The lure of getting an advanced education, up to a year of college credit and acceptance into universities worldwide helped draw six representatives from FHS to San Diego, Calif., to learn more about the International Baccalaureate Organization (I.B.).
On Oct. 26 and 27, principal Cathy McDevitt, teachers Sue Brown, Geoffrey Hughes, Mark Armstrong, Stephanie Christianson and senior Elizabeth Cummings participated in a conference about I.B., thus bringing FHS one step closer to joining the organization.
"We went to San Diego because the administration is looking at the I.B. program as a possibility for FHS," said Cummings. "Only a few schools offer I.B. in the Northwest. We needed to learn more in-depth information from the people who know it best."
The I.B. grew out of international efforts to establish a common curriculum and university-entry credentials for overseas students who had trouble getting into colleges in their home countries, because of individual school standards.
Today, I.B. is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Switzerland which offers a Diploma Program for highly motivated honors students in the final two years of secondary school and the Middle Years Program for students 11 to 16 years old.
"This program is designed to meet the needs of highly motivated college-bound students," said Brown. "I think that there are lots of kids who will be better served by this program."
Brown first heard about the program at a conference in Yakima Wash., in 1988. A number of principals spoke about what a dramatic difference I.B. had made in their schools.
"The I.B. teachers don't just teach I.B.," said Brown. "There's a lot of spin-off even for the kids who may not even be in any I.B. courses. It pulls the entire school up. I think that's really attractive."
The program includes a rigorous curriculum including social and experimental sciences, mathematics, arts and electives. Aside from these classes, the full diploma candidates are also required to take a Theory of Knowledge Course, which stimulates critical thinking and reflection.
"It's very demanding," said Hughes. "Whether that's something that our students want to aspire to is questionable."
Another fundamental part of the program for those students working towards the full diploma is Creativity, Action, Service (CAS). It emphasizes life outside of academics, such as participation in theater, dance, sports, community service, music and more.
"My biggest concern is time," said Cummings. "It appears to be incredibly time-consuming. But there's more flexibility than meets the eye. There are ways with scheduling and help from the administration and faculty that will allow kids to participate in a lot of extracurricular activities."
Diploma candidates are required to undertake original research and write an extended essay of 4,000 words. The topic can be any of the 57 subjects accepted by I.B. This essay allows students to explore an area of special interest and helps them to develop the writing skills expected at university level.
"The kids would be advised in much the same way as for a thesis in college," said Brown. "In many respects, it's really easier to truly represent knowledge in writing."
Predictably, another major concern is money. There is a program application fee in addition to a yearly participation fee and a per student fee. To get the full diploma, each student has to take six classes over the course of two years. At the end, they take essay tests, each of which cost $125. However, according to the advocates, the money could prove to be a valuable investment. The higher the scores on the tests, the more significant the amount of college credit for I.B. diplomas, some up to a full year of credits.
"There are over 200 colleges that accept the I.B. program in the United States alone," said Brown. "We have heard figures that go from one quarter to a full freshman year of credits."
Various aspects of the current curriculum would need to be modified to fit the I.B.
"They have a curriculum which each department will need to follow," said Christianson. "We've got a long way to go, but I like what I've heard."
"It would change things," said Brown. "Change isn't easy for anybody."
The six representatives from FHS who attended the conference will be making presentations to the department chairs, faculty and parents. McDevitt had ordered sample curriculum to compare with the current curriculum and to help answer faculty questions.
"I went down there skeptical," said Hughes about the program. "Some of my skepticism was relieved. I'm encouraged by what I learned, but I don't know enough of the facts to say that I'm a proponent of the program."
"Not only do we have to select the program," said Brown. "They have to select us as a school. There is a long application process. They want us to know what we're getting into."
"We came away from the conference with high hopes for this as a future goal," said Cummings. "I think that it'll take a lot of time to implement the program in a way that will allow the students to be successful. Whether or not the administration and faculty will decide to is a big if."
Said Brown, "We don't know everything about the program that there is to know. But what we do know looks really exciting."