Save the IB Program!

If the program is cut, we will move out of district.

Valuable. My daughter took IB!

I am not a member of IB, but I know many people who have benefited greatly from this program. It's ridiculous to me that of all of the things they could cut money from, they would chose the IB program.

Without IB I wouldn't have half of the knowledge I have now, I believe it is just so important. If they want to establish budget cuts, start with music programs or sports, not actual education! Especially when it is this thorough! It is taking away the pleasures of in depth learning from future generations and the fun out of IB teacher's jobs.

I believe the IB curriculum is a beneficial academic program. It tends to broadens students thought process and prepares them for academic achievement at higher level. Request continuation of IB program.

I don't understand why taking away the IB program is even being considered. The IB program is fabulous. It encourages students to think from a worldly perspective and gain enriched knowledge which is not always given in a regular course. I request that the IB program remain unharmed.

I'm a freshmen and this is something I want to do in the future.

IB cannot be cut. It's so important to the student intellectual capabilities. Good for you guys for fighting for it!

Why do away with the students' choice of an academic program that is respected and honored across the world? Shawnee Mission Schools offers many choices in sports, music and art. It should also offer academic choices for its students that go beyond the typical AP classes. I have only heard HIGH PRAISE from IB participants in the SM Schools. As a retired teacher from the SMSD, I am asking you to please leave the IB option in Shawnee Mission's curriculum for the sake of continued academic excellence..

As a father of an IB student, the program itself is an opportunity to truly grasp the things you learn. I advised families to note that a student who is taking 7 APs, (that teaches forms of knowledge less suitable for long term use), may not have enough time to show the deep and passionate involvement in activities that colleges seek in a students résumé. I'm impressed by the knowledge my daughter has obtained just this year in this program and am looking forward to where it takes her in life.

I am currently enrolled as a freshman at SMNW, and growing up with 2 IB sisters who are seniors has helped me decide that I want to take the IB course. A new version of IB was introduced to the class of 2019 this year, and that is ISP, or Interdisciplinary Studies Program. If you enrolled in all honors classes, then you were put into a special, more advanced group. All of us have already made academic decisions based on our want to enroll in the IB program. I honestly hope you reconsider cutting the I program from our district, because if a freshman is showing interest in a program that I cannot enroll in for 2 more years, and seniors and alumni are showing interest in keeping the IB program in the Shawnee Mission School District, then that should be enough of a reason.

IB teaches you to think, not just to know. This program creates a foundation for students to be able to interpret information, and problem solve in real world situations. To break down what you know, and build up in its place a broader, more detailed knowledge of the subject. Instead of just sitting and learning rote, it fosters an environment of discussion that allows students to reach a such significant understanding of any topic they may pursue. It encourages kids to dig deeper, and cultures a passion for learning that benefits the student in a manner that will extend beyond the walls of their high school. Minds were meant to be exercised, challenged, pushed, and expanded- IB is the premier environment for such growth.

Last August, I came to the campus Ohio State University, 670 miles away from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, knowing no one and nothing about what college would have in store for me. One semester later, I am happy to report that I am having the time of my life. As I navigated my way through my massive university over the last few months, I found myself thinking, again and again, “I am so grateful for the education Shawnee Mission Northwest gave me”. Through interactions with my new peers, I realize that many of them did not receive the same quality of education as I did. I have yet to meet a friend in my learning community who can discuss the basics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an issue covered extensively in IB History of the Americas. Although I was an IB certificate student, I sat in regularly on the Theory of Knowledge seminar class. The philosophy and humanities the course explores are crucial to the development of any self-aware young adult. In IB English, I learned how to develop a valid argument and communicate my ideas effectively through written and spoken word. Without a doubt, IB is crucial. I could offer a myriad of examples that demonstrate the program’s immense value. It is true, IB is not for everyone. It is not a perfect program, but, as we discussed in many IB courses, perfection does not exist. My fellow Shawnee Mission graduates may feel differently, but my experience in IB informs my academic and intellectual life in college on a daily basis. The standard of IB work and the structure of IB courses translate extremely well to a university setting. More than simple study habits, IB taught me how to think critically and actively. How to question everything I encounter in a meaningful and constructive way. How to pursue knowledge for the sake of learning rather than to pursue a perfect score on an arbitrary test at the end of the year. As both an IB and AP student, I felt that IB consistently gave me a superior education. T

In high school there are typically two mindsets that a student could have. Students are either in high school because they are required by law to be or they are there to learn. Those who are in school to learn take courses that are designed to be rigorous and in depth. In the schools that have the IB program, this is where student who want to learn are found. I plead our district to not take away the programs which facilitate curious students who want more out of their high school experience than a graduation diploma, but rather revitalize and reinvigorate this wonderful program.

Much needed and valued program.

IB is a valuable education tool that helps prepare high school students for college. Cutting this out of the curriculum would only hurt students who are trying to get more out of there high school experience.

Keep Calm and IB on!

Education is what drives a country forward, we shouldn't cut away success for our students from our schools. What I must ask is how we have enough money for MacBooks for every student yet we have to cut a program for enriched education.

As a current member of the IB program, it's devastating to know that after the prodigious and inspiring academic experiences I've had, kids won't be able to do the same. The ib program is a timeless classic, an icon of educational sense and high standards in a world where educational fashion shifts like hemlines, and much-needed clarity of thinking is elusive. The IB program is more necessary than you think. First, it believes in knowledge, and enables students to acquire it. It believes in the autonomy of subjects and academic disciplines, but also in their connectivity. It is global in its outlook. And it is grounded in fundamental values about culture and character. Visionary and inspiring, the IB can liberate and motivate the teacher and student.

keep IB!