Wilson Foundation Academy (K-8) in the Rochester City School District has been authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme for students in grades K - 6. The Primary Years Programme is for children ages 3 – 12 and nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning through a student-centered approach to education.
Wilson Foundation Academy currently offers the IB Middle Years Programme for students in grades 7 – 8, and that same program continues in partnership at Wilson Commencement Academy (9 – 12) for students in grades 9 – 10. Additionally, Wilson Commencement Academy offers IB’s Diploma Programme for students in grades 11 – 12.
This latest authorization now allows for a K – 12 IB experience at both Wilson Foundation Academy and Wilson Commencement Academy. Part of the authorization included observers from Colorado and Toronto visiting Zoom classes and interviewing parents, students, and teachers from Wilson Foundation Academy. In addition, in order to authorize the offering of the Primary Years Programme at Wilson Foundation Academy, teachers will need to be trained and curriculum developed.
Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small said, “This is a tremendous accomplishment and I am extremely proud of Principal Deasure Matthews and her team for garnering this prestigious designation. The IB program at the primary level will provide our scholars with prodigious academic opportunities commencing at a young age and foster their inquiring mind.”
Dr. Matthews added, “It has been years of teacher development, curriculum writing, and training of staff that has yielded this esteem honor and recognition. The RCSD’s entire community should be proud to say we have a full K-College IB experience for our city’s children.”
The Rochester City School District was first authorized to offer IB’s Diploma Programme in 2000 at Wilson Commencement Academy, the Middle Years Programme at both Wilson Commencement and Wilson Foundation Academy in 2012, and now the Primary Years Programme at Wilson Foundation Academy in 2021.
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