Sept. 10, 2019 -- Fairfax Elementary School has been named an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, Primary Years Programme (PYP). Fairfax, now one of five IB schools in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, joins a diverse, global community of educational institutions.
“This is such an important accomplishment for Fairfax and for our district as a whole, as it means we’ve achieved our goal of having five authorized IB schools by 2020,” said CH-UH Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby. “We believe strongly that the IB program provides our schools with a comprehensive framework for an academic experience that benefits every student. Increasing these opportunities for our students is a critical part of our strategic plan for the district. ”
“I am incredibly proud of the students, teachers, and staff at Fairfax for this incredible achievement. IB Coordinator Leslie Garrett has done an amazing job spearheading the efforts for Fairfax to gain authorization,” Kirby added. “The leadership of Ms. Garrett and Principal [Quatrice] James has been key in moving us through this rigorous, yet rewarding, process.”
The IB World School program seeks to educate students so they become thoughtful, caring, and prepared citizens of the world upon graduation. The goal is for IB students to not only be able to navigate their own futures, but actively contribute to strengthening the world’s social, economic, and cultural environments.
“Becoming an IB World School allows us the opportunity to plan innovative and relevant units of study,” said James. “Our educators are working with a curriculum that is engaging, challenging and transdisciplinary, all while helping our students become independent learners.”
The five authorized IB schools in the CH-UH School District are Canterbury Elementary, Fairfax Elementary, Roxboro Elementary, Monticello Middle, and Roxboro Middle. Canterbury, Fairfax, and Roxboro are three of just 19 schools in the state of Ohio to offer the Primary Years Programme. Monticello and Roxboro are two of only 11 schools in Ohio to offer the IB Middle Years Programme.