International Baccalaureate

Student walking by all of our Country flags

What is an IB Education at St. Mary's?

At St. Mary's, the International Baccalaureate (IB) provides the foundation for a rigorous, connected and globally minded education. Students are challenged to think deeply, make connections across disciplines and take an active role in their learning.

Rather than simply mastering content, students learn to ask meaningful questions, consider different perspectives, communicate their thinking and apply what they know in new and complex situations.

From Early Preschool through Grade 8, our IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP) create a cohesive learning journey. Combined with Design Thinking and a values-based education, this distinctive approach develops critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers and compassionate young people prepared for what comes next.

An IB education teaches students to value learning as an integral part of their everyday lives. All IB programmes share a powerful vision and commitment to the following:

Student-Centered

Living & Learning Globally

Beyond the Disciplines

IB programmes offer a curriculum that is broad and balanced, conceptual and connected. For students to continue to develop as lifelong learners and better understand the world around them, they need to make meaningful connections between academic disciplines. In the IB, learning experiences are broad and balanced which allows students to access conceptual, factual and procedural knowledge within and across subject areas. By engaging in authentic opportunities, students are able to integrate learning and add coherence to the curriculum content.

Approaches to Learning

All IB programmes develop the approaches to learning (ATL) skill categories of communication, social, self-management, research and thinking to promote learning as an active and dynamic process. These interrelated skills seek to empower students of all ages to become self-regulated learners who can ask relevant questions, set meaningful goals and put effective strategies to use in order to achieve their goals.

IB Policies

Frequently Asked Questions

For over 50 years, IB programmes have provided a robust, consistent framework that is flexibly tailored according to the culture and context of individual schools.

Learn More about the International Baccalaureate Program

What Makes IB Different?

The IB aims to do more than other curricula. It is unique because of its academic and personal rigor, challenging students to excel in their studies and individual growth. The IB aims to inspire a quest for learning throughout life that is marked by enthusiasm and empathy. The IB aspires to help schools develop well-rounded students, who respond to challenges with optimism and an open mind, are confident in their own identities, make ethical decisions, join with others in celebrating our common humanity and are prepared to apply what they learn in real-world, complex and unpredictable situations.

At the heart of the IB is the Learner Profile, a holistic set of aspirational qualities, or learning outcomes, for the 21st century that embody what is meant by “international-mindedness.”

The IB gives students...

distinct advantages by building their critical and creative thinking skills, nurturing curiosity and the ability to solve complex problems.

At St. Mary’s, we offer two IB Programmes.

In the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the IB’s youngest students learn about and use knowledge, concepts and skills from a variety of subjects to explore units of inquiry within six transdisciplinary themes.

St. Mary's PYP Programme of Inquiry (POI) for early education

St. Mary's PYP Programme of Inquiry (POI) for lower school

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world and culminates in the community project. MYP students are well-prepared to undertake the rigors of high school, including the IB Diploma Programme if desired.