IB HL Hours, Grade 10 Visits, Mock Exams, Year 1 EE Superstars & IB Core Exhibitions

Cassie Armstrong | February 16, 2017 | AP/IB Info | No Comments

I begin with a quick reminder that the 2016 May IB Examination Packet has been uploaded on the P-Server. I realize that the P-Server requires you to be on campus and it is not quick and convenient to access. However, for the time being, the P-Server is stable and secure. A more teacher friendly location is being considered, but it will need to be secure and easily transferable to new staff.

IB HL Hours Schedule & HL Hours Committee

To address our lack of IB HL hours, a schedule has been made to recoup SIX additional HL hours in the month of April. Coming up with a schedule that accounted for teacher schedules without also overburdening students has been a challenge. Jacob will make the community aware of the additional hours and the reasoning behind our efforts. The schedule can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S5MtWQVlal_fXVbvKR4viJFI2hdJT432zXzLLrBq_tI/edit

Student attendance is optional, but it is highly recommended that students utilize this additional time so close to IB Exams. In order to address the lack of IB HL hours (and to be fair, the lack of AP hours as well), Tim and I will be heading a teacher committee to formulate different schedules to allow the school to get closer to the mandated 240 hours for HL courses. This committee will be formulated before Spring Break. Details on the formulation of the committee will be forthcoming.

Grade 10 visits to your IB/AP Classes

In order to have our Grade 10 students gain a better understanding of what the IB Programme and AP courses are, 20th-24th February, students will visit certain classes. You may involve the students as you wish. If you have something completely unengaging during this time, please do let me know as soon as possible. Here is the roster of teachers and student lists:

IB/AP Visits Roster
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1o_Vk9QArd99d2E5EFxC6a7sV5qamKXKvAjnn3OdGytI

IB/AP Classes Roster
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11ionMJ6YzXBgsc4j3Z5GvbmFbaG90htccmCrnRluR20

IB Mock Exams

A reminder that the IB Mock Exams for Y2 starts on Tuesday, February 28th and runs the week till Friday, March, 3rd. Seniors are not required to come to school other than for their assigned exams. Here is the schedule for these days:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tLzv-2QzAvxYWrdEZV-R_wAcrhLmEFkumiDYh79cHXI

Check your tab for the students listed. There have been a few errors, but they have been addressed. If there are still any errors, let me know ASAP so corrections can be made. A few students will have conflicts, but this is accounted for on the Friday. I do not anticipate having any teacher invigilate an exam as you will continue to have classes G9-G11. If you are needed, I will inform you early enough and hope to ensure that times will only be during your prep(s). Have your particular Mock Exam printed and checked over for errors or issues to my office by February 21st.

I do realize that the schedule for the Mock Exams is not a perfect analogue of the IB Exam experience. This may be better addressed next year. However, for 2017, craft an IB Mock that provides the most realistic and authentic experience for the student to gauge where they are and need to be going over the remaining weeks. Like with Semester Exams, the copy center downstairs can print off your exams.

If you have any questions, do see me before February 21st so that there is sufficient time to address any issues. (Be sure to look at your OCC subject for any updates as well.)

IB eCoursework, PG and IA Uploads

Although eCoursework has been mentioned in Dragon’s Lair since August of 2016, the official eCoursework upload site on IBIS just opened for submission on January 15th. Except for 2 classes (that SSIS does not offer), all externally graded IBDP assignments are to be uploaded on the eCoursework section of IBIS. Every IB teacher has an IBIS login. When you click on eCoursework, you have only one option – eCoursework for that course and level. When you click that, you are taken to a new window. I will be meeting with teachers individually to ensure that there is comfort in using the new eCoursework system. If you have questions, please do come see me.

The eCoursework folder is available on Google Drive:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwPDNWShT_P1NkpVZUl1dVBTcmc

Submission deadline for the upload of EEs, TOK essays, Group 1 and 2 written assignments/tasks is 15 March, 2017. (SSIS internal due date from teachers is March 10)

Submission deadline for the upload of predicted grades and internal assessment scores 10 April, 2017. However, in order to assist students and teachers in clearing their responsibilities to focus on the IB Exams in late April and May, I am adhering to a submission date of March 10 as well. Realizing that accommodations may have to be made, I am available to support IB teachers in making adjustments.

Submission deadline for the upload of internal assessment sample work is 20 April, 2017.

Visual arts exhibition submission deadline is 20 April, 2017.

Submission deadline for the upload of group 6 externally assessed coursework components is 30 April, 2017.

Visual arts process portfolio and comparative study submission is 30 April, 2017.

CAS status – deadline date for CAS status submission on IBIS is 01 June, 2017.

(Next year, we are exploring expanding Managebac for all IB courses as this LMS has a direct link to IBIS eCoursework with all the forms and abilities to export directly to the IB system in March/April.)

IBIS computers and Vietnam wifi connection are not to be trusted. This is why March 10th is a suitable internal SSIS upload deadline (except for the two outliers listed in the IA calendar). March and April will already be consumed by IB review. No student is to be allowed this time for any work to be completed. If this situation does exist, inform me as soon as possible.

These dates are for IBIS submission. After these dates, IBO will not accept any upload. We will make it through this new IBO requirement with a few hiccups, but make it through we shall.

Extended Essay Supervisor Meeting for Upload & Y1 EE Defense

A heartfelt thank you to all the EE supervisors who supported all of our Y2 students during a very difficult time….a time frame where students had little time and supervisors were still able to be supportive. Lara and I are tentatively scheduling

Monday, March 6: 3:30-4:00
Tuesday, March 7: lunch (potentially catered by a Michelin 3 star restaurant although we may have to go more local)

for supervisors attending one of these meetings so that we can upload the EE to IBIS. Details will be forthcoming

Thursday, February 27 during Advisory

IB Year 1 students are getting an appropriate start on the Extended Essays and the system that is being put into place will not only serve our current IB Year 1 students, it will be in place for future students as well. IB Y1 students will have to choose their Extended Essay question and then provide a defense of their topic.

Currently, students in each IBDP subject:
Biology: 4
Economics: 7
English A: 8
Geography: 6
History: 11
Math: 1
Physics: 3

A schedule and more information is forthcoming.

IB Core Exhibitions

The IBDP Core Year 1 Core Exhibition on March 20 during advisory in the HS Gym and the Auditorium.The purpose of splitting them up is to try a more learning-conducive environment. Students were given the details for this event on Monday; and the slideshow was shared. Here‘s the list of exhibitioners by location.

Non-full DP juniors are welcome to visit. The main audience will be grade 10 students, so they can see and hear about the DP core (CAS, EE, TOK) work that our current juniors are doing. They will have a brief worksheet to complete during their visit. Reflection is at the heart of CAS, so this is a great opportunity for our juniors to gain insight on their journey thus far.

CAS Seniors are pulling it together. Most have caught up on their reflections and added evidence to Managebac. Dan and I expect them (with the odd exception) to be finished their CAS by March 29, the date of their IBDP Core Year 2 Exhibition. I will be conducting their final CAS interview over the next two weeks. This is designed for them to reflect upon their personal growth through CAS since August 2015.

The exhibition is similar to the Year 1 event but more focused on a final culmination of their core program, especially CAS. This is a time to celebrate their achievements and invite discourse about their core journey over the past 18 months. They will have CAS, EE and TOK work on display. This will be an evening event, 18:00-19:00 in the Auditorium. The main audience will family, friends and grade 11 students. This is open to all, so please drop by to help acknowledge the dedication, perseverance and accomplishments of our seniors. They have a lot to be proud of.