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Central Academy
First in Iowa to Offer World-Renowned Academic Program . . .
DES MOINES APPROVED FOR
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMME
High school students in Des Moines will have the opportunity to
study and complete a world-renowned educational degree program,
school district officials have learned. The International
Baccalaureate Organization has authorized Des Moines Public Schools
to begin offering high school juniors and seniors the IB Diploma at
Central Academy.
“In
a word, this is fantastic,” said Dr. Nancy Sebring, Superintendent
of Des Moines Public Schools. “Our school district provides the most
diverse educational offerings in Iowa, and to be able to bring a
program that is recognized around the world for its educational
excellence is a great addition for the students of our community.”
The IB Diploma Programme is designed for junior and
senior high school students. Successful IB Diploma students receive
college credit based on international exams in conjunction with
class work. International Baccalaureate programs provide students
with a broad educational curriculum that provides challenging and
rigorous courses along with opportunities for language, arts and
community service.
Des Moines Public Schools is the first school
district in Iowa to offer the International Baccalaureate diploma,
and Central Academy is the only school in the state to offer both IB
and Advanced Placement courses for high school students.
Des Moines Public Schools has long been recognized
for its excellent programs to prepare students for higher education.
The Advanced Placement program at Central Academy is always among
the top programs in the nation. Each year, hundreds of students are
recognized as AP Scholars, more than any other school district in
Iowa, who go on to study at the nation’s top colleges and
universities.
Future plans are also being considered in Des Moines
to designate one elementary and one middle school in each of the
school district’s three regions to offer IB programs for K-8
students.
The first IB Diploma Programme classes will begin at
Central Academy in August, with the first graduates in the Class of
2010.
The International Baccalaureate was founded in
Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation.
Its original purpose was to facilitate the international mobility of
students preparing for university by providing schools with a
curriculum and diploma recognized by universities around the world.
Since then its mission has expanded, and it now makes an IB
education available to students of all ages.
There are 2,217 schools in 125 countries that provide
IB programs; in the United States, 573 schools take part in the IB
Diploma Programme.
For more information about the International
Baccalaureate visit
www.ibo.org.
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 In
the fall of 2008, Des Moines Public Schools became the first and
only school district in Iowa to offer an International
Baccalaureate (IB) program as another approach to learning for
students. During the next two years, a total of seven schools in
Des Moines will become
International Baccalaureate World Schools.
The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to
develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who
help to create a better and more peaceful world through
intercultural understanding and respect.
Students are encouraged to ask challenging questions, learn how
to learn, develop a strong sense of their own identity and
culture, develop the ability to communicate with and understand
people from other countries and cultures, and become
independent, self-motivated learners.
Schools in every
region of the school district are participating in the IB
program. Central Academy became the first school to offer the IB
Diploma Programme in 2008. Five Des Moines schools are
International Baccalaureate Candidate Schools
— Hubbell Elementary School, Goodrell Middle School , Merrill
Middle School, Park Avenue Elementary School and Stowe
Elementary School — which means they have taken
positive
steps toward authorization. Walnut Street School is currently
engaged in the consideration phase and will file application for
Candidacy in April.
Click
here
to view Channel 12's feature on the International Baccalaureate
Programme.
Click
here to view a Classroom Connections
interview with the
District's IB Coordinator.
The following
resources provide additional information about the International
Baccalaureate:
If you have further questions about the
Diploma Programme, contact Tamara Pfantz at 242-8512 or
tamara.pfantz@dmps.k12.ia.us.
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