Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

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Students welcomed everyone in a variety of world languages.

The day before fall break, students and staff at Tates Creek Middle School again celebrated becoming Kentucky’s first in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.

The schoolwide assembly featured the band, chorus and community leaders, including Mayor Jim Newberry.

“This just didn’t happen overnight. It took five long years of work, and you worked together very effectively,” he said. “Tates Creek Middle School has something very special going on.”

The school found out last month that it was accepted under the IB umbrella. Gaining IB status requires a redesign of courses, extensive professional development and instructional practices that tie learning to real-world problem solving and international understanding.

“The older you get, the more you’ll appreciate the opportunity to learn about other people around the world,” Newberry said, citing the IB emphasis on world languages and diverse cultures.

Eighth-graders Hannah Brown and Jordan Russell spoke of other benefits, too, including offerings in theater and physical education.

“Community service has made me a better student who knows that a little bit of effort can make a big difference,” Hannah told the crowd.

Science teacher Nathan Lockhart also noted how IB fosters innovative ways of approaching core content, which the state of Kentucky requires of students.

“It forces you to go out into the community and learn by experience,” he said, adding that struggles along the way can lead to the greatest successes.

Lockhart credited his fellow teachers for their hard work on this journey and offered the same advice he gives his soccer players: “Take pride in what you’ve accomplished, but do better tomorrow.”

Did you know? An IB learner is described as knowledgeable, balanced, open-minded, principled, reflective and caring. These students typically are also strong communicators, risk takers and critical thinkers.

Resources: The IB coordinator at Tates Creek Middle School is Marie Conger; (859) 381-3052.

In our archives: TCMS earns IB status