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IB students tell board Farmington program 'prepares you for college' and urges expansion
Summary
Four student leaders and the IB coordinator told the board the International Baccalaureate diploma program improved their critical thinking, writing and time management and recommended making similarly rigorous opportunities more accessible; staff and board members praised the students and discussed expanding accelerated options.
At the May 20 Farmington Public Schools Board meeting, IB Coordinator Tim Russell and four student leaders from Farmington High School described how the International Baccalaureate (IB) programs have prepared seniors for college and urged the district to expand accelerated opportunities.
Tim Russell said the program’s leaders worked to make rigorous IB coursework more “palatable” and supportive for students. Student speakers — identified in the presentation as Tansil, Brandon Dale, Andy Haldida and Braden Shea — described specific benefits: enhanced time management, substantial improvement in academic writing through internal assessments (IAs) and college application essays, stronger critical thinking and a collaborative student culture that supports ambitious learners.
Students explained the difference between IB and other advanced classes. One student contrasted IB history with AP history: rather than quickly covering content, IB explored causes and effects in-depth, teaching students to “be a historian.” The senior cohort’s average GPA was cited by a presenter as 4.3, and students said many IB graduates report easier transitions to college because of the skills developed in the program.
Board members thanked the students and urged them to encourage peers to consider accelerated opportunities. President Weems and several trustees said the presentation underscored the district’s work to offer more challenging coursework and to expand acceleration opportunities into middle schools. The board invited the students to return for IB celebration events and recognized the program as a pipeline for advanced learning.
Clarifying details: students cited internal assessments (IAs), external IB exams and a reported senior-class average GPA of 4.3; staff said the district’s IB cohort is growing and that the district will continue to support the program and consider ways to introduce acceleration earlier in the pathway.
