Room: Colorado
presented by Sidney E. Baker, Principal, Sarah Smith Elementary School
John Denine, Academic Dean, North Atlanta High School
Deborah Riedmiller, Foreign Language Coordinator/System IB Coordinator, Atlanta Public Schools
The 5,600 students served by North Atlanta's cluster of eight urban schools vary widely in ethnicity, socio-economics, ability, and English language proficiency. We use whole-school implementation of the PYP and the MYP cluster-wide, to foster equity for these diverse populations and to maximize student preparedness to enter the Diploma Programme. Data and anecdotes on cluster growth into K-12 will be presented as a multimedia case study, followed by a facilitated interactive networking discussion. Participants will gain insight into the challenges, strategies, approaches, and successes we experienced in building a true K-12, clearly articulated, IB feeder pattern.
Sidney E. Baker, Principal, Sarah Smith Elementary School
Since 2000, Dr Sidney Baker has served as principal of Sarah Smith Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia. He has led the school through the IB process, which received authorization in July 2006. He has attended a variety of trainings and conferences including the 2005 Heads of School Conference in Bangkok, and the 2006 IB North America ARC in the Bahamas. Under Dr Baker's leadership and vision, the Sarah Smith Education Foundation was formed to support the IB training needs and resources as well as other instructional initiatives of the school.
John Denine, Academic Dean, North Atlanta High School
John Denine is the Dean of Academics at North Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Georgia, where he taught IB Diploma Programme Language A1 and Theory of Knowledge for seven years and served concurrently as assistant Diploma Programme Coordinator for three years. He has been an administrator for the past three years and currently supervises the International Studies program, including the school's Diploma Programme and MYP (currently in candidate status). He also serves as project manager for the implementation of a K-12 IB continuum across the six elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school of the North Atlanta cluster of schools.
Deborah Riedmiller, Foreign Language Coordinator/System IB Coordinator, Atlanta Public Schools
Deborah Riedmiller, a former IB Diploma Programme French teacher, is the IB Facilitator for Atlanta Public Schools. In order to better support the schools with the K-12 IB continuum, she has had extensive IB PYP and MYP training. She established a network of IB schools and for the past three years has facilitated monthly coordinator meetings. She has made numerous presentations throughout the district on the IB continuum, and the district's second cluster of schools has begun the journey to become IB World Schools. She participated in the IB K-12 continuum work session in Cardiff, Wales this past November.
