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International Baccalaureate

At Shortridge High School, we believe in providing our students with an education that not only challenges them intellectually but also prepares them for an interconnected and ever-globalizing world. We achieve this through our comprehensive International Baccalaureate® (IB) program.

The IB program is an educational framework centered around holistic student development, encompassing intellectual, personal, emotional, and social dimensions. We are proud to offer both the Middle Years Program (MYP) and the Diploma Program (DP) as part of our curriculum.

The IB program, which originated in 1968, now collaborates with thousands of schools across a myriad of countries, benefiting students aged 3 to 19.

We offer the following IB programs at Shortridge High School:

Discover more about the impact of the IB program globally through IB in the News. Find a detailed explanation of the IB education in this video.

Distinctive Attributes of the IB Program:

  • It provides a continuum of education, stretching from kindergarten to pre-university. While traditionally renowned for the Diploma Programme, IB World Schools are increasingly offering all four programs.
  • Renowned for its high-quality education sustained over several decades, the IB program incorporates the best elements from different countries’ educational systems. Its challenging DP assessment is globally recognized and valued by leading universities.
  • The program fosters international-mindedness, underlining the importance of understanding one’s own cultural and national identity. It promotes learning a second language and equips students with the skills necessary for international cooperation – both crucial for 21st-century life.
  • It cultivates a positive attitude towards learning by encouraging students to ask challenging questions, reflect critically, develop research skills, and understand the value of community service.
  • The program is accessible to a diverse range of schools worldwide, forming an international community where no two schools are alike.

IB Mission:

The IB’s mission is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young individuals who contribute to creating a more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. It collaborates with schools, governments, and international organizations to design challenging programs that instigate active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who appreciate differing perspectives.

IB History:

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation, the International Baccalaureate® was an innovative brainchild of a group of forward-thinking teachers at the International School of Geneva, along with several other international schools. What began as a single program catering to internationally mobile students preparing for university has since evolved into four unique programs for students aged 3 to 19. The initial program offered a common pre-university curriculum and a unified set of external examinations, aiming to offer students a genuinely international education.