Beaumont is IB candidate

Collaborating on a project in the school media center are Beaumont students (from left) Mia Cannata, Courtney Tyree (standing), Elizabeth Bagley, Mackenzie Allen (standing on right), Caitlin Lux (sitting on right).

Beaumont School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Cleveland Heights, is now recognized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate school. Beaumont plans to institute the IB program during its 2017–18 school year, and will become the first all-girls school, and the second Catholic high school, in Greater Cleveland to offer IB’s rigorous Diploma Programme (DP).

IB education challenges students to excel in academics and in personal growth, and cultivates a quest for lifelong learning that goes beyond what students learn in the classroom. IB’s diploma program is widely perceived as one of the most challenging secondary curricula in the world. Students who earn the IB diploma are consistently twice as likely to be accepted to selective colleges and universities, earn more scholarship dollars and receive college credit.

“This globally focused program emphasizes creative problem solving, hands-on projects and inquiry-based learning,” said Mary Whelan, Beaumont principal. “There is a large focus on community service and this rigorous, academically acclaimed program builds on the Ursuline mission of educating women for life, leadership and service. Beaumont believes that IB values align closely with the school’s philosophy of academic excellence, diversity and social justice.”

On Sept. 1, Beaumont embarked on a three-year authorization period, during which it will work with an IB consultant to plan specific courses and train teachers in the IB curriculum.

“The IB program will complement our current program and provide opportunity for our young women to excel academically through a global perspective,” Whelan said.

The program is a rigorous, two-year academic program for juniors and seniors that offers a global perspective and a cross-disciplinary approach. DP students will take six two-year courses focused in the sciences, the arts, the English language, mathematics, social studies and foreign languages. Students must also complete an extended essay and score well on a final Theory of Knowledge exam to be awarded the IB diploma. Another requirement is Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) hours, which requires involvement in athletics, clubs and volunteerism.

For more information on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, visit www.ibo.org. For more information on Beaumont School, visit www.beaumontschool.org.