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IB education prepares students for success

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Contributed by: Tanya Caughey on 1/17/2008

Across the U.S. and here in Colorado, public schools of all kinds are working hard to deliver a meaningful, relevant education that prepares students to thrive in our increasingly changing and interdependent world.

They're also working hard to capture the attention of parents.

In Colorado, students may attend public schools outside their own neighborhood or in a different school district entirely.

Now more than ever before, parents have many choices for different schools that best match their children's needs and interests.

This month, parents will explore schools, talk to other parents, visit open houses and tour classrooms. It's the time of year they can "choice" into schools outside their neighborhood. The choice enrollment period for Denver Public Schools started Jan. 7. The first-round deadline is Jan. 31.

While "choice" is positive for children, the scores of choices can be overwhelming for parents.

Choosing an International Baccalaureate (IB) education means students learn the kinds of behaviors and skills essential to success in the 21st century - analyze and evaluate vast quantities of information, solve complex problems, communicate effectively using a variety of media, work in teams, create, and innovate.

IB students learn on a deeper level, make connections to the world around them, and ask questions. They are intellectually curious about the world, are analytical and creative thinkers, and express ideas with confidence. They also learn a second language, participate in community service and appreciate cultures around the world from an early age.

IB is one of the fastest-growing and most prestigious educational approaches in the U.S. It's taught worldwide to over a half million students in nearly 2,200 schools in 126 countries - and right here in our own backyard.

The southwest Denver family of IB schools is a unique partnership among Sabin International School, Henry World School and John F. Kennedy High School (JFK). Faculty at the three schools work together to offer a seamless IB education to students from preschool through high school.

Sabin is one of just three public elementary schools in Denver to offer IB for all students from Early Childhood Education through grade 5. Henry is the first public middle school in Denver to provide IB for all students in grades 6 through 8. And when the IB Diploma Programme starts this fall for juniors (and next fall for seniors), JFK will be the only Denver high school to offer IB for students in all grades - 9 through 12.

Students throughout the greater metro Denver area are eligible to attend Sabin, Henry or JFK.

The highly esteemed IB approach to learning, which began in 1968, is recognized for its rigor, high quality and global emphasis.

Data show that rigorous coursework is a predictor of later success. A national study found that students who enrolled in IB courses were more prepared for college, earned higher first-year grade point averages in college and had a higher college graduation rate. This was true for all ethnic groups and socioeconomic levels.

Leading college admissions expert Barmak Nassirian recently told Education Week, a national weekly newspaper focusing on education issues, that IB generally is regarded as "the gold standard of high school curriculum in admissions circles."

And almost half of the U.S. high schools listed in Newsweek magazine's top 100 last year were IB schools.

What's most important is taking the time to research schools, visit with teachers and principals, and talk to other parents. Taking the time to research the right educational fit for your child will pay big dividends in the long run.

--Wendy Pierce of Sabin International School, Wendy Lanier of Henry World School and Jeannie Peppel of John F. Kennedy High School are principals of the southwest Denver family of IB schools. For more information, visit http://sabin.dpsk12.org; http://henry.dpsk12.org; or http://jfk.dpsk12.org.

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Tanya Caughey

Centennial , CO

Tanya Caughey has posted 71 stories and 0 comments since joining on 7/5/2006. Tanya Caughey 's average story rating is 5.

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