A Kindergarten - Second Grade
California Public Charter School of the
Xara Learning Village

619.820.6188
welcome@xaraschools.org

Special Notes Concerning

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate is an international education organization that has established a worldwide reputation for excellence through its three "programmes," serving students aged 3-19. Today, there are more than 685,000 IB students at 2,532 IB World Schools in 132 countries. www.ibo.org

At the time the Xara Garden School charter was being drafted, we recognized a hand-in-glove compatibility between our philosophy and IB. After the charter was granted, we began a careful review of IB's mission, methods and requirements, particularly looking for some idea too rigid, or otherwise inappropriate to our approach.

What we found instead is that the IB's emphasis on multi-disciplinary inquiry learning, international perspectives, whole-child development, arts and foreign languages beautifully matched our beliefs and intentions - and also provided a worldwide framework for organizing and aligning our content standards. In our view, IB has demonstrated excellence by doing the right things for the right reasons. We are working to have the same thing said about us. Moreover, those schools that become part of the IB community share a global library of project plans, program ideas, professional develoment resources and assessment tools, all recognized to be world class.

Therefore, Xara Garden School is beginning the multi-year process of formal application to become an IB "World School" authorized to offer the "Primary Years Programme (PYP)."  The process is quite extensive and intensive, involving a year of feasibility study, at least a year of trial implementation, and a site inspection by IB before schools are permitted to fly the IB World School flag. This slow and careful process assures schools the best chance of success in implementing an IB programme, and protects the integrity and standards of the IB itself. 

Please Note: There is no guarantee that XGS will decide to actually become an IB school as the process goes forward, and no guarantee that the IB will accredit the XGS program if it does. Both XGS and IB wish to be careful to make this point clear. But it is also true that we have begun the process, and are using IB tools in planning our program for opening day.

We are very excited to be embarking in this direction with IB. If you are not yet familiar with the organization, you will find that it does hold a worldwide reputation for worldclass education, and that students who participate in the programmes are welcomed around the world for the characteristics of the IB learner profile (see column to the right.). Students who complete the high school Diplomate Programme are viewed very favorably by universities, and again, for the right reasons.

We encourage you to look into IB at www.ibo.org, and its PYP Primary Years Programme. If the relationship grows as hoped, the future Grade 3-5 Xara Terrace School, Middle School and High School will all carry forward the continuum of the three IB programmes, culminating in the option for students to become IB Diplomates. We would be very proud to honestly say that our students demonstrated the traits of the IB learner profile, and see that goal as a service to our students, our families, our community, and public education in general.

As always, we invite you to contact us with any questions or comments concerning IB at:

619.820.6188 or welcome@xaraschools.org.

Back to Influences and Approaches
Click for Charter Excerpts
Click for Registration Form

International Baccalaureate
Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.