- Academics at Plano ISD
- International Baccalaureate
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International Baccalaureate (IB)
IB World School at Plano East Senior High
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The International Baccalaureate Program at Plano East High School is an academically challenging and balanced program of education that prepares students for success at university and life beyond. Although the coursework at the IB World School is rigorous and challenging, the heart of the IB program is its mission statement which asserts its goal of creating "inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect."
The IB World School is a four year academy and includes the locally developed International Honors Preparatory Program for 9th and 10th grade students and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for students in grades 11 and 12.
In grades 9 and 10, students are required to enroll in International Honors Humanities while concurrently taking the International Honors version of grade-appropriate advanced core subjects. Because the IB requires students to acquire a second language, all IH students are also enrolled in a world language. At the end of tenth grade, students develop their IB Diploma Plan which requires them to take six International Baccalaureate courses from various subgroups.
Students begin taking IB classes as juniors. Standard Level (SL) courses are taken in one year, and High Level (HL) courses are taken over the span of two years. Within their IB courses, students take internal assessments which are graded locally and also end-of-year examinations which are submitted to the IB for scoring. In addition to these six courses, Theory of Knowledge - a class that focuses on how we know what we know -- is required for all diploma candidates and is considered part of the Diploma Core. The Diploma Core also includes a 4,000 word extended essay and a Creativity, Activity, Service requirement and student-designed project.
The International Baccalaureate Program is located on the Plano East Senior High School campus. The IB program is a rigorous course of study designed to meet the needs of highly motivated secondary students and to promote international understanding.
The effectiveness of the IB program is due not only to the depth of the individual courses, but also to the comprehensive nature of the program. Unlike other honors programs, the IB Program requires each student to take courses in six academic areas.
To qualify for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, students must take examinations in six subject areas, participate in the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) program and write an extended essay during the eleventh- and twelfth-grade years.
For more information, visit the International Baccalaureate website.
Huffman Elementary IB World School
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Huffman Elementary Becomes an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program
Joe T. Huffman Elementary opened its doors in August 2019 as the IB World School at Huffman Elementary. Providing the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. In order to become an official IB World School, Huffman was required to spend two years putting specific academic requirements in place. In April 2019, IB representatives came to Huffman for an authorization visit. They looked through Huffman's curriculum, observed classes and interviewed students, staff and parents over the course of two days.
Huffman received this official word on June 5, 2019, bringing to fruition the hard work and dedication of students, staff and the Huffman community. With authorization now approved, the school is officially the IB World School at Huffman Elementary. Huffman is the only elementary school in Plano ISD participating in the program. Plano East Senior High has had an IB World School for 9th-12th-grade students since the late '90s.
IB is an international education program that focuses on the whole child, develops effective approaches to teaching and learning, works to increase an understanding of languages and culture, and explores globally significant ideas and issues. IB scholars strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. These Learner Profile attributes are at the very core of daily learning, so students can become knowledgeable, responsible members of their own community and beyond.
The PYP is designed for students aged 3-12. it focuses on inquiry as a vehicle for learning. The PYP is guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance all while being grounded in the state standards. These six themes provide teachers with an opportunity to design a curriculum that incorporates issues on a local and global level and creates experiences that go beyond the scope of learning within subject areas.
The Six Transdisciplinary Themes:
- Who We Are
- Where We Are in Place and Time
- How We Express Ourselves
- How the World Works
- How We Organize Ourselves
- Sharing the Planet
These six themes provide teachers with an opportunity to design curriculum that incorporates issues on a local and global level and creates experiences that go beyond the scope of learning within subject areas.
To learn more about IB PYP, visit the IBO website.