All About IB: Our Program
at 1:07 pm on Thursday, 23 October 2008
History and Background of Our Program
In 1995, Henrico County Public Schools was authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to initiate a Middle Years Program (MYP) in grades 6-10 and a Diploma Program (DP) in grades 11-12. Years 1-3 (grades 6-8) of the MYP were established at Moody Middle School. MYP years 4-5 (grades 9-10) and DP years 1-2 (grades 11-12) were to continue at Henrico High School. In 2000, Henrico High MYP successfully completed its first five-year IBO program evaluation. In 2007, the DP’s accreditation was renewed and we were recognized as a World School. The renewal process was completed for both MYP and DP in 2011 and 2012. Both programs are members of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference and continue to participate in regional, national and international exchange, sharing, and training. We are also a proud member of Henrico County Public Schools IB programs, with Moody, Tuckahoe and Fairfield offering MYP middle school programs and JR Tucker also offering the high school programs.
Program Maintenance
In order to achieve and maintain the status of IB World School, Henrico High School must maintain Principles and Standards as outlined by IBO. These standards include IBO teacher training on multiple and continuing levels, review of curriculum, and teacher review of and reflection on results. Our teachers have served as trainers, subject scorers, and program evaluators on the local, national and international level. The Program is required to have both assessment and language policies to ensure that all students are treated fairly and ethically. The school must also foster an international atmosphere of tolerance and global awareness.
IBMYP Certificate Program
The MYP is an international program of study that provides a broad liberal arts foundation of knowledge which increases the students’ awareness of relationships between subjects, learner, and the world. In grade 10, students complete multiple assessments in each subject which are scored internally but reviewed and moderated by the international organization in Cardiff, Wales. Evaluated assessments are combined for a total score in each subject on a 1-7 scale, with 1 being very poor and 7 being excellent. In addition to subject assessments, students must complete at least 30 hours of Creativity, Action and Service activities and the Personal Project. The Personal Project is an independent activity that is conceived, planned, and carried out by the student which must demonstrate intellectual curiosity, thinking skills, organizational ability, and reflective depth. Students must achieve at least a 3 in their Personal Project and a total Certificate score of 36 in their nine subjects. Although achievement of the Certificate is encouraged, it is not a barrier to pursuing the Diploma in grades 11-12.
IBMYP Subjects Offered
Language A/ English
Language B/ French or Spanish
Humanities/History
Science/ Biology and Chemistry
Math/ Geometry, Algebra II, Extended Math
Arts/ Visual or Theatre
Physical Education
Technology
IB Diploma/Certificate Program
Diploma Candidates must take one subject from each of six groups. The instruction level of these subjects is essentially at the college level. In each subject, students must complete a variety of internal assessments that may be graded internally or sent to IBO for marking. Students also must sit for exams in most subjects in May of their senior year. Students are required to complete at least three Higher Level courses in two years of study, with the remainder at the Standard Level. Standard Level, however, is not an inferior designation. Standard level courses may also be a two year course of study and require multiple assessments as well as an exam, making these courses competitive if not more stringent than Advanced Placement courses. In addition to their coursework, students must also complete the capstone course of Theory of Knowledge, 150 hours of Creativity, Action and Service which they have planned and upon which they have reflected, and the Extended Essay, a 4000 word independent research project on the subject of their choice. Subjects are scored similar to MYP on a seven point scale with scores of 24-28 required to achieve the
diploma. Some students also, in their senior year, supplement their IB schedule with AP classes, as space permits.
The class of 2012 achieved a Diploma success rate of 93%! The world average at last reckoning was 79%. Many of our subjects enjoyed a 100% pass rate.
87% of the sophomores of 2012 achieved the MYP Certificate.
IBDP Subjects Offered
Group 1: Language A1 HL
English
Group 2: Language B HL or SL
French or Spanish
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
History of the Americas (year 1)
World Topics (Year 2) HL
Group 4: Experimental Science
Biology SL or HL
Chemistry SL or HL
Group 5: Mathematics
Mathematics Studies SL or Mathematics SL
Group 6: Arts/ Elective
Visual Arts HL,
Theatre Arts SL or HL, or Psychology SL or HL
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