Canterbury Elementary
Principal: Stacy Stuhldreher
Dear Canterbury Families, February 2012
Can you believe we are at the half way point in the school year? Our first semester was a success! Now we move on to the second semester and the rest of the 2011-2012 school year. As a staff, we begin to think about next year during the second semester, and the changes it will bring to Canterbury.
Canterbury has been selected to pursue an IB (International Baccalaureate) Arts' Focus School within the CH-UH Pathways. We have the unique opportunity to offer a societal and creativity focus. The IB Primary Years Programme prepares students to be active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. We begin next year with staff training in the Primary Years Programme (PYP.)
The PYP focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and the world outside. A significant feature of the PYP is the six transdisciplinary themes:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- How the world works
- How we organize ourselves
- Sharing the planet.
These themes are about issues that have meaning for, and are important to, all of us. The programme offers a balance between learning about or through the subject areas, and learning beyond them. The six themes of global significance create a transdisciplinary framework that allows students to "step up" beyond the confines of learning within singular subject areas.
IB also encourages international-mindedness in students and educators through the IB Learner Profile- a set of values that represent the IB Mission. The IB Learner Profile is actually the IB Mission Statement, translated into a set of learning outcomes. The attributes of the learner profile define the type of learner that IB hopes to develop through its programmes. IB learners strive to be: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-Minded, Caring, Risk Takers, Balanced and Reflective.
A requirement of an IB World School is to offer a World Language. The Design Team at Canterbury is strongly considering Spanish, as this is a prominent language spoken within the Arts World. Our Design Team consists of parents and teachers. We are currently deciding on a theme to focus and integrate our work for next year. We will be establishing partnerships with cultural and art organizations in Greater Cleveland to support our work. You have probably noticed more of an emphasis this year on the Arts. That has been purposeful as we transition our thinking and that of the students into more of a global and cultural perspective.
We are very excited to be planning for next year with these changes to our curriculum! Please watch for updates as the plans unfold. Should you have any questions, please contact the main office. A member of the Design Team will respond.
Keep reading with your Tiger!
Ms. Stacy Stuhldreher
Head Tiger
