Congratulations to all the IB teachers who supported this quite interesting cohort of students through the process. Some of this information is a repeat from last week, but it still remains pertinent over Summer Break.

Meeting Grade 10 Students before IB Classes Begin in August

I have spent much of the past two weeks meeting with current Grade 10 students regarding their full-IB or IB Courses starting in August. I have provided all students with the General Regulations: Diploma Programme. Also, I have been showing them the HS IB Diploma section in Moodle.

There, they already have access to the CAS and EE sections as well the DP Info section that sources all the IB Course handbooks for the IB classes that we offer at SSIS. Students are expected and required to read over the General Regulations and to familiarize themselves with the Moodle sections for CAS/EE and their specific courses over the summer.

All IB students are expected to know the progression and expectations of their individual IB classes. Specifics can be referenced when classes begin in August.

IB Results Issued July 5 for May 2017 Exams

Students have their own login where they can access their own results via the IB’s candidate results website. They will be able to do so one day after results are issued: on 6 July for the May session and 6 January for the November session. I will release this information then. 

Don’t Forget to Fill out the G2 Survey on OCC

All May 2017 IB Exams have been provided to teachers. Review the exams and go to your subject section complete the G2 survey on OCC (found on the left column of options). This survey is open until June 10th. With changes coming concerning the OCC, this process will likely be very different next year.

Year 1 IB Predicted Grades

As has been discussed since the beginning of the school year, providing a justifiable benchmark for IB Year 1 students at the end of their junior year is important for all stakeholders. All Year 1 IB teachers will need to provide their Year 1 IB students with a Predictive Score (1-7) in PowerSchool by the end of the grading period.

The better understand the why of this change toward better alignment with IB philosophy and expectations, see this presentation.

Mock Exams 2018 & May Exams 2018

Mock Exams for March 2018 will be March 5-9. We will discuss later the ‘why’ (ATLs) the Mock Exams should be formative where the students take the onus of grading them and making a plan of action for their own specific learning path for the last 3 weeks of school after Spring Break and just before IB Exams begin. The final schedule for Mock Exams should be complete by the end of August. Here is the May 2018 IB Exam schedule.

IA Due Dates

When we get back in August, we will return to the IB calendar for the 2016-2018 cohort so we can finalize dates for students when they return on August 8th. SSIS will maintain time frames for IAs for consistency, but students need to know specific dates when school starts. The IB Programme needs to not only increase accountability of IB students, we need to provide them with the tools, information and resources to be appropriately accountable.

Coordinator’s Notes – May 2017

Attached HERE, you will find the May 2017 Coordinator’s Notes for your summer reading. Special items of interest:

• Would SSIS like to pilot an IB Nature of Science SL course?
• IB is always seeking qualified examiners, especially in these subjects: History, Theater & Visual Arts
• IB Questionbank now includes May & November 2016 questions
• ESS teachers are being sought by IBO for the course review process
• CAS Coordinators are being sought by IBO for the curriculum review process
• The new Extended Essay Guide contained contradictory text
• The Economics curriculum review has been extended
• Chemistry has a revised Chemistry Data Booklet for first use – November 2017
• Physics used a revised Data Booklet for May 2017
• Mathematics HL P1 & P2 is now marked out of 100 and P3 is marked out of 50
• Arts subjects have a revised process for May 2017 onwards
• Music has two Prescribed Works for 2017-2019
• Theater’s changes begin May 2017 onwards
• Curriculum Development & Review Cycles

All the best for your summer travels. We meet again on August 1st with a new cohort. The major focus for IB next year will center around improved communication and information delivery to all stakeholders and promoting IB ATLs – specifically Self-Management (Sense of Self & Balance in Life) for students to increase their accountability and ownership of their own educational journey.

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IB Workshops Catalogue
http://ecatalogue.ibo.org/t/35963-ib-workshops-and-resources

IB PD Online Workshops
www.ibo.org/en/professional-development/find-aevents-and-workshops/