Families share IB experience at Midland

       Midland Elementary celebrated its International Baccalaureate (IB) status with a Family Night Nov. 10.

Midland Elementary fifth-grader Juan Hernandez "balances" his life priorities as one of the IB attributes during a Family Night for the school's International Baccalaureate (IB) program Nov. 10. Watching are (from left) teacher Tani Bifano, Juan's mother Aide Garcia, his sister Kimberly Hernandez- Garcia and his father Juan Hernandez.
Westside Pioneer photo

       Along with a pizza dinner and a guest musician playing instruments from around the world, families with their students “travelled” to five different stations - each one discussing an IB attribute - to have their passports stamped.
       According to Principal Jeremy Cramer, there are 10 IB attributes in all. The five at the Family Night were those that had been studied the previous week. These were Balanced, Caring, Thinker, Inquirer and Knowledgeable.
       Station activities included writing letters to soldiers overseas (Caring); families working together on mazes, puzzles and logical problem-solving (Thinker) and looking at different objects and pictures and forming questions about them (Inquirer).
       “The evening was well received by the approximately 140 people in attendance,” Cramer said.
       The music was performed by Michael Stanwood, a former U.S. State Department Musical Goodwill ambassador. “He took us on a musical tour of the world through the playing of instruments from Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Africa, and other countries,” Cramer said. “Many students enjoyed the chance to participate with Mr. Stanwood by joining him up front to play the instruments too.”

Westside Pioneer article