From its humble beginnings as a small school which met in a private home, Historic Anaheim Campus (HAC) has grown into an educational powerhouse, earning the prestigious accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School last spring. The first Middle Years Programme cohort began this fall, and the Primary Years Programme will commence in 2021.

HAC joins Fairmont Prep, which achieved IB World School status in 1995, offering the Diploma Programme.

The IB Programme has received attention around the world for making a positive impact on students, schools, and their wider communities, with learning going well beyond the classroom. Built on a cornerstone of creating a better world through education, IB curriculum promotes the education of the whole person. Courses emphasize deep disciplinary knowledge, critical thinking, and international mindedness, and are based in application and projects, rather than memorization. The Programme prepares students to achieve their academic potential and lead a life of prosperous world citizenship.

“We want to offer our students a more holistic education, which will instill in them the skills, knowledge, and outlook to succeed in the 21st century, both in their local community and in the wider world,” said Fairmont President Chad Jackson. “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 add another IB World School campus to our learning community, and we look forward to our students reaping the many benefits of the Programme. The International Baccalaureate framework gives us both the structure and freedom to create rich learning experiences for our students. It emphasizes inquiry-based, student-centered, conceptual learning for a better world.”

The process of becoming an IB World School is a rigorous and lengthy one. HAC’s efforts were spearheaded by Campus Director Becky Lugo and Assistant Director Cody Norenberg, both of whom were named to the IB Educator Network — a remarkable accomplishment considering only 25 people were selected from a pool of over 500 global applicants.

“IB students are totally engaged in the world around them,” said Mrs. Lugo. “They’re curious; they see connections…they see possibility. That Fairmont Schools has successfully completed the authorization process and can offer IB marks an exciting time for our Historic Anaheim Campus, and more importantly, for the students who will benefit from an IB education.”