IB School Program Discussed at Echo Hills

About 100 people gathered in the gym at  Tuesday night to hear about International Baccalaureate, a program already in use at and possibly coming to this year.

IB Coordinator Julie Miller and Director of Curriculum Karen Moore gave a presentation, then attendees wrote questions on note cards. District officials answered the questions at the end of the meeting.

According to the program's website, IB "promotes intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century."

Click here for the program's full mission statement.

"We're not always looking for one specific right or wrong answer ... we look at different opinions and different viewpoints, everyone can be right in a different way," said third-grade Indian Trail teacher Dana Barna about teaching IB.

Superintendent Russ Jones got through all but four question cards, but said all of the questions and answers would be posted on the Echo Hills website. 

Here is a quick roundup of answers provided by the superintendent, teachers and other administrators:

Funding:

• Indian Trail and Echo Hills were looked at for the program because they receive the highest amount of Title 1 funds.
• ARRA (federal funds) and Title 1 funds (used for professional development and hiring tutors) were used to start the program.
• It costs about $1,000 to train every teacher.
• The program is expected to cost $15,000 to $16,000 to maintain every year.
• IB does not have a separate budget within the school district.

"We have a $55 million budget. I can tell you whether or not we go forward with the IB primary years program at Echo Hills, we still have a budget crisis we're facing," said Jones. "If we do it, we have a budget crisis. If we don't do it, there's still a budget crisis. There is no major long term financial effect on the school district."

Who takes IB?

• Students enrolled in IB schools may be transferred to another school through the open enrollment process. 
• Additionally, students in non-IB schools, may request to be transferred to Indian Trail or Echo Hills.
• State standards in education are followed and met at all schools however.
• There are three levels to IB: Diploma, Middle Years and Primary — which is the only program being pursued by the district.
• Each level operates as a separate entity, meaning it is not necessary to go through all the levels of the program.
• Preschool students do not participate in IB.

"It's an age old question, what approach is directly linked to student achievement? If anyone has the answer to that, you are going to be a billionaire," Jones said. 

What's different from before?

• Teachers follow a learner profile with 10 attributes: communicators; caring; principled; thinkers; balanced; risk takers; open-minded; reflective; knowledgeable; inquirers. 
• There are five essential elements: concepts; knowledge; trans-disciplinary skills; attitudes; action cycle. 
• Teachers involved in IB schools now have scheduled times to communicate with each other and to reflect on how students are learning and participating. 
• Before teachers operated independently in each classroom, at IB schools, the teachers work as a collaborative team. 

"The biggest thing I saw from students I work with is they communicate in a much different capacity. They say things like, 'I agree with so-and-so, but I also think this.' The program allows students to be more open-minded and to listen to other people," said Lenore Cook, a tutor at Indian Trail.

Some additional points:

• Kent State University now requires IB training for its teachers and is trying to become a training site for the program, which would help Stow-Munroe Falls because it would cut back on the cost to be trained.
• Funding this program will not take away from special needs children, or any children.
• Although it is an international program, teachers celebrate and teach about the American Constitution, Patriot Day and say a pledge of allegiance every day, as in all Stow-Munroe Falls Schools.

So, what do you think? Is there a right and wrong answer for IB? Do you think it should be something pursued in the district after hearing last night's presentation? Were your questions answered?