Authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School

Designed for students aged 3 – 12, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB/PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child encompassing social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs as well as academic welfare. At High Meadows School, our PYP units of inquiry in preschool through fifth grade are created by the teachers and fall under the transdisciplinary themes of who we are, where we are in place and time, how we express ourselves, how the world works, how we organize ourselves, and sharing the planet.

The goal 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. Toward the end of their final year of the PYP, fifth grade students create their own unit of inquiry, engaging in a collaborative, transdisciplinary process through which they identify, investigate, and offer solutions to real-life issues or problems.

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 in 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.