It’s been a good year for Lafayette’s Alicia Sanchez Elementary School — they won the BVSD Bike to School Day challenge in April, dramatically improved their students’ daily attendance this year, and Principal Doris Candelarie received confirmation last week that the school is now authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.
“What a year for Sanchez International School!” said Sandy Ripplinger, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership at BVSD. “We look forward to increased growth for students as all of these programmatic changes come together.”
In order to honor the students’ hard work, Boulder Valley community members organized a College T-Shirt Give Away Day to inspire students to strive for college. Every Sanchez student will receive a college t-shirt after the International Baccalaureate assembly beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25. Students with perfect and near perfect attendance will also be recognized on that day.
Media are welcome to attend Wednesday’s assembly!
1:30 p.m. May 25 at Alicia Sanchez Elementary School
(665 Sir Galahad Drive, Lafayette)
Sanchez rose from having one of the lowest daily attendance rates in Boulder Valley elementary schools to having some of the strongest daily attendance in the district – an impressive 95 percent.
“Our goal has been to have students at school, on time and ready to learn, and we are celebrating the students and families who have made this a priority,” said Dr. Candelarie. “My staff has also worked very hard to become an IB school. This is a great way to end the year.”
With introduction of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Sanchez will be the fourth IB World School in Boulder Valley School District. Fairview High School in Boulder began its IB programme in 1995, Whittier International Elementary School in Boulder received its IB authorization in 2002, and Centaurus High School in Lafayette became an IB World School in 2006.
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More about the International Baccalaureate Programme
Recognized as the leader in international education, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme fosters the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students to excel in university. The IB works with universities in nearly 140 countries to promote broader recognition of the Diploma Programme for the 120,000 Diploma Programme graduates entering university each year. Through the IB Diploma Programme, students gain rigorous and balanced academic preparation, an ability to draw on knowledge and understanding of various cultures and histories, and the experience of learning how to think critically and apply what they have learned in different contexts and across disciplines.
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3 to 12 started in 1997 and is now offered by 797 IB World Schools. It is a challenging programme that demands the best from both motivated students and teachers. Schools can access an extensive package of IB professional development for teachers and administrators and commit to ongoing professional development. Teams from the organization visit IB World Schools from time to time in order to support an ongoing process of review and development, using standards and practices that apply to all IB World Schools. www.ibo.org