Lewis Caroll, author of Through the Looking Glass, quipped, “If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.” Now that we are officially authorized as an IB Continuum School, it's reasonable and appropriate to inquire as to where we go from here, how we intend to get there, and what does authorization in all programs really mean for our students?
The Primary Years (PYP) and Middle Years (MYP) programs are underway for a few years now. PYP sets the table, introducing critical skills and concepts across numerous disciplines. It is the primer for critical, divergent, and creative thinking and communication. The MYP refines and extends these skills and concepts, introduces dynamic new content, expands awareness of world perspectives and global issues, and hones our students' thinking and communication. The positive impact of these programs is becoming more pronounced by the day.
With our authorization in the Diploma Program (our capstone, grades 11-12), members of the Class of 2019, and all subsequent Baldwin students, are eligible to be Full Diploma Candidates. For clarification, all students graduating from our institution receive a Baldwin School diploma. The IB Diploma is an esteemed additional credential awarded upon successful completion of the IB Diploma Program, usually in June after graduation. Students may also elect to take courses for DP Certificates in lieu of the full Diploma Program. Sophomores declare their intentions and select their coursework, based on individual strengths and interests, in their second semester. This process is currently underway. The majority of our students are electing the Full Diploma.
The IB Diploma Program is the most prestigious college preparatory program available to secondary students, anywhere. It is so highly regarded by universities because matriculating students are more intellectually mature, have far more developed writing and rhetorical skills, and are considerably more resilient as learners. They also have a much more developed sense of a broader world, and are trained to think critically and intentionally. This makes them very competitive in the college admissions process.
The DP is a comprehensive two-year program. Many aspects of the DP are assessed externally by the International Baccalaureate Organization (e.g. culminating examinations, Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge Essay, etc.). This represents an additional admissions variable alongside SAT/ACT scores and cumulative GPA. External DP assessments corroborate a student's academic record, and is an automatic indicator of program excellence and sophistication. Diploma Candidates may also receive considerable credit for their efforts upon entrance into university.
Our decision to become an IB Continuum School does not solely benefit the Class of 2019 and beyond. Our juniors and seniors had opportunity to take the Theory of Knowledge course as an elective in the current school year. Faculty are presently employing a number of IB approaches to learning in their junior and senior courses. Our implementation process also helps us clarify areas in need of further development. We have accordingly made adjustments to curriculum, professional development, and technology. We added PSAT 8/9, and are mining our PSAT/ACT/SAT data to improve learner outcomes. We also partner with Top Score for test prep, available on our campus throughout the year at a discounted price. The fact that we are now an IB Continuum School also advances our overall reputation with colleges and universities, right now. This institutional milestone will soon adorn our school profile and official transcripts, benefiting all students.
IB opens the world to our students. The Diploma Program is highly respected throughout North America and Europe. In the first week of April, our Director of College Counseling and I will travel to the United Kingdom to introduce Trinity, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, the London School of Economics, and other regional universities to the Baldwin School of Puerto Rico. In the Fall of 2017, school representatives will similarly visit colleges and universities in Spain and France. We will do whatever it takes to advantage our students. European universities offer dynamic cultural experiences for students so inclined. In many cases, European universities are actually more cost effective for parents, some considerably so.
Finally, to give you an even better sense of the Diploma Program, I will offer 4 evening sessions over the next month entitled TOK and Wine. In these sessions, you are invited to explore the Theory of Knowledge just as our students do, by engaging with significant and enduring questions and ideas rooted in the real world. Each session will cover different aspects of TOK, and you are encouraged to attend all four. More information will be available shortly thru Campus Connection.
See you around campus.
The Primary Years (PYP) and Middle Years (MYP) programs are underway for a few years now. PYP sets the table, introducing critical skills and concepts across numerous disciplines. It is the primer for critical, divergent, and creative thinking and communication. The MYP refines and extends these skills and concepts, introduces dynamic new content, expands awareness of world perspectives and global issues, and hones our students' thinking and communication. The positive impact of these programs is becoming more pronounced by the day.
With our authorization in the Diploma Program (our capstone, grades 11-12), members of the Class of 2019, and all subsequent Baldwin students, are eligible to be Full Diploma Candidates. For clarification, all students graduating from our institution receive a Baldwin School diploma. The IB Diploma is an esteemed additional credential awarded upon successful completion of the IB Diploma Program, usually in June after graduation. Students may also elect to take courses for DP Certificates in lieu of the full Diploma Program. Sophomores declare their intentions and select their coursework, based on individual strengths and interests, in their second semester. This process is currently underway. The majority of our students are electing the Full Diploma.
The IB Diploma Program is the most prestigious college preparatory program available to secondary students, anywhere. It is so highly regarded by universities because matriculating students are more intellectually mature, have far more developed writing and rhetorical skills, and are considerably more resilient as learners. They also have a much more developed sense of a broader world, and are trained to think critically and intentionally. This makes them very competitive in the college admissions process.
The DP is a comprehensive two-year program. Many aspects of the DP are assessed externally by the International Baccalaureate Organization (e.g. culminating examinations, Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge Essay, etc.). This represents an additional admissions variable alongside SAT/ACT scores and cumulative GPA. External DP assessments corroborate a student's academic record, and is an automatic indicator of program excellence and sophistication. Diploma Candidates may also receive considerable credit for their efforts upon entrance into university.
Our decision to become an IB Continuum School does not solely benefit the Class of 2019 and beyond. Our juniors and seniors had opportunity to take the Theory of Knowledge course as an elective in the current school year. Faculty are presently employing a number of IB approaches to learning in their junior and senior courses. Our implementation process also helps us clarify areas in need of further development. We have accordingly made adjustments to curriculum, professional development, and technology. We added PSAT 8/9, and are mining our PSAT/ACT/SAT data to improve learner outcomes. We also partner with Top Score for test prep, available on our campus throughout the year at a discounted price. The fact that we are now an IB Continuum School also advances our overall reputation with colleges and universities, right now. This institutional milestone will soon adorn our school profile and official transcripts, benefiting all students.
IB opens the world to our students. The Diploma Program is highly respected throughout North America and Europe. In the first week of April, our Director of College Counseling and I will travel to the United Kingdom to introduce Trinity, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, the London School of Economics, and other regional universities to the Baldwin School of Puerto Rico. In the Fall of 2017, school representatives will similarly visit colleges and universities in Spain and France. We will do whatever it takes to advantage our students. European universities offer dynamic cultural experiences for students so inclined. In many cases, European universities are actually more cost effective for parents, some considerably so.
Finally, to give you an even better sense of the Diploma Program, I will offer 4 evening sessions over the next month entitled TOK and Wine. In these sessions, you are invited to explore the Theory of Knowledge just as our students do, by engaging with significant and enduring questions and ideas rooted in the real world. Each session will cover different aspects of TOK, and you are encouraged to attend all four. More information will be available shortly thru Campus Connection.
See you around campus.