Beck Academy International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

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Beck AcademyInternational Baccalaureate Middle
Years Programme
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What is a Magnet Academy?

• A magnet academy offers a theme or focus that is
  designed to give students an opportunity to
  explore a special interest, gift, talent, or
  skill.
• A magnet school may offer more than one magnet
  strand.
• Beck offers the International Baccalaureate
  Middle Years Programme

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What Is a Magnet Academy Designed to Do?

• Magnet academies are designed to create an
  educational environment which responds to student
  interests, celebrates cultural and ethnic
  diversity, and fosters student achievement.
• A magnet academy offers a theme or focus that is
  designed to give students an opportunity to
  explore a special interest, gift, talent, or
  skill.

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What Are the Advantages of Attending a Magnet
Academy?

• Students participate in the magnet theme and meet
  students from different areas of the district who
  also share an interest in the schools magnet
  theme.
• While some similar courses may be offered in
  traditional schools, magnet schools attract
  students by offering unique and expanded
  opportunities for in-depth experiences and study
  in specific areas of interest.

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What is Beck Academys Magnet Focus?

• The International Baccalaureate Middle Years
  Programme

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IB MYP Programme Mission

• The IB MYP Programme
• Aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and
  caring young people who help to create a better
  and more peaceful world through intercultural
  understanding and respect
• Works with schools to develop challenging
  programmes of international education and
  rigorous assessment

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IB MYP Programme Mission

• Encourages students to become active,
  compassionate, and lifelong learners who
  understand that other people, with their
  differences, can also be right

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The IB MYP Programme Focus

• Intercultural Awareness
• Holistic Learning
• Communication

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IB MYP Programme Focus

• The IB MYP Programme also focuses on developing
  students who are
• Inquirers
• Thinkers
• Principled
• Risk-Takers
• Caring
• Knowledgeable
• Communicators
• Open-Minded
• Balanced
• Reflective

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IB MYP Programme Curriculum
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Areas of Interaction

• Students study the eight core subjects through
  the Areas of Interaction
• The Areas of Interaction help students
• Explore subject matter
• See connections between subjects
• Forge meaningful links between subject content
  and the real world
• Understand that knowledge is an interrelated whole

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Areas of Interaction

• The five Areas of Interaction are
• Approaches to Learning
• Learning how to learn
• Community and Service
• Moving from I to We
• Environments
• Developing appreciation and responsibility for
  the world around us
• Human Ingenuity
• Creativity, systems, products, and solutions
• Health and Social Education
• Becoming healthy, happy, and informed

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What Experiences Will My Child Have at Beck?

• Interdisciplinary Studies and Unit Projects
• Community and Service Projects
• International Activities such as International
  Week
• Foreign Language Classes
• Student Led Conferences

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Why Should I Apply in the First Round?

• Students who apply and qualify during the first
  round have a greater chance of being offered a
  slot than those students who apply and qualify in
  later rounds.
• All qualified students from the first round are
  offered slots before any students from second
  round can be taken.
• It is very important to apply
• during the first round!

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Where Do I Find Magnet Academy Applications?

• Beginning November 5, 2008 you may
• Download an application and the Frequently
  Asked Questions document at www.gcsmagnetacademies
  .org
• Obtain an application at any magnet academy
• Obtain an application at the Service Center at
  the GCS Central Office on Camperdown Way

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How Are Applications Scored?

• Applications are scored based on 4 criteria
• Attendance
• Discipline
• GPA
• Student Statement
• Eligibility criteria are printed in the
  Frequently Asked Questions document and can be
  found at www.gcsmagnetacademies.org

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How Are Students Selected?

• Qualifying siblings are given priority
• Highest scores are accepted next until all slots
  are filled
• A lottery system is used when there are more
  qualifying applicants than available slots
• Applicants with the highest score are chosen
  first
• Applicants with the same score are arranged by
  a computer lottery
• Applicants are chosen in rank order by score
  until all slots are filled
• For more information on the selection process
  visit www.gcsmagnetacademies.org

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How Do I Apply if My Child Currently Attends a
District School?

• Submit a completed application to the schools
  magnet coordinator by 1200 noon before the close
  of the application window.
• First round window closes on December 5
• The magnet academy will access your childs
  attendance, discipline, and grade report from the
  districts database.
• The Parent Checklist, page 1 of the application
  packet, outlines what specific documentation must
  be submitted.

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How Do I Apply if My Child is Not Enrolled in a
District School?

• Submit a completed application to the schools
  magnet coordinator by 1200 noon before the close
  of the application window.
• First round window closes on December 5
• Parents are responsible for submitting
  attendance, discipline, and grade reports to the
  schools magnet coordinator.
• The Parent Checklist, page 1 of the application
  packet, outlines what specific documentation must
  be submitted.

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How Do I Request Transportation?

• Indicate your childs transportation needs when
  completing the application.
• At the time of enrollment, you will complete a
  paper transportation form and submit it to the
  school magnet coordinator.

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What if I Have More Questions?

• Visit www.gcsmagnetacademies.org
• Contact the magnet school coordinator(s) at the
  schools in which you are interested.
• Romana Thomas, IB Coordinator/Magnet Academy
  Coordinator
• 355-1423
• romthomas_at_greenville.k12.sc.us
• THANK YOU FOR VISITING
• BECK ACADEMY TODAY!