By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The focus was on two distinguished college-level programs, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate, on Monday evening as the Garden City Board of Education and public listened to a presentation led by Dr. Teresa Prendergast, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and Dr. Adele Bacotti, Garden City High School assistant principal.

The AB/IB Committee, co-chaired by Drs. Prendergast and Bacotti, and comprised of administrators, teachers and three parents, conducted a comprehensive study of the current AP program and researched the possibility of implementing the IB program. They then compared the two and presented their recommendations to the Board.

"It is clear that some of the issues that we realize are out there with AP programs may in fact be addressed by a rigorous IB program," said School Board President Kenneth Monaghan. He gave the example of the study of world language. Many students do not pursue foreign language study at the AP level because the course and exam are recognized to be extremely difficult and students are concerned with how it might affect their overall grade point average.

"It's not that the AP program is irrelevant. It's not," he continued. "Nor is it a matter of whether or not the IB program is more relevant. The question is whether or not the two together, or in combination, may balance out each other's shortcomings and help us devise a program which has greater relevance for our students going forward, in particular for the vast majority of our students who are going on to collegiate work. We want to make sure that they are as prepared as possible."

The committee will take their research to the next level by establishing contacts with other high-performing districts that are offering the IB program and expanding the number of parents on the committee. Committee members plan to attend a Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast orientation seminar in Commack on June 7th and file an official "Intent to Apply" interest form with the International Baccalaureate Organization. After they file the interest form, teachers and administrators will be allowed to attend professional development Level 1 workshops. The committee will report back to the Board in the fall.

Both programs, which are highly regarded by major colleges and universities as ways to prepare students for advanced study and possibly earn college credit, can be offered by a school district. They are designed to appeal to different learning styles: with its emphasis on factual information, the AP program tends to appeal more to linear thinkers whereas the IB student prefers more hands-on activities and wants "to experience the learning process in greater depth," according to Dr. Bacotti.

The Garden City School District currently offers 20 AP courses, and will add US Government & Politics and Macroeconomics to the list in the next school year. Only one school district in Nassau County offers more AP courses. The national AP program, which began in 1955, focuses on one course of study for the entire school year and culminates with an exam in May or June.

The district is exploring the International Baccalaureate Program, which began in 1968 and consists of either a certificate program for students who take individual courses, or a diploma program for students who complete core requirements. Students explore six academic areas, as they also work to complete three central core elements. The six areas include two modern languages; a humanities or social science subject; an experimental science; mathematics; and one of the creative arts.

The core elements are mandatory and include a 4,000-word essay on a topic of student interest; the study of the theory of knowledge and creativity, which provides an opportunity for reflection on how we know and what we know as it makes connections to other disciplines; and creativity, action and service, which allows students to earn credit for participation in extra-curricular activities such as athletics, drama and music, as well as for service to the community.

Unlike the AP program where assessment is determined via one exam, students in an IB diploma program are evaluated by classroom teachers on assessments such as oral exercises, projects, student portfolios, mathematical investigations and artistic performances. Teachers are required to attend intensive, formal training and create the assessments. There is also an external assessment, which is administered by classroom teachers but graded by an external examiner. This carries greater weight in the overall grade.

The IB program is open to all students. Students are not permitted to take an IB exam without taking the entire course. In the AP program, it is possible to take an exam without taking the course.

The process to become an IB school can take up to two years. After the "Intent to Apply" interest form is filed with the International Baccalaureate Organization, an application form is submitted in two parts: an application for candidate status and an application for authorization. This is followed by an authorization visit to the school by someone in the IB Organization.

The PowerPoint presentation can be found on the district's Web site, www.gardencity.k12.ny.us. For more information on the IB program, visit www.ibo.org.