| International Baccalaureate Program |  |  | | Class of 2008 IB Diploma Honors students |
Summer Assignment List
Highland Park is one of three schools in St. Paul, and 14 in Minnesota, to offer the IB Diploma program. The program started at Highland in 1994. Worldwide, IB is offered in more than 2,000 schools in 125 countries. Any student who is motivated to take stimulating classes is welcome to participate in Highland's program, either taking the complete IB curriculum or in IB individual courses in an area of interest. Because IB students assume high levels of responsibility and require support from their families, parents are asked to sign their approval on any IB registration. For further information, please visit the IBO website or contact Highland's IB Coordinator Charlotte Landreau.
Summer Extended Essay Workshops
Attached is the information for the free workshops offered by IB of Minnesota at Macalester College. Each session is a stand alone, 3 hour presentation and interactive research workshop. Diploma candidates entering their senior year are strongly encouraged to attend, as they work on their Extended Essay.
Getting ready for IB
Students begin preparation for the IB Program by taking IB Prep courses in grades 9 and 10. These IB Prep courses help to develop and refine higher level thinking skills, writing techniques and oral communications. IB Prep courses are required for some IB courses.
Components of IB
IB combines the strengths of a liberal arts curriculum with several important additional features. The components are: Coursework in six academic areas: English, world language, history, science, mathematics, arts and electives. Examinations in these areas are offered in May of each year. Successful examinations can lead to advanced college placement and/or college credits, depending on the individual college's policy.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK): TOK is an interdisciplinary requirement for Diploma and Honors students intended to stimulate critical reflection on knowledge and experience gained inside and outside the classroom; it is a three trimester-long course offered in the senior year. Students examine the grounds for the moral, political and aesthetic judgments that individuals must make in their daily lives.
Creative, Action, Service (CAS): The goal of IB is to educate the whole person, to help students become responsible, compassionate citizens. The CAS requirement for Diploma and Honors students encourages them to share their energy and special talents with others outside of the school day.
Extended Essay: Each student has the opportunity to investigate  | | Class of 2007 IB Diploma and Honors students |
a topic of special interest. The essay requirements for Diploma candidates acquaint them with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected in university study.
Students have a variety of choices within IB:
• They may pursue the full IB Diploma.
• They may pursue the IB Honors curriculum.
• They may take examinations in separate subjects.
• They may take the IB courses in areas of interests without taking examinations. Participation in the program helps fulfill the requirements for high school graduation in Minnesota.
Criteria for assurance:
Highland Park Senior High School can assure the anticipated IB Diploma candidate the opportunity of working toward her/his IB Diploma if the student enters their sophomore year: at level three (3) in their chosen World Language; at algebra/trigonometry.
Full IB Diploma Path—High School Progression
Diploma candidates are required to select one subject from each of the six subject groups. At least three and not more than four are taken at higher level (HL), the others at standard level (SL). HL courses represent 240 teaching hours, SL courses cover 150 hours. By arranging work in this fashion, students are able to explore some subjects in depth and some more broadly over the two-year period of their junior and senior years.
In addition to the six testing subjects, diploma students take a required interdisciplinary course called Theory of Knowledge (TOK) in their senior year. The Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) requirement takes seriously the importance of life outside the world of scholarship, engaging students in a minimum of 150 hours of extracurricular activities. Finally, diploma candidates are required to undertake independent and original research and write an extended essay of some 4,000 words during 11th and 12th grades.
The Honors Diploma
Students can earn an IB Honors Diploma by testing in four subjects, completing 75 hours of CAS, taking the TOK course, and presenting a reflective speech to a panel their senior year.
Continued Progress in IB
It is important for students taking IB classes to successfully master the content of course materials as future classes will be based on that knowledge. Students are encouraged to work with their teachers if they need additional help in understanding class content and/or assignments. Students who receive Ns in two trimesters of a course cannot take the IB course in that subject area the following year.
University Recognition Directory - to determine a specific university's policies for IB recognition.
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IB at HPSH Calendar
Dates to watch for in Spring 2008:
The Internal Assessments for the IB exams are due throughout the months of February and March. Please see the attached calendar for individual class due dates.
The exam schedule for May 2008 is attached here - click on IB at HPSH Calendar.
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