IB Kindergarten

June 6, 2011

IB Kindergarten

General Information and Q&A

Introduction to IB Kindergarten in the North Vancouver School District
Capilano Elementary is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP)* -- beginning at the Kindergarten level.  The programme is under the direction of The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) which was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation. The IBO currently works with over 2,700 schools in 138 countries.   It offers three educational programmes for pupils aged 3 to 19 that are focused on helping to develop in students the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills required to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalizing world (http://www.ibo.org/pyp/). 

*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate (IB) as IB World Schools can offer any of its three academic programmes: the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the IB Diploma Programme.

Purpose
Beginning in Kindergarten, the IB PYP curriculum supports children’s learning through their natural curiosity, provides opportunities for students to make meaningful connections between prior learning and new learning, across curricular areas, and to their own lives and their growing understanding of the world.  In all areas of the curriculum, students are encouraged to ask  questions, to critically reflect on their learning, and to participate in extensions of learning beyond the classroom.

Features and benefits of IB Kindergarten

• Delivery of the BC Curriculum Full Day Kindergarten Program under the umbrella of an IBO teaching framework via globally significant transdisciplinary themes (Who we are; Where we are in place and time; How we express ourselves; How the world works; How we organize ourselves; Sharing the planet)
• Explorative play-based and teacher-led inquiry instruction
• A focus on the development of specific attributes as described in the IB Learner Profile (communicators, inquirers, thinkers, risk-takers,knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, well-balanced, reflective).   The Learner Profile is central to the PYP definition of what it is to be internationally minded.  http://www.ibo.org/pyp/curriculum/
• Development of specific attributes that will contribute to student success in school and beyond (appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect, tolerance)
• Delivery of curriculum in a manner that provides students with opportunities to gain knowledge that is relevant and of global significance, and to develop an understanding of concepts, allowing them to make connections throughout their learning
• French as a Second Language in taught in all grades, starting in Kindergarten as per IBO requirements for second language learning.

Registration procedures
Please see  Kindergarten Registration Information.

Contact information
Please contact Capilano Elementary at 604.903.3370 or contact IB@nvsd44.bc.ca to request a brochure. You can also learn more about all levels of IB at www.ibo.org.

Q&A

How do I know this program is right for my child?
The IB Primary Years Programme is an inclusive programme, providing opportunities for all learners through inquiry-based, investigative learning.  Students learn through exploring, wondering, and questioning while experimenting and playing with possibilities.

Can students in other catchment areas register for Kindergarten at Capilano?
As with all our schools, registrations for priority placement in a school follow a schedule of priorities, with first priority being students in the school’s catchment area followed in order by:

2)   out of catchment area with sibling already attending same school/program
3)   out of catchment students
4)   out of School District students

Learn more about our Kindergarten registration procedures and deadlines here.

Our family doesn’t live near Capilano. Are there plans to expand the IB PYP program to other elementary schools in the North Vancouver School District?
Operating as an IB school requires a considerable commitment from staff for training and adapting to the program as well as strong support from a school’s parent community. A number of our elementary schools have expressed an interest in pursuing an IB PYP designation, and the School District is interested in exploring the expansion of IB following its establishment at Carson Graham, Balmoral and Capilano. At this time, no other schools have been named as future locations for IB.

Are there any additional costs for families associated with IB Kindergarten?
There are no additional costs associated with the IB Primary Years Programme.