History of IB at Trinity
For the past twenty-nine years, Trinity students who have sought an academic challenge found it in the IB Program, a perfect complement to a Sinsinawa Dominican education. Along with our mission of educating the whole person, the IB curriculum integrates learning across the subject areas and encourages students to engage in the lifelong adventure of intellectual discovery, community service, and personal growth. Since the inception of the program in 1994, over 1,400 Trinity students have selected either the full diploma curriculum or certificate courses. Either way, they have experienced a rich approach incorporating several types of assessments including oral and written forms along with long-term projects, essays, labs, explorations, portfolios, and final exams. With thousands of schools around the world now offering the IB course of study,
the word is out that this educational model is well suited for highly motivated students in a complex, global society. While college credits may be earned for successfully completing IB coursework, the benefits of studying on this intensive level include readiness for college and the work force through well-developed habits of mind. Independent and collaborative activities foster critical thinking, problem solving, and interpersonal skills that best prepare students for life in the ever-evolving 21 st century. It has been my honor working with our students for the past seventeen years as their program coordinator and IB English and TOK instructor. Within the last fifteen years, based on students’ interests, we have added new IB courses, including Dance, Film Studies, Mandarin, Math HL, Psychology, and Sports, Exercise, Health Science. It has been truly rewarding collaborating with colleagues and witnessing our students flourish from their experiences in IB courses that have developed their critical thinking and creative abilities. I am always thrilled to welcome back our IB alumnae at our annual winter gathering to celebrate their success and to hear about their ongoing achievements. Thanks to the foundation laid by two visionary administrators, Sr. Michelle Germanson, President, and Sr. Jeanne Bessette, Principal, and to the efforts of Mrs. Mary Sichz and Mrs. Gina Maras, my predecessors, Trinity has enjoyed a successful history with the IB. To date, our pass rate for the IB diploma remains a steady 90% with over 70% of our study body enrolled in IB courses as either diploma or certificate students. In offering this dynamic program, we are proud to partner with IBO as we continue the tradition of academic excellence in the spirit of our Sinsinawa founders. Here’s to the next twenty-five years!
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the word is out that this educational model is well suited for highly motivated students in a complex, global society. While college credits may be earned for successfully completing IB coursework, the benefits of studying on this intensive level include readiness for college and the work force through well-developed habits of mind. Independent and collaborative activities foster critical thinking, problem solving, and interpersonal skills that best prepare students for life in the ever-evolving 21 st century. It has been my honor working with our students for the past seventeen years as their program coordinator and IB English and TOK instructor. Within the last fifteen years, based on students’ interests, we have added new IB courses, including Dance, Film Studies, Mandarin, Math HL, Psychology, and Sports, Exercise, Health Science. It has been truly rewarding collaborating with colleagues and witnessing our students flourish from their experiences in IB courses that have developed their critical thinking and creative abilities. I am always thrilled to welcome back our IB alumnae at our annual winter gathering to celebrate their success and to hear about their ongoing achievements. Thanks to the foundation laid by two visionary administrators, Sr. Michelle Germanson, President, and Sr. Jeanne Bessette, Principal, and to the efforts of Mrs. Mary Sichz and Mrs. Gina Maras, my predecessors, Trinity has enjoyed a successful history with the IB. To date, our pass rate for the IB diploma remains a steady 90% with over 70% of our study body enrolled in IB courses as either diploma or certificate students. In offering this dynamic program, we are proud to partner with IBO as we continue the tradition of academic excellence in the spirit of our Sinsinawa founders. Here’s to the next twenty-five years!
