Dear TIBS Community,

Welcome to the 2025 Fall eNewsletter. 

We hope that the 2025-26 school year is a good one for you. We know that you face many challenges in implementing the IB standards and practices in all of the programmes. Thank you for your hard work in providing exceptional opportunities for all your students. We are proud of all you are accomplishing.

We enjoyed seeing some of you in San Antonio in mid-October for the Texas IB Conference and the coordinator/administrator meeting. We know you are looking forward to the upcoming winter holiday break.

This edition of the newsletter includes information about the service project from the IB Day, in addition to some announcements and invitations. You will also find several articles sharing great ideas that are working in other schools. We hope you will find the ideas helpful.

Thanks to those of you who made the time to share articles for our eNewsletter. Don't forget to keep us updated with your stories, photos, and videos! Send them any time, as it will be time for the Spring eNewsletter before we know it.

We wish all of you happy holidays and a restful winter break.



Best regards, 

Karen Phillips, TIBS Executive Director

Courtney Smith, TIBS Associate Executive Director

• What We've Been Up To / What's Coming Up
• Recently Authorized Schools
• 2025/2026 Board Members
• College Fair Update
• Success Stories from our Schools
• Announcements
• Contact Us

What We’ve Been Up To:

Summer and Fall IB Workshops

San Antonio—Burbank (April 25-26): 20 trained

San Antonio—Fenwick (June 2-3): 11 trained

Temple—Scott (June 3-4): 9 trained

Odessa (July 7-8): 94 trained

San Antonio—Woodlawn Hills (July 9-10): 25 trained

Austin (July 21-26): 353 trained

Lubbock (July 23-24): 13 trained

Longview (July 24-25): 49 trained

DFW (July 24-25): 362 trained

Houston (July 30 & 31): 398 trained

Kyle (August 5-6): 59 trained

Dallas ISD (October 13-14): 40 trained

Dallas ISD (November 6-8): 25 trained

Houston ISD (November 7-8): 67 trained

TAGT—Grapevine (December 3-5)

What’s Coming Up:

TIBS Spring Meeting —Virtual (February 27, 2026)

TAGT Leadership Conference—Round Rock (March 22-24)

TIBS College Fair—Hurst (March 31)

IB Global Conference—Denver (July 16-18)

TIBS Austin Workshops (July 21-26)

Congratulations to our newly authorized schools in Texas! We understand the level of commitment involved in just getting authorized, and we are very proud of all of your hard work. If you are not on this list and have been authorized, please

 let us know.

• All Nations Community School (DP)—Conroe
• Frank Guzick Elementary (PYP)—Dallas
• W.H. Adamson High School (DP)—Dallas

Dario Ganic (At Large)--Uplift Education

Seby Meloni (At Large)--Houston ISD

Monica Munoz (At Large)--Edgewood ISD

Dr. Te T'aime Burks Green (DP)--Uplift Education

Christin Key ​(DP)--Round Rock ISD

Eydie Simpson (MYP)--Melissa ISD

Kimberly Ogo (MYP)--Meridian World School

Elizabeth Hall (PYP)--Round Rock ISD

Christy Scott (PYP--Longview ISD)

College Fair 2026 will be an in-person event. It will be held on March 31, 2026 at the Hurst Conference Center. Registration for students will begin on February 17th. Look for an email with more details about student registration. Last year's college fair connected 1500+ DP students with 130 colleges and universities. We so hope you and your students will join us on March 31.

The virtual college fair will continue in 2026. The fair is available to IB students at www.texasibcollegefair.com .

IB Global Conference

2026

Join the IB community at the Global Conference 2026, held in Denver, Colorado, on July 16-18. The theme of this conference is Shared Learning, Shared Futures. You are invited to submit a proposal for a 75-minute breakout session by Sunday, January 18th, 2026. See details at https://www.ibo.org/ib-global-conference-denver-2026/call-for-proposals/

Texas IB Conference Action Project

During the Texas IB Conference in San Antonio in October, participants bought enough socks to support the schooling of these two students.

Angel Nafula is nine-years-old. Her favorite subject is math. She wants to become a doctor when she grows up.

Jeremiah Ssubi is six-years-old. His favorite subject is also math. He wants to become a teacher when he grows up.

This fall We Help Two had over 300 schools partner with them from around the country.

If TIBS schools are interested in partnering with them in the Spring, go to this link https://www.wehelptwo.com/new-page-1 or email Trevor Bergman directly at trevor@wehelptwo.com.

https://www.wehelptwo.com

Invitation to IB Expo

You are invited to join us for our WAIS IB Expo on January 8 from 9:30 to 11:00 AM.

The Expo is our biggest day of the year and a full showcase of student learning across our IB programmes. Our 10th through 12th graders will be presenting work from their courses and the core of IB, and the morning offers a clear look at how our systems support students from middle school through graduation.

If you would like to see another IB campus in action or gather ideas for your own systems, we would be glad to have you. It is always a meaningful morning for our community and a great chance to connect with fellow coordinators. I'd be happy to schedule a follow up of collaboration if you're interested. 

Submitted by Jacquelyn Phillips, IB Coordinator, Westchester Academy for International Studies, Houston

Awty International School Becomes an IB PYP Candidate School!

As of November 2025, The Awty International School, located in Houston, Texas, and recognized as one of the largest international schools in the United States, has officially become a Candidate School for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP).



This milestone marks the beginning of Awty’s candidacy period as the school continues to strengthen its inquiry-based approach to learning across the Early Learning Campus and Lower School, integrating the PYP framework in English, French, and Spanish language tracks.

Awty shared this exciting news with its community through the voices of its students, reflecting the school’s commitment to learner agency, multilingualism, and international mindedness.

🎥 Watch the Announcement Video

Awty, an authorized IB Diploma Programme (DP) school since 1987, has long been a proud member of the Texas IB Schools community and looks forward to collaborating with fellow Texas PYP educators in this next phase of its IB journey.

Submitted by Özden Özkanoğlu, PYP Coordinator-Designate, Awty International School, Houston

Hispanic Heritage Night at Travis Science Academy

On October 8^th Travis Science Academy had our annual Hispanic Heritage Night for our community. We set up an IB table to reflect the IB student presentation boards for the artists from Barcelona. The artists included Gaudi, Picasso, Miro, and Dali. We had a map of Barcelona and pictures of artwork from the artists. 

The students also presented their own original art work in the style of Salvadore Dali. We handed out IB flyers (10 Reasons why the MYP encourages you to become creative, critical and reflective learners) to parents. Students also recited poems in Spanish, and the orchestra played several pieces. We had food and drinks for our students and parents. 

Enjoy some additional photos from our event:

Travis Science Academy Facebook



Submitted by Kathy Cook, MYP Coordinator, Travis Science Academy, Temple ISD

From Hypatia to Archimedes: Windsor Park Students Bring the History of Math

to Life

Fifth graders at Windsor Park

Elementary IB World School and Gifted and Talented Program in Corpus Christi embarked on an exploration of how “Scholars incorporate the legacies left by historical mathematicians” during their How the World Works Unit of

Inquiry. By focusing on the diverse practices, methods, and tools used by mathematicians throughout history, the students investigated the impact of mathematical discoveries on science and math, the sources of inspiration of

mathematicians, and how fundamental ideas become enduring principles and standards.

Guided by their curiosity and the attributes of the Learner Profile, students investigated how the discoveries of mathematicians have influenced the way we understand how the world works. During the unit, the students inquired into a variety of mathematicians, including Galileo, Newton, Ramanujan, Hypatia, Lovelace, Archimedes, Pythagoras, Fibonacci, and others.

Through hands-on, transdisciplinary approach, they connected mathematics with science, art, design, and Spanish. In our science lab, they conducted experiments related to Newton’s Laws of Motion. In the art studio, the students created artwork inspired by the Fibonacci sequence. In Global Problem Solving, using the Design Process, they constructed working models of Archimedes’ screw and collaborated to build models of playground equipment based on simple machines, using a variety of

materials. In math class, they challenged their classmates to solve their Archimedes’ Mobiles and used the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the length of a triangle’s

hypotenuse.

During Spanish class, students inquired into mathematicians with Hispanic heritage. And to conclude their study, each student constructed a dodecahedron, a

twelve-sided polyhedron, to display their research on a historical mathematician of their choice.

The unit culminated in a showcase where the fifth-graders became teachers as they shared their new knowledge and models with our fourth-grade classes. The fourth-

graders were inspired to explore the fascinating world of mathematics and science through the legacies of these great thinkers. This experience not only reinforced the fifth-graders’ own understanding, but also encouraged the fourth- graders to look forward to the learning that lies ahead next year.

Through this Unit of Inquiry, students gained a deeper understanding and appreciation

for the universal language of mathematics and its power to explain how the world works. Using their skills of collaboration, creative and critical thinking, and communication, our students will carry forward the legacy of the mathematicians who continue to inspire all of us with their ideas and discoveries that changed the world.

Submitted by Rachel Beavers, PYP Coordinator, Windsor Park Elementary, Corpus Christi ISD

Westlake Academy's House System

At Westlake Academy, our house system honors four influential figures; Helen Keller, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, and Phillis Wheatley, each of whom transformed society through their words and actions. Keller championed disability rights; Whitman redefined American poetry; Thoreau inspired civil disobedience and environmental awareness, and Wheatley broke barriers as the first published African American poet. Every student and staff member is sorted into one of these four houses upon joining the Academy and remains part of that house throughout their time here.

This year, we established a House Council composed of students and staff from all four houses. The council includes faculty heads, a DP student leadership council, MYP house chairpersons and service captains, and PYP representatives for each house. Together, the council has made service a central focus for our community.

So far this school year, we’ve hosted two successful house-wide service competitions. Our first, Pennies for Pets, raised over $1,000 for Operation Kindness, a nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter in Carrollton, Texas. This initiative sparked enthusiasm for continued service. Our second project, a canned food drive for Keller Community Storehouse, supported local families in need. We filled four SUVs with food donations and raised $300 to provide $15 gift cards for families to purchase turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Each house has also selected an ongoing campus-based service project to carry out throughout the year, deepening our collective commitment to community and compassion. The excitement and pride our students showed during these events reflect the Academy’s strong belief in the power of service and global citizenship.

We are especially grateful to our Head of School, Dr. Kelly Ritchie, whose leadership and vision challenged us to expand our long-standing house tradition into a meaningful, service-driven initiative. Under her guidance and through the energy of the House Council, we are strengthening our community and bringing service to the heart of our IB education. It’s an honor to serve the Westlake community, and we look forward to all that the rest of the year will bring.

Submitted by Elizabeth Whiting, 4th-grade-teacher, Westlake Academy, Westlake

Learning How to Learn: When Design Meets Math

As students move into the Middle Years Programme at Westlake Academy, the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills become the heartbeat of everything we do. “Learning how to learn” isn’t a single lesson; it’s a mindset that takes practice, reflection, and includes trial and error. This fall, the grade 6 Year 1 Design students had the chance to put those skills into action through a project that blended creativity, organization, and academic strategy.

The task was simple on the surface but deeply intentional: merge their design skills with their math review. Students were challenged to create a one-pager study guide for their upcoming math summative, a single sheet that visually captured the concepts, vocabulary, and examples they needed most. The goal wasn’t just to review content; it was to think like designers and craft a tool that reflected how they personally learn best.

Design goes beyond decoration; it’s problem-solving with purpose. Once students began planning, they had to make intentional choices about how to structure information, balance visuals with explanations, and use design to enhance understanding. Their pages included key vocabulary, example problems, real-world connections, and even a reflection on the skills they still needed to strengthen. Every choice had a purpose: to make their learning visible, giving them ownership of their progress and confidence in the math skills learned during their math unit, Keeping the Balance.

Throughout the activity, students moved through the phases of brainstorming, designing, and refining. They reviewed their formatives, identified areas for growth, and used design strategies such as arrangement, proportion, and color-coding to make their ideas stand out. When their one-pagers were complete, they were displayed in the hallway for others to review and ask questions, turning the hallways into a space for curiosity, collaboration, and shared learning.

Each finished one-pager reflected the personality and learning style of its designer. Some used mind-maps to break down equations, others created visual timelines of concepts, and a few turned their pages into colorful infographics. Beyond the aesthetics, though, was a deeper message; the grade 6 students were taking ownership of their learning.

As an IB teacher, this project reminded me why we place such emphasis on ATLs in the MYP. When students can identify what they need, organize their learning, and create a tool that helps them improve, that’s the heart of “learning how to learn.” It’s not just preparation for a test: it’s preparation for life.

Written by Misty Argo, MYP Year 1 Design & Mathematics Teacher, Westlake Academy, Westlake

Submitted by Sara Stack , MYP Coordinator, Westlake Academy, Westlake

Geometry and Law

What does geometry have to do with law? More than you might think.

At Magellan International School, secondary students in the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) recently explored how the logical structure behind a geometric proof mirrors the way lawyers build a persuasive legal case. The lesson, part of their Logic and Reasoning unit, connected STEM education with real-world applications in communication, ethics, and argument.

To bring this concept to life, students met with three Magellan parents and attorneys, Ms. Ducet, Mr. Sims, and Ms. Gulati, for an engaging panel discussion about how logic guides their work in the courtroom and beyond.

Building a Case Like a Proof

Through an inquiry-based learning approach, students examined how lawyers use inductive reasoning (concluding specific pieces of evidence) to form a case theory, much like mathematicians form a conjecture after observing a pattern.

“You start with what you know,” said Mr. Sims, “but you stay open to what new evidence might reveal. Sometimes you have to completely pivot your thinking, and that’s part of good reasoning.”

The panel also drew connections between conditional statements, the “if–then” logic that underpins geometry, and the structure of laws and contracts. “Every word matters,” explained Ms. Gulati. “An extra if or a missing then can change everything.” Students discovered that precision in logical reasoning isn’t just a math skill; it’s essential for critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making in every discipline.

Lessons Beyond the Math Classroom

When asked what advice they’d give to students interested in law, Mr. Sims offered reassurance: “You don’t have to major in political science to become a lawyer. Study what you’re passionate about: art, science, philosophy, and bring that curiosity into how you solve problems.” Three additional takeaways included having empathy, being resilient, and “failing well,” learning what to do when things don't go your way.

Submitted by Claudia Enriquez, MYP Coordinator at Magellan International School, Houston

Running for Water for Others

The only two IB PYP campuses in Lubbock ISD partnered together on their Sharing the Planet Unit this Fall. 

Both 1st-grade teams wanted to create an impactful action component, and we decided to partner together with "We Help Two" to build a water well.

Both campuses sold over 800 pairs of socks during the unit, and on a Saturday in November, we coordinated a Socks4Water Fun Run to celebrate our efforts! 

We had multiple vendors on the Ramirez campus to help us celebrate our hard work, and over 75 students and families showed up to participate in the Fun Run!

See our story at the link below:

https://youtu.be/RUGUGxMHHok

Submitted by Hannah Jones , PYP Coordinator at Jose Ramirez Elementary and Roscoe Wilson Elementary, Lubbock ISD

UPCOMING EVENTS:

TIBS Spring Administrator/Coordinator meeting will be Friday, February 27th, 2026 from 12:00-4:00 PM. The meeting will be virtual.

Registration for TIBS Austin workshops will open on February 4th on the TIBS website. 

• Session 1: July 21-23 (arrive Monday, July 20)
• Session 2: July 24-26 (arrive Thursday, July 23)

Sessions will be in person.

Remember:

• Coordinators can request on-site workshops directly through TIBS by contacting Karen Phillips at Karen@texasibschools.org.

• The IB organization and Kent State University have partnered to offer graduate credit for PYP, MYP, and DP training. Click here to find out more!

We'd love to hear from you with any questions or concerns.



Karen Phillips, TIBS Executive Director

Courtney Smith, TIBS Associate Executive Director

If you have feedback on the newsletter, please contact Judy Chapman.



To share your school's stories, accomplishments, and projects, please email us at enewsletter@texasibshools.org. 

Texas IB Schools (TIBS) whttps://www.texasibschools.org/w.texasibschools.org