Riverside Secondary School is a proud International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, authorized to offer the Diploma Programme. IB World Schools share a common philosophy: a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education-that we believe is important for our students. The IB Diploma Programme has been demonstrated to be excellent preparation for university and is recognized and valued by universities worldwide.
Our IB-trained educators have developed enhanced curriculum to prepare students in our Grade 9 & 10 Preparatory Program for the critical thinking and rigour of the Grade 11 & 12 IB Diploma Programme. Four courses are being offered at the Preparatory level in Grades 9 & 10: English, Math, Science and French. Students enrolled in the program will take all four of these courses plus requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Fees
To ensure that access to the IB Programme is fair, equitable and available to all interested students, the Greater Essex County District School Board is not imposing a fee to participate.
Boundaries & Transportation
Due to the specialized nature of the IB Diploma Programme, it is only offered at two secondary schools within the GECDSB: Riverside Secondary School (RSS) and Leamington District Secondary School (LDSS). Bus transportation is provided free of charge to students attending the Pre-IB Programs and the IB Diploma Programmes offered at these two schools. New students applying for entry must be taking the full complement of courses offered at the Grade 9 or 10 Preparatory Program level (Math, English, Science and French) or a full IB Diploma Programme schedule to be eligible for transportation.
Students who live in the area shown in white would attend RSS IB in Windsor.
Applying to the Pre-IB Program at Riverside
A link to our online application for the 2023-2024 school year will become available here on Tuesday November 29th, 2022 and is due on Friday December 16th, 2022. Successful applicants will be notified by email before January 1, 2023.
Late applicants will be placed on a waiting list and are not guaranteed admission to the program. They will be admitted as spaces become available. Contact the IB Coordinator if you require access to a late application.
For further information about the Riverside Secondary School Preparatory and IB Diploma Programmes, contact IB Coordinator Derek Tomkins at [email protected].
For further information about the IB and its programmes visit this link: IB Information
General Information about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme
What is an IB Education?
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program aims to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. Informed by these values, an IB education:
- centres on learners
- develops effective approaches to teaching and learning
- works within global contexts
- explores significant academic content
Working together, these four characteristics define an IB education.
The International Baccalaureate Program is offered at over 5400 schools in 159 different countries, including over 80schools in Ontario.
Advantages of an IB Diploma
Students with an International Baccalaureate Diploma are highly valued by universities worldwide and are often eligible for early admission, university credits and IB-specific scholarships. More importantly, they learn in an environment filled with willing, enthusiastic, global-minded critical thinkers who support one another in their learning.
Pre-IB and IB Diploma Programmes (DP) at Riverside Secondary School
An IB Diploma is recognized and valued at universities worldwide. Students who pursue an IB Diploma at Riverside Secondary School will also earn credits toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
The Pre-IB Program, which is for Grade 9 & 10 students, is designed to ready our students for the critical thinking, global mindedness and academic challenge offered by the IB Diploma Programme. Here is an outline of courses typically taken by students in our Pre-IB Program:
| Grade 9 Pre-IB |
| Pre-IB Courses: English (ENG1DT), Math (MTH1WT), Science (SNC1WT) and French (FSF1DCT)
Other required Ontario courses: Geography (CGC1D), Phys Ed (PPL1OF or PPL1OM), an Arts course (Choose: Music AMU1O, Visual Arts AVI1O, Drama ADA2O, Media Arts ASM2O) One other elective – examples: Intro to Business (BBI1O), Information Technology in Business (BTT1O), Exploring Technologies (TIJ1O), In Grade 9, our Pre-IB students also receive extra support in time management, organization, study skills, written communication, research skills and experience with the IB Learner Profile. |
| Grade 10 Pre-IB |
| Pre-IB Courses: English (ENG2DT), Math (MPM2DT), Science (SNC2DT), French (FSF2DCT), Gr 11 Functions (MCR3UT)
Other required Ontario courses: History (CHC2D), Civics & Careers (CHV2OH & GLC2OH) – optional for IB students Elective - Consider: Gr 11 Biology (SBI3U) if taking Physics in DP; Gr 11 Physics (SPH3U) if taking Biology in DP |
Interested in joining Pre-IB after Grade 9?
Please note that students who did not begin in Pre-IB in Grade 9 may be able to join the program at some point before semester 2 of Grade 10. Contact IB Coordinator Derek Tomkins (email: [email protected]) to facilitate this process.
The IB Diploma Diploma Programme (DP)
The IB Diploma Diploma Programme (DP), which is for Grade 11 & 12 students, includes the following components:
- One course from each Subject Group (unless 2 Sciences are selected, then Arts course is not required). Note: 3 courses must be completed at the Higher Level (HL) and 3 at the Standard Level (SL). HL courses take place over 3 semesters, earn 3 OSSD credits and explore a subject in greater depth and breadth than SL courses, which take place over 2 semesters and earn 2 OSSD credits.
- 3 Core Elements: Extended Essay (EE), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) & Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
| Subject Group | Subject Group Name | IB Subjects & Levels offered at RSS | OSSD credits earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Language & Literature | Language & Literature - HL | NBE3U, ENG4U, ETS4U |
| 2 | Language Acquisition |
French B – SL |
FSF3U, FSF4U |
| 3 | Individuals & Societies |
Psychology – SL |
HSP3U, HSB4U
BAF3M, BBB4M, BOH4M |
| 4 | Experimental Sciences | Biology – HL Physics – SL Chemistry - HLComputer Science - SL |
SBI3U, SBI4U, SNC4M
SPH3U, SPH4U SCH3U, SCH4U, SES4U |
| 5 | Mathematics | Analysis & Approaches - SL Application & Interpretation - SL |
MHF4U, MCV4U MHF4U, MDM4U |
| 6 | The Arts | Visual Arts - HL | AVI3M, AVI4M, AWT4M |
| Core | Theory of Knowledge | Theory of Knowledge (TOK) | HZT4U |
The IB Core
Extended Essay (EE)
The Extended Essay (EE) is an opportunity for students to develop essential research and writing skills with the support of an EE Coordinatorand a teacher mentor to guide them through the process. Students are encouraged to select a topic of interest to them that also aligns with the course work they are studying in the Diploma Programme. Teacher supervisors with background in the chosen area of research assist students as they work over the course of 18 months to develop an essay of up to 4000 words. Class time is available for much of the process. The EE is a source of pride for our IB graduates.
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
CAS is known as the “Heart of IB” for good reason: these are the activities that provide balance in your life. Over the course of the two-year Diploma Programme, students are supported by their CAS Coordinator as they work with classmates and community partners to complete projects and activities in the three areas: Creativity (drama, music, dance, painting, web design), Activity (workout program, sports teams, yoga) and Service (volunteering with a community partner). Students reflect on their experiences and set goals for improvement using ManageBac, an online platform. CAS is not assessed for marks but is required in order to earn an IB Diploma. In our experience, CAS reflections often make excellent additions to university and scholarship applications.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
This course takes place within students’ timetables and serves to explore the many ways of knowing. In this course, there is less emphasis on assessment and more on developing critical thinking skills, forming valid and persuasive arguments, considering issues from other perspectives, and learning about different types and sources of knowledge. There are only two IB assessments for this course: the TOK Exhibition and the TOK Essay. Students earn an Ontario Philosophy credit for this course (HZT4U).