Greenville County Schools - International Baccalaureate Programs

Student-Centered Education with an International Perspective

The International Baccalaureate Organization created three levels of educational programming designed to provide students with age appropriate and challenging curriculum. The Primary Years Program is designed for grades Kindergarten through 5. The Middle Years Program is for students in grades 6 through 10. The Diploma Program is for students in grades 11 and 12.

Greenville County Schools is pleased to offer the full range of K-12 IB continuum: Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma. The K-12 IB sequence of study is offered in four different geographical areas of the county (see listing of schools below). With the exception of Beck Middle Academy and Southside High (Middle Years/Diploma), all other IB schools primarily serve their home-based populations. All students in grades K-5 though 10 enrolled in an IB school automatically participate in the program. No screening or testing is required.

Students who do not live in an IB school’s attendance area and want to participate in the IB at that school may complete a Request for Change in Student Assignment Form, which can be obtained from any school and submitted to the IB school the student wishes to attend.. However, not all schools are able to accept such requests every year and at every grade level. Parents should check with the IB school in which they are interested to see if the school accepts students from outside the attendance area. Because Beck Academy and Southside High are Select Schools or magnet academies, interested students who do not reside in these schools’ attendance areas must apply and be approved to attend. Applications are available on the on each magnet school’s web site and on the school district web site. Click here for a downloadable flyer on Greenville County Schools’ IB Program.

While each level of IB programming has its own unique characteristics and requirements, they share a common vision.

The International Baccalaureate Mission:

Through comprehensive and balanced curricula coupled with challenging assessments, the International Baccalaureate Organization aims to assist schools in their endeavors to develop the individual talents of young people and teach them to relate the experience of the classroom to the realities of the world outside. Beyond intellectual rigor and high academic standards, strong emphasis is placed on the ideals of international understanding and responsible citizenship, to the end that IB students may become critical and compassionate thinkers, lifelong learners, and informed participants in local and world affairs, conscious of the shared humanity that binds all people together while respecting the variety of cultures and attitudes that makes for richness of life.

The IB benefits Greenville County’s children in the following ways:

Provides a total program, grades K-12
Nurtures students’ awareness of their membership in a global community
Raises academic expectations and achievement
Enrolls them in an international community of scholars
Provides student-centered inquiry and instruction
Provides a learning partnership with professionally trained IB teachers
Provides students with skills and attitudes which encourage lifelong learning
Encourages creativity and critical thinking at all levels
Develops a broad base of knowledge across all subject areas

Primary Years Program

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) is designed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The PYP is a uniquely international program that focuses on the total growth of the child, encompassing social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs in addition to academics.

Program Features:

Relates students’ world in the United States to a larger world community

Explores themes of global significance from multiple perspectives through inquiry-based learning

Applies higher-level skills to real-world problems

Study of a second language

Middle Years Program

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP) provides students in grades 6 through 10 with and academic challenge and life skills focused on the student’s intellectual and social development.

Program Features:

International standard of excellence

Requires mastery in eight required academic areas

Focuses on three themes: clear communication, global awareness, and intercultural sensitivity

Integrates five key areas into all subjects: community and service; self-reflection; human inventiveness; the environment; and health and social education

Develops strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and study skills

Requires active involvement in community and service

Study of a second language

Diploma Program

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (DP) is a comprehensive, rigorous, international curriculum, leading to examinations, for students in grades 11 and 12. It provides students of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds with the intellectual, social, and critical perspectives necessary for the world that lies ahead of them. Students who successfully complete the requirements for this program earn the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. In the United States, the IB is valued as an honors program which leads to advanced standing and college credits at the world’s finest colleges and universities.

Program Features:

International standard of excellence

Emphasizes critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and exposure to a variety of points of view.

Coursework in six different subject areas that reflect a blend of breadth and specialization.

4,000-word original research paper

Theory of knowledge philosophy course

150 hours of community service