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Highlands Today

Support Grows For IB Program In Middle Schools

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: November 23, 2007

SEBRING — Could this year's advanced ninth-graders graduate high school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma?

We'll have a better idea come March when the School Board of Highlands County decides whether to pursue the program. Then paperwork to start a feasibility study needs to completed by Sept. 1, 2008, said parent Diane Juve.

The IB program is well known nationwide, and is a highly regarded college prep program, Juve added. Juve's child is in middle school and she played a big part in getting the Advanced Academics program to Highlands County.

Parents curious about the program will have a chance to get some information.

An informational parent forum on the IB program is scheduled at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 10 at Hill-Gustat Middle School.

Ed Vetter, principal of the International Baccalaureate School at Bartow High School, is scheduled to attend.

Meanwhile, the county's medical community appears to be throwing its weight behind IB.

HRMC CEO Robert G. Mahaffey stated recently in a letter to Superintendent Wally Cox and Juve, that "Highlands Regional Medical Center is very supportive and willing to endorse the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in Highlands County. This will certainly be a positive tool as an extension to our educational opportunities offered to the students in our community."

The best-case scenario in developing an IB diploma program in Highlands County would make it a reality for this year's freshmen, Juve added.

"We really believe we are ready to do this," she said.

"We start putting together the resources during the next school year [2008-09] and seeing if we are ready to have this program," Juve said. "While you're going through the study you are getting ready."

After additional application and preparation deadlines are met, a team from the IB program would visit the school site to make a final assessment for approval or recommend areas of improvement.

The IB diploma program involves critical thinking by the student and exploration of issues at depth and not as much memorization of facts. One of the three core requirements is a 4,000 word in-depth research paper, which prepares students for college research assignments.

Pre-IB courses for grades nine and 10 do not require an endorsement from the International Baccalaureate organization.

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