Today, the partnership between Inderkum High School and Natomas Middle School received official authorization as International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools from the International Baccalaureate Organization. The Middle Years Programme, grades 6-10, offers a rigorous, multidisciplinary, internationally recognized academic program for students in NUSD.
“This is momentous news that shows what can be done when the community and Natomas Unified staff pull together and collaborate with the same dream, the same vision, and the same purpose of enhancing college and career readiness,” Superintendent Chris Evans said. “The impact of today’s recognition will be felt by our students now and for generations to come.”
Today marks Natomas Middle School’s first authorization as an IB World School. Inderkum earned similar honors last year for its two-year IB Diploma Programme, which culminates with a diploma distinction recognized by top colleges and universities.
IB’s goal is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The rigorous IB MYP curriculum includes Mathematics, Sciences, English Language and Literature, World Languages, Social Sciences, Arts, Design, and Physical and Health Education. The program also enables participants to complete A-G college admission requirements. Besides rigorous academic courses, the IB programme fosters community involvement and requires students to participate in service learning and personal projects in which students develop and apply 21st century skills and learning.
For the two secondary schools, the process began in 2012, when they formed a partnership to become IB MYP World Schools. Teachers and staff have worked collaboratively to develop and build the comprehensive program. In October 2015, an IB team visited both sites to meet with teachers, staff, students, and parents and observed classrooms to evaluate our program.
IB officials wrote to Inderkum and Natomas Middle School today, “We commend your school’s educators, administrators, students and families for their active roles in choosing to offer the MYP. The positive results of this choice will become evident in your community as classes of MYP students graduate and undertake activities that enhance social, cultural and economic environments locally, nationally and, perhaps, internationally.”
For our NUSD students, today’s development enables those who attend Natomas Middle and Inderkum to take officially recognized IB classes each year from 6th through 10th grade and, if they desire, continue on in their 11th and 12th grades toward an IB Diploma. That chain could be extended into elementary school soon. H. Allen Hight Elementary is an IB candidate school for its Primary Years Programme serving transitional kindergarteners through 5th-graders.
“NUSD students will have more academic choices next year than ever before, which is what our Board of Trustees has been emphasizing for years,” Evans said. “I couldn’t be happier. This is a very special day for Natomas Unified.” News of our latest IB authorization comes only months after Natomas High School was awarded the prestigious AP Capstone Diploma program, offered by only one other high school in the Sacramento region.
