The International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) has authorized Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School as an IB World School to operate the Primary Years Programme (PYP).
After a four-year accreditation process, Sacred Heart Catholic School has successfully completed the requirements to receive the designation as an IB World School. The International Baccalaureate program maintains high standards for schools wishing to receive this designation. The IB Primary Years Programme for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 focuses on inquiry-based learning, collaborative approaches to teaching and learning and the development of global-mindedness. The program has evolved to become a world leader in future-focused education, recognized as an example of best educational practice globally, responding to the challenges and opportunities facing young students in our rapidly changing world. Sacred Heart Catholic School in Guelph is the only authorized provider of the PYP in publicly-funded schools in our region and one of only a handful within the province.
“We are proud to offer an inclusive faith-based education to our students, which strives to foster open-minded contributing thinkers and risk-takers. As an integral part of building bridges between cultures, our families have embraced the opportunity for their children to learn Core French starting in Kindergarten. Sacred Heart Guelph provides a unique opportunity for children to develop critical thinking skills in a global mind-set with the aim of making the world a better and more peaceful place. We join with our entire community in celebrating this amazing accomplishment,” shared Nicole DeFrancesco, Principal of Sacred Heart Catholic School in Guelph.
“The authorization process was a rich experience because it asked us to critically reflect on education today and its purpose. From this, we designed goals to foster a community of learners, both staff and students, and instilled a commitment to continuous growth. With the authorization in place, we realize that our journey has just begun and the work to bettering students’ educational experience so that it transfers to life beyond school is an on-going process,” added Natasha Finoro, IB Resource Teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Guelph.
IB’s authorization has been a culmination of years of hard work and preparation for Sacred Heart Guelph staff members and Wellington Catholic senior administration.
“Having our school achieve this designation is a great source of pride for the Wellington Catholic District School Board,” said Michael Glazier, Director of Education for Wellington Catholic. “It is a testament to the excellent teaching and learning that exists within this school community as well as the commitment on the part of staff, parents and students in embracing a global-minded educational approach. Students are able to achieve their Catholic Graduate Expectations while also developing the skills and attributes identified in the Internal Baccalaureate Learner Profile.”
Prior to Sacred Heart Guelph’s authorization, Wellington Catholic’s Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School was authorized and has been offering the IB Diploma Programme which provides Grade 11 and 12 students with an academically rich and stimulating two-year program that prepares its participants for success at post-secondary and beyond. Students in Grade 9 and 10 can participate in foundations program courses before completing the IB Diploma Programme.
The entire school community at Sacred Heart in Guelph is thrilled to have an opening ceremony to celebrate the authorization in September to mark this accomplishment. Details will be provided to families and community members in late August.
For more information about the IB Primary Years Programme, please visit the Sacred Heart Catholic School in Guelph’s website. For information about our IB Diploma Programme, please visit the Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School’s website.