cIBernews Issue 7

CIBERNEWS

IB NEWSLETTER VOLUME II ISSUE NO. 7 01.15.01

1. JANUARY 3, 2002 CEREMONY POSTPONED

2. IB COORDINATOR NOTES

3. NEW WEB SITES

4. CAS OPPORTUNITIES

5. IB-PAC BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 8,2002

6. CMEF NOTES

7. MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSES

8. EDITOR’S NOTE – CONTESTS AND PRIZES

Please visit the cIBernews website at, www.oocities.org/harshd_4/cibernews.htm.

Harsh Desai, Webmaster

Also, check the new IB site at mpib.uncc.edu (no www. necessary)

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1. RECOGNITION CEREMONY POSTPONED DUE TO SNOWSTORM

The Recognition Ceremony for the Class of 2001 International Baccalaureate Alumni on Thursday, January 3, 2002 was postponed to a yet undetermined date in May due to the snowstorm that cancelled classes for Thursday and Friday, January 4-5, 2002.

The evening’s keynote speaker, Doug Marlette, was unable to get to Charlotte. Efforts are underway to rescedukle it in May, 2002. Mr. Marlette is the creator of the “Kudzu” comic strip, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a novelist, and a former editorial cartoonist for the Charlotte Observer.

2. IB COORDINATOR NOTES

SPECIAL ARTICLE: Facing 2002: Challenges and strategies for success
DR. RON THOMAS

Expanded Access to IB program for 2002-2003

Starting in 2002-2003, CMS will offer two levels of student participation in the IB program:

Pre-IB/ Middle Years Level I (9th & 10th)
* Students must take a minimum of 3 Pre-IB/Middle Years courses in both grades 9 & 10
* Students may take more than 3 Pre-IB/Middle Years courses each year
* Students must participate in the required community service requirement

Pre-IB/Middle Years Level II (9th & 10th)
Full Pre-IB/Middle Years program as currently offered

IB Level I (Certificate Program) (11th & 12th)
* Students must take a minimum of 3 IB courses in both grades 11 and 12 (6 total)
* One of the 3 IB courses must be Theory of Knowledge
* Students may take more than 3 IB courses each year
* Students must complete 75 hours of community service during grades 11 and 12
* Students must sit for the IB exam for each course
* Students who pass the IB exams will be awarded certificates by the International
Baccalaureate Organization

Level II (Diploma program) (11th & 12th)
Full IB diploma program as currently offered

Facing 2002: Challenges and strategies for success

Since welcoming its first students into the IB program in the fall of 1992,
Myers Park has established a strong record of accomplishment on IB world
exams, scholarship offers, and college acceptance. An added advantage for our
students is that the IB curriculum complements the AP program of studies. As a
consequence, our students may sit for both IB and AP exams in most subject
areas. In fact, the total number of AP exams taken by IB students last year
exceeded that of every private school and several public schools in Mecklenburg
County. The average AP score earned by our IB students over the past five
years is 3.8 out of 5, well above local, North Carolina, and national norms.

At the threshold of 2002, Myers Park IB also faces new challenges and
new opportunities to assure its continued leadership in high school education.
Noting that the Fourth Circuit issued a ruling December 14, 2001, that allows
CMS to continue with the family choice plan for 2002-2003, the system has
decided to move forward with the plan. Many of the challenges of the past
decade persist, however: scarcity of well-prepared IB teachers to populate 6 IB
high schools; inadequate funding; high student attrition rate; and the under
representation of African American students.

The new year and choice plan demand that we draw on the strengths of
our past as we prepare to meet the challenges of the future. Both the IB program
and CMS have vastly changed since 1992. Yet, in one remarkable way, the IB
program has remained the same: our focus remains on providing a world class
education for all who care to join us. This was our mission in 1992. It remains our
mission today.

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3. NEW WEB PAGES

The IB PAC Board would appreciate your input on suggested changes
and additions to the Home Page for IB-Parent Advisory Council, accessible at
www.myersparkhigh.org/ib/pac. In addition, check for the opening and expansion of our
new web pageS, www.myersparkib.com , and mpib.uncc.edu with links to the PTSA and IB web pages.

For a special addition, Harsh Desai, an IB student, has been hard at work
creating a new cIBernews website with information about this publication,
archived editions of all issues from September 2001. For a special treat,
click on the address below.
cIBernews website: - http://www.oocities.org/harshd_4/cibernews.htm

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4. CAS OPPORTUNITIES

For CAS opportunities or requests, e-mail devilr@mindspring.com

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5. BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 10, 2002

The MPHS – IB PAC Board met on January 10, 2002 at 7:00 P.M. at Secretary Muffin Campbell’s house. Proposed bylaws were adopted for recommendation by the general meeting of the IB PAC before the next PTSA meeting. For a copy of the bylaw amendments or minutes, e-mail devilr@mindspring.com

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6. CMEF E-MAIL FROM The CMEF Advocate (REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION)

A weekly electronic newsletter from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Education Foundation
Excerpts from October 2001

DALLAS SCHOOLS SEEK $1.84 BILLION

Dallas News: Dallas school administrators offered trustees a record $1.84 billion plan Thursday to upgrade dilapidated schools and relieve crowding that has thousands of students working in portable classrooms. http://m1e.net/c?581426-T.FBHddjNKE6Y%403030-cokjmx2Atg2pQ

CRACKING DOWN ON FUND-RAISING

The Dallas Morning News: School duty or hard sell? Fund-raising options sought as practice cuts into time for learning. One superintendent said that his district's PTAs will have to come up with new ways to raise money within his new restrictions. He said he would use his discretionary fund to pay for some academic needs that fund raising used to cover. http://m1e.net/c?581426-uPbH2M2xqhYhY%403031-5qoxfOJtcXUn%2e

CHANGING VIEW OF NC PTA

Although refreshments and fund raising are staples at most PTA meetings, state President Tannis Nelson wants to change the view that these are the sole purposes of the 82-year-old state organization.

http://m1e.net/c?581426-Zdo2n4wYjfnFo%403032-epaTSbZvWBanY

CMS: 26TH IN SIZE IN 1999-2000

CMS was the 26th largest school system in the nation in 1999-2000, according to a report on the 100 largest districts just published by the National Center for Education Statistics. Also on the list from the Carolinas were Raleigh (30th), Greensboro (56th), Greenville, SC (64th) and Fayetteville (78th).

http://m1e.net/c?581426-DMp/bNWOidG8s%403033-3FtZpmUHfUVuc

CMS HAS 24 MERIT SEMIFINALISTS

CMS: The National Merit Scholarship Program has tabbed 24 Charlotte-Mecklenburg students as semifinalists, surpassing all area private schools for the second year in a row. The National Merit semifinalists are listed at http://m1e.net/c?581426-YFAH/628wtlH2%403034-.MvgZHIrbqdcs

15 CMS STUDENTS GET NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT DESIGNATION

CMS: Fifteen students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have been named semifinalists in the 38th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program, an academic competition for African-American high school students. The National Achievement semifinalists are at http://m1e.net/c?581426-LeEtYlQsxpP2g%403035-NQXQgsZJL3TX%2e

TEACHER CERTIFICATION CRITICISM SUPPORTED

Education Consumers Consultants Network, on the report from the Abell Foundation about teacher certification: There is simply no good evidence that teacher certification is producing demonstrable gains in student achievement... A February 2001 report by the University of Washington Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy found the same thing: "There is no research that directly assesses what teachers learn in their pedagogical preparation and then evaluates the relationship of that pedagogical knowledge to student learning or teacher behavior."

http://m1e.net/c?581426-kUf5R.nIITz5k%403036-OkskrUz.5LB6Y

========== The CMEF Advocate =================
The CMEF Advocate is published weekly by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Education Foundation,
an independent advocate for quality public education for all children.
Copyright (c) 2001 by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Education Foundation. Items may be freely
copied as long as credit is given. To comment, subscribe or see the archives, visit
http://m1e.net/c?581426-S.6tbLeUPSFzg%405048-z4NClNnwr2gy2.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Education Foundation
Suite 1725, Two First Union Center
301 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28282
Phone: 704-335-0100
Fax: 704-334-3545
Mailto:cmef@cmef.org
Web: http://m1e.net/c?581426-qBlqmZIkh6VcA%405048-xRSsfA0BIAGII
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7. MISSION STATEMENT:

To provide interesting, timely and important
information to students, parents, teachers and staff about the MPHS IB Program
via the Internet.
GOALS: 1. To involve IB students in all phases of production, creation, distribution
and institutionalization of the Newsletter.
2. To involve parents of IB students and provide a media to make
information accessible and answer frequently asked questions.
3. To assist teachers in allowing students to learn about and from them,
communicate issues and concerns they have to parents, and facilitate IB
activities and programs.

BY THE STUDENTS – FOR THE STUDENTS

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8. EDITOR’S NOTE

TO SUBCRIBE OR CHANGE ADDRESS, SEE BELOW.

PLEASE SUBMIT ARTICLES, E-MAILS OR FEEDBACK AS SET OUT BELOW.

THERE IS A NAME FROM THE E-MAIL LISTSERV BURIED IN THE
NEWSLETTER ABOVE. IF IT IS YOURS AND YOU RESPOND TO THE
EDITOR AT devilr@mindspring.com . YOU WILL WIN A PRIZE FROM THE IB
PROGRAM OF MPHS.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of
CIBERNEWS or its participating editors, teacher consultants, and publishers.
CIBERNEWS is distributed by e-mail every two weeks beginning 09.28.01 to anyone
interested in the MP-IB program who has submitted an e-mail registration form. To subscribe or submit
articles, please e-mail to devilr@mindspring.com .
For additional information on the MP-IB program, go to
http://www.myersparkhighschool.org/ib/pac New website(s) are under construction.