International Baccalaureate

Gray-New Gloucester High School has been an authorized IB World School since 2012 offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP). Established in 1968, the IBDP is an internationally standardized, comprehensive, two-year program of study for juniors and seniors at our school. As of July 2023, more than 7,900 IB Programmes ranging from their Primary and Middle Years to the Diploma and Career Programmes were available across the globe. Nearly 3,000 of those are Diploma Programmes. GNGHS is one of five IB World Schools in Maine and one of four in the state that provides the IB Diploma Programme. The IBDP is also offered at Foxcroft Academy, Greely High School, and Kennebunk High School.

IB for All 

As a public school, GNGHS is proud to offer an open IB Diploma Programme and strives to extend the benefits of this high-quality curriculum and programming to as many students as possible, in as many ways as possible. Students can participate as IB course students by registering for a few or even a single IB course in an area of particular strength or interest. Historically 50% of GNG students take at least one IB course before graduating.

• Almost every student could benefit from taking IB TOK (Theory of Knowledge), a course about critical thinking.

• There are single year courses that can fit around PATHS schedules.

• At GNG, IB students can apply their IB coursework toward a specialized endorsement on their GNG high school diploma.

• Students who take IB French or IB Spanish and earn a 4 (out of 7) on the IB exam, will be awarded the State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy on their GNG High School diploma.

• Many colleges award students credit or advanced standing if they earn the minimum scores (varies by institution) for the subject on the IB exams.

The Full IB Diploma Programme

The IB Diploma Programme aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge – students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.  Students who complete the full IB Diploma Programme are exceptionally well-prepared for college. 

Examples of the types of students who could benefit from participating in the full IB Diploma Programme: 

• • Highly-motivated, academically-oriented students who are striving to become qualified candidates for highly selective colleges and universities. (GNG IBDP students have been offered admission to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, U Penn, U Chicago, NYU, Hamilton, Pomona, Rice U, Smith, Washington U, Bowdoin, Colby, & Bates)

  • Students who are interested in earning merit scholarships and up to a full-year of college credit while still in high school, while also becoming as prepared for success as possible once there. (For example, Sam Shampine, GNG IBDP 2016, graduated from Boston University earning her undergraduate degree, as a double major in Mathematics and Economics, AND a MA in Economics within 4 years. She also earned the BU Class of 2020 Prize for Excellence in Economics.)

  • Any GNG student who would like to take on the challenge of growing and developing themselves as a well-rounded learner to the best of their ability through this world-class program of study. 

The “full” comprehensive IB Diploma Programme of study includes 6 IB courses spanning at least 5 subject areas and the completion of the IB Core which includes TOK, CAS and the EE. (Click here for more details about the components of the IB Diploma Programme.) 

International Baccalaureate Programme Website: www.ibo.org

Students interested in participating in the full IB Diploma Programme should schedule a meeting with the IB Coordinator, Mrs. Knedler (lknedler@sad15.org).