Student Clubs
	IDS Student Newspaper:  Coyote Chronicle This year, IDS is initiating a student-run journalism and newspaper club. What better way to engage with the IDS school community- the people, the events, and the issues- than to document it, write about it, and reflect upon it? The product of this club is the regularly published student-generated Coyote Chronicle. The columns and content of this fledgling paper are determined by student interest. There are feature articles, coverage of artistic and athletic endeavors, photographs, and perhaps columns related to food, environmental awareness, movies, technology; and the list goes on. This is a new way to learn about the activities, voices, and personalities of the IDS community. Oh the possibilities! We are excited to introduce this new addition to the school day. Although the newspaper is the ultimate focus and goal of this club, together we will also be learning about the ins and outs of journalism and newspaper writing. Students will review other papers and experiment with different journalistic styles, such as opinion pieces, science articles, letters to the editor, human-interest stories, and photography. We will interview journalists and writers to hear first hand about the issues and the skills necessary for effective journalism. Make sure to stay tuned for updates on our adventures in writing and reporting this year.  Click here to view issues of our Coyote Chronicle

	The Yearbook Committee The Yearbook project is an independent student project designed and created by IDS 8th graders. All the 8th graders are welcomed to participate in the Yearbook Committee. The IDS Yearbook project is designed to be a creative, exciting and fun experience. Each student has a chance to be truly themselves, through their storytelling, clever quotations, memorable phrases, "lol" jokes, creative layout designs, and photo collages. The Yearbook also captures the history of IDS each year, including the events and the people that shape the school's path. Within a collaborative environment, students develop the skills of editing, designing and developing a print production independently. They are the leaders and the workers to get the job done, to respect deadlines and to make thoughtfull decisions about the IDS Yearbook. Throughout this process the students are guided by a teacher advisor that plays the role of a facilitator and a technical design director.

	Technical Theater Club The Technical Theater Club gives Middle School students an opportunity to work on set, lighting, and sound design. Our “techies” work behind the scenes while actors perform on stage. They apply this hands-on experience to run the many systems which make a theatrical production successful. The club is also an opportunity for Middle School children to use sophisticated equipment for IDS gatherings such as Wednesday's All-School Meeting, cultural events, and concerts.

	Interactive Club IDS middle school students have the opportunity to join the Interact Club. The club works with Connecticut Rotary International District 7980 in Middletown. “Interact” is derived from “inter,” for international, and “act,” for action. There are over 10,000 Interact clubs in the world and over 40 active clubs in Connecticut.  Interact Clubs provide youth with opportunities to perform community service projects both locally as well as internationally within a framework of education and meaningful opportunities.  Involvement in Interact provides a continuum of service opportunities beginning in middle school, progressing through high school, college, and into young adulthood and beyond, if a student chooses to stay involved. The club meets weekly to plan projects, such as the collection of mugs, utensils and dishtowels for St. Vincent de Paul of Middletown.   In addition, the club members run a school store with profits being used to fund projects.  The club is currently raising funds to help eradicate polio worldwide.  Money made from the school store and school dances will be sent to buy vaccines for infants in the four countries where polio continues to be endemic, Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

	The Independent Day School Student Government Independent Day School Students have the opportunity to run for Student Government. If elected, students are a member of a group of driven and eager students, willing to improve their school. Consisting of 3 officers, a President, Vice President, and Secretary, as well as two representatives from each grade, the Student Government is an opportunity for students to make the school community they live in a better place. Regardless if a student is elected or not, each student plays an integral role in the success of the Student Government. Each student has the opportunity to propose ideas to the Student Government as well as offer his or her input to the class representatives. The Student Government is not solely the voice of the nine elected members, but instead represents each and every member of the community from the most rambunctious eighth grader to the most timid beginner. If driven, students have the ability to make a difference in their surrounding community. A Student Constitution was written by the members of the first Student Government. Similar to the Constitution of the United States of America, the Student Government Constitution represents the voice of the students. By exercising their voices, students strive to make their community a better place. Students work with board members and the Head of School to propose ideas based on student input, and implement these ideas into the school. The Student Government is a vehicle through which students may exercise their voices as part of a democracy as well as lead their peers.  Visit our Official Student Government Page