Independence Middle School is a Virginia Beach City Public Schools middle school at 1370 Dunstan Lane (23455) serving grades 6 through 8. The Virginia Department of Education lists it as Fully Accredited for 2025–26, with 1,178 students in fall 2025, and its attendance zone includes Lakeview Park/Shore/Trace - Haygood Point, Pembroke Manor/Meadows and Aragona Village.
| Address | 1370 Dunstan Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 757-648-4600 |
| Grades | 6 through 8 |
| Enrollment (fall) | 1,178 in 2025–26 · 1,193 in 2024–25 · 1,211 in 2023–24 |
| State accreditation | Fully Accredited, 2025–26 (VDOE) |
| Attendance zone size | about 16.7 sq mi |
| Residential parcels in zone | about 11,951 |
| ZIP codes in zone | 23455, 23452, 23462, 23457 |
| Official website | independencems.vbschools.com |
| Zone map (PDF) | VBCPS attendance zone map |
Which neighborhoods are zoned for Independence Middle?
City property records group homes into named subdivisions. The largest residential groupings inside the Independence Middle zone are Lakeview Park/Shore/Trace - Haygood Point, Pembroke Manor/Meadows, Aragona Village, Windsor Woods/Oaks West, Thoroughgood/Blackthorne, Thalia Village, Birchwood Birchwood Gardens and Lake Shores.
On this site, the zone overlaps these neighborhood guides: Town Center & Pembroke (about 86% of the homes in that guide area), Bayside (about 23% of the homes in that guide area) and Kings Grant (about 21% of the homes in that guide area).
Zone lines follow streets and creeks, not subdivision names, so two homes in the same neighborhood can go to different schools. Before you make an offer, enter the exact address in the VBCPS School Locator. VBCPS sets attendance zones and can change them.
Which schools feed into and out of Independence Middle?
The Independence Middle zone draws mainly from the Thalia Elementary (about 20%), Pembroke Meadows Elementary (about 19%), Thoroughgood Elementary (about 17%), Pembroke Elementary (about 14%), Malibu Elementary (about 10%), Windsor Woods Elementary (about 8%), Shelton Park Elementary (about 5%), Hermitage Elementary (about 5%) and Windsor Oaks Elementary (about 2%) elementary zones. Students then continue to Princess Anne High (about 68%) and Bayside High (about 32%). The percentages are the share of the zone's residential parcels that overlap each elementary or high school zone in VBCPS's 2026–27 maps.
What kinds of homes are in the Independence Middle zone?
Of the roughly 11,951 residential parcels in the zone, about 88% are in the city's Single Family or Duplex land-use category and 12% are townhouses. Detached houses dominate, with townhome communities mixed in for buyers who want a smaller footprint. Apartment and condo counts are understated in parcel data, because a whole apartment complex is often a single parcel.
I don't quote prices here because they change every week. To see what is selling now, use the live home search around Independence Middle, which shows active listings within a few miles of the school, sorted by distance.
Is the Independence Middle zone in a flood zone or jet noise zone?
Flood zones: about less than 1% of residential parcels in the zone have a building the city maps in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (zones A, AE or VE). Some other buildings are listed under more than one flood designation, so check each address. If a building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, lenders on federally backed mortgages require flood insurance.
Jet noise: none of the residential parcels in the city's data for this zone fall within an NAS Oceana AICUZ noise contour.
Virginia law (Va. Code § 55.1-704) requires sellers in Virginia Beach to disclose a property's noise zone or accident potential zone. You can look up any address on the city's AICUZ page, floodplain management page and property search.
What parks and public facilities are in the Independence Middle zone?
City park records list these as the largest park properties inside the zone:
- Mount Trashmore Park (about 168 acres), signature park
- Birchwood-Malibu Park (about 16 acres), neighborhood park
- Thalia Park (about 3 acres), neighborhood park
- Adam Thoroughgood Property (about 2 acres), open space preservation area
- Birchwood South Park, neighborhood park
- Thalia Trace Oaks Park, open space preservation area
City libraries and recreation centers inside the zone: Windsor Woods Area Library, Central Library and Bayside Library.
How far is Independence Middle from Town Center, the beach and the bases?
These are straight-line distances from the school. Driving distances are longer and depend on traffic, especially on I-264.
| Destination | Distance |
|---|---|
| Town Center | 2.7 mi |
| the Oceanfront (Atlantic Ave at 17th St) | 8.5 mi |
| NAS Oceana | 7.4 mi |
| JEB Little Creek | 3.4 mi |
| JEB Fort Story | 6.7 mi |
| NAS Dam Neck Annex | 11.7 mi |
| Downtown Norfolk | 9.2 mi |
How do I check Independence Middle's test scores and performance?
Use the Virginia Department of Education's School Quality Profile for Independence Middle. It has the state's official Standards of Learning results, enrollment and staffing data. VBCPS reports that all 81 of its schools earned Full Accreditation for 2026–27 (VBCPS) and that the division's on-time graduation rate was 96.9% for the 2026 cohort (VBCPS). I removed the older third-party ratings this page used to show, so you can go straight to current official data.
How do I find homes for sale near Independence Middle?
Start with the homes-for-sale search around Independence Middle, then confirm each address with the School Locator. If you are relocating or on PCS orders, I can pull the zone, flood and noise details for any listing you send me. Call or text (757) 919-8874 or use the form below.
Related neighborhood guides: Town Center & Pembroke, Bayside and Kings Grant. Other schools: Virginia Beach schools guide.
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Independence Middle School serve?
Independence Middle School serves grades 6 through 8, according to the Virginia Department of Education's School Quality Profile.
How many students attend Independence Middle?
VDOE reports fall enrollment of 1,178 for 2025–26, 1,193 for 2024–25 and 1,211 for 2023–24.
Is Independence Middle accredited?
Yes. VDOE lists Independence Middle as Fully Accredited for 2025–26, and VBCPS reports that all 81 of its schools earned Full Accreditation for 2026–27.
Which elementary schools feed Independence Middle, and where do students go next?
Students come mainly from Thalia Elementary, Pembroke Meadows Elementary and Thoroughgood Elementary, and most continue to Princess Anne High and Bayside High.
How do I know if a house is zoned for Independence Middle?
Enter the exact street address in the VBCPS School Locator at schoollocator.vbschools.com. Zones follow streets and can change, so don't rely on a listing description or subdivision name alone.
Are homes in the Independence Middle zone in a flood zone or noise zone?
About less than 1% of residential parcels in the zone have buildings in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and none are in an NAS Oceana noise zone. Check each address on the city's maps.
Sources
- VBCPS 2026–27 Middle School Attendance Zones (ArcGIS)
- Virginia DOE School Quality Profile: Independence Middle
- VBCPS School Locator
- VBCPS: 100% of schools accredited for 2026–27
- VBCPS: on-time graduation rate, 2026 cohort
- City of Virginia Beach parcel and land-use data (Property Information map service)
- City of Virginia Beach AICUZ
- City of Virginia Beach Floodplain Management
- City of Virginia Beach park properties
How I built this page: I took school facts from VBCPS and VDOE. Then I counted City of Virginia Beach parcel records (October 2026 extract) inside the VBCPS 2026–27 attendance zone polygon. Percentages describe parcels, not people, and are approximate. Always verify a specific property.