Klein Oak Celebrates 15 Years of International Baccalaureate Program
Klein Oak High School celebrated 15 years of the world-renowned International Baccalaureate®(IB) program. Through this program, accepted students are challenged with a unique, globally-recognized curriculum that emphasizes academic, professional, and personal growth.
Although the IB coursework is specific to 11th and 12th grade, these students typically complete PreIB courses as freshmen and sophomores in order to prepare for future class intensity. Senior Adarsh Medikonda said the program taught him to be college, career, and life ready.
“It’s humbling because you’re surrounded by so many intelligent and amazing people in IB, you learn to take in as much information and knowledge as you can,” he said. “It gave me value because it taught me that I can learn and I can improve as a person.”
IB students that successfully complete the required coursework and all IB exams graduate from high school with the esteemed IB diploma, crediting them 24 credits to any Texas university and various universities around the world.
Ashlyn Langner graduated in 2016 with the IB diploma and is now halfway through her undergraduate career at Texas A&M University. She credits much of her college success to the skills that she learned through her IB journey.
“A huge benefit of IB is that I got a glimpse of what college would be like from the comfort of my high school,” she said. “The workload, at least for me, in IB and in college have been very similar so I got to really self-reflect on what kind of learner I was, and what kind of learner I wanted to be, before leaving.”
The first class of 2006 IB graduates had six students in total. That number has grown as more learners realize the benefit of exploring this challenge. Last year, 55 equipped scholars graduated from the program and acquired the diploma.
“This is an amazing accomplishment,” Klein ISD Advanced Academics Instructional Officer Kathleen Plott said. “For a program to last 15 years, consecutively, with the same leader is remarkable.”
Director Linda Garner believes that the program supports the development of the whole learner, always ensuring high expectations for every student in both character and academics.
“I have felt so honored and lucky to serve as coordinator,” she said. “I love this program and I love these students. I think it’s the best college preparatory program ever and it’s so rewarding.”
Senior Samantha Taylor believes that the IB program teaches students that intelligence is just as important as hard work, builds confidence and instills hope for the future.
“I feel like I’m more confident and more mature as well, something that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken IB,” she said. “College will be a piece of cake.”
Thank you to everyone who has invested in the IB program at Klein Oak over the last 15 years. IB modeled Promise2Purpose long before the vision was born in Klein ISD and we look forward to meeting the next 15 years of panther pathway explorers.
Best Public Schools in Texas
Klein ISD has an established 84-year history of excellence and innovation in education with unique pathways for EVERY student in our care to ensure learners are college, career, military, and life ready. With recognition for STEM, athletics, fine arts, and academics from highly-esteemed organizations, it is clear that Our Shared Vision of every student entering with a promise and exiting with a purpose is a reality for EVERY student who walks through our doors.
About Klein ISD
Klein ISD is a school district in Klein, Texas, located in northwestern Harris County. The district spans approximately 88 square miles and serves more than 53,000 students in 33 elementary schools, 10 intermediate campuses, one high school program of choice, and 5 high schools.
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