FONTANA, CA – Southridge Tech Middle School has been named a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), marking a milestone in the District’s efforts to establish an IB Continuum.

As a candidate school – a status achieved ahead of the District’s schedule – Southridge Tech will begin to develop its MYP units of study and pursue authorization as an IB World School. MYP provides a rigorous, inquiry-led framework of learning that fosters creative and critical thinking.

“MYP provides a framework in which our partnership with Microsoft and AVID, PBIS and C-STEM programs work in tandem to provide students with rich learning experiences that develop their global competencies and marketability,” Southridge Tech Principal Dr. Roy Rogers said. “This framework will be a valuable asset in their educational toolkit.”

Students will explore eight subjects in the MYP’s globally focused curriculum: design, individuals and societies, language and literature, mathematics, physical and health education, and sciences.

Students will also benefit from instructional support through the Advancement Via Individual Determination program and make use of technology that promotes individualized and inclusive learning, a prominent feature of the Microsoft Showcase School.

In addition to honing their research skills, students will benefit from MYP’s service-learning approach, which inspires them to explore local and global issues in real-life contexts.

“MYP will empower students to become agents of change,” Rogers said. “If they identify challenges within the community they want to address, they will have the opportunity to do so, thereby putting their learning into action.”

The IB organization will provide Southridge Tech with continued support through the candidate phase, including a consultant and professional development for teachers and staff.

Southridge Tech will offer the first three years of the five-year MYP; students can complete the programme at Jurupa Hills High School.