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| International Baccalaureate Program Begins; Franklin Is First in Wayne Co. | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 11 2009, 07:17 AM (1,056 Views) | |
| Ms. AK | Sep 11 2009, 07:17 AM Post #1 |
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http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090910/NEWS10/909100580/1027/Franklin+High+launches+new+diploma+program Franklin High launches new diploma program It's first public school in Wayne County to offer International Baccalaureate program BY KAREN SMITH • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 Jesse Sabbagh is among 18 Franklin High School students who signed up this school year to do more homework. “A lot of my friends tell me I'm a nerd,” he said, chuckling, on the first day of classes Tuesday. The students — all juniors — are enrolled in Franklin's new International Baccalaureate program, a college-prep curriculum that emphasizes intercultural understanding and respect as well as education of the whole person. Franklin is the first public school in Wayne County to offer an IB diploma program, which requires students to take a full load of advanced level classes, plus write a 15-page research paper, take 100 hours of a theory of knowledge class and complete 150 hours of creative activities, physical activity and community service. “I wanted something to challenge me and get me ready for college,” said Jesse, 16, who plans to be a surgeon one day. Kayla Douglas, 16, who wants to be a broadcast journalist, said her parents encouraged her to enroll in the program. Though she's worried about not seeing as much of her friends, she expects it will make her education more relevant because she'll be able to question why she's learning certain things. “More people should try to get involved,” she said. Tuesday's first day of IB classes was the culmination of five years of work. Teacher Molly David and Principal Daniel Willenborg started talking a half decade ago about a full program of advanced-level classes to add to the stand-alone Advanced Placement classes the school already offered, David said. The more they investigated the IB program, the more they liked it. “It's not just about coursework; it's about you as a person,” said David, who facilitates the program. “I like the idea of educating the whole child.” Willenborg said the program gives students a global perspective and helps them to be deeper thinkers and more creative problem solvers. “It forces students to step back and think about how they learn, how they think,” he said. The school was approved last spring for the IB program after a comprehensive application process, extensive teacher training and a visit by an IB team of educators. The curriculum, which includes rigorous end-of-course examinations, is the same one used by 2,500 IB schools in 134 countries including the International Academy in Oakland County. Douglas said more than half of the top 10 U.S. high schools and more than one third of the top 100 U.S. high schools, as ranked by Newsweek, have IB programs. The two-year IB diploma program starts in the junior year. This year, the students at Franklin are taking six advanced level classes: Spanish, advanced or applied math, visual arts, history of the Americas, chemistry and English. The students stay together all day, taking classes from 10 teachers trained in the IB program. Part of the teachers' training includes showing students how the subject they teach relates to the other subjects they're studying. Franklin intends to build the program to no more than 25 students per graduating class. There is no GPA requirement to join. David said students on Tuesday were a little nervous, but no one was scared off. “We still had 18 at the end (of the day),” she said. ksmith@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2098 |
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| Deleted User | Sep 12 2009, 10:09 AM Post #2 |
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Thursday, March 13th, 2008 at 11:11 am Is International Baccalaureate good for Novi Students? By Willy Mena I am following with great interest the Novi Board of Education's discussion of an International Baccalaureate program. Every Novi taxpayer should be following this issue closely. The premise is that an IB program would be good for Novi students and a product differentiator in helping attract additional enrollment to Novi from other school districts. (It should be noted that this same premise was used when Novi Schools agreed to pay big dollars for additional full-day kindergarten classes. Yet, this product differentiator has had no significant effect on Novi's student enrollment). Clearly, I support investigating the benefits of any new academic program that will benefit Novi students. Recall that we recently cut $3 million from the 07/08 fiscal budget. More cuts are expected in the upcoming school year. During these very tight economic times, we should consider the following: If we add an academic program (IB or anything else), what program(s) needs to be cut to afford this additional expense? Do we eliminate more from special education support services? Cut literary specialists at the elementary level? Layoff more folks from custodial services? Do we finally look at eliminating Block Scheduling from the high school? Do we sell the unused Bosco property? How much does the implementation of IB cost? Shouldn't we, as taxpayers know how much this program costs before we start training personnel? Why is this issue being fast-tracked through our School Board with little debate? Why is only one trustee asking tough questions (and getting unclear answers)? There was more debate during three board meetings in late 2007 when the issue of webcasting board meetings for the community was discussed (a simple $700/year budget item). And regarding IB in general, many questions need to be answered. For example: Data indicates that IB programs around the country compete (and in some cases eliminate) Advanced Placement programs at the high school. Is that what Novi wants? I thought we had a premier AP program. Why hurt it? Stand-alone Standard Level (SL) IB courses are not recognized by most universities for college credit. An IB certificate is no more than a participation trophy. You get one for simply taking the IB exam, whether you pass or fail. Is that what we want for our Novi students? Currently, Novi Schools are using Title II-Federal Grant Funds (our tax dollars) to train teachers on the IB program. Is this a good use of our federal funds? Budget dollars are tight. School administrators constantly remind the public about the budget problem. So, could we use these grant funds for a different educational priority, perhaps enhancing reading and writing programs at the elementary level? The IB curriculum is directed by an arm of the United Nations. Is that what Novi wants? I thought Novi taxpayers pay high tax dollars because they want LOCAL CONTROL of their children's curriculum? Do we need our curriculum approved by a group in Geneva, Switzerland and tests graded by folks in other countries? Why does IB make it hard to obtain guides/syllabi for their courses by charging a fee, while AP course information can be downloaded for free? IB personnel won't disclose their financial records. Does Novi want to deal with an organization that is so secretive? The IB curriculum continues to be a controversial topic around the country. I believe that our school board needs to ask tough questions before we proceed with any further funding. As with any major initiative, I expect that our board will indeed put this matter to a vote before moving forward. http://www.novitalk.org/2008/03/13/is-international-baccalaureate-good-for-novi-students/ |
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| Purple Haze | Sep 12 2009, 10:22 AM Post #3 |
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does Livonia want to deal with an organization (yes, I'm talking BOE) that is so secretive? maybe Novi could take some lessons from us... |
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| Deleted User | Sep 12 2009, 10:24 AM Post #4 |
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Adrian, Tecumseh, LISD look at International Baccalaureate program By Benjamin Ray Daily Telegram Thu Feb 26, 2009, ADRIAN, Mich. - Like a gold seal on a high school diploma, an International Baccalaureate certification is accepted worldwide as one of the highest academic standards a student can achieve. And soon, Adrian and Tecumseh high school students may get a chance to earn the certification. In 2010, Adrian will likely become the 13th school in Michigan that offers an IB to graduating seniors. More than just advanced classes, the two-year program demands critical thinking, creativity and writing at far higher levels than standard high school courses. Students with the IB certification will be given a closer look by universities, especially elite ones that might not consider many students from a rural county. The baccalaureate is especially helpful for students wishing to apply at schools outside of the country, as the curriculum is accepted worldwide. “We send kids to elite universities all the time, so it makes sense we should be doing this,” said Adrian Superintendent Chris Timmis. Adrian finished the first application phase without problems and now awaits the second phase and a visit from an IB professional. Certain teachers, such as English instructor Nancy Weatherby, also are training to teach the higher-level classes in fall 2010. The two-year program is meant for upperclassmen and will cost the district $9,150 each year, plus the upfront cost of textbooks and the one-time $7,000 application fee. Timmis said teachers and board of education members are in favor of the program. Title IIA funds are paying for teacher training. Weatherby, the IB coordinator for Adrian High School, said the training is some of the best she’s ever had. She said teaching an IB class is a different approach. It’s more student-led, and more discussion, higher-level papers and oral assessments are common. “The teacher guides and certainly acts as a mentor, but it’s very much student-driven,” she said. What is IB? Students in the program will face a far more rigorous curriculum than they are used to. There are six groups of classes: first language, second language (French or Spanish), individuals and societies, math/computer science, experimental science (biology or chemistry) and arts. Students will study 240 hours of three higher-level subjects and 150 hours of standard level subjects over two years. Each student also must take a 100-hour Theory of Knowledge class and write a 4,000-word essay by the time he or she graduates. Also, students are expected to be well-rounded, meaning community service, sports, music, the arts and outside education all are encouraged. Timmis is particularly pleased with the Theory of Knowledge class, which bookends the program. The course challenges students to question knowledge, not just accept it, and to develop the ability to analyze arguments, be aware of bias in learning and, in general, stimulate critical reflection on the world. “It teaches them how to think,” he said. “It’s good for teenagers who question everything anyway.” Students will not take the classes exclusively, but rather throughout the day mixed in with whatever other electives they choose. The classes will be full, since students take the same ones from the same teachers. The IB high school program is taught in 110 countries at 1,500 schools, 12 of those in Michigan. Similar programs are available for middle and elementary schools, though none of these are planned for Adrian. It was begun in 1968 as a program for diplomats’ children, a way to ensure that no matter where the student went to school in the world, his or her education would be the same everywhere and be accepted at any university. “If you look at what this offers to all of our students, it’s a very apt program to bring here,” Weatherby said. “It’s very apt for schools in the state of Michigan to be considering. … The teachers are learners also.” In addition, the IB program teaches in all classes a spirit of global thinking. Timmis said this is especially important in the 21st century, at a time when globalization is real for everyone and working or dealing with people internationally is becoming normal. “We need to think outside the borders of the country,” he said. “We’re doing this because we see what everyone needs to do.” Tecumseh, LISD also joining? Adrian is not the only school looking at an IB program, though it is the closest to being authorized to start one. Tecumseh and the Lenawee Intermediate School District are hoping to implement the IB curriculum as well. Tecumseh is in the planning stages, said Superintendent Mike McAran, and hopes that teachers can be trained and there will be enough student interest to get it off the ground. The program cannot be offered if only a couple of students want it, he said. “We’re big enough that we can offer the classes,” he said. “High schools need something to draw kids in and this would be a big draw.” McAran said the program is geared toward the kind of student who wants to attend Johns Hopkins University, for example, and won’t settle for just any medical school. On an economic level, IB programs could be a draw for parents looking to move to the area but feeling they need to go to Detroit, Lansing or Kalamazoo for a high-quality education. An IB program also could draw businesses, which create jobs, and the hope is that the students who earn the certificate come back to Lenawee County to work in those jobs, Timmis said. In some cases, such as in Midland, Dow Chemical paid for the local high schools’ IB programs because the employees they wanted to attract weren’t willing to come to a place that didn’t have the program. To make that work, Lenawee Intermediate School District Superintendent Steve Krusich said economic developers and communities need to hold up their end of the bargain. “If we train our kids, the next step is keeping them here,” he said. “If we do our job and the other two don’t do theirs, these kids we educate will go to places like Seattle, Chicago, Houston. … We have to work in tandem to keep these kids here.” Over at the ISD, Krusich and other officials are working on putting a pilot version of the IB in place at the LISD Tech Center. The program would be an abridged version of the diploma program but would still let the student earn a certificate noting he or she had completed certain IB classes and criteria. Krusich said in order for someone to succeed in a career in 2009, he or she needs more than just the basics. “It’s pretty clear that if our students are going to succeed in this economy, they’re going to have to have knowledge that’s worth more,” he said. “IB is one of our strategies to not only have the basics, but to have an extra advantage.” Krusich praised the program’s emphasis on critical thinking, innovation, creativity and connecting the dots that others don’t see. Students who have these skills will be able to see possibilities and make things happen, he said. The LISD’s program would be a pilot and, Krusich was told, the first of its kind at a vo-tech center in the world. The ISD also would help facilitate the IB program at any school in the county that implements it. “It’s the international certificate for rigor and relevance around the world,” Krusich said. ````````````````` West Ottawa may be first in Michigan to offer International Baccalaureate program districtwide Posted by Kym Reinstadler | The Grand Rapids Press June 20, 2008 09:33AM HOLLAND -- West Ottawa Superintendent Patricia Koeze wants to give her district's students a boost in world job competition by bringing an international honors program to much of the district's K-12 program. Teachers are training this summer for the rigorous honors program affiliated with International Baccalaureate, known as IB. It is recognized for developing inquiring, knowledgeable, caring students with multicultural understanding. Making the program available to virtually all the district would be a first in Michigan. And it is an ambitious undertaking in the 7,800-student district -- fifth-largest in Kent and Ottawa counties -- because the state funds West Ottawa at the lowest level and the specialized IB teacher training and materials are expensive. Koeze raised $114,000 over the past nine months from corporate and individual donations to begin sending staff to out-of-state training this summer. Implementation is two to three years off. "We're fortunate to live in a community where there are people who understand what IB can do for their children now and in the future," Koeze said. "I've been talking to parent groups and corporate leaders all year long. They want this for kids, and many say they'll help us find a way to do it." There are IB schools in 128 countries. An IB diploma brings quick acceptance into top universities, and there is no better preparation for college, Koeze said. Completion of individual IB courses is enough to boost a resume. Struggling schools The district is struggling with enrollment losses, including 200 students last year and a similar dip likely this fall, but Koeze said stemming that problem isn't her motivation for pursuing IB. She said she began looking at it a year ago after learning there are more honors students in China and India than there are total students in the U.S. While China has four times the population of the U.S., it produces eight times more scientists and engineers, she said. "We want there to be good jobs left for our kids," Koeze said. "We think the way to bring all kids to the top in a flat world is by adding IB." The high school likely will be first to implement the program as an option alongside honors classes known as Advanced Placement, or AP, Koeze said. "AP classes are designed to help students pass a test for which they might get college credit, but IB is an international curriculum that requires a lot of writing," said Ric Perry, chairman of an association for IB schools in Michigan and assistant superintendent at Portage. Students also typically earn college credit for good scores in IB classes, he said. After the high school level, West Ottawa plans to implement IB's primary program for all students at one of the district's elementary schools that are eligible for federal Title One funds -- Glerum, Woodside, Great Lakes, Pine Creek or Sheldon Woods. "We see the primary program as being very important to the success of the diploma program," Koeze said. "Students who begin young will be motivated and prepared to continue." District officials are discussing whether to offer IB at one or both middle schools and as an option or a requirement. Few IB schools in state Michigan has a dozen IB schools, and 50 are in the application process, Perry said. Grand Rapids City Middle/High School is entering its second year of the IB application process, funded by Peter Wege. Implementation begins with next year's seventh-graders, but the move already has generated waiting lists for every grade, Principal Dale Hovenkamp said. Among the others, Lone Pine in Orchard Lake is the only elementary. Bloomfield Hills has IB in middle and high schools. Portage and Midland have IB in their high schools. Detroit, Pontiac, Lansing and Saginaw each have one IB high school. Hovenkamp said IB challenges teachers to deliver curriculum through theme-based projects that require students to organize and analyze information, which develops critical thinking skills. http://grpress/2008/06/west_ottawa_may_be_first_in_mi.html Southfield Schools Applying for International Baccalaureate Program By Robert Kakos International Baccalaureate programs have exploded in Michigan in the last five years, as districts respond to requests from parents for more challenging curricula that prepare students to compete not only nationally, but also internationally for colleges. But becoming an IB school is not easy, or cheap. Nonetheless, the Southfield Public School District is in the application process, and has taken steps to institute an IB program at Leonhard and Schoenhals elementary schools, Thompson Middle School and Southfield and Southfield/Lathrup high schools. Twenty years ago, there was one IB school in Michigan. In the last five years, the number has jumped from five to 12. Another 27 schools are waiting final authorization to join the worldwide organization, including Norup International School in Berkley. Administrators say this new direction is vital in today's global market, while parents hope an IB diploma will give their children a better shot at scholarships and Ivy League colleges. Some interested districts may not decide to pursue it because of the time and cost involved in the process. The process from application to approval can take up to three years and cost districts thousands of dollars. It is tuition free and taxpayer supported; the state aid that would have gone to the student's home district is sent to the academy. But parents must provide transportation, and with lab fees, book deposit fees, senior exam fees and supplies, parents can end up paying thousands. Rigorous high school program explored By Lisa Roose-Church • DAILY PRESS & ARGUS • June 19, 2008 Livingston County education leaders are looking to explore the possibility of creating a rigorous high school diploma curriculum, and they are hoping parents and the community share their enthusiasm. The International Baccalaureate program would connect Livingston County school district classrooms to the outside world so students can gain an international perspective. The IB designation on a high school graduate's diploma recognizes rigorous academics and is recognized at universities worldwide. "I think it has tremendous potential ... that allows our students to accelerate their learning," said Scott Menzel, superintendent of the Livingston Educational Service Agency intermediate school district. The IB diploma is a two-year program from the International Baccalaureate Organization, a nonprofit, Swiss-based group with schools in 128 counties. Nine high schools in Michigan offer the IB diploma; two schools offer the organization's middle school program; and one, Lone Pine Elementary School in Orchard Lake, offers the elementary-age program. Students study six core areas — language arts, world language, social studies, sciences (including biology, chemistry, physics and design technology), math knowledge and principles, and art. To earn the diploma, students must complete three nontraditional requirements, including theory of knowledge classes, which are similar to introductory college-level philosophy courses; creativity, action and service, which is community service and demonstrates the student's ability to make a difference in his or her community; and a 4,000-word research paper as well as exams, which are taken in May in the senior year. "It doesn't just prepare them for success at the college level, but for life," Sandra Coyle, communications manager for the organization's New York office, said of the program. "Students are being exposed to other cultures in the classroom so when they compete in the working world, they are more adept at working in that environment and have a broader knowledge. It's like having an international education but from your local high school." Charles "Bill" Manuel, a LESA Board of Education member and former Howell Public Schools superintendent, said he believes there is community interest in such a program, which would provide a challenge to gifted and talented students. "I think we have programs to fit all of the different groups within the 30,000 (student population) except that which is for the very academic-focused — the gifted and talented type students," Manuel said. "AP (Advanced placement) is a wonderful program, but from what we know of the IB program, it looks more at how students assimilate learning across subject areas and puts together good learning processes on a much broader scale." Menzel said area leaders had at first hoped to create a virtual IB academy using technology to connect students, who would remain at their existing high schools, but IB leaders replied they were not equipped to support the program virtually. Menzel would like to create a task force comprised of about 20 school leaders, community members and business leaders to determine if an IB academy, or something similar, would work in Livingston County. Menzel said he hopes to form this committee this summer with it beginning work in August on answering questions about an IB academy. Questions that need to be answered include issues with startup costs, which tentatively include about $10,000 per teacher trained in IB curriculum; and whether there are enough students — 200-300 minimum, Menzel estimates — interested to create a full-fledged academy. Another question is where to put the academy, but Menzel has a possible solution in mind. "Obviously, there is space available in Howell, but is it (available) long-term or short-term?" he said, referring to Howell Public Schools' Parker Campus in Marion Township, south of Howell. Parker will be emptied out of sophomores, juniors and seniors in the fall as those students go to the district's newly renovated Grand River Avenue campus. If all goes well, the county could see a program for its gifted and talented students by 2009-2010 school year that operates similar to a consortium involving all the county's five school districts, Menzel said. "You want to lay the foundation the right way to build for success," he said. "I think it has tremendous potential ... that allows our students to accelerate their learning. We need to do something on all levels." Anyone who is interested in joining the task force is asked to write to Menzel at menzels@livingstonesa.org. |
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