Lecanto High School is a candidate school* for the (Diploma Programme). LHS is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy – a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Lecanto High School believes is important for our students.

Lecanto High School and Citrus County Schools are excited to have the opportunity to explore and possibly bring IB to our county.

A meeting was held on November 8, 2007 for all interested parents. Its purpose was twofold: to give prospective students and parents information about IB and to help LHS get an idea of who is interested. The following information was handed out at that meeting and we hope that it will give you a basic understanding of the IB philosophy and curriculum.

IB Parent Interest Letter
Implementation Timeline
IB Class Offerings
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
IB Article, Oct. 31, 2007

LHS would like to request that if you are interested in the IB program please contact us so that we may keep up-to-date on any new developments:

Darrick Buettner
IB Coordinator Designate
Lecanto High School
Phone: (352) 746-2334
BuettnerD@citrus.k12.fl.us

*Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as IB World Schools can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme.

Additional Information from IB

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)

The IBO, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Geneva Switzerland. It offers three programs to a wide range of schools located throughout the world. The Diploma Program is for students in the final two years of high school, the Middle Years Program (MYP) is for students aged 11 to 16, and the Primary Years Program (PYP) is for students aged 3 to 12.

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

History of the IB

What is the Diploma Programme? - a challenging two-year programme of international education for students aged 16 to 19.

What is in the curriculum? - The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. Students study six subjects selected from the subject groups. Normally three subjects are studied at higher level (courses representing 240 teaching hours), and the remaining three subjects are studied at standard level (courses representing 150 teaching hours). All three parts of the core – extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, action, service – are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme.

What are the three core requirements?

How are students assessed? - At the end of the two-year programme, students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject.     additional information

Who can offer the programme? - Only schools authorized by the IB as IB World Schools can offer the Diploma Programme.     additional information

How to Become an IB World School

Application Procedure for Candidate Schools

Guide to school application

School guide to the authorization visit

Rules for IB World Schools: Diploma Programme - a legal document that sets out the relationship between the IB Organization and IB world Schools

General regulations: Diploma Programme - a legal document that sets out the relationship between the IB Organization and IB students and their legal guardians

Are teachers trained to teach the programme?     additional information

Parents of current and future IB students are involved in an important decision-making process regarding the education of their child and may be keen to understand the IB programmes as well as the challenges and advantages they may bring.

IB fast facts
One page of key information about the IB.

IB World - September 2007 - IB World magazine is the official magazine of the International Baccalaureate, published three times a year on paper and online.

IB In News:

Smart idea to bring IB program here - The coming discussion within the Citrus County school district over whether to seek to have a high school here host an International Baccalaureate diploma program will signal to the public just how serious local educators are about making this a world-class school system. - St. Pete Times, July 9, 2006

IB proposal is a complicated subject - "There are a lot of people who say, ’Oh, well, they’re smart kids, they’ll be fine,’ " Deutschman said. "I’ve worked with gifted students and I know that they need academic challenges just as much as any other kid. ... That’s what keeps them locked in school.".. money should not be an issue when the future of the county’s most talented students is at stake. - By EDDY RAMIREZ, St. Pete Times, July 2, 2006

Global Superpower - The unique International Baccalaureate program sparks both admiration and controversy ---Edutopia magazine’s November 2006 issue
For much of its thirty-eight-year history, IB was available in a sprinkling of high schools -- perhaps the best-kept secret in education. But as school districts strive (and struggle) to improve student performance, IB is expanding quickly. In the United States, 521 high schools offer IB, a demanding collegeprep curriculum with an emphasis on global education -- up from 327 in North America six years ago. Last May, 13,089 students were candidates for the IB diploma, and 27,557 more took at least one IB exam without necessarily enlisting in the full program. Once adopted on a school-by-school basis, the IB Diploma Program now is embraced by entire districts, including those of Philadelphia and Chicago, in a push to raise high school standards. Lower-grade versions of IB, designed to improve learning from day one, are gaining steam in elementary schools and middle schools… If you want academic excellence, put students in an academically excellent program. They’ll rise to the occasion…

Local leaders like school’s IB program - A field trip to Palm Harbor University High School impresses Hernando officials, who want to start an IB program of their own.
St. Pete Times
The trip took about an hour and a half in a yellow school bus, a 51-mile trek from the School Board offices in Hernando County to Palm Harbor University High School in north Pinellas County…to view the school’s International Baccalaureate program, a curriculum that might offer the most rigorous academic experience available for many high school students…Although students in Hernando County can take AP classes, school district officials say they want to offer more opportunities to the county’s most talented students…

Questions and Answers on the Net:

IB Questions & Answers - for Parents, Texas Education Agency

Frequently asked questions (and answers) about IB - Midland Public Schools, Michigan

IB Questions & Answers - from parent of IB senior at Littleton High School, Colorado

Check out some IB School’s websites - A partial List of International Baccalaureate schools worldwide along with links to some of their websites.