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Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

Primary Years Programme

Middle Years Programme

Diploma Programme

Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

Published September 2005

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2005

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Contents

Introduction Guidelines for use by the school

The self-study questionnaire

School presentation Section A: philosophy

Section B: organization

Section C: curriculum

Section D: the student

Summary of main conclusions

PYP appendices

Appendix 1: classes in the PYP section

Appendix 2: weekly time allocations for single-subject teaching by grade level

Appendix 3: PYP staff training

Appendix 4: transdisciplinary units of inquiry

Appendix 5: PYP teaching staff and qualifications

Appendix 6: PYP implementation budget for the next five years

Appendix 7: action plan for ongoing implementation of the PYP

MYP appendices

Appendix 1: classes in the MYP section

Appendix 2: scheduling of MYP subject groups and languages of instruction

Appendix 3: MYP staff training

Appendix 4: MYP resources

Diploma Programme appendices

Appendix 1: current and proposed Diploma Programme budget

Appendix 2: subjects offered in the Diploma Programme

Appendix 3: attendance at IB workshops and conferences (completed or scheduled)

Appendix 4: Diploma Programme examination results over the last five years

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2005 1

Introduction

The information contained in this questionnaire represents the results of the self-study, which can be considered the most important part of the programme evaluation process in terms of the time and collective effort involved, and in the value to be gained by the whole school from the process.

The self-study questionnaire is to be used for the evaluation of each of the three IB programmes—the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme— and for joint programme evaluations when requested.

This questionnaire contains a general section about the school and the programmes it offers, and the following specific sections:

• A: philosophy

• B: organization

• C: curriculum

• D: the student.

It also includes the school’s summary of main conclusions, to be signed by the head of school and/or the school principal, and by the programme coordinator.

Each section provides a set of criteria against which both the school and the IBO can measure the school’s progress towards achieving the required standards and practices in its implementation of the programme. The school must make a commitment to work towards meeting each standard and practice. The IBO is aware that implementing an IB programme is a journey, and that the school will meet the programme standards and practices to varying degrees along the way. Nevertheless, there is a need for the IBO to ensure quality in the implementation of its programmes.

This self-study questionnaire replaces all previous versions.


Guidelines for use by the school

In completing this self-study questionnaire schools should use the following guidelines.

1. All members of the administration and teaching staff involved in the organization and implementation of the programme in the school, as well as students and parents, should contribute to the self-study. The information in the completed questionnaire should reflect a broad view of the programme within the school.

2. The self-study questionnaire must be completed in one of the IBO working languages—English, French, Spanish or Chinese (for the MYP only). The questionnaire is available as a Word document and should be completed electronically. The boxes will expand to accommodate longer responses, and additional rows can be added to tables as required.

3. It is important to address each area of the self-study questionnaire carefully. The questions that come before the standard and practices in each section require detailed, descriptive answers, and are designed to ensure careful reflection on the standard before evaluating the level of practice.

4. Please provide further information if necessary, referring to the specific standard and number of each question (for example “Standard A1, Question 4”). Please ensure that any additional information provided is clearly referenced.

5. The standards and practices required for implementation of the three IB programmes form the basis of this self-study questionnaire. The practices below each standard identify the critical elements in moving towards successful achievement of the standard. The school must rate its performance in terms of each practice by indicating a degree of implementation on a continuum from low to high.

6. The school will need to document the degree to which it meets a particular standard by arriving at a judgment based on the analysis of the pattern of responses to the practices.

7. The pattern of responses will assist the school in completing “The statement of conclusions” that closes each section. Entries in “The statement of conclusions” should be prioritized and numbered according to those issues considered to have the most impact on success in the implementation of the programme. “Proposals for improvement” should correspond directly to those in “Practices in need of strengthening”, ie any perceived weakness should be followed by a related proposal designed to address that weakness.

8. MYP only: Section C: curriculum. Eight groups of teachers, each group representing one of the eight subject groups, must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. In addition, the cross-subject group must answer the questions in the section headed “The school” as a summary of curriculum implementation for the programme as a whole. (The school will therefore submit 8 + 1 responses to Section C.) All subject group responses to Section C must be sent to the regional office.

9. Diploma Programme only: Section C: curriculum. Seven groups of teachers, each group representing one of the six subject groups and theory of knowledge (TOK), must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. In addition, the cross-subject group must answer the question in the section headed “The school” as a summary of curriculum implementation for the programme as a whole. (The school will therefore submit 7 + 1 responses to Section C.) All subject group responses to section C must be sent to the regional office.

Guidelines for use by the school


10. The self-study questionnaire is completed by formulating the “Summary of main conclusions”. In this final part, the school should identify those issues prioritized in previous sections and considered to be of the utmost importance.

11. The school must complete all the programme-specific appendices to the self-study questionnaire.

In the case of the PYP and the MYP, schools should return the required number of copies of this questionnaire (in the required format, as directed by the regional office) and all supporting documentation listed in the Guide to programme evaluation, to the regional office at least two months before the school visit.


The self-study questionnaire

School presentation

General information

1. Name of school: John A. Rowland High School

School code: 1092

Name of legal entity of school (if different from above):

Postal address: 2000 Otterbein Avenue

Rowland Heights, CA 91742

Street address (if different from above):

Telephone (including country and area codes): 01 626 965-3448

Fax: 01 626 810-4859

E-mail: [email protected]

2. Name of the head of school: Mitchell Brunyer

3. Legal status of school: Government/state school

Do IB students pay tuition fees? Yes No

Private school

Do IB students receive any subsidies? Yes No

x

x

School presentation

International Baccalaureate Organization 2005 5

4. Organization: Boys’ school

Girls’ school

Coeducational

Boarding school

Day school

5. IB programmes offered in the school: PYP

MYP

Diploma Programme

6. Age range of students in the whole school: From 14 to 18 years

7. Total number of students in the whole school: 2385

8. Number of teaching days per school year: 183

9. Academic structure: What divisions (eg pre-primary, primary, middle school and high school) operate in the school, if any?

Name of section Age range of students Number of students

High School 14-18 2385

(add rows as necessary)

10. Approximately how many students are involved in the programme in each age range below?

No of students

Programme No of students

Programme

3–4 years 11–12 years

x

x

x

School presentation


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8–9 years 16–17 years 43 Anticipated

9–10 years 17–18 years 25 Diploma


Programme-specific information

This section needs to be completed for each programme to be evaluated.

Please select one box, as applicable.

PYP MYP Diploma Programme

11. Name of the school principal (if different from the head of school):

Mitchell Brunyer

12. Name of the appointed programme coordinator:

Donnette Waters

13. Total number of students involved in the programme: 68

14. Age range of students involved in the programme: From 16 to 18 years

15. Within this age range, are all the students in the school involved in the programme? (This does not apply to the PYP, which a school must implement as an inclusive programme.)

Yes

No

If no, specify how many students in this age range are not involved in the programme. 2317

x x

School presentation


16. Specify any national/state/local curriculum requirements the school must meet.

Graduation Requirements, College entrance requirements 225 Units to graduate and students must meet the A-G Subject requirements to attend college.

17. Specify any other academic programmes taught.

Advanced Placement We offer AP classes in English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, US History, European History, biology, government, macroeconomics , microeconomics

18. Is there entry selection to the programme? Yes

No

If yes, provide information on selection criteria.

8th grade students who are in Honors classes in the 8th grade are usually tracked into our Honors classes at the high school. Students who are not in Honors classes are asked to take an entrance exam which covers mathematics which tests geometry readiness, reading comprehension, vocabulary and essay writing. In the 10th grade, students who are contemplating the IB Programme take government and economics in order to make room in their schedule senior year to take IB 20th Century history. Other criteria that is checked is standardized testing information, grade point average and teacher recommendation.

19. Nationalities/ethnicities of students: Asian, Hispanic, White, African American, Native American

List of nationalities/ethnicities Approximate number of students

Asian 46 %, Hispanic 35% Filipino 9.5%

White 5% Other 4.5%

20. What is the language of instruction in the programme? (If more than one, please explain how they are used.)

English

21. Teachers employed to teach the programme: 18

Number of teachers teaching full time in the programme 18 teachers who teach at least 1 IB class

x

School presentation


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Number of teachers teaching part time in the programme Not sure if you mean by part time teachers here. All of our teachers teach full time but also teach non IB classes

22. Nationalities/ethnicities of teaching staff: White, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, African American

List of nationalities/ethnicities Number of staff 96

White

Asian

Hispanic

African/American

58

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Section A: philosophy

The school

1. What processes are in place to revise the school’s philosophy/mission statement? How do you ensure it is aligned with the IBO mission statement?

The school’s mission statement is reviewed on a regular basis for purposes of our accreditation and to make sure that we are addressing the current needs of our community. We revisit it about every 3 years. We feel that the school’s mission statement is closely aligned with IB’s mission statement. Our school population is incredibly diverse and we address that diversity in our school philosophy. I believe that the values statement, that we value “the diversity of our student body and the opportunity which it gives us to experience “community” in its broadest sense” as well as seeking input from all segments of the school community ties in very well with IB’s philosophy. The first part of the IBO mission statement seeks to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect, while our statement seeks to promote “compassion, civic virtue and pride in accomplishment as aspects of a personal value system. I would say that the goals are quite similar but stated more globally than in IB’s version.

This is a copy of our mission statement/goals and they are published on our school website:

At Rowland High School, our mission is to provide a safe and orderly environment that will enable all students to:

• Become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and effective communicators, using their skills in an integrated fashion.

• Reach their fullest academic and personal potential. • Develop learning strategies and study skills that make them lifelong learners. • Apply their knowledge and process skills to construct new knowledge. • Access an integrated core curriculum with real world application. • Have a broad range of interests and activities that will add to the quality of life. • Use technology in effective ways. • Progress to the world of work and/or post secondary education. • Become productive and responsible members of society.

At Rowland High School we value:

• The diversity of our student body and the opportunity which it gives us to experience "community" in its broadest sense.

• Input from all segments of the school community. • An ongoing comprehensive change process that involves staff in the shared decision making,

planning, implementation and assessment of programs which will enhance the education of our students.

• The efforts of our school community to emphasize self-esteem, honesty, cooperation, self-discipline, responsibility, compassion, civic virtue and pride in accomplishment as aspects of a personal value system.

• The use of a wide range of instructional strategies which move students toward optimal achievements.



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2. By what means is the school philosophy/mission statement and the IBO’s mission statement promoted to the whole school community?

The statements are promoted on our website, and in literature which describes our school and our programs.

3. By what means does the school promote international-mindedness throughout the school community?

Our school does not state its position on international mindedness, but we do have a sister school in China and our faculty has visited the school on 2 occasions and has received visits from visiting Chinese educators on at least 5 occasions in the past 10 years.

Our school celebrates the diversity of culture at our school for one week in May by providing cultural celebrations which involve native costumes, music and dance at lunch time. We also have had special assemblies to promote the plight of child soldiers in Darfur (Invisible Children Campaign), have had an assembly by a speaker recommended by IBO, Helene Trembley, who travelled the world and presented a fascinating slide show to our student body 2 years ago. Our world language teachers address these issues daily in their classes, our history classes discuss world events, our English literature classes include authors from diverse cultural backgrounds. We all agree that we could probably do more in this area. We have a number of clubs that address culture at our school: French Club, Korean Club, Chinese Club, Vietnamese Club, Model United Nations Club. We also have a weekly televison broadcast station that highlights diversity on our campus.

The standards and practices

Please select the appropriate box.

Standard A1 Requires significant attention

Shows satisfactory developmen

t

There is close alignment between the educational beliefs and values of the school and those of the programme.

X

Practices Degree of implementation

Low High !



Common:

1. The school is committed to the principles defined in the IBO mission statement.

X

2. The school is committed to developing in students the qualities, attitudes and characteristics described in the IB learner profile.

X

3. There are clear and close connections between the school’s published statements of mission and philosophy, and the beliefs and values of the programme.

X

4. The beliefs and values that drive the programme are shared by all sections of the school community (including students, teachers, administrators, members of the governing body and others, as appropriate).

X

5. The school is committed to continuous improvement. X

6. The school promotes student inquiry and the development of critical-thinking skills.

X

7. The school provides a climate that encourages positive innovation in implementing the philosophy of the programme.

X

MYP:

8. The school works to strengthen holistic learning, communication and intercultural awareness within the programme.

9. The school ensures that teachers coordinate the curriculum to develop the areas of interaction, within and across subject groups, so that students acquire an understanding of each.

10. The school ensures concurrency of learning for each student across all subject groups.

Diploma Programme:

11. The school promotes concurrency of learning for each student. X

The statement of conclusions

Strengths:

Our school Mission Statement and Raider Goals align almost perfectly with the IB Learner Profile. The school promotes relevance, rigor and relationships. Community Service is a graduation requirement for all of our studens. Honors classes in particular encourage inquiry research based projects and critical thinking. IB teachers strive for innovation and are committed to continuous improvement of their curriculum. Our teachers have participated in subject specific workshops as our budget permits. They have attended one day conferences held on Saturdays in the areas of mathematics, science, English, French and history. Some of our teachers participated in a 3 year association with the Ball Foundation which promoted Communities of



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Learning. These teachers self selected groups to work on promoting academic vocabulary, increasing literacy in world language classes on our campus. There is also a group of history teachers who received a grant to study how to promote and support a higher number of Hispanic students in Honors level classes. While these are not specific to IB, all of these issues affect all of our students. Our teachers are committed to improving their curriculum on an ongoing basis.

Practices in need of strengthening:

There are still some teachers who spread negativity about the program. While there are meetings for parents and students who are excited about the program, there could be more information given to the entire staff and student body about the intrinsic value of the program in order to promote and encourage a higher percentage of participation. The needs of the school are also dictated by many state mandated exams, SAT, and AP. Teachers need more time to meet and to reflect on how to strengthen practices and learn what other colleagues are doing in their classes. We need to broaden awareness to make sure that the IB community on campus includes more of the RHS community.

Proposals for improvement:

We already have former students who drop by to speak with current IB students about the benefits of the program. We are working on a link for our website for these testimonials. We also have contacted students who are now working in careers who have agreed to post a profile on our school website. This should be up and running by next month and should serve to better inform parents, teachers and the community about the long term benefit of the program. In order to build more support among the rest of the faculty, presentations to the entire staff on the status of the program should be instituted on a regular basis at general faculty meetings. It is hoped that teachers could become better advocates of the program if they had current information. We also have a television broadcasting class. IB students could share information about current projects/activities they are working on and IB classes could be highlighted.

In the area of international mindedness, we do have a sister school in China, but do not communicate with them. Some of that has to do with the age of the students, they are a middle school and we are a high school. In this age of technology we should be able to have more communication with other IB Schools.



Standard A2 Requires significant attention


t

The school promotes international-mindedness on the part of the adults and the students in the school community.

X


Low High

Common:

1. The school values and makes productive use of the diversity of cultures and perspectives that exist in the school and in the local, national and global communities to enhance learning.

X

2. The school expects and promotes a commitment to international understanding and responsible citizenship on the part of the adults in the school community.

X

3. The school encourages learning that fosters responsible citizenship and international-mindedness.

X

4. The school encourages student learning that strengthens the student’s own cultural identity, and celebrates and fosters understanding of different cultures.

X

5. The school provides students with opportunities for learning about issues that have local, national and global significance, leading to an understanding of human commonalities.

X

6. The school develops a climate of open communication and careful expression of ideas, attitudes and feelings.

X

7. The school provides resources that offer access to different cultures, perspectives and languages.

X

8. The school provides a safe, secure and stimulating environment based on understanding and respect.

X

9. The school attaches importance to language learning through the development of each student’s mother tongue and the acquisition of other languages, including the host country language.

X

10. The school supports members of its community for whom the school’s language of instruction is not their mother tongue.

X

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Low High

Common:

11. Where possible, the school ensures access to global information and recognizes the potential for wider communication through the availability and use of appropriate information and communication technologies (ICT).

X

12. The school takes advantage of the international network of IB schools teaching the same programme through e-mail or personal exchanges and attendance at conferences and workshops.

X


Strengths:

Our world language departments, history classes, literature classes, TOK, and clubs do a good job of discussing international issues that are both cultural and political. We are a very diverse school and students are very accepting of various cultures. The disciplines which have a harder time with this are the science classes and mathematics classes. Science classes discuss environmental challenges in the world, such as The Greenhouse Effect and Effects of Radiation and other environmental topics. All of our teachers discuss topical world issues with students and relate those issues to their curriculum. Some of our school plays have dealt specifically with immigration issues. Our art students have the freedom to study artists from all over the world. Many of our student clubs focus on culture, such as: Chinese Club, Black Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Model United Nations, Korean Club, Spanish Club and Wushu Club.


More teachers need to regularly visit the OCC in order to reach out to the larger community of IB teachers and schools.


Our teachers wonder if IB could sponsor a site for students that is subject specific in the area of math and science in order to promote international mindedness in math and science. This issue can be touched upon occasionally in science classes, but is much harder to achieve in math classes.

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The school

1. How have organizational structures/systems developed in order to better support the implementation of the programme?

Our school is fairly traditional in structure. We have subject specific departments and hold department meetings to deal with curriculum issues. We also have an Honors Department and meet to discuss common problems, to share ideas, and to handle training and materials requests. We also have a Leadership Council which meets regularly and consists of administration and department chairs plus one other teacher from each department.

We have an IBA Club which was formed to promote activities in support of the IB Programme. This group has made many fieldtrips possible, some of which promote service, art, learning and socialization. A few examples of activities promoted by the club have been: trips to East West Players, a premier theatrical group run for and by Asian American equity actors; blood drives for the City of Hope which serves seriously ill cancer patients, hiking outings with the biology teacher which promote ecological awareness: picnics and luncheons to honor our teachers and students and to promote social interaction.

2. What processes are in place for the review and development of the curriculum?

Next year there will be Late Start days on a weekly basis to allow more time for team planning. This will be beneficial in allowing meeting time at the beginning of the day for special groups to meet. This will also allow interdisciplinary groups to share ideas.

On a formal basis, our school reviews our curriculum on a similar cycle as IB. Every 6 years a discipline reviews curriculum and new text books are adopted. The selection of books is done by committee which includes teachers from other schools and parents.



Standard B1 Requires significant attention


t

The school demonstrates ongoing commitment to, and provides support for, the programme through appropriate administrative structures and systems, staffing and resources.

X



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Low High

Common:

1. The governing body is explicitly supportive of the programme, and has allocated sufficient funding for the effective implementation and ongoing development of the programme.

X

2. Senior management regularly informs the governing body about the ongoing implementation and development of the programme.

X

3. The school has systems for implementing and monitoring the programme with input from all constituencies, including students.

X

4. The school’s goals, strategies, time lines and accountabilities are available in written form to all members of the school community.

X

5. The school builds an understanding of, and support for, the programme throughout the school community.

X

6. The head of school/the school principal, programme coordinator, teaching staff and non-teaching professionals demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the programme.

X

7. The school has appointed a programme coordinator with sufficient support and resources to carry out the responsibilities of the position.

X

8. The head of school/the school principal and programme coordinator have a good understanding of the principles of the programme and demonstrate pedagogical leadership.

X

9. There is a process for monitoring the work of the programme coordinator in accordance with the programme coordinator’s job description.

X

10. The programme coordinator ensures that questionnaires and other requests for information sought by IB working groups and committees are completed by the appropriate members of staff.

X

11. The school provides staff who are appropriately qualified and trained to teach the programme.

X

12. The school contributes to the ongoing development of the programme by encouraging teachers to participate in appropriate IB activities (for example, applying to be members of IB working groups/committees, responding to requests for samples of student work).

X

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Low High

13. Time for collaborative planning and reflection is built into all teachers’ schedules.

X

14. The school has systems in place to ensure the continuity of the programme; this includes an induction system for new staff and ongoing staff professional development.

X

15. The school provides professional development opportunities for the head/principal, programme coordinator and teaching staff, including attendance at appropriate IB conferences, meetings and/or workshops, and access to the online curriculum centre (OCC).

X

16. The school provides learning environments and opportunities for learning that support the pedagogy of the programme.

X

17. The school allocates appropriate print and electronic resources to support the teaching of the programme.

X

18. The school recognizes and promotes the role of the library/media centre in the implementation of the programme.

X

19. The school provides specialist equipment (for example, scientific, technological) where needed to implement the programme safely and effectively.

X

20. The school has a written language policy (including its provision for second-language teaching and mother-tongue language support) that meets the needs of the students and reflects the principles of the programme.

X

21. The school provides effective support for students with learning and/or physical disabilities, as well as support for the professional development of their teachers.

X

22. The school has systems in place to guide and counsel students whenever the need arises.

X

23. The school distributes to parents/guardians the latest version of the General Regulations for the programme(s) being taught and makes a best effort to ensure they understand its content (for example, at a parents evening).

X

PYP:

24. The school offers a language, in addition to the language of instruction, to students from the age of seven. (Bilingual/dual language schools are not required to offer a third language to their students.)

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Low High

MYP:

25. The school provides the necessary structures to ensure the effective implementation of the areas of interaction and the personal project.

26. The school allocates adequate time for each subject group according to MYP requirements and the needs of the students.

27. The school puts in place an organizational structure allowing coordination of the curriculum within MYP subject groups.

28. Where there are partner schools, the MYP coordinator ensures that communication and common planning between individual members of the partnership are regularly maintained.

29. The MYP coordinator facilitates meaningful interdisciplinary initiatives.

Diploma Programme:

30. The school provides an appropriate number of hours for all higher level (HL) courses, standard level (SL) courses and the theory of knowledge (TOK) course.

X

31. The school provides appropriate resources and staff to support the delivery of creativity, action, service (CAS).

X

32. The school provides appropriate and adequate space, supervision and security arrangements for examinations.

X


Strengths:

The school and district provides money for proper implementation of the program. The budget pays for the coordinator and a person to support CAS. There have been several changes in school and district administration in the past 2 years and while they are committed to learning more about the program, the California budget has been a deterrent to training due to the high costs of workshops. We do send our most junior teachers to training and administrators have preferred to send the teachers to training for the time being.

Our teachers are very collegial and have a student free prep period each day, but this prep period is different for all teachers. Therefore, meeting time with colleagues takes place during lunch, or before or after school. There is no formal induction process for teachers new to the program, but they have been sent for training and have the generous support of their fellow teachers.

Students with disabilities are admitted to the program if they are capable of achieving the academic standards. This year we admitted an Autistic student with Tourette’s. He has done well in the program and plans to

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continue it next year. We are lucky to have a district support person who has met with the student and with teachers to work on socialization issues.

Support for students has largely fallen to the IB Coordinator and counselors. This year we held an Extended Essay Workshop throughout the summer. That workshop was taught by the coordinator who was also an English teacher. Support for CAS has largely been through a program called ManageBac which allows the CAS Coordinator to suggest and monitor activities online.

New science labs and equipment will be in place in September of 2012. We are updating our library collection and have more technology available to students in the form of 2 computer labs and I-pads which are available to students after school.

Annual meetings are held with our 10th and 11th grade parents to inform them of the academic expectations, the scope and sequence of courses and costs of the program. Additionally, the coordinator meets with students to explain the General Regulations and provides each student with a copy. A copy is also available online. Each September, the coordinator meets with all IB teachers to set a calendar of due dates for large projects and Internal Assessments. This calendar was initially set up online and was interactive. After one month, the interactive feature was disabled and the dates set up were considered final. That calendar is sent home in print form to all parents.


We need to do a better job of responding to student concerns. In the past, they have offered suggestions, but often their input which comes at the end of the year is simply forgotten. It is also difficult for students to have a democratic part in this equation due to budget constraints, testing obligations imposed by the state and the lack of time in their very busy schedules. Current school and district administration should make an effort to attend training sessions as we have 2 PYP and 2 Diploma Programmes in place in our district. We are losing many of the people who were instrumental in implementing the program and the current leadership needs to be exposed to the history and aims of the program. Although each teacher has an online curriculum account, not all of our teachers take advantage of this resource.


Teachers will have 24 Late Start Days next year which will allow teachers time for common meetings for IB teachers.

Administration will attend local roundtable discussions presented by our state association as they are lower in cost and closer in proximity. School Board members and district administrators could also be invited.

All IB teachers need to avail themselves of information on the online curriculum centre. Administrators should also have access and will receive a password.

Students, teachers and administration need a forum to discuss issues in a serious, respectful and non threatening way. It should be ongoing throughout the year.



MYP only: Eight groups of teachers, each group representing one of the eight subject groups, must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. In addition, the cross-subject group must answer the questions in the section headed “The school” as a summary of curriculum implementation for the programme as a whole. (The school will therefore submit 8 + 1 responses to Section C.) All subject group responses to Section C must be sent to the regional office.

Diploma Programme only: Seven groups of teachers, each group representing one of the six subject groups and TOK, must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. In addition, the cross-subject group must answer the questions in the section headed “The school” as a summary of curriculum implementation for the programme as a whole. (The school will therefore submit 7 + 1 responses to Section C.) All subject group responses to section C must be sent to the regional office.

The school

PYP

1. Describe the procedures by which the school’s scope and sequence for each subject group is determined within the required PYP framework.

2. If the school teaches subject-specific scope and sequences defined by a body other than the IBO (eg national or state requirements), describe the ways in which teachers have adapted those requirements to conform to PYP standards and practices.

3. Describe how the units within the programme of inquiry are selected, and the mechanism in place for reviewing the programme of inquiry.

4. Indicate the collaborative planning schedule for all teachers, including the PYP coordinator, to allow for the development and articulation of the PYP.

5. Describe the role of single-subject teachers in the development of the units of inquiry.



MYP

The following questions must be answered by a group representing all subject groups for the programme, and including the programme coordinator.

1. If the school teaches subject-specific syllabuses defined by a body other than the IBO (eg national or state requirements), describe the ways in which teachers have adapted those requirements to conform to MYP standards and practices.

2. Describe the procedures used to consider and determine relative weighting of curriculum time for each subject group and subject.

3. Describe the process by which teachers have considered and adapted the wording of the level descriptors for each assessment criterion of MYP subjects to reflect the expected achievement levels in each year of the programme.

4. Describe the system of recording and reporting the assessment of student achievement against MYP objectives and assessment criteria. How often does the school report the students’ achievements, including academic results, to parents?

5. If applicable, describe any streaming or options available to students within MYP subject groups.

6. How does the support system (pastoral care/homeroom/advisory) for MYP students integrate with and complement the delivery of the MYP?

Diploma Programme

The following questions must be answered by a group representing all subject groups in the



22

programme, and including the programme coordinator.

1. How does the support system (pastoral care/homeroom/advisory) for Diploma Programme students integrate with and complement the delivery of the Diploma Programme?

There is no homeroom period at our school. The closest thing to an advisory period is that there are some common classes in 11th and 12th grade which allows the coordinator to visit in order to give instruction, information and advice. All 11th graders take IB Biology and all IB 12th graders take TOK and 20th Century History . Students are also in IB Math, IB Arts, and IB Physics. The coordinator has visited those classes throughout the year to explain CAS requirements, the Diploma Regulations, to plan activities and sometimes to just bring treats as a reward for hard work. In addition, IBA is a club which supports IB students by planning CAS activities. We also have implemented Managebac which has been very helpful in communicating with students about opportunities they may be interested in and also in announcing due dates for various requirements. This program also allows student to post comments or questions as it is interactive.

2. Describe the system in place for the induction of students into the Diploma Programme, and how each student’s programme of study is put together.

We do not hold a ceremony to induct students into the program. They have been in an “pre-ib” honors track to ensure that they have the necessary prerequisites to be successful in the program. Each student has a counselor who schedules him/her into classes. The IB Coordinator meets with each 10th grade student to put together their 2 year IB plan which begins in 11th grade. Students are monitored by their counselors and the coordinator at every 6 week grading period to ensure that they are meeting course requirements. Adjustments have been made in student’s programs on an individual basis. There is also a sequence of courses for IB students posted on our school website.



MYP only: Eight groups of teachers, each group representing one of the eight subject groups, must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard.

Diploma Programme only: Seven groups of teachers, each group representing one of the six subject groups and TOK, must grade the standards and practices in this section (standards C1 to C4) and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard. Following this, a group representing all subject groups in the programme, and including the programme coordinator, must also grade the standards and practices and complete the statement of conclusions for each standard.



Standard C1 Requires significant attention


t

A comprehensive, coherent, written curriculum, based on the requirements of the programme and developed by the school, is available to all sections of the school community.

X


Low High

Common:

1. A comprehensive, coherent curriculum is available in written form to all sections of the school community (including students, teachers, parents, administrators and members of the governing body).

X

2. The curriculum is developed with consideration for students’ previous learning experiences and future educational needs.

X

3. The curriculum clearly identifies the skills, concepts, knowledge and attitudes to be taught over time.

X

4. The curriculum places appropriate demands on students according to their age and stage of development, and incorporates issues that are relevant to them.

X

5. The curriculum encourages students to become aware of individual, local, national and global issues.

X

6. The curriculum promotes all the attributes of the IB learner profile.

X

7. The curriculum encourages students to develop strategies for their own learning and assessment, and to assume increasing levels of responsibility in this respect.

X

8. The curriculum provides ample opportunity for student inquiry and the presentation of ideas.

X

9. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to work both independently and collaboratively.

X

10. The curriculum is sensitive to cultural, gender, linguistic, ethnic and religious differences.

X

11. The curriculum is regularly reviewed in the light of programme developments.

X

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Low High

12. The school takes advantage of local community organizations and the expertise of other adults to foster learning within the scope of the curriculum.

X

13. Where appropriate, the curriculum provides for learning experiences to be made visible to others through displays, posters, public performances etc.

X

14. The school actively supports the development of the mother-tongue language of all students.

x

15. The school provides opportunities for students to learn at least one language in addition to their mother tongue.

X

PYP:

16. There is a coherent, articulated programme of inquiry.

17. The programme of inquiry and corresponding unit planners are the product of sustained collaborative work involving all the appropriate staff.

18. The programme of inquiry allows for a balanced inclusion of the subject areas.

19. There is a system for regular review and refinement of individual units of inquiry and the programme of inquiry.

20. Adequate time is allocated for each unit of inquiry to allow for extensive in-depth inquiry, according to the requirements of the programme.

21. The curriculum includes the required number of units per year.

22. For each subject area the school has adopted or developed a scope and sequence document that indicates the planned development of skills, knowledge and conceptual understanding.

23. If the school adapts, or develops, its own scope and sequence documents for each PYP subject area, the level of overall expectation regarding student achievement expressed in these documents at least matches that expressed in the PYP scope and sequence documents.

24. There is a systematic approach to integrating the subject-specific scope and sequences with the programme of inquiry, where such integration clearly enhances student learning.

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Low High

25. There is a carefully considered balance between disciplinary and transdisciplinary planning and teaching.

26. There is adequate provision for the study of the host/home country, the culture of individual students, and the culture of others, including their belief systems.

MYP:

27. The school fosters holistic education by ensuring that teachers consider the curriculum as a coherent experience, through the areas of interaction, in every year of the programme.

28. The areas of interaction are developed within and across the academic disciplines, so that students acquire an understanding of each.

29. Each area of interaction involves all subject teachers in raising awareness and providing appropriate learning experiences.

30. Clear objectives and learning strategies have been developed for each area of interaction.

31. The curriculum fulfills the aims and objectives of each subject group.

Diploma Programme:

32. The school provides appropriate information about the programme to potential students and advises them in their choice of courses.

X

33. There is a balance of subjects on offer in the school as well as an appropriate student schedule that provides for student access to the full diploma.

X

34. The school supports the central role of TOK by assigning adequate staffing and time for student learning and assessment, and establishing links to other subjects.

X

35. There is an appropriate and varied CAS programme. X

36. The school provides guidance to students on progression to higher education and other career opportunities.

XxXX

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Number15 and 36 (the box blocked our answer but we rated both as highest)


Strengths:

The attention to the scaffolding of classes to deliver our curriculum over time is quite good. We have honors classes beginning in 9th grade and our sequence of courses provides a strong preparation for the classes ahead. Our classes encourage student discussion on all aspects of our curriculum. Students are encouraged and expected to participate and many courses have a participation component. There is a strong oral component to our literature, history and world language classes. Our arts classes perform regularly for the public. Our theatre department puts on two big shows a year and there are smaller showcases throughout the year to highlight groups of varying experience. The music department hosts band and jazz concerts throughout the year. Students form study groups and work cooperatively with one another for the duration of the program. Most of our students study a 2nd language for their 4 years of high school.

Last year we were fortunate to have East West Players, an equity acting company, come to our school to discuss a production that we attended. They brought the playwright, director and some of the actors to speak honestly and frankly about our reaction to Ixnay, a play we viewed and also to share what sacrifices were necessary to achieve success in theatre. It was a powerful exchange. TOK regularly invites a mathematician (a former faculty member) to discuss proofs from a mathematics point of view.


There is a concern about the workload of IB students. Many students report that they spend long hours doing homework most week nights and spend many weekends devoted to projects. We publish a calendar of due dates to students, parents and teachers in September. I think we could be more mindful of this calendar and teachers could establish more checkpoints along the way to ensure that students are not procrastinating. or falling behind. We have made great progress for this aspect in art. Our art teacher has staggered out regular due dates for completed art pieces over the 2 years of her program The same approach needs to be taken for theatre and music.

We have shared at our Honors Meetings what an IA looks like in mathematics and have had teachers from other disciplines explain what their internal assessments entail. The other teachers were quite interested in the scope and variety of the IAs.

While a number of former students have come back to share information about their new college experiences, we have not had many speakers/visitors from our immediate community, other than the 2 examples above come to interact with our students


It would be a good idea to establish monthly IB meetings with teachers, students and administration to highlight expectations for the coming months. Since we will have 24 Late Start Days next year,, that may be a good possibility.

We could do some kind of search to see what kind of community resources are available to us from our current pool of parents. There are also several colleges within 20 miles of our school which could perhaps offer some sort of outreach or partnership. We have tried this in the past with Cal Poly Pomona, but they really had little interest. We could try again with Cal State Fullerton, as one of our IB teachers is married to a faculty member. The difficulty is in transportation of our students.



We should continue to have recent grads come back to share information with our students. That could be expanded to have an emphasis on intern experiences. We will have an alumni webpage in place by the end of the school year.



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t

The school has implemented a system through which all teachers plan and reflect in collaborative teams.

X


Low High

Common:

1. All teachers are provided with the appropriate documentation, including relevant IBO publications, in preparation for all planning activities.

X

2. Planning at the school takes place collaboratively. X

3. Planning at the school enables all teachers to gain an overview of the students’ whole learning experience.

X

4. Planning at the school is based on agreed expectations for student learning and in the context of a coherent programme.

X

5. Planning at the school accommodates a range of learning needs and styles, as well as varying levels of competencies.

X

6. Planning at the school addresses assessment issues throughout the planning process.

X

7. Planning at the school recognizes that, in practice, all teachers are language teachers and consequently appropriate consideration is given to their responsibility in facilitating communication.

X

X

PYP:

8. Planning at the school focuses on strengthening the transdisciplinary nature of the curriculum and on ensuring that the pedagogy of the PYP is pervasive throughout the entire programme.

9. Planning at the school addresses all the essential elements (concepts, skills, knowledge, attitudes and action).

10. Planning at the school makes effective use of the PYP planning process across the curriculum and by all teachers.

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Low High

11. Planning at the school includes provision for easy access to completed PYP planners.

12. Planning at the school provides opportunities for students to be involved in planning for their own learning and assessment.

13. Planning at the school is documented on PYP planners that are coherent records of the learning experiences of students in developing their understanding of central ideas.

MYP:

14. Planning at the school facilitates interdisciplinary learning to strengthen cross-curricular skills and deepen the understanding of wider concepts.

15. Planning at the school includes the coordination of the five areas of interaction from years 1 to 5 to ensure progression of learning.

16. Planning at the school includes the coordination of the curriculum within each subject group that is taught to all MYP students.

Diploma Programme:

17. Planning at the school includes the discussion and use of teaching and learning strategies appropriate to the objectives of the separate components of the Diploma Programme.

X


Strengths:

All of our teachers receive the planning guides and meet together at the beginning of the year to stagger out assignments. They plan within their own departments. There has been some sharing of assessments at Honors Meetings. All teachers are required to submit course outlines and 18 week plans to their supervisors. Assessment is ongoing throughout the year and students complete internal assessments according the calendar set by the teachers. There has been some cooperative planning within departments especially when classes back up to one another which allows teachers to have more time with a group for longer activities. TOK and 20th Century History has done that this year. .There has also been great support and collaboration between drama and art as they work on common projects. As a staff, we have also had the opportunity to select after school workshops in learning strategies.

Many of our teachers have posted podcasts, blogs/wikis to aid students. We also have made excellent use of Managebac to post information and learning opportunities to students. Students also have the opportunity to post responses on this site.

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30


We need to be more flexible in recognizing that students have strengths and weaknesses. Because we offer the full diploma program, there needs to be an understanding of how full the program is, and to devise ways to support students experiencing difficulty in an area. There also needs to be a clear appreciation of the concept that this program was designed for strong students, but not necessarily for straight A/B students and that due to the difficulty of some of the higher level math and science classes, some students may find it difficult to earn an A or B in those classes. Also, the majority of our students initially spoke a different language. They have made excellent progress and have been in Honors English and history classes throughout their 4 years at our school. While all of our IB teachers are aware of this we sometimes need to be more mindful of the amount of effort our students put forth in all 6 subject areas.


Students experiencing difficulty could be highlighted in an IB teacher meeting. This may be possible next year in an interdisciplinary setting due to the increase in Late Start Meeting dates. It would be helpful to build this into the regular IB teacher meetings with an eye to providing support. We have regular tutoring in our Library four days a week. We have established regular tutoring sessions by subject and level.



t

Teaching and learning at the school empowers and encourages students to become lifelong learners, to be responsible towards themselves, their learning, other people and the environment, and to take appropriate action.


Low High

Common:

1. Teaching and learning at the school builds on what students know and can do.

X

2. Teaching at the school allows students to become actively responsible for their own learning.

X

3. Teaching at the school uses a range and balance of teaching strategies to meet the objectives of the programme.

X

4. Teaching and learning at the school recognizes and reflects multiple perspectives.

X

5. Teaching and learning at the school addresses the needs of students who have reached different stages in their development

X

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Low High

and those who have different learning styles.

6. Teaching and learning at the school is supported by a range of appropriate resources, including ICT.

X

7. Teaching at the school engages students as critical thinkers with developing views of their own.

X

8. Teaching and learning at the school encourages students to take appropriate action in response to their own needs and the needs of others.

X

9. Teaching at the school meets the needs of students who are not proficient in the language(s) of instruction.

X

10. Teaching and learning at the school promotes the understanding and practice of academic honesty.

X

PYP:

11. Teaching at the school uses inquiry across the curriculum, and by all the teachers.

12. Teaching at the school provides for grouping and regrouping students for a variety of learning situations.

13. Evidence is collected of each student’s engagement with inquiry in its various forms.

14. Students are shown how to reflect on their development and understanding through careful consideration of their work over time, and are able to articulate this development to others.


Strengths:

The majority of our IB students were initially proficient in another language. They have become proficient in English during the course of their school careers. All of our teachers are cognizant of this fact and while our standards are high, teachers use many techniques to meet the needs of this diverse group of students. We promote Raider Goals which demand personal commitment to action and an ethical responsibility to oneself and others in the community. We celebrate the unique talents of our students by highlighting their contributions in the school newsletter which features 2 students of the month. We have tried to have an open policy which respects differences and provides support. This year we accepted an autistic student into the program. He has survived the stresses (with a few interventions) and will continue the program next year. This took a lot of understanding on the part of all teachers who were more than willing to give him that opportunity. We all learned about techniques to handle stressed out autistic students from a school case worker. I think this student has taught all of us, students and teachers, a lesson in acceptance.

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32


There still is an expectation that students must be high performing in all 6 areas and sometimes that is just not realistic. Part of this expectation is founded in an Honors Policy which states that students must be earning an A or B to continue in honors. This policy becomes difficult to enforce as students progress to more difficult classes in 11th and 12th grade. Some students struggle in a variety of high level classes. The policy has been relaxed to allow students to continue in the program if they are struggling in a class of high difficulty, like calculus or physics. The question has been addressed in Honors department meetings and some faculty think there is nothing wrong with an occasional C in a difficult class. There is still some difference of opinion and we have solved it by treating each student’s progress on an individual, case by case basis. We need to do more to seek out and support underrepresented groups in IB. Currently our candidates are Asian American with one Caucassion , one African American, and one Hispanic American student.


We need to continue using differentiation in all of our classes. We also need to continue discussions on support for students who are struggling. We will continue our television coverage which informs and celebrates our rich cultural diversity on this campus. We plan to include IB as a focus for next year.





t

There is an agreed approach to assessment, and to the recording and reporting of assessment data, which reflects the practices and requirements of the programme.


Low High

Common:

1. There is a written assessment policy in place that is available to all sections of the school community.

X

2. Assessment at the school is viewed as being integral with planning, teaching and learning.

X

3. Learning expectations and integral assessment strategies are made clear to students and parents.

X

4. The school uses a balanced range of strategies for formative and summative assessment, which are reviewed regularly.

X

5. Learning at the school involves students in both peer- and self-assessment.

X

6. The levels of students’ current knowledge and experience are assessed before embarking on new learning.

X

7. Students are provided with regular and prompt feedback to inform and improve their learning.

X

8. Assessment at the school provides students with regular opportunities for reflection on their own learning.

X

9. There are efficient systems for recording data about student learning, which are in keeping with the requirements of the programme.

X

10. The assessment process allows for meaningful reporting to parents about students’ progress.

X

11. Assessment data is analysed to provide information about the individual needs of students.

X

12. Assessment data is analysed to inform the evaluation and subsequent modification of teaching and learning strategies.

X

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34


Low High

PYP:

13. Assessment addresses all the essential elements of the programme.

14. Data, including evidence of development in terms of the IB learner profile, is reported to all participants in the learning process: students, parents, teachers and school administrators, and other schools at the time of transfer.

15. Assessment at the school requires the storage of and easy access to student work showing evidence of the process of learning and progress over time.

MYP:

16. Assessment is a continuous process and is designed to address the MYP objectives in each of the eight subject groups and the personal project, according to a criterion-referenced approach.

17. The assessment focuses on process as well as product.

18. Teachers/supervisors participate in the standardization of assessment, where appropriate.

Diploma Programme:

19. Student learning is regularly assessed against the objectives and assessment criteria specific to each subject.

X


Strengths:

The school has worked hard to inform parents of curriculum, assignments, due dates and student progress. We now have Homelink which allows parents to log in to their child’s class and check on their assignments in real time. At the beginning of each year, the coordinator sends home a letter and a calendar explaining when all assessments and large assignments are due in the attempt to provide a balanced workload. Teachers have worked together to balance out large assignments. There is also information on our school website and IB has its own page. We have also contracted with Managebac in order to post information about the requirements of the IB Programme. Students can also post threads on this website. In addition, the coordinator reviews all grades every 6 weeks and counsels students and parents on ideas for improving performance. We have free peer tutoring in our library 4 days a week. Our teachers are also willing to tutor at lunch. Additionally, many teachers post information about their particular classes on blogs and wikis.

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Teachers and students need to look at the calendars and due dates not only for their classes, but that of their colleagues on a monthly basis. While there is a lot of effort in setting up dates at the beginning of the year, we sometimes forget to review them. We have made good progress in establishing check points for longer assignments in our classes. We need to continue this in all classes.


We could make greater use of Managebac and open it up to teachers to post reminders to IB students. With the growth of so many online resources, these reminders may seem redundant since they are posted on teacher’s websites. However, Managebac is a powerful tool and we could certainly invite teachers to contribute to this page directly without needing to go through the coordinator. The coordinator could also send out a monthly reminder to all concerned via Managebac. This would include teachers if they were all included in Managebac.



The school

1. How do you induct and integrate newly arrived students into the programme at the beginning of the school year and during the course of the school year?

Students who are new to the school are greeted by their counselor and the coordinator. They are introduced to students in their classes who then help them navigate their new schedules. They are also invited to be a part of the IBA student club in order to take part in social activities.

2. How does the school encourage a climate of service to the community?

We must have over 30 clubs on our campus and all of them have a service component. Some are environmental in nature, many are cultural, some promote academic competitions and some promote the arts. What they all have in common is some sort of campaign to aid those less fortunate than us. Whether it is collecting food for the homeless, blood for sick patients or Pennies for Haiti, this school is committed to service. There is a club fair day every September to introduce students to the wide variety of clubs on campus.

3. How do current practices ensure students fulfill the aims of the PYP exhibition/personal project/extended essay?

This year we had voluntary workshops throughout the summer in order to allow students some time to talk to one another and the EE trainer about the scope and organization of the essay. The workshops were not required but recommended and many students took advantage of them. The format of the workshops was one hour of directed instruction; followed by sharing of progress and ideas and research time in our school library. This year, we had a much higher percentage of students who completed their essays on time. Students also seemed to appreciate the guidance and structure.



Standard D1 Requires significant attention


t

Students learn to choose to act, and to reflect on their actions, so that they contribute to their own well-being and that of the community and the environment.

X




Low High

Common:

1. The school provides a climate in which students learn to respect and value self-initiated action.

X

2. Opportunities are provided for students to develop the skills and attitudes that lead to taking action.

X

Low High

3. The school supports students in learning how to reflect on their experiences and make more informed, independent choices.

X

4. The school provides opportunities for student action to be an integral part of the curriculum and/or an extension of the curriculum.

X

MYP:

5. Community and service is part of all students’ MYP experience in every year of the programme.

6. Community and service is coordinated through every year of the programme to ensure progression of learning.

7. Community and service involves all subject teachers in raising awareness of community issues.

8. Community and service is monitored for each student and is reflected in the portfolio of achievement.

Diploma Programme:

9. The school provides opportunities for students to choose their own CAS activities and to undertake activities in a local or international environment as appropriate.

X


Strengths:

Students have the opportunity to select interesting IA topics which are unique and personal to them in math, art, drama and music. Their choices are more limited in English, history and science.

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38


Students would like more choice in everything. Their classes are proscribed for them and they follow a fairly rigid schedule of courses. Part of this difficulty is in offering courses that are supported by adequate numbers, so we have a fairly traditional menu of options. I think this is fairly typical in a comprehensive high school setting. The difficulty in offering more choice is in closing down existing courses…many of which are part of graduation requirements. We feel that we have offered as much choice as we can. In fact, we have recently added a 4th World Language, Korean.


Perhaps IB could offer more choice for students in the area of IAs and Extended Essay by allowing interdisciplinary options.



Standard D2 Requires significant attention


t

In the final year of the programme, all students complete a programme-specific project that allows them to demonstrate a consolidation of their learning, in the case of the PYP and MYP, and to demonstrate the extension and development of their learning in the Diploma Programme.


Low High

Common:

1. Teachers/supervisors understand the requirements of the exhibition/personal project/extended essay and how to assess it.

X

2. Teachers/supervisors guide students through each phase of the process.

X

3. Students are provided with formative feedback throughout the process.

X

4. Parents are informed about the nature of the exhibition/personal project/extended essay, its role in the programme and the work expected from the students.

X

PYP:

5. The exhibition is thoroughly planned well in advance and records are kept of the process.

6. All students are actively and productively involved in the exhibition from planning stages to the final presentation.

7. The exhibition reflects all major features of the programme including evidence of the five essential elements.

8. The exhibition incorporates a range of media and forms of expression (for example, written work, oral presentations, performances).

9. The exhibition is shared with members of the wider school community (for example, governing body, parents, secondary school colleagues and students).

10. There is adequate assessment of and reflection on the exhibition, with opportunity provided for input from students,

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40


Low High

parents and teachers.

11. There is appropriate monitoring of the exhibition, and adequate records are kept of teacher collaboration and reflection.

MYP:

12. Students are fully briefed on the nature, objectives and assessment criteria of the personal project.

13. Students have been adequately prepared for the process of the personal project through approaches to learning.

14. Students are allowed to choose from a variety of projects according to the guidelines provided in the Personal Project guide.

15. Students are provided with adequate individual supervision in the school.

16. Students keep a process journal, and are aware that the process is as important as the product itself.

17. Students have access to adequate resources in the school and community.

18. Students are given the chance to present their project and its significance to an audience (for example, through an interview, class presentation or special event).

19. All supervisors are fully briefed about the nature of their responsibilities and the work expected from the students.

20. All supervisors participate in the standardization of assessment, where appropriate.

Diploma Programme:

21. The school promotes the value of the extended essay as a research exercise.

X

22. Appropriate provision is made for the supervision of the extended essay.

X

23. Students are fully briefed on the nature, objectives and assessment criteria of the extended essay.

X

24. Students have access to adequate resources in the school and community.

X

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Low High

25. All supervisors are fully briefed about the nature of their responsibilities and the work expected from the students.

X


Strengths:

All of our students attend workshops on the Extended Essay. Most of our students complete this assignment during the summer when they have more time to get it done. We supported students this past summer by holding regularly scheduled workshops throughout the summer. It was voluntary and very successful.


Some teachers travel during the summer, making it difficult for students to meet with them. Occasionally a student will not show up for meetings with his/her supervisor and the coordinator has no knowledge of this until after students have paid registration fees. This is particularly difficult when the teacher has not informed the coordinator or the parents.


We will use Managebac to track all of this in the future. In order for this to work, all teachers need a password.

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This section should include a summary of overall conclusions reached at the end of the process of self-study. This statement should represent a general self-assessment of the delivery of the programme within the school, and contain comments regarding the following:

• the principal strengths identified during the self-study

• the principal areas in need of strengthening

• the proposals and time line for improvement and development of the programme within the school.

In the preparation of this summary of main conclusions, each section of the self-study questionnaire should be considered and the descriptive comments reviewed carefully. Therefore, this statement should reflect views expressed by a range of people in the school, including responses to the self-study questionnaire where opinions differ.

Principal strengths:

Our school philosophy and values are a perfect match to those of the IBO. We have worked hard to develop a strong curriculum which begins in 9th grade to support our students who wish to pursue the full diploma. We have an experienced staff and they are well trained and committed to continual improvement in curriculum and teaching methods. Our graduates are well prepared for college and report back that the IB experience has served them well. The district has invested in providing an adequate budget to support the program and has invested in 2 PYP programs and another IB Programme at our sister high school, so there is very strong support for this program.

Principal practices in need of strengthening:

We are a comprehensive high school with many demands on our time in terms of graduation and college requirements. We do a great job of running an Honors program that serves both AP and IB at our school. One area that has been hard to overcome is the lack of funding for public schools which impacts the number of teachers we can send to training. We are committed to sending our younger teachers to training and our experienced faculty has done a great job of mentoring new teachers. It has also been difficult finding adequate meeting time this year due to preparation for WASC. We still have some negativity voiced by some on our staff as the program is costly and dollars are scarce. It is still viewed as a “new” program by some of the faculty. There are a few classes that need to monitor and stagger out long assignments for students in a more timely fashion. Despite the setting up of calendars, some teachers need to review dates on a more regular basis. New administration and district personnel have not attended training. There also needs to be an understanding on the part of some faculty that this program has much to offer the B average student. It is viewed by some as a program for only the most gifted students despite the fact that we have encouraged good students to apply.

Principal proposals for improvement:

We are using more technology to organize some of the requirements of the program with good success, but have been short on meeting time this year. Next year, we will have 22 Late Start Days so that IB teachers can have the time to work across departments. We also need to establish a forum for students to contribute ideas in a non threatening environment. We also need to do some marketing to our own faculty to “sell” some of our teachers on the very real benefits of the program. We also have created a webpage to highlight our IB grads and this can be expanded on a yearly basis. Informational reports to the entire faculty, using our TV broadcast to highlight IB students/curriculum projects, and using the expanded features of Managebac to



monitor EE are a few of the suggestions and ideas online for next year. We will add parents and ask IB teachers to post announcements to the Managebac page to make it easier for them to find information and announcements pertinent to IB. New administrators and district personnel will attend local IB roundtables to better promote and supervise the program.

We agree that this electronic questionnaire, whether signed electronically or not, will be understood by the IBO to have been read and endorsed by the head of the school, without a signed hard copy being necessary.

Programme coordinator’s signature: Donnette Waters

School principal’s signature: Mitchell Brunyer

Summary comments from the head of the school:

Head of school’s signature

(if different from school principal):

programme evaluation self-study questionnaire · pdf fileprogramme evaluation self-study...

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