International Baccalaureate Programme

About

About

Tour Presentation for Applicants

Quality education for a better world

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an in international education organization that offers high quality programmes to a worldwide community of schools:

  • the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 5–12
  • the Middle Years Programme (MYP), for students aged 11–16
  • the Diploma Programme (DP) and the Career-related Programme (CP), for high school students aged 16-19.

Ada Merritt K-8 Center is an IB World School offering a Primary Years Programme and a Middle Years

Programme.

Students who complete the MYP at Ada Merritt K-8 Center and who meet the IB high schools’ admission requirements will benefit from automatic admission to the IB High School assigned to their neighborhood.

IB Mission

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. 

IB Learner Profile

At the heart of the International Baccalaureate is the Learner Profile. It describes ten attributes that define an

internationally minded student. The IB learner profile provides a long-term educational vision that encourages students to become principled, balanced, open-minded, reflective, Inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers.

What is an IB education?

To learn more about the IB programmes and the Learner Profile visit the IB website.

Self-study questionnaire

To access the self-study questionnaire for your group, please click on the link for your answers. Your feedback is important and we thank you for taking the time to reflect on Ada Merritt’s implementation of the IB programmes. 

PYP Parent Survey

PYP Student Survey

MYP Parent Survey

MYP Student Survey

Primary Years Programme

What is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme?

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning that focuses on the development of the whole child. With an international focus, it addresses the academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs of students. Elements of the program include a student profile, specific attitudes, a concept driven curriculum and the understanding that socially responsible actions are an integral part of the learning process.

Guided by a series of questions, students and teacher develop units for exploration and study creating a dynamic and energizing learning environment. It combines the best research and practices from a range of national systems with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools around the world.

These elements are extensions of 3 inter-related questions:

  • What do we want to learn?
  • How best will we learn?
  • How will we know that we have learned?

The curriculum framework incorporates key concepts, approaches to learning skills (ATL), attitudes, actions and knowledge:

  • Key Concepts form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility
  • ATL skills: 
    • Thinking – Critical, creative, transfer
    • Research – Ethical, media, and information literacy
    • Communication –Listening, speaking, interpreting
    • Social– Interpersonal, social, and emotional intelligence
    • Self - management – Mindfulness, time management, organization.

Academic subjects are studied in themes and explored in ways that transcend conventional methods. Teachers and students design units for exploration and study, guided by a series of basic questions. These questions provoke ideas of local and global significance and accentuate concerns that we all share rega

rdless of our backgrounds or where we reside. Each grade level will showcase one unit.

The Trans-disciplinary Themes

The PYP consists of 6 themes that encourage students to research, discuss, challenge, share, and present their knowledge.

  • Who We Are
  • Where We Are in Place and Time
  • How We Express Ourselves
  • How the World Works
  • How We Organise Ourselves
  • Sharing the Planet.

What is the PYP Exhibition?

Learning in the Primary Years Programme (PYP) provides many formal and informal opportunities for students to demonstrate how they have developed and applied their knowledge, conceptual understanding, skills and leaner profile attributes through the inquiries they undertake. The PYP exhibition is a notable example of these opportunities. In the PYP exhibition, fifth grade students demonstrate their understanding of an issue or opportunity they have chosen to explore. They undertake their investigation both individually and with their peers, together with the guidance of mentors. Through the exhibition, fifth graders demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their learning, and their capacity to take action.

The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:

  • For students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry.
  • To provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate agency and responsibility for their learning.
  • To synthesize and apply the learning of previous years and to reflect upon the journey through the PYP.
  • For students to take action as a result of their learning.
  • To unite the, teachers, parents, and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP.
  • To support the well-being of students by celebrating the ir transition to the next stages of their education.

Learn more about the PYP curriculum framework

PYP Brochure

PYP Required Summer Reading Books Summer 2026
PYP School Supply List 2026-2027

Middle Years Programme

Middle Years Programme Brochure

6th grade student  orientation

What is the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP)?

The MYP provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. Centered around the IB learner profile, the MYP promotes intercultural awareness, responsible global citizenship, interdisciplinary, thematic instruction and communication.

Global Contexts

Contexts for learning in the MYP are chosen from global contexts to encourage international mindedness and global engagement.

Fairness and development

What are the consequences of our common humanity?

Students will explore rights and responsibilities; the relationship between communities; sharing finite resources with other people and with other living things; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Identities and relationships

Who am I? Who are we?

Students will explore identity; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; what it means to be human.

Orientation in time and space

What is the meaning of “when” and “where”?

Students will explore personal histories; homes and journeys; turning points in humankind; discoveries; explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between, and the interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from personal, local and global perspectives.

Globalization and sustainability

How is everything connected?

Students will explore the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the relationship between local and global processes; how local experiences mediate the global; reflect on the opportunities and tensions provided by world interconnectedness; the impact of decision-making on humankind and the environment.

Scientific and technical innovation

How do we understand the worlds in which we live?

Students will explore the natural world and its laws; the interaction between people and the natural world; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on communities and environments; the impact of environments on human activity; how humans adapt environments to their needs.

Personal and cultural expression

What is the nature and purpose of creative expression?

Students will explore the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

Service as Action

Ada Merritt K-8 Center values service with others as an important way to develop the attributes of the Learner Profile. Service as Action is incorporated into the Middle Years Curriculum to encourage students to think of themselves as caring members of their local and global community. Middle Years students are required to meet the MYP learning outcomes for service and to complete hours of service each year of the program, culminating in 8th grade with a Community Service Project. Additional information is provided in the Service As Action Guide and the Community Project Guide.

Additional information is available in these documents:

Class of 2026 SA Request FORM

Class of 2027 SA Request FORM

Class of 2028 SA Request FORM

SA Evidence and Reflection Form

SA Guide

2025-2026 Community Project Guide

Community project presentation

2025-2026 Odd Even Schedule

Approaches to Learning

Approaches to learning (ATL) provide the foundation for independent learning and encourage the application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Throughout the MYP, students develop, practice and master social thinking, research, communication and self-management skills that will help learn how to learn and become life-long learners.

Requirements of the Middle Years Programme

As part of the Middle Years Programme, all students must:

  • meet the criteria of the International Studies/International Baccalaureate contract
  • maintain a grade of 2.5 or higher in every subject and in conduct to earn the MYP Certificate in 8th grade.
  •  meet the service requirements each MYP year (see service guide)
  • all students must complete the MYP portfolio
  • complete a community project in MYP year 3 (8th grade)

Parents and guardians are responsible for:

  • enforcing the student dress code (see uniform information)
  • monitoring the child’s progress through access to the student online grade book and the parent Managebac account
  • ensuring that students meet the expectations of the Parent/Student Honor Code.

All service requests for approvals and reflection forms must be submitted on Managebac

Requirements to earn the MYP certificate in 8th grade:

To earn the MYP Certificate in 8th grade, students must fulfill the following four requirements:

  • Maintain a grade of 2.5 or higher in every subject and in conduct.
  • Complete the MYP portfolio, maintaining and updating it throughout the three years of the MYP program and finalizing it by the end of 8th grade.
  • Complete a minimum of 40 community service hours.
  • Successfully complete the MYP Project.

Middle Years Schedules

All Middle School students have eight 85 minute classes in a four by four block schedule. They take:

annual courses in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Language and Literature, Language Acquisition (Spanish or Portuguese), Design/Technology, Humanities in Spanish or Portuguese.

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semester courses in Physical Education and Fine arts.

Intensive Reading and Mathematics classes are provided to students who need reinforcement in those areas in preparation for the FAST

Click on below links to view relevant information for:

Summer Information/Assignments for the  2025-2026 School Year

Middle School students will receive a Summer Assignments Letter outlining their individual summer assignments. Copies of all letters are on file in the school's office.​​​​​​​

​​​​Mathematics

All students going to Algebra 1 must complete Segment 2 of M/J Pre-Algebra through Florida Virtual School (FLVS).  It is suggested, but not required to take Segment 1.

Language Arts

Spanish

Portuguese

Files: