With the school year a month from kicking off, Cloverleaf Elementary is preparing for its first year as an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) candidate.
The process to become an accredited IB PYP is a long one that requires three years of training, developing a curriculum underpinning six trans-disciplinary themes and a paradigm shift for teaching and learning.
But Principal Alisha Cloer said her team is up for the challenge.
The proof is in the numbers, she said. When the staff voted on whether to pursue the accreditation, more than 90 percent were in favor of it, despite knowing the amount of extra work they would undertake and the extra hours of their personal time it would require.
“The only way we could do this is if we had the staff’s support,” she said. “They’re very enthusiastic about it and I’m not surprised. The staff is so caring and gives their best every day. They want to do this.”
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Cloverleaf is the second school in Iredell-Statesville Schools to become an IB PYP candidate. Coddle Creek Elementary in Mooresville was awarded candidacy last year.
“This is a good thing for equity to bring (an IB school) into Statesville,” said Susie Wiberg, I-SS spokesperson. “From the pathway we’ve created, students can go from a primary program to an IB middle school and to an IB high school. The overall benefit is that the students and parents have another option – a wonderful option.”
Though the IB program sets international standards, that doesn’t mean the state’s standards will be dismissed.
“We’ll take what the state requires us to teach and infuse it into the new units,” said Alison Whitaker, the IB PYP coordinator for Cloverleaf. “The goal of IB education is to develop globally minded citizens, and that’s common from a primary year program to a diploma program. It will give students an opportunity to be much better critical thinkers, encourage them to ask questions and examine information through multiple lenses. There will be an emphasis on reflection. It’s great to learn things, but what are you going to do with what you learn?”
Cloverleaf, which averages between 650 and 700 students a year, has long been striving to provide more than just the standard education, school officials said. The school implemented “Leader in Me,” a program based on building character, years ago.
“The two programs will be a good blend,” Cloer said. “Together, they will teach students to be independent, lifelong learners of the world. Students will get content and character educations. As a mom, that’s what I want for my kids. As a kind of mom of the school, I want that for all my children – my students.”
Enrollment is still open, but spots are filling fast, Cloer said. Interested parents should call the school as soon as possible at 704-978-2111.