Davao City educational institution Stockbridge American International School was chosen as an International Baccalaureate (IB) world school candidate.
IB is the standard for international education and is recognized around the globe.
Stockbridge leads the way as the first and only IB world school candidate in Mindanao.
It applied as an IB world school in January 2023 and was approved in April.
“IB is a worldwide organization which is the standard for international schools. Prestigious schools all around the world have this badge and it means you are educating for the 21st century,” Dyan Bian-Cortez, director for international programs of Stockbridge American International School told Edge Davao during the launching of IB candidate school and the Senior High School Nano-MBA Program on January 6, 2024.
Cortez explained that IB is a framework for preschool, elementary, and high school, and currently, Stockbridge is at a starting stage and is offering the preschool and elementary framework, which is called the Primary Years Program (PYP).
Cortez said the PYP lays the foundation for students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being, focusing on international mindedness and a sense of belonging to local and global communities.
She also said that PYP nurtures independent and collaborative learners, encouraging every student to have a voice, choice, and ownership in their learning.
“This is for kids two years old to 12 years old,” she added.
Among the highlights of the PYP are students explore significant concepts through units of inquiry and within each unit, ideas and skills from relevant subject areas are interwoven such as Language, Social Studies, Math, Science, and arts among others.
Cortez said Stockbridge will be implementing the IB program this school year.
Meanwhile, the Senior High School Nano-MBA Program, which is for Grades 11 to 12, prepares the students to think critically and creatively to come up with innovative business solutions to address local and global needs.
“We have developed a senior high school program that will prepare students to become entrepreneurs as young as 16 to 18 years old. Our senior high school program is the first of its kind and will give our students the knowledge and skills that they need to start their businesses should they want,” said Nicole Hao Bian Ledesma, chief operating officer and senior vice president of the Joji Ilagan International Schools.
Stockbridge’s Nano-MBA program consists of core courses that develop fundamental business skills such as business ideation and growth, financial planning and management entrepreneurial attributes, and global perspectives.
Stockbridge, which has a diverse international student body composed of 26 different nationalities, is part of the Joji Ilagan International Schools (JIB).
