LYNNWOOD — After four years of lesson plans, paperwork and meetings, Soundview School in Lynnwood has become Washington’s 21st International Baccalaureate school.
The private school is one of six schools in the state certified to teach International Baccalaureate curriculum to middle school students. The global program stresses the connection between different countries and subjects.
The application process usually takes at least two years and $17,000. Schools have to prove to the Geneva-based organization that they understand its philosophy and are following its curriculum.
At Soundview, all students in third through eighth grades learn Spanish. They bounce on pogo sticks and ride unicycles to practice becoming risk-takers, one of the tenets of the International Baccalaureate program. Skateboard ramps beckon students in the recess yard.
As in many IB schools, students lead conferences with their parents and teachers, sharing what they’ve learned and what they could improve.
“There are a lot of open-ended questions — no right or wrong,” said Inae Piercy, the founder and head of Soundview School. “That’s the education we need to provide. The complex problems don’t have a black-and-white answer. It’s not like a standardized test.”
Because of the program’s emphasis on continuity between subjects, during the Beijing Olympics last summer students studied the history of the Olympic games, created Olympic logos in art class and learned about the health of athletes in science.
At Soundview, all 150 students take classes modeled after the International Baccalaureate program. However, Piercy hasn’t applied to have the elementary portion certified yet. Because of the time and money involved, she wants to make sure the school is ready before starting the process.
Though the majority of International Baccalaureate schools worldwide are private, in the U.S. 92 percent of the 1,032 schools are public, said Sandra Coyle, a spokeswoman for the 41-year-old organization.
Soundview is the first private school in Snohomish County to earn certification. Edmonds-Woodway High School offers a popular International Baccalaureate diploma program, and Harbour Pointe Middle School in Mukilteo offers the middle years program for 11- to 16-year-old students.
The high school diploma program is especially well-regarded. Newsweek magazine recently included 36 International Baccalaureate schools on its list of the top 100 high schools in the nation.
Worldwide, more than 2,700 schools are certified in 138 countries. The program has surged in popularity over the last decade, Coyle said.
“I think more schools are looking for a way to change their instruction, improve their school and give students the skills they’ll need in a global society as we change so much,” she said.
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