MDUSD has had some very exciting changes as of the beginning of this school year!**
Ygnacio Valley High School and its PTSA begin its year as MDUSD’s first International Baccalaureate School (IB World School, Diploma Program (DP)). The efforts to be approved for this prestigious and rigorous program were significant, taking the better part of three years and hundreds of hours or training, planning and creative problem-solving. The addition of an IB program to MDUSD creates an incredible opportunity for students and offers numerous benefits. The Diploma Program was established to offer students a balanced, global education; facilitate geographic and cultural mobility, and promote international understanding. The school will offer 14 different IB courses this fall, and offer YV students exclusive onsite and remote access to a vast collection of databases through Gale, a global online research resource.
- Oak Grove Middle School and its PTSA are pleased to pursue authorization to establish itself as the District’s second IB school under its Middle Years Program (MYP) for students ages 11-16. The MYP is a five-year program, which can be implemented in a partnership between schools, or in several abbreviated (two, three or four year) formats. Students who complete the MYP are well-prepared to undertake the IB coursework at Ygnacio Valley. The District is also looking to establish an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) as well.
In addition, MDUSD has launched 3 new Regional Magnet Schools. Magnet schools are highly specialized public schools with curricula that are theme-based and technology-rich. Any child can enroll, as enrollment is based on their interest, not where they live. Each subject is aligned to our local, state and national standards but is taught within the theme; teachers receive special training on the best practices for integrating the ‘theme’ throughout the curriculum. They are:
- Sun Terrace Elementary – STEM Magnet School In a STEM learning environment, powerful critical thinking and exploration practices commonly used in high-performing science, technology, engineering and math classrooms will be drawn across disciplines and connected by cutting-edge technology and extensive hands-on experiences. These have been qualities embraced by Sun Terrace and its PTA for years and will expand as a more formal magnet program. In the Sun Terrace STEM lab, students are encouraged to tinker, create, play and explore without the constraints of an objective or directions to follow. Students also engage in design challenges and activities that offer opportunities to meet California's Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in an engaging and exciting hands-on environment.
- Wren Avenue Elementary – Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Wren Avenue Elementary, and its PTA, is transitioning to be the MDUSD Visual and Performing Arts magnet school. Strong arts education promotes the skills students need to be successful in all areas. Exposure to the arts promotes self-directed learning, improves school attendance, and sharpens critical thinking skills. Along with a rigorous academic program, Wren Avenue will offer dance, theatre, music, and visual arts experiences to all students both as independent classes and as interdisciplinary subjects integrated into all core content areas and with state-of-the-art technology.
- Holbrook Language Academy As a language magnet, Holbrook will be offering an exciting Two-Way Dual Immersion (TWDI) program that includes English-dominant speakers with Spanish-dominant speakers, providing instruction in both languages. The program will begin at the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) level for the 2017-2018 school year, and be extended to the next grade level in each successive year until it is TK-5. The school will follow a 50/50 model where students spend 50 percent of their day learning to read and write in English, and the other 50 percent learning to read and write in Spanish. The goal of the program is to develop academic language proficiency in English and Spanish, master grade level core standards, and develop cultural proficiency. In addition, students at all grade levels will also be offered opportunities each week to learn a variety of languages. Numerous multi-cultural events will be held throughout the year, including grade-level presentations emphasizing a unique language and cultural practices for countries where the language is spoken. Dual immersion teachers are specially-trained as both subject area and language teachers, and will work together with families to make sure students are developing both their first and second languages from the early childhood grades. (Holbrook is not a PTA school.)
**The information contained in this update was adapted from the MDUSD.ORG website and its press releases.
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