Rainer Beach Receives IB Authorization
I am thrilled to announce that Rainier Beach High School, over three years of hard work, yesterday received their official authorization letter to be an International Baccalaureate high school.
From Colin Pierce, the IB Coordinator at RBHS:
We are extremely proud of RBHS's new designation as an IB World School, and it is gratifying that the IB Organization - an organization responsible for setting the international standard for high quality curriculum and assessment - has recognized the hard work we have been doing over the past three years. Their stamp of approval is an affirmation that we have the staff and systems in place to offer the level of challenge and quality of learning required for an IB education. Our parents, students, and community are beyond excisted to engage the opportunity this program presents us with.
From the district:
International Baccalaureate is a college-preparatory program that includes two years of courses in six subjects. At the end, students take exams, which are scored by representatives appointed by the IB organization, a non-profit education group based in Switzerland.
The IB diploma is recognized by 1,800 universities and students can earn college credit based on the results of end-of-course exams.
“I want to congratulate the entire Rainier Beach community -- staff, students and parents -- on receiving IB accreditation,” Seattle Schools Superintendent José Banda said. “IB is considered one of the most successful and prestigious high school programs in the U.S., and the IB organization grants approval for only a small number of schools nationwide.”
It is the school’s intent to ensure that all students graduating from Rainier Beach will take at least one IB class in their junior and senior years, he (Pierce) added.
From Colin Pierce, the IB Coordinator at RBHS:
We are extremely proud of RBHS's new designation as an IB World School, and it is gratifying that the IB Organization - an organization responsible for setting the international standard for high quality curriculum and assessment - has recognized the hard work we have been doing over the past three years. Their stamp of approval is an affirmation that we have the staff and systems in place to offer the level of challenge and quality of learning required for an IB education. Our parents, students, and community are beyond excisted to engage the opportunity this program presents us with.
From the district:
International Baccalaureate is a college-preparatory program that includes two years of courses in six subjects. At the end, students take exams, which are scored by representatives appointed by the IB organization, a non-profit education group based in Switzerland.
The IB diploma is recognized by 1,800 universities and students can earn college credit based on the results of end-of-course exams.
“I want to congratulate the entire Rainier Beach community -- staff, students and parents -- on receiving IB accreditation,” Seattle Schools Superintendent José Banda said. “IB is considered one of the most successful and prestigious high school programs in the U.S., and the IB organization grants approval for only a small number of schools nationwide.”
It is the school’s intent to ensure that all students graduating from Rainier Beach will take at least one IB class in their junior and senior years, he (Pierce) added.
Comments
The school's location—though in a very sketchy part of the neighborhood—also sits right across the street from Lake Washington—it could be a jewel with the right direction from the principal and staff and support from the district.
Solvay Girl
He said that one thing was that the light rail station was designed without accompanying businesses and that did not help the problem.
He also said that the policing had to be more everyday and less coming in with a "clean-up" sweep.
I told him that the district's job was to keep the school safe but community policing for those schools in that area is the City's job and that it was vital for the enrollment plan as well as student safety (and parent peace of mind) to make that area stronger and safer.
Rainier Beach HS is doing its job. I would like to see the City do its job.
CCA
It doesnt look any more run down than the area around Ingraham or Nathan Hale.
Whats the sketchy element at Franklin like?
Rainier Ave does tend to attract a less desirable element, how does that affect the school?
CCA
The Rainier Beach area is one of the most checkerboard of the city. Though the homes on Pritchard Island and along Lake Washington are fabulous, there are many run-down rental homes close to the school and along Rainier. The 98118 zipcode is one of the most diverse in the nation—both economically and racially.
Middle and upper-income families of all races have been avoiding RBHS for at least 10 years. The reasons varied from concerns about safety to the school's academic rigor and climate and emphasis on sports.
The school community and active PTA is working very hard to change the things it can to improve the rigor. The new principal is doing much to change the climate. As Melissa noted, it is now up to the City to improve the safety of the neighborhood.
Solvay Girl