GOOD NEWS ABOUT GREENBURGH SCHOOL BEING NAMED INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL DISTRICT--Read why this is significant...

The Greenburgh Central School District has been named a K-12 International Baccalaureate School District, making it one of only a handful of public schools in the country with a prestigious full continuum K-12 designation.  In the United States, 1,725 schools offer at least one IB Programme curriculum, with 875 offering a Diploma Programme. But IB officials have informed Greenburgh that is it only one of nine schools in the U.S. with the full designation.

Woodlands Middle/High School learned immediately before the holidays that it had been approved as an International Diploma high school, which gives Greenburgh students the option of graduating with an IB diploma, and the ability to enroll in IB classes even if not pursuing that diploma. The Diploma Programme is open to any student ages 16 to 19, at schools that have been authorized to implement the program. Greenburgh's other schools had already been following the IB Primary Years Programme (for children ages 3-12) and Middle Years Programme (ages 11-16) curriculum in grades K-8 for about the last decade.

As a High School graduating full IB Diploma-earning graduates, Woodlands will be joining a worldwide network of 4,964 IB schools offering 6,453 programs in 153 countries around the world. In the United States, 562 schools offer the Primary Years Programme, 652 offer the Middle Years Programme, and 945 offer the IB Diploma Programme.  With the recent authorization of Woodlands HS as an International Baccalaureate World School, Greenburgh is among only a handful of public districts in the country that offer IB programs in all its schools, according to David Weiss, the head of U.S. public schools for the IB Diploma Programme. Other districts include Falls Church City Public Schools in Virginia, Oberlin City Schools and Shaker Heights Schools in Ohio, and Summit Public Schools in Colorado.

The International Baccalaureate and the Diploma Programme enjoy a high level of respect and recognition among the world's higher education institutions. For students, success in the IB often results in advanced standing, course credit, scholarships, and other admissions-related benefits at many universities. To teach the programs, schools must be authorized by the International Baccalaureate. Representatives of the foundation met with and visited Woodlands High School several times in the past year, including to meet with Greenburgh parents and faculty members.

The IB works with the higher education community to ensure IB students get the recognition they have earned, as well as to examine and further develop programs to make sure we continue to offer the best preparation for university studies and life beyond. The organization is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and was founded in 1968.

 The Diploma Programme consists of core classes including Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity Activity and Service. Subject areas include studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, mathematics, and the arts.

PAUL FEINER