The Independent School

At TIS, you will be welcomed into a safe, caring, mid-west community where every student is encouraged to develop independence. Our homestay program gives you a family experience as you live and learn an immersive American experience. At The Independent School, our name conveys the very core of what drives our learning community. We inspire students to gain the knowledge, skills, and mindsets that allow them to recognize their potential, work toward success, and develop into independent and responsible citizens who make a positive impact on the world around them.

Our faculty provides authentic learning experiences that are challenging and exciting. Our students learn, laugh, and grow in an atmosphere of encouragement, care, and commitment to our school values. On behalf of the The Independent School family, I thank you for taking this first step to learn more about our school and invite you to find your place in our community. Mission is to provide a superior, independent, college preparatory education, serving a diverse student population in a safe, supportive community, conducive to the intellectual, emotional, and physical growth of each Independent student.

In 1980, Mrs. Jean K. Garvey, a mother of six who was deeply committed to the education of her children, saw a need for a different type of private school in Wichita, Kansas. Starting in a small building with eight brave students and equally brave parents, The Independent School quickly grew to a student body of 146. Mr. Willard Garvey, whose construction company created homes around the world for hundreds of people, was “persuaded” to build a large building for the growing student population. The new and spacious building was quickly filled with dynamic teachers and enthusiastic pupils who were eager to learn in a warm, caring and nurturing environment.

Today, due to Mrs. Garvey's vision, The Independent School continues to thrive. Students come from a wide variety of racial, ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds. Every year, Independent graduates are offered admission to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation.