Jamie LaCava-Owen, Coordinator
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programs provide students an advanced, comprehensive program of inter-national study, offering an integrated approach to learning across the disciplines. The rigorous, broad and balanced curriculum emphasizes critical thinking. Students are exposed to a variety of international perspectives and points of view to value cultural differences and understanding and to promote responsibility in our changing world. Recognized worldwide, the in-depth approach to academic disciplines fosters skills that many colleges and universities view as the most compelling course of study a high school student can pursue. Consequently, IB diploma candidates are often offered extensive credit and/or preferential admissions consideration.
Admission to the program is by application, which includes a letter of recommendation and an student response. Completion of Algebra I and a year of world language prior to ninth grade are strongly recommended.
Grades 9-10 comprise the IB Middle Years Program and grades 11-12, the IB Diploma Program.
Program Requirements
Middle Years Program
Service as Action
Students must complete a service hours each year for grades 9 and 10. Action is taken when students apply what they have learned in the classroom and use their interests, skills, and passions to develop awareness of the needs of their local and global communities and commit to service and making a difference for others.
Personal Project
The project begins in the students’ sophomore year. Students select a project based on their own personal interest. They plan, develop, create, and evaluate their project over the course of that year. Students are supervised by teacher advisers. This culminating activity represents the student’s experiences in the Middle Years Program.
Diploma Program IB Exams
The IB Board of Examiners prepares oral and written examinations and upon completion of the coursework, students take an exam in each of the six subject groups. The IB Board of Examiners has the final authority on the examination and assessment of all candidates for the awarding of IB diplomas and certificates. Exams are taken in May and assessed on a scale of 1-7. A minimum score of 24 is required for the awarding of the IB Diploma as well as a passing grade on the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essays. IB students are also eligible to receive the Virginia Advanced Studies Diploma.
Extended Essay
The Extended Essay (3700-4000 words) is defined as an in-depth study of a limited topic chosen from one of the subject areas of the IB Diploma curriculum. It provides students the opportunity to engage in independent research. Work on the essay begins junior year under the supervision of an advisor and is submitted first semester of the senior year for external scoring by IB.
Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
ToK is taken second semester of junior year and first semester of senior year. Students examine the philosophical framework of each academic discipline while learning to reflect critically and logically on ideas originating in the other courses.
Students are required to submit and pass an essay externally scored by the IB and complete an oral presentation.
| Student International Baccalaureate Schedule |
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Grade 9 IB MYP English 9 IB MYP Geometry, or Algebra II/Trigonometry IB MYP Biology IB MYP Virginia and United States History IB MYP World Language (French, Latin, or Spanish) IB MYP Health/PE 9 OR an IB MYP Fine Art (Art, Band, Chorus, Orchestra, or Theatre) IB MYP Physics |
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Grade 10 IB MYP English 10 IB MYP Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry or IB DP Compulsory Topics IB MYP Chemistry IB MYP Virginia and United States Government IB MYP World Language (French, Latin, or Spanish) IB MYP Health/PE 10 OR an IB MYP Fine Art (Art, Band, Chorus, Orchestra, or Theatre) |
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Grade 11 IB DP English 11 IB DP World Language (French, Latin, or Spanish) IB World Studies I – History of Europe IB DP Biology I or IB DP Chemistry SL/HL, IB DP Physics SL, or IB DP Computer Science IB DP Mathematics – IB DP Compulsory Topics, IB DP Application and Interpreation SL, IB DP Analysis and Approaches SL, or IB DP Analysis and Approaches HS, Part I IB DP Elective (Junior or Senior year for SL course or both years for HL) IB DP Theory of Knowledge I (2nd semester course) IB DP Sports, Exercise, and Health Science |
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Grade 12 IB DP English 12 IB DP World Language (French, Latin, or Spanish) IB World Studies II – 20th Century Topics IB DP Biology HL Part II, IB DP Chemistry SL/HL, or IB DP Physics SL, or IB DP Computer Science IB DP Mathematics IB DP Compulsory Topics, IB DP Application and Interpretation SL, IB DP Analysis and Approaches SL, or IB DP Analysis and Approaches HL, Part I IB DP Elective (If not taken junior year or if HL) IB DP Theory of Knowledge II (1st semester course) IB DP Sports, Exercise, and Health Science |
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CAS
(Creativity, Action, Service)
CAS involves Diploma Programme students in a rande of activities alongside their academic studies. The three strands of CAS are characterized as follows:
Creativity: arts and other experiences that involve creative thinking
Activity: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the DP
Service: an unpaid voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the students
In order to demonstrate these concepts, students a re required to undertake a CAS project, which challenge students to show initiative, demonstrate perveance, and develop skills such as collaboration, problem solving, and decision making. CAS enables students enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. Students are assigned an advisor and work with the DP Project Coordinator to ensure they meet their CAS requirements by the end of their senior year.
Entrance testing is required for the Diploma Programme for students who were not previously in the Middle Years Programme.