International Baccalaureate Program

International Baccalaureate Program

Seven Harrison Prep graduates smiling and posing for post graduation photo with Harrison Prep staff member

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is a nonprofit educational foundation that helps develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills of students to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. There are more than 1,139,000 IB students at 3,677 schools in 146 countries.

IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end, the IBO works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

IB Program in Clover Park School District

Clover Park School District has implemented the IB program at Idlewild Elementary School and Harrison Preparatory School.

The Clover Park School District started pursuing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in 2008. The district implemented IB programs at Idlewild Elementary School and Harrison Preparatory School.

Idlewild Elementary was authorized as an IB Primary Years Program (PYP) for kindergarten through fifth-grade students in 2014, the first PYP school in Pierce County. Harrison Preparatory School was authorized as an IB Middle Years Program in 2011, which is for students in grades 6-10. The school was accepted as a candidate school for the IB Diploma Program in summer 2013.

Programs

IB offers four programs for students age 3-19 that include curriculum, student assessment, professional development for educators and a process of school authorization and evaluation. IB programs can be offered individually or as a continuum.

  • The Primary Years Program (PYP) for students age 3-12 focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and the world outside. Idlewild Elementary is a candidate school for the PYP.
  • The Middle Years Program (MYP) for students age 11-16 provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills that extend beyond traditional school subjects. Harrison Preparatory School was authorized as an MYP school in 2011.
  • The Diploma Program (DP) for students age 16-19 is a demanding two-year curriculum leading to final examinations and a qualification that is welcomed by leading universities around the world. Harrison Preparatory School was accepted as a candidate school for the DP in summer 2013.
  • The Career-related Certificate (IBCC) for students age 16-19 is the newest offering from the IB. The IBCC incorporates the vision and educational principles of the IB Program into a unique offering specifically designed for students who wish to engage in career-related learning. Clover Park School District is not currently pursuing this program.

The MYP and PYP programs are meant to get students ready to enter the DP program. Eventually, students may graduate with an IB Diploma which demonstrates their high level of preparation.

Contacts

Idlewild Elementary
Dori Zukowski, IB PYP Coordinator
253-583-5290
[email protected]

Harrison Preparatory School
Erika Cox, IB MYP & DP Coordinator
253-583-5418
[email protected]