Press Releases

January 2000

We would like to address a few of the concerns recently voiced in our CPA community via email:

There are two activities we are pursuing in parallel, obtaining charter status and finding a site for the school. By law we are required to seek a District that will host ISM. In Monterey County, there are only two Districts that have been willing to consider hosting ISM - Washington Union and Pacific Grove. Washington Union determined that they are two small a district to assume the responsibilities required of a host.

Pacific Grove is the only other District that has been willing to consider hosting us. Being hosted by PGUSD, however, does not mean that we have to be located in Pacific Grove. We could still be located anywhere in Monterey County.

Should we be denied by Pacific Grove, we then go the County to see if they will host us. We have had numerous discussions with the County Superintendent, Bill Barr. He is very supportive of ISM and has indicated that his Board would back us. His preference is that we be hosted by a District and has asked us to pursue all opportunities at a District level before approaching the County.

The second matter is a site. Our first choice that we feel would enable us to best serve all stakeholders from Salinas to Carmel is Highway 68. However, being able to find something in the near term along this corridor that would be ready for September 2000 is another matter. We have looked at property here and investigated the possibility of using portables. The length of time required to get permits for portables is prohibitive. We have looked at a warehouse along this corridor and talked with people on the planning commission and they indicated, again, that it would take a year just to get the permits (never mind the expense of converting a warehouse). We have explored the possibilities on the former Fort Ord numerous times, and aside from the lack of clarity there, the costs projected to cleanse the buildings we have been shown of asbestos and lead paint have run from $1 - $2 million. And this does not take into consideration retrofitting the buildings to use as a school.

We have investigated every suggestion that has come our way. There are many hurdles to making a site feasible, such as zoning, obtaining permits, water credits and cost.

One site possibility is in Pacific Grove. They are the only district we are aware of that has excess capacity and wants to lease this space to outside entities. And even if we were not applying for our charter with this district, we would still be pursuing this as an option for site. Not because it is an ideal location for most of our parents but because it is one of the few and only feasible ones we have at the moment for a September 2000 opening.

If we are able to obtain space at this site, we do not intend to stay there permanently. Our goal is still to be located on the 68 corridor. It may just take us a while to get there.

Getting ISM off the ground is a challenging endeavor. Wherever we are able to open will most likely not be the most convenient for many of our CPA families. At this time, however, we will be grateful to secure a site that at least enables us to become a reality.


Sincerely,
Kathryn Poling Krone

Technology Committee

The Technology Committee is happy that the www.ismonterey.org website has become a part of how the ISM communicates with the public, the Charter Parents Association (CPA), and the ISM Board. As we get closer to the beginning of ISM, the website is going to become more important as the backbone for communications with parents, teachers, administrators, and students. Likewise, ISM will be looking for web-based learning tools and resources that work with our curriculum.

It would be helpful for CPA members to communicate with the technology committee to let us know if the website is working well for it members. Please let us know if you have problems with the site, suggestions for what would improve it, and what features or departments you think should be added. Also, if you find features in other websites that would be useful to the ISM, please forward the internet addresses to the technology committee at ismonterey@mindspring.com and type "Technology committee" in the subject line.

Gordon Freedman

Committee Chair

Preschool Committee

We are currently negotiating the lease with St. James Church on the corner of Franklin and High Streets in Monterey. The planned opening is for March 13th . The licensing application is under way. We have selected and ordered playground equipment and will be calling on those who said they were willing to volunteer time and labor as soon as the final lease is signed.

We will open in phases, initially with 8-10 kids for the core program (8:30 am - 12:00 pm). Everyone in the CPA who had indicated an interest in the Preschool will be receiving an preschool brochure/application in early February. We plan to expand to 20-22 kids (7:30 am - 5:30 pm) over the next few months, depending on the church's leasing plans.

Thank you to those who have donated materials thus far. We are still looking for a number of supplies (see list below) and as indicated above, will soon be contacting anyone willing to help paint, outfit the rooms, put up fencing, etc. Please contact Esther Hobbs at 373-2312 or c-hem1@math.utah.edu.

Dorothy Lank
Committee Chair

From the International Community

FACT SHEET- 16 December 1999

The International Baccalaureate Organisation at a glance

The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is a nonprofit educational foundation with its headquarters in Switzerland; it was created in 1968. It provides three related programmes to 1,030 authorized schools in 101 countries: its flagship pre-university IB Diploma Programme; the Middle Years Programme, created in 1992 for students aged 11-16 and the recently created (1998) Primary Years Programme for children aged 3-11.

The IBO is a leader in international education, providing teacher training workshops and information seminars, curriculum and assessment support, as well as research. It has recently opened, for its authorized schools, an online curriculum centre to offer to teachers throughout the world electronic access to materials and discussion forums–setting the pace in the field of pre-university education.

The Diploma Programme grew out of international schools’ efforts to establish a common curriculum and university entry credential for geographically mobile students. International educators were motivated by practical considerations but also by an idealistic vision: they hoped that a shared academic experience emphasizing critical thinking and exposure to a variety of viewpoints would foster tolerance and inter-cultural understanding among young people. The IBO has evolved from a service to the international community and now offers a full range of programmes to a varied group of schools, including a large number of state schools, around the world.

Total number of schools: 1,031

By programme:

Diploma Programme: 853

Middle Years:

Primary Years:

Breakdown of schools by region:

Africa, Europe, Middle East 262 in 60 countries

Asia/Pacific 88 in 18 countries

North America 369 in 4 countries

Latin America 134 in 17 countries

About the diploma:

Students must study six subjects in six areas- two languages, mathematics, experimental sciences, creative arts, and humanities. In addition they follow an interdisciplinary course called Theory of Knowledge which challenges students to question the bases of knowledge. They must complete a programme called CAS, short for creativity, action, service, which involves participation in community service, and, for example, theatre production and sports. Students are required to write an extended essay of 4,000 words to acquaint them with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected of them at university.