Canyon del Oro High School

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a rigorous, 11th and 12th grade diploma program for students seeking personal and academic growth that prepares them to compete in the 21st Century marketplace. IB learners strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective; all characteristics that are valued in the Amphitheater School District and at Canyon del Oro High School. Canyon del Oro was authorized to offer the Diploma Programme in February 2012 and is one of only three International Baccalaureate schools in Southern Arizona (and the only high school in Oro Valley).

• Students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme explore relationships between all subjects and learn about the world in ways that reach beyond each single subject/discipline.
• IB aims to develop active, compassionate, lifelong learners with international awareness - qualities highly sought after by the most selective colleges and universities in the United States and around the world.
• Students are encouraged to have a positive attitude toward learning, ask challenging questions, reflect critically, develop research skills, learn how to learn, and participate in community service designed to build leadership skills and connect learning beyond the classroom into real-world action.
• IB World Schools must undergo an exhaustive authorization process in order to offer one or more of the Programmes, which includes a study of the school's resources and commitment to the IB mission and philosophy.
• IB teachers participate in a wide variety of professional development opportunities to constantly update their knowledge and share their expertise with colleagues around the world.
• The IB Diploma Programme receives international recognition with potential scholarships. For a sampling, visit:  50 Scholarships for new IB graduates

• AP courses are one-year in duration and may be taken beginning in grade 9. In contrast, most IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses are two-years in duration and are available to students beginning in grade 11.
• Both programs will enable high achieving students to earn college credit and academic accolades.
• The IB Diploma requires the study of a second language in both the junior and senior years, emphasizing linguistic skills and increased cultural understanding.
• IB courses provide multiple assessment types to give a more accurate depiction of student learning. Students are assessed in practical applications such as fieldwork, lab experiments, literary performances, mathematical investigations, presentations, reflections, and formal exams. 
• IB has a specific emphasis on writing, discussion, critical thinking, and developing the whole student in all courses.
• Compared to their non-IB peers, IB DP graduates report being more comfortable with doing research and more willing to engage in research at the college level.

Below, Assistant Dean of Admission for Stanford University, Debra Von Bargen, who has firsthand experience working with many IB graduates, including her son, discusses the 21st century skills developed as result of the IB Diploma Programme.

IB Diploma Programme students can undertake the full IB Diploma, which includes the study of six courses; one from each Subject Group listed below. DP students take three courses at High Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL), and participate in the DP Core [Theory of Knowledge (TOK); Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS); and the Extended Essay (EE)]. The Core requirements are considered a cornerstone connecting all six subjects and thus are required to earn full IB Diploma. 

Students interested in taking IB courses but needing more flexibility in their schedule can still participate by taking one or more individual IB courses with other non-IB courses.

Both options have associated fees for testing and certain prerequisites are required to enroll. 

• Group 1- Language A (native language - English): Literature HL
• Group 2 - Language B (second language acquisition): French SL/HL, German SL/HL, Spanish SL/HL, Spanish ab initio
• Group 3 - Individuals and Societies: History HL
• Group 4 - Mathematics: Mathematics Applications & Interpretations SL
• Group 5 - Science: Chemistry HL, Environmental Systems & Societies SL
• Group 6 - Arts & Electives: Visual Arts SL/HL, Computer Science SL, Dance SL, Social Cultural Anthropology SL/HL

​​​​​​​The 4 year plan of courses can help 9th and 10th grade students plan their course of study to prepare for both the IB Diploma and individual IB courses.

The full CDO Course Catalog with prerequisites can be found at: High School Course Catalog

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The full IB Diploma has three Core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding:

• The Extended Essay (EE) is a requirement for students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying.
• Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge and the process of knowing. In TOK, students reflect on the knowledge, beliefs, and opinions that they have built up from their years of academic studies and their lives outside the classroom. 
• Creativity, Activity, Service  (CAS) requires that students actively learn from experience extended from the classroom. Students continue to participate in their already established extracurricular activities and are encouraged to explore new areas of interest. CAS is about being mindful about experiences, setting goals, enacting behaviors to reach those goals, and reflecting on the experience. 

As most IB courses are two-year courses that span 11^th and 12^th grades, the majority of students will apply for the IB in the spring of their 10^th grade year. However, all IB Elective SL courses and Mathematics SL are one-year courses. All other IB courses are two-years in duration. DP students must take the elective course choice as a junior. Individual course students may take IB elective courses either junior or senior year. IB Mathematics and IB Dance are only available to students in the Diploma Programme.

Prospective IB students are encouraged to take the “Is the IB Diploma Programme right for you?” self-assessment (click here for self-assessment) and to meet with the IB Coordinator, Amy Bomke, and/or the IB Counselor, Jessica Dale, to help them decide if the IB Diploma or individual IB courses are right for them.

IB DP Admissions Application

10th and 11th grade students interested in taking individual IB courses may select them during spring registration.

Additional details for all IB students can be found in the DP Handbook. The DP Handbook is updated annually to reflect changes in our program and scheduling options for the next year's incoming cohort. IB testing fees, course availability, and other items are subject to change with each new cohort.

• Handbook 2020-2022

Amy Bomke
International Baccalaureate Coordinator
abomke@amphi.com
520-696-5592

Amy Bomke, CDO’s IB Program Coordinator, has been an educator for 30 years. She has a BS in Secondary Education with a major in Spanish, a minor in English, and an MA in Spanish that was completed through study abroad in Spain, with additional graduate credits in literature and teaching writing. She taught Spanish and English at the high school and middle school levels for seven years before moving to higher education to teach Spanish at Indiana University in Indianapolis for 18 years and served as the coordinator for the 100 level Spanish Program for six of those. Before coming to CDO, Amy worked in the Teacher Certification Program at Pima Community College designing and facilitating professional development for new teachers and their mentors. Besides being the IB DP Coordinator, Amy teaches our IB Social Cultural Anthropology class. She is also the proud mom to a CDO Class of 2022 IB DP graduate and a Class of 2023 IB Course student!

updated 12/08/23