For more information contact:

Heidi Kirby - International Baccalaureate Programmes Coordinator - hkirby@nps.k12.va.us

OVERVIEW             
Granby High School is a member of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) and has been authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme since 1997. This program is a two-year “academically challenging and balanced program” intended for juniors and seniors who desire in-depth scholastic preparation for college or university. “It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical well-being of students. The program has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities” (IBO). Students apply for our preparation program as rising 9th graders. Students will decide during their 10th grade year if they will move into the Diploma Programme or the Career Related Programme. 

Our annual information night will be held this year on November 21st, 2024, and our application deadline this year is December 13th, 2024.

PROGRAM
“The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they…

• develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically
• acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from six subject groups
• develop the skills and positive attitude towards learning that will prepare them for higher education
• study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
• make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the program’s unique theory of knowledge course
• undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay
• enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action, and service ” (IBO).
• Students who earn the prestigious IB Diploma may be awarded college credits and advanced standing at colleges and universities throughout the world at the discretion of the individual colleges or universities.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

The courses for our juniors and seniors at Granby consist of the following groupings. Students must complete 6 subjects, including 3 at higher level to qualify for the IB Diploma:

Group 1: Language A1- Language and Literature (English) Higher Level

Group 2: Language B (French, Latin, or Spanish) Standard Level

Group 3: Individuals and Their Societies (History of the Americas and 20th Century World Topics) Higher Level

Group 4: Experimental Sciences (Biology or Physics) Higher Level

Group 5: Mathematics (Math Analysis & Approaches) Standard Level

Group 6: Fine Arts/Electives (World Religions, Business Management, Film or Visual Arts) Standard Level

EXTENDED ESSAY
This research paper “asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying” (IBO). The extended essay process extends over the period of the junior/senior years and the final product is a 4,000 word document. The students begin the process in the junior year by selecting a topic and a research question and by working with a faculty advisor, who will help guide the student in his/her independent research. The process extends into the senior year and ends with a final reflection interview with the advisor.

THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
This course is a one-credit course extended over the junior and senior years. It is” a flagship element in the Diploma Programme, [that] encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself, to try to help young people make sense of what they encounter.” Students develop “a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction” (IBO).

CAS
Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is at the heart of the Diploma Programme. It “involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies throughout the Diploma Programme. Creativity encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. Action seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service with the community offers a vehicle for new learning with academic value. The three strands of CAS enhance the students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery” (IBO).
Granby’s CAS program is coordinated by Ms. Judyliz Diaz. She helps the students to choose activities that are meaningful, challenging, and enjoyable. Ms. Diaz and Mr. Dowe oversee the documentation and evidence provided by the students in order to make sure their activities meet the CAS criteria and that the students achieve their learning outcomes.