Q:
Students should begin to discuss DP Year 11
subject choices with their families, peers and
advisors in Grade 10. This will allow the student and
family sufficient time to make informed decisions.
As Head of High School for Keystone Academy,
what measures will you take to increase a parent’s
understanding of the DP?
A:
There are various ways of accomplishing this. On a very
direct level, parent information sessions are a common
part of IB schools. These sessions are not just a quick journey
through the program, but they offer detail on specific aspects of
the program and are hands on. And they are given, if they are
needed, on whatever kind of topic. For example, there can be an
Extended Essay parent information session. I know that we want
to produce a regular newsletter available in different languages
to keep parents up-to-date to with specific events. We can use
this communication to say a little more about the DP as well.
Personally, I would like to look at using blogs too. The website
will also contain a lot of the fundamental information, which
does not really change, about the DP such as courses available,
and information explaining the TOK, and the Extended Essay,
etc. We will have to publish policies as well. Policies that explain
what language choices are available, how we support students
in language development, and assessment policies, for example.
All of our policies need to be quite detailed, published and
made available to parents. Additionally, we will have a program
handbook for parents with lots of information. And of course,
parents can always come and visit us at the school at any time.
Q:
What role/function will the College Counseling
Program play at Keystone? How is Keystone’s
Leadership Team working to develop this program?
A:
Keystone has made a strong commitment to have a robust
college counseling program. And that means appointing
the best people with the best contacts and supporting them
fully in developing that. We have already brought together a
Leadership Team whose members know decision makers at
top universities in the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore,
Hong Kong and China. In the second year of operation, we plan
to appoint a team of expert college counselors who themselves