International Baccalaureate
International Baccalaureate
Pre-IB students will meet with their counselors to communicate their interest in a variety of academic classes. Student interest will influence the classes they are assigned. Most Pre-IB students will take honors, pre-IB, and/or Advanced Placement courses in the various disciplines to prepare students to meet the demands of IB in 11th and 12th grade. Students will also be encouraged to try different elective classes to help determine their career choice or path.
Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in the IB program. By the end of their sophomore year, students should know if they will join the Diploma, or the Career-related Program.
Year One IB students first select which program they will join - the Diploma Program (DP) or Career-related Program (CP). DP students will take 7 IB courses. DP students will work hard in their Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class. This is a two-year class that elicits deep thinking about the nature of knowledge and how we know what we do. It is also used for students to work on their CORE IB-DP requirements of Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), Extended Essay (4000 words about the student's choice of topic), and an internally assessed writing project.
CP students will enroll in a minimum of three IB courses. One of these courses includes Personal and Professional Skills. In this class, CP students will work on their CORE IB-CP requirements, which include a Language Portfolio, Reflective Project (written project on the student's choice of topic), and Service Learning.
Students will have one and 1/4 years to complete these projects. They also must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all of their classes.
Year Two DP students are meeting with their supervisors to get feedback on CAS and Extended Essay. They are also completing their Internal Assessments in all seven academic classes.
CP students are also meeting with their supervisors for feedback on Service Learning and their Reflective Project. They will also have Internal Assessments to complete for their IB courses.
Another important step is applying for college and scholarships, for which IB students will receive guidance through the PPS and TOK courses. The final two quarters of students' high school careers should be focused on attending classes and studying for their IB exams in May.
We have an annual Pinning and Certificate/Diploma Ceremony each December. All IB students are invited. The seniors are given an IB pin. The previous year's alumnae are invited to receive their certificates and diplomas and celebrate their achievements.
Traditional Pathway
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is offered to students in the 11th and 12th grade. Students are required to complete seven IB courses in those two years and take an external exam in six of those subject areas. Students are also required to meet the following CORE requirements: Extended Essay; Creativity, Activity, and Service events; and pass their Theory of Knowledge class.
Alternative Pathway
The International Baccalaureate Career-related Program is the newest program offered by IB for 11th and 12th grade students. Dunbar High is the only school in Lee County to offer this innovative program. Students are required to complete all courses for the State of Florida diploma, along with a minimum of three IB courses. Students are also required to select a field of study or career path. The career paths offered at Dunbar High and recognized by the IB are: JROTC, Technology, Biomedical, Engineering, and T.V. Production. The CORE requirements for a CP student are: Reflective Project (written), Language Portfolio, Personal and Professional Skills class, and a Service Learning Project.