The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in Cabarrus County Schools helps develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.

“The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”

-IB Mission Statement

Primary Years Program (PreK-5th grade): Transdisciplinary

• 5th grade concludes with the Exhibition, a group research and action project

• Inquiry based learning as primary teaching method

• Additional language offered

• Action through service to others

• Character development through the IB Learner Profile attributes

• Best fit for students who are curious and inquisitive, enjoy learning about world cultures and languages, and want to help others and the community

Middle Years Program (6th-10th grade): Interdisciplinary

• Conceptual understanding where students apply big ideas to their understanding of the world around them

• Develops creative, critical and reflective thinkers through an inquiry approach

• Intercultural understanding as students learn an additional language

• Learn how to learn through all eight courses and identify connections in interdisciplinary content

• 8th grade concludes with the Community Project, a small group of individual research project of the needs in our area and action related to the needs

• 10th grade concludes with the Personal Project, a student-centered investigation incorporating “approaches to learning skills” and “global contexts” while collecting evidence in a process journal, product or outcome, and final report

Diploma Program (11th-12th grade): 

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course is at the core of the curriculum requiring a TOK Essay, TOK presentation, and an in depth look at “Ways of Knowing”

• Extended Essay is a 4,000 word investigative writing completed over a 12 month period alongside an academic advisor

• Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) completed over an 18 month period involving CAS experiences and CAS projects

• Internal Assessments are given throughout the Diploma Program years, and External Assessments are conducted at the end of senior year

• College credit may be earned for high scores earned within the Area of Knowledge (subject areas) depending upon the post-secondary institution

• Students with an IB Diploma have a higher rate of acceptance at many colleges. 

Career Programme (11th-12th grade):

• Study of at least two Diploma Programme (DP) courses alongside the career-related study in a specific field

• Students develop personal qualities and professional skills, as well as intellectual habits required for lifelong learning

• Students complete at least two DP courses in any of that programme's subject groups. 

• The Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) course is at the core of the program, supporting students in the development of attitudes, skills, and strategies to help them achieve success in personal and professional environments in the future.

• Service learning is required and embedded as it relates to an authentic community need.

• The reflective project is a culminating body of work submitted at the end of the CP that incorporates high-level research, writing, communication skills and independent discovery.

Overall IB Curriculum Goals

• Create reflective learners

• Instill service as an action

• Practice IB learner profile traits

• Design conceptual learning through inquiry

• Teach multilingualism

• Collaborate across the continuum