This year's theme for the Clover Park School District calendar is “Imagine.” Students approach everything they do without limitations, knowing they can achieve any goal they have for their future.
This January, we’re highlighting International Baccalaureate (IB) learning in CPSD. IB is an education program that empowers students to take ownership of their learning and helps them develop future-ready skills to thrive in a fast-paced world. This month’s calendar feature was taken at Harrison Preparatory School which offers IB courses for its middle and high school students. The students shown are seniors Brandon Elliott and Leslie Valenzuela Mendez and junior Katty Molina-Marquez.
At the high school level, IB courses encourage students to develop a sense of inquiry and care as they examine the world around them. The classes are also rigorous and prepare students for their academic future. “The classes I’ve taken give students an insight on what college level courses will be like in the future, and I think it will help ease our transition to university or community college,” Valenzuela Mendez said.
After graduating this spring, Valenzuela Mendez plans on applying to the nursing program at Pacific Lutheran University and has found the greatest value from her IB math class. The course has helped her develop scheduling and studying skills as she prepares for tests throughout the year. “This course and some of the other courses have been challenging, but they’ve shown me just how much I can get done, how much I can grow and who I can become if I put all my effort in,” she said.
IB learners are committed to challenging themselves as they invest in their future. By taking courses that encourage them to continuously explore and critique the world around them, they become lifelong learners who will make a difference in their community.