SBUnified
La Cumbre Junior High began the process to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.
Over the summer, the school received official notice that it was a candidate school for the Middle Years Program.
The school will pursue authorization as an IB World School. Programs with this designation share a common philosophy: a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education. Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its academic programs.
La Cumbre, one of four junior highs in the Santa Barbara Unified School District serves 455 students.
The school and district will work closely with a consultant from the IB Organization over the next two to three years. The purpose of the consultation process is to support the school through the candidate phase, as the teachers and staff learn about the program and work toward becoming fully authorized as an IB World School.
Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado emphasized the importance of providing the right tools as the focus for academic success. “Our goal is to continue creating a path in which our students will strive and succeed academically while providing them with the best tools to become outstanding scientists, mathematicians, athletes, creative thinkers and overall bright professionals with a future full of opportunities and boundless potential,” said Dr. Maldonado.
Fifth-year Principal, Dr. Bradley Brock, and La Cumbre IB Program Coordinator, Katie Pelle, will be leading the effort toward authorization.
Dr. Brock highlighted that the effort is not an academy, but a whole school program. “Our vision for excellence means that every child, and yes, we mean every child at La Cumbre, will have the opportunity and access to engage in deep, equitable, transformational learning experiences as IB students in the years ahead,” the principal said.
La Cumbre’s achievement of candidacy is a significant first step in providing a vital missing link between the two existing IB programs in the district.
Currently, the IB program only serves students in the elementary level at Harding University Partnership School and Dos Pueblos for high school. Once La Cumbre becomes authorized, the three schools will create the first TK-12 IB continuum in the district.
