Ypsilanti to explore middle school International Baccalaureate program in new district
Parents interested in sending their middle-schoolers to an International Baccalaureate program may have the option at Ypsilanti Community Schools.
Students take notes during biology class at Washtenaw International High School in Ypsilanti in September 2011. The new consolidating Ypsilanti school district is exploring an International Baccalaureate program for middle-schoolers that would partner with WiHi.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. until noon at Ypsilanti New Tech High School, 2100 Ellsworth Road. Participants can:
- Learn more about what small learning communities look like.
- Provide input on possible middle and high school options.
- Discuss which facilities are best suited for these programs.
- Learn about the district's plan for ensuring students graduate with career credentials and college credit.
The joint Ypsilanti-Willow Run Board of Education formally approved Thursday creating three or four learning communities at the middle school and three to five at the high school.
Also on Thursday, the board committed to exploring an International Baccalaureate program for middle-schoolers through a partnership with the Washtenaw International High School. WiHi is a consortium IB program for grades 9-12, which districts in the county can elect to be a part of. IB programs are catered toward students looking for a "world view" and rigorous curriculum that enhances understanding and appreciation of other nations and cultures.
Dexter Community Schools also has a high school IB program. However, the YCS IB program would be the first for middle-schoolers in the county.
One of the small learning communities YCS will have at the high school level will be the New Tech instructional program/model, which both Ypsilanti and Willow Run employ currently at their high schools. The New Tech model boasts a project-based learning approach that allows students and teachers to take ownership of their school experience and environment, according to its website.
The small learning communities at Ypsilanti Community Schools may or may not be co-located within the same building, school officials said. This is a future decision that will be made after gathering resident feedback as well as after a facilities audit has been completed of both districts' existing properties and buildings, said Washtenaw Intermediate School District Scott Menzel, who is serving as a consultant throughout the merger process.
The number of students in each small learning community will range from 120 to 600, depending on the program focus and design, according to board documents.
The joint board also previously approved a partnership with the Washtenaw Community College to create opportunities for high-schoolers to obtain college credit and career credentials prior to graduation.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Bulldog5
Tue, Mar 26, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
Wow, I just visited www.truthaboutib.com and I have to say that there seems to be a little over reaction. Among other things I was particularly interested in the "Catholic Opposition to IB" which mainly consisted of a single letter written by a teacher who had been fired from the Catholic school that he taught at, quotes from the author of the site, including: ""IB students learn diversity, multiculturalism, and international-mindedness, but can they do math? Do they learn grammar? Can they write a paper?" (The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "Yes!") , and an appeal from a parent to Bishops and principals to be aware of this program that claims to teach students to think "critically". Yikes! I explored the site for a while after visiting another article "The untruth about International Baccalaureate" in the Washington Post by Jay Mathews who seems to be some kind of target for the author of www.truthaboutib.com. He noted that he thought some of the information on her site was balanced and fair. But the content that I saw was very emotional, biased and hyper focused. Just to speak to one subject from a personal standpoint, I have a daughter who attended a Catholic School her entire life and now attends an IB school. The experience of such diversity and sharing of so many different belief systems has caused her to take a closer look at her own belief system. In turn she has become more attached and involved in her Catholic beliefs (while not condemning others for theirs.) It *is* hard to let your children think critically for themselves, as their thoughts are not your own and may in fact conflict with your beliefs as a parent. Then again, you may be surprised at how well they do analyze and synthesize information - a skill that they will forever need as an adult in a forever changing world. All schools impart a certain level of ideology. One of thinking and, yes, even understanding, is fine with me
jns131
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:59 p.m.
I have heard great things about the high school but dropped ours out because she arts program. But they will drop you if you can't hack it here. This is what I was told. Only the ones that want to achieve great things here will succeed.
d2ina2
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 6:04 p.m.
For those people who are interested the two IB programs are not the same. There is a fundamental difference between an IB program (Dexter) and an IB Diploma Program (WIHI, final IB approval pending). IB Diploma Programs like WIHI's adhere to an international rubric and are recognized around the world. IB programs such as Dexter's are based on the IB diploma program, but the students do not receive an internationally recognized IB diploma. It is a lesser standard.
a2parent
Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 12:37 a.m.
Schools are free to offer certificates in specific courses from the IB catalogue; they don't award a full diploma, but the IBO allows certificates to be granted regardless. Not a bad idea if students are wishing to specialize in, say, Biology with an international assessment measuring stick that also requires teachers to be trained and certified to those standards as well.
ObserverNY
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 1:56 a.m.
d2ina2, What? The IBDP is the IBDP. If Dexter doesn't have any full IBDP students, it is in violation of IBO regulations and should lose its IB authorization.
Amala
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 4:58 p.m.
Goodness, ObserverNY: "Parental peon" are your words, not mine. And had you addressed what I actually said - that educators understand how community plays a role in the quality of education - we might have a discussion. Instead, you've chosen to sling a number of frenzied, shop-worn tea party buzzwords together to little effect. And I'm guessing from your message board handle that you are NOT from this community; if you were, you might understand that people here are not fearful of diversity, nor are they do they possess a zealots preoccupation with American global dominance. As such, people in this community are more concerned with creating educational opportunities for their children. But, good luck with that Westboro-style crusade.
ObserverNY
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.
Amala, Once again you choose to insult Americans who dare to criticize a very expensive, UN affiliated educational "programme" by comparing us to the disgusting, vile and reprehensible Westboro Baptists. Opposing IB has NOTHING to do with diversity and everything to do with dissatisfaction with inferior academics and obfuscation of freedom of information. IB is proprietary and governed by Swiss Law. IBO is also partnered with the Aga Khan Development Network. Public schools should be apolitical, not breeding grounds for socialist activists.
Amala
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 4:46 a.m.
While IB does take a dedicated teaching staff, it creates, among other things, a community in every sense of the word--something a non-educator would not understand as essential to the learning process. Dedicating an entire site to crusade against IB (mostly based on the irrational fear that the curriculum is anti-American) borders on hysterical. IB isn't for every student, but neither are vocational programs. Creating smaller learning communities is not only a thoughtful move but a huge step in the right direction.
ObserverNY
Thu, Mar 21, 2013 : 11:31 a.m.
Amala, Your condescending attitude that mere parental peons are incapable of "understanding" IB's Marxist, cult-like "group think" as being crucial to the learning process, is insulting. Defense of IB programs borders on zealotry and hysteria. Relegate this NWO garbage to private schools and keep it out of American public schools.
mgoscottie
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 10:05 p.m.
I really like the IB program, but it's a bigger commitment than most schools are expecting, it's very expensive and you need a very very talented teaching staff to be able to run at the level of content it goes into.
ObserverNY
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 9:53 p.m.
"Explore" is code for "already spending money that wasn't budgeted for IB teacher training". IB is the biggest educational scam going. There is absolutely NO scholarly evidence that the IB MYP improves student academic performance. Caveat emptor! www.truthaboutib.com
Arborcomment
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 11:48 p.m.
Agree observer. Had a child in both MYP and follow-on IB. Catchy phrasing for creating a magnet program. No serious faults with the instruction, but the end result? Better off strengthening prep for more recognized and accepted AP programs.
mgoscottie
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 10:06 p.m.
I don't think the website is necessary. If you don't like the expense you could just say that, it will detract from other programs. Not all things need research, some just logic.....
dotdash
Wed, Mar 20, 2013 : 3:36 p.m.
This sounds great. Any improvement in the middle schools around here has to be positive. They are definitely the weak link in the chain.