this outstanding accomplishment and wish him the best as he prepares to compete this summer. Way to represent Independence Local Schools!
Blue Devils… Cultivating a Legacy of Excellence.
Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten.
Wishing our school community a meaningful Memorial Day as we reflect on the true meaning of this day. ❤️🤍💙
Wishing our school community a meaningful Memorial Day as we reflect on the true meaning of this day. ❤️🤍💙
¡Olé! 👗👔🕶️ Our Spanish classes recently brought language learning to life with a fun and creative fashion show! Students showcased clothing, styles, and accessories while practicing their Spanish speaking skills and vocabulary in an engaging, hands-on way. From confidently describing outfits to modeling their creativity, students had a blast learning through real-world experiences.
Passport stamped: IMS bound ✈️🧳💙💛
Today our 4th graders officially began their journey to middle school with a special travel-themed visit to IMS, led by their very own student tour guides! Students explored the building, experienced what middle school lunch is like, participated in team-building activities, and cooled off with some delicious Kona Ice along the way. 🍧
From new classrooms to new friendships, today was all about helping our future 5th graders feel excited, confident, and ready for the adventure ahead. We cannot wait to welcome this amazing group to IMS next year
Today our 4th graders officially began their journey to middle school with a special travel-themed visit to IMS, led by their very own student tour guides! Students explored the building, experienced what middle school lunch is like, participated in team-building activities, and cooled off with some delicious Kona Ice along the way. 🍧
From new classrooms to new friendships, today was all about helping our future 5th graders feel excited, confident, and ready for the adventure ahead. We cannot wait to welcome this amazing group to IMS next year
Good luck to Brooklyn Porowski and Piper Breslaw at the state Power of the Pen tournament! The writers and their parents travelled to Ashland University for the competition. The writers are competing against 250 writers from across the state!
Good luck, IMS Blue Devils!
Good luck, IMS Blue Devils!
Good luck to the IHS JustWrite teams competing at the state tournament at Bluffton University today.
Writers: Mae, Tatiana, Matt, Robby, Adriana, Penny, Caitlynn, Veronica, Nicole, Marian, and Sehajveer.
The seniors will be recognized at the awards ceremony for qualifying states, four years in a row!
Tatiana will be recognized for winning a poetry contest.
Hopefully, more individual awards and team trophies will be attained today!
Good luck, Blue Devils!
Writers: Mae, Tatiana, Matt, Robby, Adriana, Penny, Caitlynn, Veronica, Nicole, Marian, and Sehajveer.
The seniors will be recognized at the awards ceremony for qualifying states, four years in a row!
Tatiana will be recognized for winning a poetry contest.
Hopefully, more individual awards and team trophies will be attained today!
Good luck, Blue Devils!
Many thanks to the families, organizations, and industries who continue to cultivate a legacy of excellence by supporting our students in their endeavors and your generous support, year after year, of scholarships and awards for our IHS seniors. Congratulations to all of our seniors who received a scholarship and/or award this morning! Here are just a few of the happy moments from the Senior Awards Program.
Eighth graders at IMS made awesome food to film time lapse videos in family and consumer science today!
In Design Technology, students in grades 3 and 4 had the opportunity to exercise student voice and choice by participating in a hands-on engineering project that interested them. Many students chose to collaborate on this large K’NEX roller coaster, working together over time to follow the design and bring it to life piece by piece.
A night to remember for Independence High School students at Prom 2026! ✨
Students celebrated prom on May 8 at The Aviator Cleveland with Armando Romano and Sophia Pichert crowned Prom King and Queen. 💙💛
Dear Independence Community,
Last evening’s election results regarding the bond issue and earned income tax levy were not what we had hoped for. While we are disappointed in the outcome, we want to begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to learn about the issues, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful dialogue about the future of our schools.
We also want to recognize and thank our staff, students, families, and community members who supported this process over the past several months. The conversations, ideas, and shared commitment to our students have been both meaningful and important.
Our needs as a district remain unchanged. Our facilities continue to age, and our responsibility to provide safe, modern, and effective learning environments for our students remains central to our work.
What matters most is that Independence Local Schools continue to be defined not by a single election result, but by what happens every day in our classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, buses, offices, athletic fields, and performance spaces. It is the relationships we build, the learning that takes place, and the care our staff shows that truly define who we are as a district.
Moving forward, we are committed to taking time to reflect, listen, and gather additional feedback from our community. Your voice is essential in shaping what comes next. We want to better understand our community's priorities, concerns, and the solutions it would support as we plan for the future.
At this time, we anticipate returning to the ballot in November. Between now and then, we will continue to engage openly and transparently with our community as we refine our approach and explore next steps together.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, your honest feedback, and your belief in Independence Local Schools. We remain committed to serving our students and working together to build a strong, sustainable future, as we continue to cultivate a legacy of excellence.
Kelli Cogan
Superintendent
Last evening’s election results regarding the bond issue and earned income tax levy were not what we had hoped for. While we are disappointed in the outcome, we want to begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to learn about the issues, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful dialogue about the future of our schools.
We also want to recognize and thank our staff, students, families, and community members who supported this process over the past several months. The conversations, ideas, and shared commitment to our students have been both meaningful and important.
Our needs as a district remain unchanged. Our facilities continue to age, and our responsibility to provide safe, modern, and effective learning environments for our students remains central to our work.
What matters most is that Independence Local Schools continue to be defined not by a single election result, but by what happens every day in our classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, buses, offices, athletic fields, and performance spaces. It is the relationships we build, the learning that takes place, and the care our staff shows that truly define who we are as a district.
Moving forward, we are committed to taking time to reflect, listen, and gather additional feedback from our community. Your voice is essential in shaping what comes next. We want to better understand our community's priorities, concerns, and the solutions it would support as we plan for the future.
At this time, we anticipate returning to the ballot in November. Between now and then, we will continue to engage openly and transparently with our community as we refine our approach and explore next steps together.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, your honest feedback, and your belief in Independence Local Schools. We remain committed to serving our students and working together to build a strong, sustainable future, as we continue to cultivate a legacy of excellence.
Kelli Cogan
Superintendent
