Granada High Receives International Baccalaureate Authorization

Announcement submitted by Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District:

The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is pleased to announce that Granada High School is now authorized for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The International Baccalaureate Organization (known as IB) offers four high-quality and challenging educational Programmes for a worldwide community of schools, aiming to create a better, more peaceful world. On February 1, Granada High School received notice of authorization and will begin the IB Diploma Programme this fall at the beginning of the 2016/17 school year.

“International Baccalaureate is a great addition to our campus,” says Granada High School’s Principal, Philomena Rambo. “The IB Programme exemplifies our commitment to prepare our students to thrive in our global society.” All students at Granada are able to enroll in IB courses, and those who complete the full Programme will earn the internationally recognized diploma. “We anticipate enrolling approximately 25 diploma candidates in the first year,” says Valerie Nebo, the IB Program Coordinator at Granada High School.

The authorization process has been in development for years. Granada High School has been host to school site visits from authorized IB teachers from around the nation and the world, and the Granada teachers who will be teaching in the IB Programme have gone through a rigorous training and professional development process. The school and District are both thrilled with the outcome.

The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District now offers three IB Programmes including Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Granada’s authorization builds upon the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes currently offered at Joe Michell K-8 School. Each program can be completed independently or can be taken consecutively. “I’m very pleased by the addition of the IB Programmes to the District,” says Superintendent Kelly Bowers, “Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is one of only a few districts in the county to offer this world-class opportunity. It is a great example of our school leaders creating new opportunities, and giving our students choices in how they pursue academic excellence.”

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