International Baccalaureate

The English Language A: language and literature course aims at studying the complex and dynamic nature of language and exploring both its practical and aesthetic dimensions. The course will explore the crucial role language plays in communication, reflecting experience and shaping the world, and the roles of individuals themselves as producers of language.

Throughout the course, students will explore the various ways in which language choices, text types, literary forms and contextual elements all effect meaning. Through close analysis of various text types and literary forms, students will consider their own interpretations, as well as the critical perspectives of others, to explore how such positions are shaped by cultural belief systems and to negotiate meanings for texts.

Offered at SL only, language ab initio is a language acquisition course designed for students with no previous experience in—or very little exposure to—the target language. Language ab initio students develop their receptive, productive and interactive skills while learning to communicate in the target language in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. Students develop the ability to communicate through the study of language, themes and texts.

There are five prescribed themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization and sharing the planet.

While the themes are common to both language ab initio and language B, the language ab initio syllabus additionally prescribes four topics for each of the five themes, for a total of 20 topics that must be addressed over the two years of the course

Language B is a language acquisition course designed for students with some previous experience of the target language. Students further develop their ability to communicate through the study of language, themes and texts.

There are five prescribed themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization and sharing the planet.

Language B HL students are required to study two literary works originally written in the target language is and are expected to extend the range and complexity of the language they use and understand in order to communicate. Students continue to develop their knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, as well as their conceptual understanding of how language works, in order to construct, analyze and evaluate arguments on a variety of topics relating to course content and the target language culture(s).

The DP History course is a world history course based on a comparative and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. The course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking, and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history.

In this way, the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, transfer, and use of primary sources. 

There are six key concepts that have particular prominence throughout the DP history course: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance and perspectives.

The business management course is designed to meet the current and future needs of students who want to develop their knowledge of business content, concepts and tools to assist with business decision making. Future employees, business leaders, entrepreneurs or social entrepreneurs need to be confident, creative and compassionate as change agents for business in an increasingly interconnected global marketplace. The business management course is designed to encourage the development of these attributes.

Through the exploration of four interdisciplinary concepts: creativity, change, ethics and sustainability, this course empowers students to explore these concepts from a business perspective. Business management focuses on business functions, management processes and decision-making in contemporary contexts of strategic uncertainty.

Students examine how business decisions are influenced by factors that are internal and external to an organization and how these decisions impact upon a range of internal and external stakeholders. Emphasis is placed on strategic decision-making and the operational business functions of human resource management, finance and accounts, marketing, and operations management.

Business management is a challenging and dynamic discipline that more than meets the needs of our students growing and developing in a complex business environment. This course prepares students to be global citizens ready to face up to the challenges and opportunities awaiting them in our ever-changing world.

As one of the three natural sciences in the IB Diploma Programme, biology is primarily concerned with the study of life and living systems. Biologists attempt to make sense of the world through a variety of approaches and techniques, controlled experimentation and collaboration between scientists. At a time of global introspection on human activities and their impact on the world around us, developing and communicating a clear understanding of the living world has never been of greater importance than it is today. 

Through the study of DP biology, students are empowered to make sense of living systems through unifying themes. By providing opportunities for students to explore conceptual frameworks, they are better able to develop understanding and awareness of the living world around them. This is carried further through a study of interactions at different levels of biological organization, from molecules and cells to ecosystems and the biosphere. Integral to the student experience of the DP biology course is the learning that takes place through scientific inquiry. With an emphasis on experimental work, teachers provide students with opportunities to ask questions, design experiments, collect and analyse data, collaborate with peers, and reflect, evaluate and communicate their findings. 

DP biology enables students to constructively engage with topical scientific issues. Students examine scientific knowledge claims in a real-world context, fostering interest and curiosity. By exploring the subject, they develop understandings, skills and techniques which can be applied across their studies and beyond.

Sports, exercise and health science (SEHS) is an experimental science course combining academic study with practical and investigative skills. SEHS explores the science underpinning physical performance and provides the opportunity to apply these principles. The course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition. Students cover a range of core and option topics, and carry out practical (experimental) investigations in both laboratory and field settings. The course offers a deeper understanding of the issues related to sports, exercise and health in the 21st century and addresses the international dimension and ethics related to both the individual and global context. Apart from being worthy of study in its own right, SEHS is good preparation for courses in higher or further education related to sports fitness and health, and serves as useful preparation for employment in sports and leisure industries.

Environmental systems and societies (ESS) is an interdisciplinary course offered only at standard level (SL). This course can fulfill either the individuals and societies or the sciences requirement. Alternatively, this course enables students to satisfy the requirements of both subjects groups simultaneously while studying one course.

ESS is firmly grounded in both a scientific exploration of environmental systems in their structure and function, and in the exploration of cultural, economic, ethical, political and social interactions of societies with the environment. As a result of studying this course, students will become equipped with the ability to recognize and evaluate the impact of our complex system of societies on the natural world.

The interdisciplinary nature of the DP course requires a broad skill set from students, including the ability to perform research and investigations, participation in philosophical discussion and problem-solving. The course requires a systems approach to environmental understanding and promotes holistic thinking about environmental issues. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, knowledge transfer and use of primary sources. They encourage students to develop solutions at the personal, community and global levels.

The IB DP Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation course recognizes the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range of fields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasizes the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics.

Students are encouraged to solve real-world problems, construct and communicate this mathematically and interpret the conclusions or generalizations. Students should expect to develop strong technology skills, and will be intellectually equipped to appreciate the links between the theoretical and the practical concepts in mathematics.

All external assessments involve the use of technology. Students are also encouraged to develop the skills needed to continue their mathematical growth in other learning environments.

The internally assessed exploration allows students to develop independence in mathematical learning. Throughout the course students are encouraged to take a considered approach to various mathematical activities and to explore different mathematical ideas

The IB DP Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches course recognizes the need for analytical expertise in a world where innovation is increasingly dependent on a deep understanding of mathematics. The focus is on developing important mathematical concepts in a comprehensible, coherent and rigorous way, achieved by a carefully balanced approach.

Students are encouraged to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve abstract problems as well as those set in a variety of meaningful contexts. Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches has a strong emphasis on the ability to construct, communicate and justify correct mathematical arguments. Students should expect to develop insight into mathematical form and structure, and should be intellectually equipped to appreciate the links between concepts in different topic areas. Students are also encouraged to develop the skills needed to continue their mathematical growth in other learning environments.

The internally assessed exploration allows students to develop independence in mathematical learning. Throughout the course students are encouraged to take a considered approach to various mathematical activities and to explore different mathematical ideas.

The theory of knowledge (TOK) course plays a special role in the DP by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature, scope and limitations of knowledge and the process of knowing. In this way, the main focus of TOK is not on students acquiring new knowledge but on helping students to reflect on, and put into perspective, what they already know. TOK underpins and helps to unite the subjects that students encounter in the rest of their DP studies. It engages students in explicit reflection on how knowledge is arrived at in different disciplines and areas of knowledge, on what these areas have in common and the differences between them.

The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.

School Philosophy

It is the belief of the Palmer Trinity School IB Diploma Programme that language is the foundation of learning. To that end, all teachers of Palmer Trinity School are language teachers through their respective disciplines. Language is taught to our students through the contexts of our courses using a variety of formal and informal assessments.  

We also believe that through the learning and mastery of a language does an individual truly understand the cultures that surround them. Palmer Trinity School strives to develop international-minded students that are ready to meet the challenges of a global community. Through our language course offerings and various activities on campus, students experience and immerse themselves in both language and cultural learning.  This, in turn, helps our students develop the cultural empathy and understanding that we want our students to have as graduates of Palmer Trinity School.

School Language Profile

At Palmer Trinity School, our student body is made up of a diverse pool of language proficiencies. Our school population is made up of:

• English-only background students with no secondary language knowledge.
• English-only background students with secondary language knowledge (typically two to three years of Spanish/French).
• English background students who have significant exposure to a secondary language at home, but for whom the primary language spoken is English.
• Students with a mother tongue other than English; mainly Spanish, Mandarin or Portuguese.

Current Language Course Offerings in the IBDP

Group 1 (Language A) Offerings:

• English Language and Literature HL

Group 2 (Language Acquisition) Offerings (Subject to Change):

• Spanish B SL/HL
• French ab initio

The IBDP at Palmer Trinity School offers students the opportunity to earn a Bilingual Diploma by taking the Spanish Language A HL course in concert with the English Language and Literature HL course.  The offerings of courses are reviewed periodically to meet the needs and interests of students in the IBDP.

Language Support for Students

The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) as well as our ESOL Department, collaborate with teachers in the development and use of strategies to support students in their courses of study at Palmer Trinity. Students whose mother tongue is not English are given support through their ESOL class as well as accommodations during assessments such as language dictionaries and access to ELL teachers. 

Support of Mother Tongue

Supporting the mother tongue language is paramount at Palmer Trinity. Through supporting not only the spoken language but the culture of the mother tongue, students develop the international awareness and cultural empathy that we as a school community wish to have in our global citizens. To those ends, we at Palmer Trinity offer various events and activities to do so, such as:

• Our annual International Festival, which highlights the various countries represented in our school community through the celebration of cultural dishes, music, dance, and art.  This festival is open to the entire community.
• Our SAGE Dining program holds several cultural events, highlighting dishes associated with a particular region around the globe and bringing awareness to issues and events that are happening at the time to those regions.
• Our school holds various celebrations and convocations for various cultural events, such as the Chinese New Year and Francophone.
• Our school also has extracurricular clubs that students can be involved in such as Model United Nations, Société Honoraire de Français, La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, Chinese National Honors Society, etc.

Special Needs in Education Policy 

Palmer Trinity School recognizes the need to adjust and accommodate instruction for students who have special needs.  Palmer Trinity has two Learning Specialists on staff to aid in the assessment and development of student accommodations to address those specific needs.

For the IBDP, The IB Coordinator will be working in concert with the Learning Specialists to help adjust instruction and assessment for students that need and meet eligibility.  The purpose of this policy is to outline the procedures and policies governing the assessment of academic accommodations.  This policy is periodically reviewed and updated by the school Administrative Team and our Learning Specialists. 

Guidelines For Psychoeducational Assessment And Eligibility For Extended Time Testing 

Extended time testing is offered to students who have presented a psycho-educational evaluation or other documentation that meets the criteria for extended time services (outlined in detail below). Extended time testing, as with all testing, is subject to adherence to the Honor Code for Palmer Trinity School. 

For students who have been approved for extended time, the following procedures apply:

1. Most tests can be completed within the one-hour class period, including 50% additional time. If a longer test requires additional time to arrive at the 50% extended time, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the teacher to complete the test during the same day.
2. A student MAY NOT miss any part of another class to complete an extended time test.

Psychoeducational assessments/evaluations submitted to the Learning Specialist for consideration of classroom and testing accommodations must:

• State the specific disability. Documentation must include diagnostic impressions based on a comprehensive battery that does not rely on any one test or subtest. Reports must include a definitive and specific diagnostic impression with DSM-5 diagnostic codes. If there is no diagnosis, the report should indicate such.
• Be current. The assessment must have been completed within the past 5* years. For psychiatric disabilities (psychological, emotional, behavioral disorders), a letter from a qualified professional is also required annually following the submission of the first diagnostic report. Reports must include the dates of assessment, the date of the report, and the tests administered. *ACT requires testing within the past 3 years.
• Provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history.
• Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis. Include a list of all tests administered. Report composite, index, and subtest scores with scaled or standard scores and percentile ranks for each. Integration and interpretation of scores are expected and results should include the student’s strengths, as well as weaknesses. Statistically significant differences should be noted. The data should reflect a substantial limitation to learning if seeking accommodations.
• Describe the functional limitations. Explain how the disability impacts the student’s daily functioning and ability to participate in the classroom or on exams and tests.
• Reports should include recommendations for specific accommodations being requested, as well as the rationale for each. State why the disability qualifies the student for such accommodations on standardized tests. (In other words, how it substantially limits a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, learning, reading, concentrating or thinking; or a major bodily function such as the neurological, endocrine, or digestive system.) Specifically, describe the degree of impact the disability has on a major life activity and supporting evidence (test results and observations). 
• Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator. The names of all testing professionals, their title, professional credentials, license numbers, certification, education, area of specialization, and signature must be included. Reports must be submitted on letterhead including address and phone number.
• Provide evidence of a disability and evidence of difficulty taking tests under timed conditions to receive extended time accommodations. Documentation must include scores from both timed and extended time tests to demonstrate any differences caused by the timed conditions. Processing speed alone is insufficient documentation. In addition, standardized rating scales or other valid reporting from teachers must be incorporated in the assessment.
• Document fine motor problems and/or difficulties with writing based on the results of standardized testing to support classroom accommodations for dysgraphia (fine motor disability that affects writing skills), if applicable. Poor handwriting is not in and of itself a disability.
• Demonstrate the current impact of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), if applicable, on learning and testing performance. History must include evidence of early impairment and manifestation of symptoms in more than one setting. Current symptomatology, treatment, and ongoing needs should also be included. Evidence of current impairment must be verified by teacher and parent rating scales (BASC-2, Conners, Brown ADD Scales, etc.). Testing specific to attention difficulties such as a continuous performance test (e.g., Conners CPT-II or IVA CPT) may also be helpful. 
• Following are examples of acceptable tests in each domain of evaluation:
  • Cognitive Ability
  • Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 
  • Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV); ages 16-0 through 90 
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-5); ages 6 through 16-11
  • Woodcock-Johnson: Tests of Cognitive Ability-Fourth Edition
  • Academic Achievement
  • Woodcock-Johnson III: Tests of Achievement (with fluency measures)
  • Wechsler Individual Achievement Test–Third Edition (WIAT-III)
  • Gray Oral Reading Tests-Fifth Edition (GORT-5)
  • Nelson-Denny Reading Test (with standard time and extended time scores)
  • Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-III)
  • Test of Written Language-Fourth Edition (TOWL-4)

While any number of accommodations may be suggested in an assessment, Palmer Trinity School has determined which accommodations fit the academic mission of the school. Depending on the disability identified, Palmer Trinity may provide the following accommodations:

• Extended testing time (50% extended time)
• Permission to use a laptop in the classroom for note-taking and exams
• Audio recording of class lecture/discussion (with the approval of the classroom teacher)
• The use of voice-activated software
• Use of a calculator (only in cases with a diagnosed math disorder)
• Preferential classroom seating
• Testing in a small group or quiet room.

If a student is eligible to receive educational accommodations at Palmer Trinity School, an Academic Support Plan (ASP) will be developed. A copy of the Academic Support Plan will be signed by a parent, learning specialist, and advisor to indicate agreement with the recommendations. A copy of the ASP will be shared with the teachers having a direct educational interest in the student. The actual report of psychoeducational evaluation will remain in a separate confidential file in the office of the Learning Specialist.

Please note:  
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) determines accommodations for each PTS IB student in December of their Senior year for the IB external assessments (final IB exams in April/May).

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) is a rigorous two-year program open to students in 11th grade.

Students interested in enrolling in the IBDP program are required to complete a formal application and agree to:

1. Submit a writing sample for evaluation.
2. Possess an unweighted academic GPA of 3.0 across core academic classes.
3. Currently enrolled in English Honors.

The IB Coordinator and IB Steering Committee will review all submitted applications and inform applicants of their admission to the program or not.  Final admission to IBDP will depend on a student’s successful completion of the 10th grade and the decision of the Steering Committee.

To remain in good standing with the Palmer Trinity IBDP, students must maintain the minimum requirements as set out in the application process.  All academic concerns will follow the school’s policy as published in the Handbook.  Should a student not meet the minimum requirement of an unweighted academic GPA of 3.0 or have excessive absences as outlined in the school’s Handbook, the student will be placed on academic probation for the remainder of the calendar year.  Students can remove themselves from academic probation at the end of 11th grade by meeting the 3.0 unweighted academic GPA requirement.

It is the goal of Palmer Trinity School to have all IBDP students seek to earn the Diploma in order to take full advantage of all opportunities afforded to IBDP students.

Every course in the IB Diploma Programme requires students complete both an Internal Assessment (IA) during the course and sit for an External Assessment (EA) at the end of the course. 

The Internal Assessment in each course weights anywhere from 20-40% of the IB grade.  It is mainly an exploration that the student engages within the particular subject area, culminating in a research or investigation-styled paper/experiment.  This assessment is scored by the teacher and then those scores are submitted to IB for moderation.

The External Assessments for each course are comprised of 2-3 examinations per course taken in April/May of 12th grade over the course of several days.  These examinations are externally graded by the IB and the results of these examinations, in addition to the Internal Assessment, are then released to students in July following the examination session.

In order for a student to earn a grade for the course, they must complete both assessments (IA and EAs) and meet all deadlines set forth by the Palmer Trinity School IB Diploma Programme.

The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating with a 4,000-word paper.  The Extended Essay provides:

• practical preparation for undergraduate research
• an opportunity for students to investigate a topic of personal interest to them, which relates to one of the student's six DP subjects or takes the interdisciplinary approach of a World Studies extended essay.

Through the research process for the extended essay, students develop skills in:

• formulating an appropriate research question
• engaging in a personal exploration of the topic
• communicating ideas
• developing an argument. 

Participation in this process develops the capacity to analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge.

The IB Coordinator, IB Advisor and Extended Essay Coordinator will guide students throughout this process and help students in finding appropriate supervisors to guide them in their research process.

The Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) project is a two year project that students undertake in order to demonstrate perseverance, show initiative, and develop skills such as collaboration, problem solving and decision making.  CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work.  At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.  The CAS coordinator at PTS will help guide students throughout the process of working through their projects.

This program is open to all students who are intellectually curious.  Students that are diligent, rigorous and developing towards independent learning do well in this program of study.  Students must also have a level of comfort and confidence in their writing. Students need to commit to a two-year program of learning.

Current PTS Honors courses focus largely on the content of the course.  Discussions of applications and connections to other courses are made but are not critical towards passing an Honors course.  In IB courses, attention is given toward knowing and understanding those deeper connections to other subject areas and is critical in order to pass IB assessments.

Colleges and universities in the US and around the world recognize the rigor and structure of the IB Diploma Program curriculum and recognize that students who complete the IBDP meet and exceed all requirements, even if they have not specifically taken the individual courses that a non-IB student would have taken.

As part of the IB program, one of the responsibilities of both the IB Coordinator and IB Advisor is to advise and guide students throughout the IBDP program.  IB 12^th grade students take an active role in mentoring IB 11^th grade students as well.

First, IB and AP are separate programs.  No one program is better than the other.  That said, the IB program has several benefits for those earning an IB Diploma and planning to matriculate to universities in the US.  Some of those benefits include specific scholarships only for IB students at certain institutions, active recruitment by university admissions officers, and higher acceptance rates to colleges and universities. 

The IB Diploma is recognized and valued internationally and the IB main website provides detailed information about European schools and their specific recognitions.

The IB HL courses are comparable to AP.  In an HL course there are concepts offered, and topics engaged, and the interdisciplinary nature of learning is emphasized.  IB HL courses covers the same content as SL courses but adds additional topics and assessments.

At Palmer Trinity School:

• IB Higher Level (HL) courses receive an additional 1.0 weight towards a student's GPA, much like AP courses. 
   
• IB Standard Level (SL) courses do not receive any additional weight towards a student's GPA. 
   
• IB Standard Level (SL) courses receive an additional 0.5 weight towards a student's GPA, similar to an PTS Honors level course.

• The IB Core class that all students enroll in does have an additional 0.5 weight towards a student's GPA, like an Honors level course.

Colleges and universities will examine a student’s transcript and recalculate GPA according to their requirements and program criteria.  Students should select courses based on their interests and intended career goals.

Yes, there is.  Every course will have students completing an internal assessment, which is primarily a rigorous research task specific to the course content that is graded by the course instructor and moderated by IB. 

In addition, all IB students must complete the Extended Essay research paper, which is a self-guided research journey on a topic of their choosing.  Students will be guided through the process of writing these papers.

One of the primary benefits of the IB program of study is the development of students in their research, analytical and writing skills in many different disciplines.

There is no additional cost to be enrolled in the IB Diploma Program.  Students must go through the application process in 10th grade in order to be considered for acceptance into the program.