Section 6.01       IB Yearlong Calendar

This calendar is a monthly, comprehensive list of what takes place in the IB Programme, as well as ultimate responsibilities of the IB Coordinator.

June

•          email account access information for IB results to all seniors (individually)

•          plan IB Professional Developments for the following school year

July

•          5th: IB scores available to schools and universities

•          6th: IB scores available to candidates online

•          7th: component marks available on IBIS (IB Information System)

•          9th: Statistics on global school results available on IBIS

•          12th: Internal Assessment feedback available on IBIS

•          Complete enquiries upon results, if desired (deadline 15 Sept)

•          Clean up occ accounts

•          set deadlines and Saturday Seminar dates for school year

August

•          revise and update Important IB documents folder

•          print all schedules (with photos) and create / update IB Student Directory

•          clean up ManageBac – update student accounts

•          clean up occ accounts on IBIS – delete and old and input new staff accounts

•          ensure annual fee is paid

•          share deadlines and dates at first DP Team meeting, make any teacher edit requests then

•          update assessment contract at first IBDP Team meeting (see Appendix N)

•          make May exam schedule (see Appendix O)

•          train teachers on turnitin.com

•          IB Diplomas / certificates sent to school

September

•          Extended Essay PD and training for interested Extended Essay supervisors

•          CAS PD for all staff

•          Parent information meetings on Saturday, 2 separate meetings for juniors and seniors

•          Save, read, and distribute coordinator’s notes to team

•          Distribute past exams to teaching team

October

•          Grade checks and meetings

•          Publish grade distribution report

•          Senior student and parent meeting (re: assessment contracts and May exam schedule (see Appendices N&O)

•          Register seniors for exams

•          Submit requests for special assessments arrangements

•          Update Strategic Goals and tracking sheet (see Appendix P)

November

•          Collect senior predicted grades

•          Teachers confirm IB registration by subject

December

•          Distribute IA marksheets downloaded from IBIS

•          Ensure that candidate registration fees are paid

•          Begin iStudio planning

January

•          5th: Check all IA rosters with class rosters, edit exam registration in IBIS before 15 January

•          Grade checks and meetings

•          Publish grade distribution report

•          Distribute cover sheets / forms electronically to all teachers 

•          Make deadline checklist for whole program (see Appendix Q)

•          Remind TOK seniors of how to earn a diploma document

•          Update Strategic Goals and tracking sheet

February

•          1st: screens open on IBIS for IA and Predicted Grade marks

•          Candidate consent forms distributed, signed and returned (see Appendix R)

•          Create / update IBIS accounts for teachers

•          Save, read, and distribute coordinator’s notes to team

•          Assessment contract reminder and check in with seniors

•          IA meetings and marks entered with teachers

March

•          1st: upload TOK essay, Extended Essay, and Group 1 and 2 Written Assignments (by IB deadline 15 March)

•          IA meetings and marks entered with teachers

•          Grade checks and meetings

•          Publish grade distribution report

•          By 25th: Predicted grades entered

•          Update Strategic Goals and tracking sheet

April

•          Organize IB examination session (proctors, rosters,  etc. prepared

•          collect junior predicted grades

•          10th: IA marks and Predicted Grades due to IB

•          15th: address notifications for scanning centers (IB exams) available on IBIS

•          20th: sample uploads due

•          iStudio event

•          remind seniors of assessment contracts

•          Review EE, TOK, and CAS manuals / timelines

•          exam expectations and procedures communicated to DP team

•          budget for next school year

•          IB sends exam materials to schools, review and report receipt of exams on IBIS

•          Determine which teachers to send to summer training

May

•          IB Exam Session Coordination (three weeks)

•          seniors complete IB transcript requests through google forms (after May 1, before July 1)

•          communicate to seniors how they can receive IB exam results

o    include this info in senior graduation pack

•           Save, read, and distribute coordinator’s notes to team

•          25th: Indicate pass / fail for CAS in IBIS

•          Teachers submit comments on exams in IBIS after exam session

Monthly

•          EE report

•          CAS report

•          Observations

•          DP team meetings

•          Employee of the Month

•          Student of the Month

Section 6.02       IBDP Team Meetings

The IB Coordinator, EE Coordinator, CAS Coordinator and IBDP teachers will meet at a minimum of once a month. IBDP Team meetings are a time and space for collaboration, announcements, training, etc. All members of the DP Team are expected to attend 100% of these meetings and arrive before the meeting is scheduled to begin.

Section 6.03       Saturday Seminars

The purpose of IB Saturday Seminars includes but is not limited to the following:

-          Content teaching and/or remediation

-          Extended research time

-          Internal Assessment teaching / work time / recording

-          Mock IB exams

It is the expectation that each IBDP teacher conduct at least one and up to two Saturday Seminars.  The CAS Coordinator and the Extended Essay Coordinator may also schedule Saturday Seminars. Saturdays on which seminars may be scheduled will be predetermined and teachers will schedule them in August of each school year with the IB Coordinator. The schedule will be published, distributed to students and teachers, and placed on the IHSNO school calendars by September 1. In the case that a DP teacher must reschedule or cancel their Saturday Seminar, they must notify the IB Coordinator and their students at least one week in advance.

It is the expectation that all students attend their respective scheduled IB Saturday Seminars. In the instance a student must be absent for a Saturday Seminar, they must notify their instructor by the Wednesday prior. They must also make up any missed assignments, research, recordings, etc. by the Tuesday following. Nonattendance at a Saturday Seminar should occur only in extreme circumstances. Students with no reasonable justification may be required to reimburse IHSNO for their IB exam fee.   

Saturday Seminars should be scheduled for a minimum of four hours at a payment of $25 / hour. Teachers conducting recordings and/or mock exams for IB assessments may schedule time up to eight hours. In the case of Internal Assessments recordings, teachers may schedule up to three Saturdays. Teachers will determine the timeframe for their Seminar when they schedule it in August. They should complete the IHSNO timesheet and submit to the IB Coordinator for approval within one week of the seminar date. The IB Coordinator will submit the completed timesheet to the Finance Office.

Section 6.04       IB Training and Conferences

The IBO and sanctioned IB Regional Associations host official IB Training for specific subject areas, The Core, Administration, counseling, and other specialized topics. Teachers and staff who are new to the IB Programme and their subject area should attend official IB training within one year of beginning the programme. Generally, teachers and staff should be trained every three years or when IB curriculum is renewed, whichever comes first. The IB Coordinator will monitor and track all teachers and staff who need to be trained, assist with Travel Authorization paperwork (located on the IHSNO Intranet), and the complete conference registration. Additionally, the IB Coordinator will track details and expenses associated with each staff member’s conference and travel (name, name of training, date, location, fee, airfare / mileage, hotel, ground transportation, and expenses) for current and future budgeting purposes.

Section 6.05       iStudio

iStudio is the IHSNO Student Showcase Event that began in Spring of 2016. This event showcases student work and experiences, including but not limited to IB Visual Art Exhibition, IB Film Studies films, CAS projects, Theory of Knowledge exhibit, World Languages, Community-Based Instruction, and a silent auction. This event serves to celebrate and highlight student accomplishments at IHSNO, while simultaneously kicking off the annual GiveNOLA event in New Orleans for IHSNO. Guests are asked to donate and directly support student resources and work at IHSNO.

Section 6.06       IB Examination Sessions

Each senior at IHSNO is expected to complete all Internal and External assessments during the school year, and to sit for all External Exams in May of their exam session. At the beginning of the school year, the IB Coordinator facilitates the creation of IB Dates and Deadlines sheet and the May Session Exam Calendar. This is distributed to students by September so that they are aware of all expectations with testing. The IB Coordinator and members of the DP Teaching Team will hold a parent meeting in October to distribute copies of the Dates and Deadlines sheet, the May Testing Calendar, and IB Assessment Agreement and the Consent to Upload Form (See Appendices N, O & R). The IB Coordinator should ensure that all senior teachers have access to and have downloaded any cover sheets / forms for their course assessments. The Coordinator should train all senior teachers in IBIS and e-Coursework so that teachers can input predicted grades and IA marks and may upload assessments as necessary. At least one month before the May IB Exam Session begins, the IB Coordinator provides training for IB Exam Proctors (see Invigilators Guide: Appendix S) and organizes the IB Exam Proctor Schedule (see Appendix T).

Section 6.07       Student of the Month Program

To recognize outstanding students and promote striving for embodiment of IB Learner Profile traits schoolwide, IHSNO implements a Student of the Month Program. The school employs a focus on one learner profile trait per month. The student who most displays the learner profile trait of the month will receive the Student of the Month award.

Requirements:

1)      Embodies IB Learner Profile trait of the month

2)      Less than 5 absences per semester

3)      Minimum 2.75 GPA

4)      No discipline infractions

5)      Frequent class participation / engagement

Procedure:

1)      Grade level teams nominate and decide upon 1 student per month

2)      Submit student full name on Student of the Month Google doc by the 27th of each month (or work day closest)

3)      Photos of students of the month taken and printed by IB Coordinator or designee

4)      Bulletin board displayed by 5th of the following month

Special Rewards:

1)      Certificates

2)      Photo on Student of the Month bulletin board

3)      Meal with the IB Coordinator or gift card

IB Learner Profile Traits per Month:

August:  Open-minded

September:  Inquirers

October:  Caring

November:  Knowledgeable

December:  Thinkers

January:  Risk-takers

February:  Principled

March:  Communicators

April:  Balanced

May:  Reflective 

            *see Appendix U: Student of the Month bulletin board photo

Section 6.08       Employee of the Month Program

To recognize outstanding staff members and promote striving for embodiment of IB Learner Profile traits schoolwide, IHSNO implements an Employee of the Month Program. The school employs a focus on one learner profile trait per month. The staff member who most displays the learner profile trait of the month will be nominated and receive the Employee of the Month award.

Requirements:

1)      Embodies IB Learner Profile trait of the month

2)      In compliance with attendance policy

Procedure:

1)      Academic Member of the Month survey sent out through google forms

a.       Members of the Academic team will select one member from a drop-down list provided in the survey

b.       Members will also provide evidence / a reason for selecting their nominee 

2)      Academic Members will nominate through the given deadline.

3)      Nominations will be tallied the employee with the most is rewarded. If there is a tie, either both members win or a second survey may be sent out. 

Special Rewards:

1)      Academic Employee of the Month certificate

2)      Photo and name posted on bulletin board

3)      Photo and comments from the survey posted in staff newsletter

4)      Employee of the Month parking spot

5)      Lunch with the Head of School

6)      4 hours PTO

*note: comments for all employees who were nominated will be published in the shout out section of the staff newsletter.

At the end of each year, an Employee of the Month questionnaire will be sent to all staff to solicit feedback and ideas to improve the program. The program will be adjusted and amended as necessary. 

Section 6.09       IB Self-Study Programme Evaluation

Programme evaluation is a self-study that schools conduct every five years after authorization to ensure that they are meeting IB programme standards and practices. This is a requirement and a service provided by IB to IB World Schools, where schools identify areas of strength and areas in which to improve.  The self-study is a reflective exercise that involves the entire school community and supports and leads to school efforts to improve the delivery of the programme. The IB Coordinator plans and leads the school through this collaborative process and is ultimately responsible for the completion and submission of the Self-Study Questionnaire.

Section 6.10       Louisiana Association of IB Schools (LIBS)

LIBS was created in July of 2015 and is made up of Coordinators and school leaders from all IB schools in Louisiana. LIBS exists to provide support to IB programs in Louisiana, to facilitate collaboration and communication among IB schools in Louisiana, to promote special recognition of the IB Diploma, and to support professional development among IB schools in Louisiana. The IB Coordinator leads the charge in collaborating with other IB schools and learning with them to further develop IHSNO’s programme.