West Elementary 3-6
Welcome to West Elementary, Home of the Mighty Mustangs! At West Elementary, we're a family of 400 students, dedicated staff, and a strong Independence community! We believe in nurturing every Mustang, valuing their unique talents and needs.
Here at West, you will experience:
- Mustang Moments: We create intentional opportunities for engagement, creativity, and most importantly, fun! We believe learning together is exciting and sparks a lifelong love of discovery.
- Supportive Environment: We prioritize your child's safety, health, and happiness. Our dedicated staff is here to ensure every student feels supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
- Community Spirit: We're proud to be part of the vibrant Independence community. We believe in fostering strong connections and celebrating our Mustang family!
We're thrilled you're considering West Elementary! We can't wait to meet you and welcome you to our Mustang learning community. Get ready for an amazing school year filled with learning, laughter, and exciting Mustang Moments!
2026-2027:
Third grade provides challenging and engaging experiences for all students. We work together to provide the best education for our students. Because literacy is vital to student learning, this is a major focus for 3rd graders. They also are able to engage in a trip to Fontana Park, Fontana in the classroom, and SPARK by the BCHC. These experiences support state science standards and are great opportunities for our students to engage in hands-on learning.Â
Fourth grade provides rigorous and engaging experiences for all students. We work together to provide the best education for our students. Literacy and math are key areas of focus in 4th grade as they are vital to student learning. Fourth-grade students get to enjoy a field trip to Fontana Park. Not only does this trip support state science standards, it is an excellent opportunity for our students to engage in hands-on learning. In addition, to strengthen our ties with the community, all 4th-grade classrooms take turns visiting local care centers.
Fifth grade provides rigorous and relevant core instruction allowing all students to engage in meaningful learning and activities. We work together to provide the best education for our students. Most of our time is spent building literacy and math skills because we know this is vital to student learning. Additionally, we have developed highly engaging science and social studies experiences to create a well-rounded curriculum. These experiences include a field trip to Fontana, Living History Farms, Fish Iowa, and participating in Monarch tagging. Classroom activities also provide hands-on experiences in all curricular areas.
The 6th-grade teachers use the Iowa Core curriculum to provide rigorous and engaging learning for students. Each morning is devoted to developing literacy and math skills for the 21st Century. Students switch classrooms on alternating days to a different teacher for science or social studies in preparation for transitioning to junior high.
The comprehensive goal of the visual arts program is to facilitate, support, and inspire the growth of every student as a young artist and as a creative learner. Students will use higher-order thinking skills during their study of the elements of art and principles of design. Students will gain knowledge of artistic tools, materials, and techniques for producing art while mastering specific concepts and techniques.
School counselors are educational specialists who are certified or licensed professionals with a master's degree or higher in counseling. As the student's advocate, the role of a school counselor is to provide and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program that meets the standards and benchmarks designated by the American School Counseling Association and the Iowa State Counselor Association. A comprehensive program encourages all students' academic, career, and social/emotional development, and helps all students in maximizing their achievement. Our program is an articulated, sequential PreK-12th grade program that is comprehensive in scope, preventative in design, developmental in nature, driven by data, and integral to the school district's curricula and instructional program.
Independence Community School District has partnered with Hazel Health to provide online therapy visits for Independence Community School District’s students, available at school or at home with guardian consent. Hazel makes it easier to get care, without your child missing school or waiting in an office.
Let's get your child feeling better – without missing school
For more information. District Health Protocol   Hazel Health Flyer
The mission of the Independence Community School District’s media centers is to:
- provide access to an information-rich learning environment,
- ensure that students and staff have the skills and resources needed to become effective, creative, and collaborative users of information
- and promote reading for pleasure and life-long learning.
West Elementary Library Search
Studying music has a wealth of benefits for all students. Music is shown to be beneficial to students for success in school and life. Our music program exposes students to a variety of musical activities that develop rhythmic, pitch, and artistic abilities. Elementary students have the opportunity to sing, dance, play instruments, act, and listen to great music. The elementary students perform at different events including a winter and spring program. All of this is essential for preparing students to perform in band or choir at the secondary level.
Amanda Fisher
Physical education provides the opportunity to teach students about movement, strategies, teamwork, problem-solving, and health-related fitness. Each of these areas is addressed in the National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s (NASPE) standards and is important to teaching the whole student. Exposing students to various physical activities, sports, and methods of fitness can better provide enjoyment of physical activity, as well as build social, psychomotor, and cognitive skills. Physical education offers many benefits for students and has shown to be beneficial for all individuals in various areas including society, school, and social life. Physical education at the elementary level covers loco-motor movements relating to hopping, skipping, jumping, sidesliding, galloping, leaping, walking, and running. Students are taught skills that they can use for the rest of their lives to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle.
Special education is a broad term that describes the education of students who have intellectual, physical, behavioral, or emotional disabilities. The Independence Community School District’s special education programs consist of specially designed instruction, aligned with the Iowa Core, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. The wide range of services include:
- Early Childhood Special Education
- Co-taught & Pull-out Classes
- Consultation
- Collaboration
- Special Class Services
- Transition
- Alternative Placement Services
Special education teachers work collaboratively with general education teachers to ensure the best education for all students.
Special Education Delivery Plan
The support staff at West Elementary is dedicated to providing students with encouragement, help, and structure. Our support staff is indispensable and successful because of its hard-working and energetic staff.
ICSD is proud to offer a 1:1 Learning Device program for our students. Each classroom in grades 3-6 has a complete set of Chromebooks that stay in the classroom all year. Students are not allowed to take the Chromebooks home.Â
As part of our evolution with the 1:1 learning devices, we have gone to paperless forms. Jr/Sr High students will log into their PowerSchool Student Portal acknowledge they have received the equipment and sign the Acceptable Use Policy.
Parents may request an inventory sheet at any time.
Title 1 Reading is a federally funded program that provides
supplementary educational support. The goal of Title 1 is to close
the achievement gaps for students scoring below goal on grade level
assessments. As schedules allow, students will meet in small groups
or one-on-one, for varied amounts of time to best meet their needs.
