Research Independence Charter School charter Schools in Trenton, New Jersey

“My son has been in ICS since kindergarten, and now he's in 3rd grade. I must say things started out well with ICS. I will agree it is a very diverse school, the academics are challenging, and the school is overly structured. They lack activities and sports which creates a crowded uninteresting environment for the children. If you have a busy child - beware! Unfortunately, Suzette Hewett (posted August 2004) is right in saying that the school puts everything on the parents. They barely take responsibility for your child while they are in the school's care. I've been emailed, called and requested to the school numerous times for minor issues that could have been resolved by the administrative staff without my work day being interrupted. I wouldn't tell anyone not to send their child to ICS. Everyone's entitled to an opinion. This school in no longer for my child.”

“ICS provides a comfortable, child-friendly environment with college preparatory curriculum. Both my children are receiving an excellent education. The staff is wonderful and they cater to each child's personal needs. It is a pleasure to be an ICS parent!”

“ICS is a great place for kids to live not just learn about multicultural issues. No school in Philadelphia comes close to the SPanish language aquistion opportunities provided by the amazing Spanish-speaking teachers. The school makes the best of what they have and the parent community is smart and committed. The environmenti s really one of inclusion and celebration of all the gifts each child bring to school.”

“I had only heard bad things about the Philly school system so when I found this school it was a god-send. My daughter is enrolled in the regular English program, in which she receives instruction in Spanish each day. She is flourishing and is in the gifted program. I am slightly disappointed in the gifted program. The teachers seem to miss a lot of the classes, which disappoints my daughter very much. It is a new program so hopefully better next year. Parents are highly involved in the school and the staff are caring and fair. Every school has its problems, ICS is aware of its problems and work hard to resolve them.”

“What a great school for anyone in Philadelphia, the central location enables families from all over the city to attend. Please plan to tour during their annual Open House. Our child has been enrolled since year one, we wouldn't dream of transferring her to another school, with just a few years left we are already sad, so many parents hope they'll consider growing thru into a High School. Administration, Teachers and Parents all join to make this one very sought after school community. Congratulations to the first graduating Class of ICS this June also, we are so proud of you!”

“Where are the extra-curricular activities? I know there is an issue with space, but there should still be a choir, a dance program, arts and crafts, and others that can take place inside the classrooms they already have. With all the theatres that surround them, I know that at least one will allow them to have a school play or something. I think they can do a better job with using their surrounding community.”

“Overall my wife and I are very pleased with the school and would recommend it to anyone in the city looking for an alternative to their neighborhood school and especially if second language acquisition is important. My daughter's teachers have been good to excellent and we have no major complaints and with many, many praises. There is a strong parental involvement especially in the immersion program. The immersion program is also very diverse racially, though not as much economically. The parents of immersion students tend to be better educated, middle class families no matter what race/ethnicity they are. It also may explain the lack of push for extra-curricular activities. As these parents are the most active in the school, they also are parents that take advantage of what the city offers. We already struggle with curtailing my daughter's activities because there are so many opportunities available.”

“Has a great program idea, great location - needs to spend more time on developing it and less time listening to elitist parents who want to move the school closer to their homes.”

“My son is in the 1st grade Spanish immersion program. We are very happy with the program and his ability to speak, read and write in Spanish is amazing. There are not many extra curricular activities but they seem to be adding more slowly. The teachers my son has had are excellent. They are dedicated, creative and full of energy and enthusiasm.”

“I am a student at I.C.S. and I have been in the spanish [immersion] program since kindergarden and I'm going into the 5th grade. i love the projects I do with the parent that are willing to help, like embroidery. The principal and techers are awsome. I love my school !”

“Independence Charter is like 2 schools in one and,unfortunately,they are not equal. The Spanish Immersion program is very diverse and the teachers are very committed. The English-language curriculum has attracted a much less diverse student population and is not as challenging as I would have liked. We chose this school because we wanted diversity in both language, culture and student-body. ICS does a great job of teaching students that the USA is only one country of many in the world, but work is needed to improve the cultural diversity within the general student body.”

“ICS is an excellent school with the best PTA ever! I'm not sure what some of the other reviewers mean by 'no diversity'. Students and teachers are very diverse in ethnicity and come from all over the city. We can still use some improvement in extra-curricular areas such as sports and clubs, but teachers are now offering some of those things for free, on thier own after school time.”

“As a parent at ICS, I'm delighted with the academic program (including the Spanish immersion program, which is what originally attracted us to the school), and especially the outstanding music and art instruction. I also really like the emphasis on world studies/multiculturalism. The teachers are really excellent, and both teachers and administration in general are very responsive to parents' input. Most of the ICS school board members are parents of children at the school, so there's a high level of commitment. There is a really high level of parent involvment, with the PTA and with board committees (for example, Diversity, Development, Facilities, Curriculum, and others).”

“My daughter went here and I found the school to be really lacking in leadership and organization. I found that they put everything on to the parents and did very little. I pulled my daughter out and put her in a private K after she was constantly abused by other students. There is no diversity in this school.”

“I would like to see more diversity. The school is a great place for your children to learn. The teacher are great. Child started in kindergarden when school first open. Hopefully she will still be there at least to eight grade. Great job ICS”

“The school has a great spanish program. My child started at kindergarden and is now in first grade. We love the school!”