In Touch with our Past

Founded in 1968 by Marilyn Gatlin and Betty Anderson, IDS is a child-centered school committed to the ideal that happy children ---- those who are respected as unique persons allowed to fulfill their needs to investigate and to be themselves ---- are excited about school and eager to learn.

Independent Day School serves children in Pre-K through 8th grades. From its early days in the basement of a Temple Terrace church to the present attractive, colorful campus, Independent Day School has always been a school that children love.
Visit the campus on the shores of Lake Lipsey with its resident peacocks, rabbits, owls and otters, and it is easy to see why children want to come to school here. IDS is school designed with and for children.

A look back at our origins confirms our dedication to a hands-on, child-centered philosophy. As they were nearing completion of their masters' degrees, Marilyn Gatlin and Betty Anderson founded the school to provide quality education that they felt wasn't available able elsewhere They envisioned an innovative, student-centered school; a school where talented, energetic teachers would have the freedom to use new, research-based instructional methods; a school where parents could be actively involved, and where everyone would feel a sense of belonging.

In the two years after we opened, the number of grade levels at IDS doubled, and our student body tripled, causing its to outgrow our temporary facilities.

IDS moved to the present eight acre campus in 1970. As Marilyn Gatlin wrote in the 1976 IDS Yearbook, "we held our classes in five rustic, round wooden buildings which arrived on the property just before the school year began. For the first month, students and teachers shared the adventure of using portable bathrooms, drinking bottled water and holding many classes outside in the grass by the lake."

We continued to grow During the 1972-73 school year, faculty, students and parents built the Dome to provide a special place for junior high students, who then became known its "Domies." The dome designed by Buckminster Fuller housed four open classrooms, where students and teachers bonded and learned together.

By 1978, IDS had earned accreditation from the Florida Council of Independent Schools. Our school also gained a reputation among parents for high academic standards and became known among children as "a fun school."

Under the leadership of Dr. Bernie I Haake our school's exciting, inquiry-based curriculum continued to attract new students, and by the 1980s, planning began for new construction to permit further growth. The goal was to expand to two classes per grade level, K through 8, and to showcase the unique character of IDS.

The children contributed ideas and helped choose colors for the new design, which reflects the school's hands-on philosophy. Architect Gerry Curts placed windows with a child's eye view, and at the request of children and teachers, designed individual buildings for each grade level, maintaining the pride of ownership and sense of belonging that had given the original classrooms their special appeal.

After six months of planning, construction began in 1986. Wearing hard hats and carrying shovels, children and teachers broke ground together. It was an exciting time, as the children watched and learned from every phase of the building process. Full of interesting shapes, captivating colors and inspiring views, the new buildings captured the IDS spirit of creativity and community.

Since 1990, we have experienced it period of extraordinary progress, growing by over 135% in the past ten years. During this time we added Corbett Hall, a multipurpose room and full-scale gymnasium which accommodates basketball and volleyball games, special events, fine arts events and school assemblies.

Over the years, many things have changed. Attractive, welcoming classrooms have replaced the original rustic structures; our student body has grown to over 400 students; our curriculum is keyed to national and state standards; classrooms are equipped with state of the art technology; and our staff has grown from a few to many----but always the fundamental principles of child-centered, hands-on, active learning have prevailed.

In 1996 Dr. Joyce Burick Swarzman became the new Head, ushering in an era of dynamic possibilities. A strong leader, energetic teacher and experienced trainer, Dr. Swarzman was Director for the University of South Florida's Suncoast Area Teacher Training (SCATT) program and former Associate Director of Clinical Education.

For fifteen years prior to joining IDS, Dr. Swarzman trained more than 10,000 teachers and education students in communication and teaching skills. With enthusiasm the IDS faculty describes as "contagious” and a solid background in research-based teaching techniques, Dr. Swarzman is ideally suited to the task of building on Independent Day School's tradition of success.

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