After many years of dreaming and three years of application, we received the news we all had been waiting for. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Futuro Verde – An IB World School. In just over three months our International Baccalaureate diploma program will start. “If we get IB” – something I’ve said for the last few years – is now no longer part of my vocabulary!
The future is certainly bright and in so many ways. In the next few weeks, current 10th-grade students will make their selection of courses for the two-year diploma program, teachers will continue to finalize their unit plans of instruction, and the finishing touches will be made on some of our new learning spaces. This is a game changer for our students, our staff, our families and our local community. In the first day back after the vacation, a sense of relief, pride, and a greater level of motivation were palpable among the staff. Students will now have greater opportunities open to them. These opportunities include new course selections and greater possibilities for further education and employment in the future. Authorization as an International Baccalaureate World School gives official third-party approval from a prestigious international institution and affirms something we have always known to be true. Futuro Verde provides a high-quality, holistic, bilingual education in a unique setting. Futuro Verde’s achievement further solidifies the sustainability of our community and local economy. Local children in this rural community have access to education that is normally just available in richer or more urban areas, families will continue to be attracted from all over the country and the world, and it gives those who live here the ability to stay while providing their children with a high-quality education. To survive and grow a local community requires highly educated citizens to be the professionals, employers, and leaders in the future. Futuro Verde, with the IB diploma program, is now in an even stronger position to educate and nurture those leaders.