Schools: Students Could Enroll in International Baccalaureate Courses by 2013

If all goes well, Port Chester High School students could have the opportunity to enroll in one of the most prestigious academic programs in the world.

The school district announced Port Chester High School has been approved as a "candidate school" for the International Baccalaureate Program, an internationally-standardized program that involves critical thinking, activities outside the classroom, and different modes of learning.

With roots in Switzerland dating back to 1968, the International Baccalaureate programis offered at more than 3,200 schools in more than 140 countries. Locally, Port Chester High School could become the fourth high school in Westchester County to offer the program, after Dobbs Ferry, Yonkers and Harrison.

Applying for the program is a lengthy process, and involves training staff and teachers, working with International Baccalaureate consultants on-site in Port Chester, and planning to implement the curriculum.

After the first phase as a candidate school, the aforementioned steps could take another year. That means Port Chester High School students could enroll by 2013.

“The IB Diploma Program will provide world-class educational opportunities for our students, bring exciting new challenges for our teachers and expand upon the overall improvement in the academic atmosphere in our building,” said Mitchell Combs, the high school's principal.  “IB will help our school go from ‘good’ to ‘great’ and enable us to distinguish our school and our community throughout the region.”