One in three NUSD students attend an IB school
Conversations with NUSD Podcast Detailing IB and inquiry based learning also available now
Natomas Unified is proud that five of its 15 school sites are International Baccalaureate (IB) recognized as an IB world school, with two additional sites in candidacy, pursuing authorization. One in three NUSD students attend an IB school. IB provides students with the skills and confidence they need to navigate ever-evolving obstacles which help them prepare for college and beyond. IB programmes are globally recognized with more than 4,000 schools throughout the world; including more than 1,700 in the United States.
The IB programme offers students an educational foundation that aims to:
- Encourage students to take ownership of their learning and think critically
- Use best practices from data-based research
- Provide a flexible framework so schools can meet local, state, and national requirements
When officially authorized to operate as an IB world school, there is an added focus on skill development and boosting confidence. The authorization affirms that the current work the school is doing is in line with the framework and the IB philosophy.
Hight, Paso Verde, and Jefferson are IB world schools that are authorized as a Primary Years Programme (PYP) site. PYP is designed for students from transitional kindergarten through 6th grade and encourages the students to think about life’s bigger questions such as: how does the world work? Who am I? through an integrated, transdisciplinary approach connecting traditional subjects such as math, science, physical education, and language arts through concepts and big ideas. “Natomas values the investment of the IB program and the difference that it makes in encouraging and supporting lifelong learners,” Kristen Martin, an NUSD IB Coordinator said.
NUSD schools that are authorized as IB sites for 6th through 10th graders are Natomas Middle and Inderkum High School. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) encourages students to make practical connections between what they study and the real world.
Inderkum offers the IB Diploma Programme. The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year program for juniors and seniors that provides a certified qualification to apply to higher education institutions. While the work to obtain an IB diploma is rigorous, the payoff is rewarding. “There are going to be difficult tasks, but these are tasks that are going to prepare our scholars to be innovative, think critically, and be problem finders and solvers as they go out into the world; a world that is ever changing. The IB programs in NUSD help scholars to develop as lifelong learners so that the learning goes beyond the four walls of the classroom,” Martin said.
The IB programme offers a framework and philosophy for learning that engages students and nurtures curiosity within our community. Our district is committed to expanding access to these programs across the district. Schools that are working on obtaining IB authorization and are currently candidate schools include: American Lakes (PYP), Bannon Creek (PYP) and Paso Verde (MYP).* Paso is already authorized for the Primary Years Program.
Interested in learning more about IB and inquiry based learning? NUSD speaks with Martin and widely respected and globally recognized teacher, Trevor Mackenzie, in our latest Conversations with NUSD podcast. In it, the two educators share how IB can get students “future ready”, why learning starts with curiosity, how students’ sense of agency is developed through this coursework, and how students can become problem finders and solvers, too.
For more information about IB: https://www.ibo.org
You can also visit the NUSD website to learn the latest about IB: https://natomasunified.org/international-baccalaureate/
