During January 2012, sophomores in the Class of 2014 steadily streamed into IB Diploma coordinator, Holly Lewis', office to talk about beginning the IB Diploma journey next fall.  Fifty students set up their 2-year plan to accomplish that.  They will need to take all their courses in the rigorous IB Diploma program; test in six different academic areas; write a 4000-word Extended Essay -- not for any class; do upwards of 150 hours of community service; and take the thought-provoking Theory of Knowledge class in their junior year.  The profile of this class is as follows:
                                           30% male; 70% female
                                           22% students-of-color
                                           3 AVID students

 Several of the students have not had the full course of IBMYP classes in 9th or 10th grades, but want to take on the challenge nevertheless.  Here's a shout-out to this largest-ever group who are risk-takers, knowledgable, and caring -- caring about their future and the opportunities which will flow from their endeavor.

The current senior class has 17 candidates on track to receive the Diploma this summer, and the junior class has 20.  This year marks the 12th year of IB Diploma Candidates at Cooper, which means that our current new sophomores were in pre-school when the program began in 1998.

For the 12th year running, IB senior Diploma Candidates will have a chance to steal the school spotlight as they hand proudly their 4000-word Extended Essays on silver platters to their teacher mentors.  The topics they have chosen individually to write on this year are again wide-ranging and often reflective of the student's own personal passion.

An avid equestrian writing in history traces inhumane treatment of horses in training and showing phases.  A devoted musician and composer asks, "To what extent did western music ransform Igor Stravinsky's composition style?", and an aspiring physician chooses the human rights category to take a look at the ethical implications behind pre-natal screening.  Seven students are writing in history, 4 in English, 3 in human rights, and one each in biology, design technology and music.

These essays, which students began over a year ago, will be sent in February to teachers and professors around the world to be graded.  The essay is an important component of the final score the IB Diploma Candidates earn, along with performance on international exams and in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course.  They will have completed upwards of 150 hours of community service and activities as well, logged and reflected upon over both years of their Diploma journey in 11th and 12th grade.

"The IB builds on the most important knowledge, wisdom, and ways of knowing from the past; engages seriously with the trends, promises, and tribulations of the 21st century; and, most importantly, ponders how we might achieve the kind of world we might achieve.  The kind of world in which we would all like to live --sane, peaceful, sustainable...The IB asks, "To what ends shall we put our knowledge?"

-- Professor Howard Gardner, Harvard University

IB exam registration for the May 2012 exams has just concluded.  We have 42 juniors and 50 seniors signed up.  In early November students will receive a printout of what they have registered for.  They should check it over, make corrections if necessary, and return it to the teacher that gave it to them or to the IB Office in Guidance.  IB takes the numbers we give them and sets out to find examiners around the world -- both for the Internal Assessments (classwork during the year) and for the exams. 

Due to a cut in the Diploma coordinator's hours, there will be no evening meetings for Diploma Candidate parents/guardians this year.  However, they and all parents might be interested in attending "Coachable Moments:  Bringing Out the Best in ALL Teens."  November 1, 2011, 6:30-8:00 PM, Principal's Conference Room, CHS.  For more information, contact nancy@nhpcoachingsolutions.com or joyglasser@comcast.net.

Fast fact:  In the University of California system, DP performance was the best predictor of college performance, and across income groups IB students earned higher grade point averages than the institutional averages. 
From "Key findings from research on the impact of IB programmes" published by the IBO.  For more info, please visit:  http://www.ibo.org/research

The website is now mostly complete.  Be sure, however, to check dates when looking at a timetable or schedule so you know it is this year's.