PRESS RELEASE: WORLD SCHOOL AUTHORIZATION

May 2014

Bringing an international education to Jacksonville, Florida Spring Park Elementary School achieves International Baccalaureate World School status

Spring Park Elementary School is the newest member of an ever growing global community of schools offering the International Baccalaureate in 144 different countries.

The IB has a positive impact on students, schools and their wider communities with learning going well beyond the classroom. Its unique and innovative approach to learning means both students and teachers are genuinely engaged with the programs and benefit from being a part of an unparalleled global network. Students will be able to participate in international conferences and educators will work with their peers internationally to ensure that the IB remains at the cutting edge of international education.

Both previous and current Principals, Pamela Bradley-Pierce and Aaron McWilliams are united in their thinking:

“We wanted to offer our students a more holistic education which will instil in them the skills, knowledge, and outlook to succeed in the 21st century, both in their local community and in the wider world. At the same time, we wanted to give our teachers the opportunity to be a part of an international network of experts leading the field in education. We are delighted to become an IB World School and we look forward to reaping the many benefits of the programme.”

Drew Deutsch, Director, IB America, International Baccalaureate says:

“The IB is recognized across the world for its innovative approach to education. We strongly believe that it is important to place an equal focus on academics and other, transferrable skills, in order to best prepare students for success beyond high school.

That Spring Park Elementary has now successfully completed the authorization process and can now start offering the IB marks an exciting time for us and more importantly, for the students who will benefit from an IB education.”

About the International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate is a not-for profit foundation, which offers four high quality and challenging educational programmes for a worldwide community of schools. For over 40 years, IB programmes have gained a reputation for their high academic standards, for preparing students for life in a globalised 21st century, and for helping to develop the citizens who will create a better, more peaceful world. Founded in 1968, currently there are over 1 million IB students at 3,800 schools in 147 countries across the world.

For further information about the International Baccalaureate please visit www.ibo.org.