Parents and students interested in the International Baccalaureate program at NDA can attend the IB Information Night on January 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the library.
Students and families will have the chance to learn more about the IB Diploma Program at NDA. IB teachers and students will also be there to share their perspectives.
“This night is designed to help sophomores decide if they should register for IB classes or not. Hopefully parents and students will learn about the general philosophy of IB, the various requirements needed to complete the Diploma Program, and how IB can prepare students for college,” explained Mr. Matthew Schultz, who is the IB Coordinator at NDA.
Schultz wants to “include other IB teachers to help provide a broad perspective of how classes are taught and what expectations there are.”
Mr. Christopher Gray, who teaches IB Philosophy, will be at the event to manage parts of the program that cover the Theory of Knowledge Class, Extended Essays, and the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) component.
“I also hope to have students there to share their experiences. Both current and former students have provided valuable information to those trying to decide if IB is worth it or not,” commented Schultz.
The meeting will last an hour, and there will be the opportunity to ask questions at the end, which might take another thirty minutes. Anywhere from six to sixty people have attended in the past.
Besides attending the meeting, students who want to explore the IB Diploma Program further can sign up for the IB Shadow Days beginning January 8-12.
“IB Shadow Days are another opportunity for sophomore students to sit through an IB class to see what it is like. It also gives the shadowing student an opportunity to ask the teacher what the expectations are of that class,” said the coordinator.
Students who have decided to complete the Full IB Diploma have “a few choices of which IB classes to fill their schedule with.” The IB Shadow Days help these students determine which classes best fit their interests.
Anyone interested can obtain a sign-up sheet at Schultz’s office. They will need to acquire signatures from the teachers of the classes they will be shadowing and from the classes they will miss. Schultz would like to note that a teacher has the “right to decline a shadow on a certain day if there is something like a test happening.”
According to Schultz, everyone should consider taking an IB class if they are motivated and have a strong work ethic, which is already something expected in all classes at NDA.
“IB demands quite a bit from any student, but it is not impossible if you work hard. If you are willing to work hard, can keep up with school work, want to learn in a variety of ways, and plan to go to college, you are the ideal student to take an IB class.”
