In August 1998, we opened our doors to 225 students in grades six, seven, and eight. The school was established by a group of parents dedicated to providing improved educational experiences for students. The school was originally established as Independence Enterprise Middle School; after the passage of the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act, the school converted to charter status, becoming the first charter school in Oklahoma. We have operated as Independence Charter Middle School (ICMS) ever since. In 2022, in response to the OKCPS Pathway to Greatness Initiative’s grade-band changes, ICMS added a fifth-grade academy.  

Our mission is to prepare our students to be successful in a college-preparatory high school.  

• Open-access gifted & talented program  
• All students take honors courses  
• All 8th grade students take pre-AP level courses   
• Emphasis on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading  
• Small school community with student-teacher ratio of 16:1  
• After-school tutoring offered 3 times a week 
• Virtual tutoring offered 3 evenings a week  
• Top-priority ranking for admission to Harding Charter Preparatory High School  
• FREE to attend and OPEN to all!   

Principal Jami West 

Jami West began her educational career at Allison Traditional Magnet Middle School in Wichita, Kansas, where she spent her first six years in education teaching 7th grade English and Eastern Geography. Upon relocating to Oklahoma, West taught Literacy at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond for the next six years. Her career continued at Charles Haskell Elementary in Edmond by serving as a reading specialist. West moved to Independence Charter Middle school as the Dean of Students/Behavior Interventionist to begin her administrative career in 2018. She has served the ICMS community for the past 5 years and currently is the principal. 

West earned her Bachelor of Science in Education Degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1997. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in reading from Wichita State University in 2004. In 2006, West became a National Board Certified Teacher in middle level English. She went on to earn a second Master’s Degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Educational Leadership in 2017. 

Jami West, Principal

Tammy McManis, Assistant Principal

Susan Linderer, Counselor

Amy Gresham, Administrative Assistant

James Conner, Business Manager