In keeping with the Vision, Mission and Beliefs of Hanover County Public Schools, we take pride in our open-door policy for IB admission.
Full Diploma Program: Any student interested in pursuing the full IB diploma is highly encouraged to do so at Atlee. IB classes are designed to work together, therefore it is in the student's best academic interest to complete the full program. All prerequisites as outlined in the Hanover Course of Studies must be satisfied including the language and math component. Students should be in the third year of a language and have completed algebra prior to 9th grade. All students pursuing the full diploma are required to pay exam fees for each course. Atlee High School covers all other associated fees for full diploma students.
Coursework: Any student interested in IB coursework may enroll in IB classes at the Standard Level or Higher Level. Students who want to pursue IB coursework are required to have the prerequisites as outlined in the Hanover County Public Schools Course of Study document. We also expect that students taking the first year of a Higher Level class will take the second level of that class the following year. All students in IB classes are required to follow IB policy and AHS IB policy including paying the exam fee and sitting for IB examinations in May.
Pre-Baccalaureate Coursework: It is strongly encouraged that all students pursuing the full diploma or higher level coursework be enrolled in the Pre-Baccalaureate classes in the 9th and 10th grades. While Atlee does not offer the IB Middle Years Program, which would provide transition from 10th grade to the diploma program in 11th, we have designed pre-Bac classes that are distinctly different from advanced classes, perhaps not in curriculum, but in how that curriculum is taught. The pre-Bac classes incorporate IB language, rubrics, projects, and rigor through student-based discussion, independent learning, inquiry-based projects, reading, and writing specifically geared towards 11th and 12th grade IB classes.
Student Support: Atlee has a designated school counselor who works specifically with IB diploma candidates as well as students taking three or more IB classes. The IB Counselor and the IB Coordinator begin discussing IB with students as early as 5th grade in the feeder schools. There are a number of presentations made at the middle school, at Parent Nights, Information Sessions and in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade meetings and at the Hanover County Educational Expos held twice each year.
Once students transition to the 9th grade, we ask that they declare their intent to participate in the full IB diploma. While this commitment is not binding, it does allow for early identification and further academic support for those who are intending to be full diploma candidates. See more on the role of the IB Coordinator and IB Counselor for additional information.