Dear Dobbs Ferry Schools Community,
Fifteen years ago, the Dobbs Ferry Board of Education (BOE) had the foresight to institute the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program at the High School for 11th and 12th graders. Dobbs Ferry High School became the first IB World School in Westchester County. It was a bold move for a small school district, but the programs philosophy and curriculum aligned with the communitys demographic diversity, educational values and high academic expectations. With over 30 different languages spoken in the homes of approximately 1500 students today, the IB program makes sense- in 1998 and in 2013.
I am delighted to report that the Board of Education, which represents the entire Dobbs Ferry community and its children, continues to plan for our students future. At their February 7th meeting, the BOE passed a resolution to begin exploring the criteria, costs, manpower and curriculum needed to implement an IB Middle Years Program (MYP) for students in grades 6th through 10th. The IB Middle Years Program is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary course of study that encourages students intellectual and social development.
The MYP is an important preamble to our High School IB Diploma Program and will provide academic continuity between the Middle School and High School. As a public school system, we are responsible for providing the most relevant and rigorous education possible for students to ensure their success in the real world. The IB Diploma Program meets that criteria and is an internationally accepted standard of excellence, recognized by the most selective colleges and universities in the United States and abroad.