To prepare our students for the 21st century, SCVi is starting down the road, this fall, to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) School.  This is exciting news for Santa Clarita. Students at SCVi will become the first to participate in a program that is recognized throughout the world. 

The International Baccalaureate® was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 as a nonprofit educational foundation. A group of talented, forward-thinking teachers at the International School of Geneva, with assistance from several other international schools, created the IB Diploma Program. What started life as a single program for internationally mobile students preparing for college, has today grown into three programs for students aged 3-19. The program in the early days consisted of a common pre-university curriculum and a common set of external examinations for students in schools throughout the world, seeking to provide students with a truly international education.

What is an IB school? In its mission statement, the organization states that "the International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment." These assessments are not limited to testing but also include a language requirement, a personal essay, and community service hours before a student can receive IB credits...." For full mission statement see website at http://www.ibo.org/who.

As you will discover, the IB program aligns perfectly with SCVi's philosophy. The IB program encourages international mindedness in students. To do this, students must first develop an understanding of their own cultural and national identity. All IB students learn a second language and the skills to live and work with others internationally, which is essential for life in the 21st century. The program also encourages a positive approach to learning by asking students challenging questions, requiring critical reflection and development of research skills, and challenging students to learn how to learn. Finally, the IB program encourages community service, with the belief that there is more to learning than academic studies alone. The IB encourages students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals, and engaged world citizens. It also serves other educational organizations in an educational advisory capacity.

Founded in 1968, IB currently works with 2,703 schools in 138 countries to develop and offer three challenging programs to over 738,000 students aged 3 to 19 years.    Each program includes a curriculum and pedagogy, student assessment appropriate to the age range, professional development for teachers, and a process of school authorization and evaluation.  IB consists of three programs for students aged 3 to 19 to help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalizing world.  The three programs span the years from kindergarten to pre-university. While the programs can be offered individually or as a continuum, SCVi will be applying for all three.  They are:

• The Primary Years Program for pupils aged 3 to 12 focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.
  

• The Middle Years Program for pupils aged 11 to 16 provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills, achieved through embracing and transcending traditional school subjects.
• The Diploma Program for students aged 16 to 19 is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to final examinations and a qualification that is welcomed by leading universities around the world.

The IB assessment program is recognized by the world's leading universities. It maintains high standards by actively training and supporting teachers, and by authorizing and evaluating IB World Schools. In the United States, 36 IB schools made Newsweek's top 100 schools (http://www.ibo.org/announcements/newsweektop100.cfm). 

Authorization to become an IB World School is an intensive process that typically takes two or more years and includes site visits by an IB team. We hope to have completed this process by the time our current eighth grade class graduates in 2014, thus ensuring our students, families, and the Santa Clarita community have access to a top-rate 21st-century educational experience.