As the 2020-21 school year comes to a close, we celebrate the completion of a successful inaugural year of our International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) at the Historic Anaheim Campus. We also celebrate the campus’ recent designation as an IB World School for the Primary Years Programme (PYP), paving the way for PK – 8th grade students to participate in IB’s truly transformative global education. With this addition, Fairmont now becomes one of only 16 schools in the United States and one of only 500 worldwide to offer all three IB Programmes — IB Diploma Programme at Fairmont Prep, and IB PYP and IB MYP at Historic Anaheim.

“This accolade recognizes the exceptional education offered by Fairmont, and the dedication of the school’s students, administration, faculty and staff, and families,” said Chad Jackson, Fairmont Schools President. “We are delighted to bring another IB Programme to our learning community, and we look forward to our students reaping its many benefits.”

The IB World School application process is rigorous. In March 2020, the IB conducted a two-day virtual authorization visit to HAC to determine that its required standards and practices were in place, and to gather more information about the program and its impact on the community. The IB staff reviewed the school’s application documentation, observed instruction in all classrooms, and met with faculty and leadership.

“We couldn’t be more excited to provide this opportunity for students to achieve their academic potential and lead lives of prosperous world citizenship,” said Becky Lugo, HAC Campus Director. “The traits of the IB learner profile — inquirer, knowledgeable, thinker, communicator, principled, balanced, open-minded, risk-taker, reflective, and caring — tie in beautifully with the Fairmont mission and vision of creating a better world through education.”

Fairmont HAC’s PYP program is designed for students aged 3 to 12, with six key subject areas of instruction: language, social studies, mathematics, arts, science, and personal, social and physical education. Students examine transdisciplinary themes that incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum including, Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Organize Ourselves, and Sharing the Planet.

“As an inclusive school, we appreciate that all students can succeed in the IB because its inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning supports highly differentiated learning and many opportunities for student agency,” said Cody Norenberg, Assistant Director at HAC. “This marks an exciting time for Fairmont, and more importantly, for the students who will benefit from an IB education.”

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE:

There are 1,782 schools offering the PYP in 109 countries worldwide. Founded in Switzerland in 1968, the International Baccalaureate is a non-profit educational foundation offering four highly respected programs of international education for students from ages 3 to 19 designed to develop intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills. All programs focus on teaching students to think critically and independently, as well as how to develop critical and analytical thinking and an appreciation of global issues. Learn more about the IB here.