Section I. B. Statement of Reasons for Adopting the IB Program
The most unique reason for Morgan Park High School to adopt the International Baccalaureate Program is that this will be a long overdue outcome of our 12-year sister-school relationship with the Centre International de Valbonne in Valbonne, France and its International Baccalaureate Program. Since 1987, Morgan Park and the Centre International have had yearly student exchanges. Our adopting the same program will strengthen the international relationships our students, teachers, families and communities have already established and will build greater academic ties through sharing commonalities of the IB curriculum.
Beyond this striking reason for adopting the IB program, there are many other valid reasons for adoption of this program. Morgan Park High School's philosophy states:
In the twenty-first century, Morgan Park High School will be a model of effectiveness by exhibiting the six characteristics of superior schools: positive learning climate, effective instructional leadership, emphasis on learning, monitoring of student progress and curriculum changes, high expectations for all, and effective home-school relations.
Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing environment where all students are active learners who gain the knowledge and develop the skills to serve their community, their society, and themselves. Further, these students meet the demands of a global society through rigorous academic preparation.
It is clear that the International Baccalaureate's Diploma Program of a rigorous college preparatory course of studies with external assessments for able and highly motivated students is compatible with this philosophy. Both emphasize learning with high expectations and students as active learners who serve themselves and others and meeting the global society's demands through rigorous academic preparation.
The following are the school's priority goals for 1997-98:
Priority Goal # 1: Revise and Align Curriculum with State Goals and Chicago Public Schools and International Standards to Reinforce Rigorous Academic Press.
Priority Goal # 2: Improve Instruction in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Critical Thinking Skills across the Curriculum while Maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment.
Priority Goal # 3: Correlate Curriculum Development with the Morgan Park High School Technology Plan.
The goals of revising curriculum with international standards, rigorous academics, improving instruction in core subjects and thinking skills, and correlating curriculum with technology are also compatible with International Baccalaureate objectives. International standards are at the heart of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and are part of our Goal # 1. IB emphasis on both humanities and sciences is reflected in our Goal # 2. Our school's choice of "Technology in a Global Society" as our sixth subject is a result of our desire to incorporate technology into our IB curriculum as well as into our general school curriculum, as stated in our Goal # 3.
In addition to the philosophical correspondence between IB and MPHS, another reason our administration and staff are anxious to adopt the IB Program is that our concerted efforts to improve student achievement show a steady improvement in students' standardized test scores. We are now ready for the greater academic challenge that the IB Program will provide for our students. Note the following statistics on attached graphs: 1) The percentage of students meeting or exceeding State Goals in the Illinois Goals Assessment Program in grades 7, 8, 10 and 11; 2) The percentage of students in grades 7 and 8 above national norms in the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and 3) The upward trend in the 9th and 11th grade scores on the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency. Besides academic improvements within the school, Morgan Park consistently ranks among the top performing schools of the Chicago Public Schools in standardized tests as well as on graduation rate and daily attendance rate.
Organizationally, Morgan Park is a neighborhood high school with two magnet programs. These are the Junior High Program for gifted students and the Language and International Studies Program. Both these programs have curricular and academic goals beyond minimum graduation requirements. Building on these programs and on the extraordinary interest that has been displayed on the part of teachers, parents, community and students, we want to offer the opportunities for excellence that the IB program promises. This program will attract superior students from our own Junior High Program and from our attendance area as well as from other areas of the far south side of this city, which is an important urban center with much to offer this program for both curriculum enrichment and CAS activities.
We believe that adding this rigorous academic program will enhance academic success in our already existing magnet programs in two ways. First, the well-prepared students in our Junior High Gifted Program give us a pool of potential IB students who are prepared to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Secondly, our Language and International Studies Program already has course requirements beyond the basic Chicago Public School requirements. These include a 4 year study of foreign language (the requirement being 2 years) and a 4 year study of social studies including World Studies, U.S. History, Economics and one elective (the requirement being 3 years). Thus, many of our students already expect to study a wider range of subjects in more depth than the average college preparatory student. This program has also allowed us to have the French exchange already discussed. In addition to that partnership, we have yearly exchanges with Austria, Italy and Spain or Costa Rica.
Adoption of the International Baccalaureate Program will be a significant step in Morgan Park High School's continuing program of improvement in student achievement and participation in international education and a fully integrated course of study culminating in the IB Diploma.