Toledo Central Catholic designated International Baccalaureate World School |
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Monday, 16 February 2009 01:00 |
TOLEDO—Central Catholic High School president, Father Dennis Hartigan, announced the school has been designated an International Baccalaureate World School.
Central Catholic (CCHS) is the first school in northwest Ohio and the first Catholic school in the entire state of Ohio to earn this distinction.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a two-year curriculum, primarily aimed at students ages 16 to 19. Completing the program leads to a qualification that is widely-recognized by the world’s leading universities.
The IB program prepares students for college and encourages them to ask challenging questions, learn how to learn, develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture and develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.
Currently, there are 2,512 schools in 132 countries offering this program, and Central Catholic joins a group of less than 20 Catholic schools in the country to feature it.
Authorization to become an IB World school is an intensive process that typically takes two or more years and includes an application, evaluation and site visits by an IB team. Central Catholic submitted its original application in the fall of 2007 and went through a feasibility study and identification of resources. Administrators and teachers from CCHS also visited several IB World Schools to familiarize themselves with their curriculum and operation. The IB team visited Central Catholic Dec. 1 and 2, 2008, and then the team submitted a written report to the IB New York office. The official program authorization was sent to Central Catholic by the IB Curriculum and Assessment Centre in Cardiff, United Kingdom.
The IB Diploma Programme is recognized around the world and ensures an increased adaptability and mobility for its students. Many colleges and universities offer credit for completion of the IB curriculum. The curriculum consists of higher level courses, standard level courses and courses in language, second language, experimental sciences, the arts, mathematics and computer science and individuals and societies. Students must also complete requirements in the Theory of Knowledge course; Creativity, Action and Service; and the Extended Essay in-depth writing project.
The IB program aims to develop internationally-minded people who, recognizing our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better, more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, risk-takers, balanced, caring and reflective.
The principles of the IB Diploma Programme fall into line with the mission of Central Catholic High School, which enables young men and women of diverse backgrounds to develop spiritually, academically, physically and socially by providing outstanding academic programs and opportunities to grow.
“I believe the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme will give our students a huge advantage in the global-society of the 21st century,” said Marie Arter, CCHS director of curriculum. “The international-mindedness of this program will flow through our entire campus as we strive to connect the CCHS students with the world. This program can take our academics to a new level by developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”
The IB program is to begin at Central Catholic in fall 2009 with the sophomore class.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 15:14 |
