About the IB MYP Programme

Welcome to our IB family here at Grisham IB World School.  Grisham is one of only 26 Middle Years Programme (MYP) schools in the state of Texas and is currently the only IB Middle Years Programme in Round Rock ISD.  Every child has a unique opportunity to an IB education which will give them the distinctive edge in RRISD to better compete in the more globalized markets, communities and jobs of their future. Westwood has offered the Diploma Program (DP) since 1994 and two nearby elementary schools, Spicewood Elementary and Anderson Mill Elementary, has offered the Primary Years Programme (PYP) since 2007.

Grisham has been an authorized IB World School since July 2007.  The IB Middle Years Program raises the standard for middle school education.  Part of the IB mission is to focus on the intellectual and social development of each student,  providing them with the values and opportunities that will enable them to develop critical thinking skills and sound judgment.  At Grisham, learning how to learn is as important as the content of the subjects students study.

The students participate in a 3-year program that focuses on his or her social and academic development. The Areas of Interaction are at the core of the MYP. The curriculum integrates the Areas of Interaction with 8 subject areas in order to develop an appreciation for the interrelatedness of the disciplines, technology, other cultures, and the world around us.  Students are taught to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged citizens, who gain practical experience of being part of an international community.  These common qualities for students are portrayed in the IB Learner Profile.  While the MYP programme cultivates internationalism and respect for other cultures, we also explore the local environments which allows students to maintain a strong sense of cultural identity. 

Successful completion of the MYP will better prepare students to choose more challenging classes (Pre-AP, AP) in high school. They will also be more prepared to optionally pursue Westwood’s IB Diploma program.  Student successes in the IB programs are powerful indicators to colleges and universities throughout the world.  As quoted in the Austin American-Statesman (9-22-08), “A commission convened by some of the country’s most influential college admission officials is recommending that colleges and universities move away from their reliance on SAT and ACT scores and that the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams and the International Baccalaureate exams both predict first-year and overall grades in college and are more closely linked to the high school curriculum than the SAT and ACT.”  Visit the IBO website at www.ibo.org (àshortcuts, àuniversities, àuniversity recognition of the IB diploma) to learn more about college admissions, college credit and advanced standing in relation to students who achieve IB diplomas.

So why not take the IB challenge….How much do you know about the IB? Try a short online exam and see if you can score a 9!