International Baccalaureate (IB) Program

International Baccalaureate (IB) Program (candidate school*)

Overview

Skyline High School seeks to build an International Baccalaureate (IB) program that creates a better world through a high-quality international education.

Skyline is currently an IB candidate school* for the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) covering grades 6-10. IB-MYP is a curriculum framework with emphasis on critical and reflective thinking and communication, intercultural understanding, and connections between academic disciplinary studies and the real world.

MYP culminates in a 10th grade personal project and certificate of completion of the program.* All students will get exposure to the Middle Years Program through their core classes in the 9th grade and we are working on a roll out for the 2018-19 school year.

Skyline is investigating whether or not it is feasible to become a candidate school for the IB Diploma Track and the Career Track program that is integrated with our Certified Linked Learning Pathways.  The school must evaluate the overall costs, benefits and alignment with current programs.  

The IB Difference

The IB's programmes are different from other curricula because they:

• encourages students of all ages to think critically and challenge assumptions;

• develop independently of government and national systems, incorporating quality practice from research and our global community of schools;

• encourages students of all ages to consider both local and global contexts; and

• develop multilingual students.

IB Benefits

• Emphasizes IB Learner Profile: principled, communicator, knowledge, thinkers, reflective, risk takers, caring, inquirers, balanced, and open-minded; gives all students a global perspective

• Student-centered learning (inquiry-based; self-motivated) puts the learner in the driver’s seat to direct their own understanding of important topics

• Standards-based grading using skills rubrics (MYP criteria) not points for completion of work (gives more accurate sense of student progress)

• Flipped classroom & project-based learning (less busy work and direct instruction during class)

• Prepares students for more rigorous and challenging coursework in their 11th and 12th grade years)

Course Progression

All students in the 9th grade will be considered MYP students.   The IB Framework will be integrated into the following classes:

Freshman Year: All freshmen will take 7 courses.

IB Middle Years Framework Integrated into all student classes:

• English 1
• Math
• Biology
• Ethnic Studies
  

Students can apply to have  2 of the advanced electives.   These electives are specifically designed to ensure that the students are prepared for college level courses in the 11th grade year.

• Computer Science Principles
• AP Human Geography
  

All students will take Physical Education as required by state law.

Sophomore Year: (proposed schedule)

• Academy Courses

• English 2 - American Literature

• World History

• Academy Lab Class

• Chemistry