International Baccalaureate

Why the International Baccalaureate? (IB)

A Global Mindset

La Scuola is the only International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in San Francisco to offer both the Primary Years (IB-PYP) and Middle Years (IB-MYP) Programs to students ages 3 to 14. The IB offers a continuum of international education through high quality educational programs. It encourages both personal development and academic achievement, challenging students to think critically, to ask the right questions and think across disciplines.

The IB’s mission is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who will help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. International mindedness reflects who we are as a school community, and our place within our local and global community, reinforcing our belief that the world is interconnected. Students who have a global mindset will recognize their common humanity, shared guardianship of the planet and strive to work together to create a better world. The IB Learner profile guides students to become: reflective, open-minded, balanced, principled, knowledgeable, inquirers, risk-takers, communicators, caring and thinkers.

The day-to-day IB attitudes we foster in students are just as important: appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect and tolerance. These traits and habits of mind are essential for any human being and are nurtured at La Scuola from PreK - Grade 8. The IB enables students to direct their own learning pathway and develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive and make a lasting difference. It empowers teachers as the architects of learning excellence, working alongside engaged colleagues in a rewarding career supported by a strong global network. And it brings schools a strong reputation for successful outcomes that uplift the whole community.

Our Program

The Primary Years Program marks the start of a lifelong journey. It develops caring and culturally aware children aged 3 – 11 to become active participants in their own learning. Building a solid academic foundation, the Middle Years Program, for children aged 11 – 14, further develops students’ confidence in managing their own learning and making connections between their learning in the classroom and the real world. Click each box to learn more.

La Scuola and the IB Program

IB-PYP (Primary Years Program)

IB-MYP (Middle Years Program)

IB Learner Profile

Learning in the IB: Student, Teacher, and Parent Perspectives

IB and Reggio Emilia

At La Scuola, the fusion of the IB with the Reggio Emilia Approach® fosters a vibrant and progressive educational setting for our students. A testament to this synergy is found in our engaging class projects, which highlight the efficacy of interdisciplinary studies, student-driven inquiry, creative thinking, and collaboration.

IB + Reggio Emilia Approach in Action

IB + Reggio Emilia Approach in Action

Interdisciplinary units are a key part of both the Reggio Emilia Approach®, the IB-PYP and the IB promoting well-rounded and interconnected learning. By blending multiple subjects, these educational methods help students gain a deeper understanding and work collaboratively. For example, during our Grade 8 trip to Italy, students not only practiced their Italian language skills but also gathered material for a journalistic unit in Language and Literature, ultimately creating a documentary short film in their Design class. Similarly, in Grade 6, students combined Science and Math to explore data collection and different types of graphs, focusing on environmental issues and culminating in a digital presentation on how data can inform future civic actions.

The Reggio pedagogy accentuates the values of citizenship in a democratic society and the significance that beauty and culture play in a fully-developed life. This year we dedicated full days to our atelier of Democracy and Culture, an opportunity to have all our Middle School students collaborate in creating culture. We engaged in a number of projects, including cooking and sharing meals, creating a school newspaper, putting on our yearly Carnevale, and creating social media content with our promotions team. In our final project of the year, students investigated different regions of the world and expressed their learning through a wide range of the Hundred Languages, from teaching regional dances of South America and recording original songs, to performing an Indonesian inspired Wayang shadow-puppet show!

Our Grade 8 students dedicate their final spring at La Scuola to their Community Projects, a comprehensive journey that includes goal-setting, conducting expert interviews and research, peer education, and finally, local and community engagement. This intersection between personal interests and passions with real-world issues is both a culminating project of the MYP and embodies the very essence of what we value at La Scuola – holistic education, global citizenship, and active community involvement. Our students' efforts to think globally while acting locally is a fundamental principle that nurtures the learning that happens here to transcend the boundaries of our school walls.

Our classrooms, inspired by both the IB and Reggio Emilia Approach®, offer rich learning experiences. By seamlessly blending diverse subjects and fostering student-driven exploration, critical thinking, and creativity, we equip our students with essential skills and a profoundly unique understanding of the world. This fusion of methodologies ignites our students' curiosity, fosters creativity, and instills in them a global perspective and compassion.

Learn more about the Reggio Emilia Approach at La Scuola.

IB Academic Policies

Learn more about our admissions, inclusion, academic integrity, language immersion, and assessment policies below. These guide our shared understanding of student development, equitable practices, and the responsibility we all share in fostering an inclusive and respectful learning environment.

PRESCHOOL (AGES 2-5)

elementary school (k-5)

MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 6-8)

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