[1] Frank Fiscalini, the then-superintendent of the East Side Union High School District, conceived of a singular "super" campus which simultaneously functioned as a community center.

The singular campus drew from a wider area of students, creating a racially diverse school body without the need for desegregation busing.

From 1976 to 1979, the Independence High gym hosted San Jose State University men's basketball games.

[9][10] Other academic structures include complexes also labeled with letters, including the G-Complex, housing art classes; M-Complex, housing industrial classes; and the P-Complex, which are portable buildings currently in use by KIPP, which runs a charter school on campus called KIPP San Jose Collegiate.

In the summer before 2014–2015, Independence's administration office moved from the H-Complex to the N-Complex when they were rebuilding it after a fire damaged the complex.

[16][17] The American was Independence High School's Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold- and Silver Crown-winning yearbook.

[18] In 2008, Independence High School confirmed that The American would cease publication due to debt accumulation and budget problems.

The class creates the yearbook in tandem with publishing the school's own student-led newspaper, The Indy Insider.

Past yearbooks have been titled the following: Written in the Stars (2018), Images (2019), Envision in 20/20 (2020), Just A Glitch (2021), After the Rain (2022) and All Decked Out (2023).

Until the late 1980s, a student newspaper titled the Declaration of Independence was distributed throughout the school, though it eventually ceased publication.

Written and published entirely by students and Haworth, the school newspaper was re-established as The Indy Insider in 2020.

They found early success by defeating the powerhouse, and former National Champion Emerald Regime from Live Oak High School (Morgan Hill, CA).

[22] Their repertoire was "Light Cavalry Overture" (Franz von Suppé), "Imaginary Voyage" (Jean-Luc Ponty), "Sud de la Ciudad Del Oro" (Mike Smith), "She Believes in Me" (Steve Gibb), "Fanfare for the Common Man" (Aaron Copland), "Simple Gifts/Appalachian Spring" (Aaron Copland/Elder Joseph Brackett).

The band made a comeback in 2005 with a show entitled "The Art Of War", placing third overall in WBA class A, AA, and AAA Championships at Johansen High School in Modesto, California.

In 2009, the band again took second place with a performance of Sergei Prokofiev's music from the ballet Romeo and Juliet with a score of 85.25; also earning High Percussion.

In 2015, the band's performance of Steven Reineke's composition, "The Witch and the Saint" took second place in Class A once again with a score of 82.65, breaking 80 for the first time in 6 years.

Following the 2021 marching season, the 76th Cavalry became a AA band with their show "Indyverse" and received second place in WBA Championships with a score of 81.95.

Every year until the COVID-19 pandemic, Independence High School used to host the CMEA Orchestra Festival, using two facilities: the Luis Valdez Theater and the former E-Building.

Students present an annual recital each spring featuring solo and ensemble works for one to ten keyboards.

In addition, individual students have the option to participate in the California Music Teachers Association Certificate of Merit Auditions each year.

Independence High School's drama department annually produces a fall play and a spring musical.

Past plays have included Bus Stop (2005), The Miracle Worker (2006), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2007), Marisol (2008), An American Daughter (2009), Blithe Spirit (2010), Crimes of the Heart, The Laramie Project (2015), The Crucible (2016), The Comedy of Errors (2017), Pride and Prejudice (2018), and Arsenic and Old Lace (2019); past musicals have included Once on This Island (1999), Starmites (2000), Cabaret (2001), Pippin (2002), Grease (2003), Guys and Dolls (2004), Godspell (2005), Bat Boy: The Musical (2006), Little Shop of Horrors (2007), Footloose (2008), Starmites (2009), Chicago (2010), They're Playing Our Song (2011), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (2012), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2013), Seussical (2014), All Shook Up (2016), High School Musical (2017), Legally Blonde (2018), and Hairspray (2019).

Originally, Jazz Dance 1 was offered as physical education credit for students who had passed swim tests; however, Independence High School discontinued this practice in fall 2006, though Jazz Dance 1 may still be taken for the East Side Union High School District's performing arts graduation requirement.