IB

IB Computer Science HL offers students individualized attention as they explore the logical, creative, and ethical dimensions of computing. The course emphasizes project-based learning, guiding students through real-world scenarios that strengthen their problem-solving and programming skills. With a focus on algorithmic thinking, data organization, and computational logic, students gain tools to become critical thinkers and effective communicators. Through collaborative and independent projects, students investigate the social and global impact of technology, fostering principled and reflective learners. As part of the IB curriculum, students also complete the Internal Assessment—a hands-on solution to a problem of their choosing—cultivating inquirers and risk-takers. This course provides a strong foundation in computer science while supporting each student’s personal growth as outlined in the IB Learner Profile.

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the core principles of computer science, with a strong emphasis on both theory and practical application. It covers advanced topics such as complex data structures, algorithms, and system design, alongside foundational concepts like system fundamentals and networking. The aim is to foster advanced computational thinking and problem-solving abilities, preparing students to tackle complex programming challenges and understand the intricacies of computer systems and networks. This first-year course builds a robust foundation for the more advanced topics covered in the second year.

Prerequisites: A film course OR the student must show a film they created outside of a class.

Strongly Recommended: Digital SLR or Mirrorless Digital Camera, tripod, and Rode mic 

IB Students will learn new ways to critique films through theory lenses, write and produce quality films, cast and direct actors, and make professional short films that screen far beyond the scope of the classroom. Our goals: The Austin Film Festival, the Austin Youth Film Festival, and South by Southwest (again!). 

IB Assessments in Year I:

Textual Analysis

Show off your skills as a film critic. Write a paper relating one IB prescribed movie to a cultural context and as much film theory, techniques, and language as possible.

Comparative Study

Show off your skills as both film critic and filmmaker. Create a film essay that both compares and contrasts two movies from different cultures or time periods the lens of one film theory or movement and cultural context.

Prerequisites: A film course OR the student must show a film they created outside of a class.

Strongly Recommended: Digital SLR or Mirrorless Digital Camera, tripod, and Rode mic 

In their second year of the course, advanced filmmakers have more freedom to focus on filmmaking as well as writing reflections around their process and artistic growth.

IB Assessments in Year II:

Film Portfolio Pages

After each film, students write a reflection on the process as it relates to a specific crew role. Three crew roles must be clearly defined, explored, and self-evaluated in these pages.

Film Portfolio Reel

Like any professional filmmaker, students will edit a reel showcasing clips from their movies as well as class exercises and tests. This simple reel has helped film students book paid jobs in the movie industry and gain acceptance into film schools.

Collaborative Film (HL Only) 

Students create a narrative or documentary project in a group where each student performs one specific crew role and works collaboratively to produce a final seven-minute movie.

Collaborative Film Report  (HL Only)

Write a detailed report self-reflecting and evaluating their work individually and as a crew.

Prerequisites: A film course OR the student must show a film they created outside of a class.

Strongly Recommended: Digital SLR or Mirrorless Digital Camera, tripod, and Rode mic 

IB Students will learn new ways to critique films through theory lenses, write and produce quality films, cast and direct actors, and make professional short films that screen far beyond the scope of the classroom. Our goals: The Austin Film Festival, the Austin Youth Film Festival, and South by Southwest (again!). 

IB Assessments in Year I:

Textual Analysis

Show off your skills as a film critic. Write a paper relating one IB prescribed movie to a cultural context and as much film theory, techniques, and language as possible.

Comparative Study

Show off your skills as both film critic and filmmaker. Create a film essay that both compares and contrasts two movies from different cultures or time periods the lens of one film theory or movement and cultural context.

Prerequisites: A film course OR the student must show a film they created outside of a class.

Strongly Recommended: Digital SLR or Mirrorless Digital Camera, tripod, and Rode mic 

In their second year of the course, advanced filmmakers have more freedom to focus on filmmaking as well as writing reflections around their process and artistic growth.

IB Assessments in Year II:

Film Portfolio Pages

After each film, students write a reflection on the process as it relates to a specific crew role. Three crew roles must be clearly defined, explored, and self-evaluated in these pages.

Film Portfolio Reel

Like any professional filmmaker, students will edit a reel showcasing clips from their movies as well as class exercises and tests. This simple reel has helped film students book paid jobs in the movie industry and gain acceptance into film schools.

Collaborative Film (HL Only) 

Students create a narrative or documentary project in a group where each student performs one specific crew role and works collaboratively to produce a final seven-minute movie.

Collaborative Film Report  (HL Only)

Write a detailed report self-reflecting and evaluating their work individually and as a crew.

Approval by the teacher, based on high achievement and work ethic

A student taking physics at the higher level will study four additional topics: wave phenomena, fields, electromagnetic induction, and quantum physics. Students electing the HL option should be prepared for a quick pace of material coverage and a hefty reading load.

IB Spanish SL I is designed for students who have completed Spanish IV. Some who have completed Spanish IV and those who have completed Spanish V are eligible for HL I.  

The course primarily focuses on language acquisition and the development of language skills to prepare students for college, professional life, and successful performance on the IB assessments. These skills are cultivated through the study and use of diverse written and spoken materials from Spanish-speaking cultures, including—but not limited to—films, radio, television, literature, magazines, and newspapers. The selected texts and resources foster intercultural understanding.

In this first year of IB Spanish, students will learn to express and support detailed opinions on a variety of topics. Instruction will take place almost entirely in Spanish, with an emphasis on both written and oral communication. The course reviews and requires mastery of all indicative tenses while introducing students to the present and imperfect subjunctive, as well as idiomatic expressions.

The curriculum is structured around five themes, explored over the two-year program:

• Identities – The nature of the self and what it means to be human
• Experiences – The stories, events, and journeys that shape our lives
• Human Ingenuity – The ways in which human creativity and innovation impact our world
• Social Organization – How groups of people organize themselves or are organized through common systems or interests
• Sharing the Planet – The challenges and opportunities faced by individuals and communities in today’s world

IB Spanish HL I places an emphasis on literature, and is available for more advanced students.

IB Spanish B First Year is a prerequisite for IB Spanish B Second Year. The course aims to develop students' ability to communicate effectively in the target language, both orally and in writing, while fostering an understanding of its cultural and social context. At this level, an essential skill is the ability to present well-supported arguments, incorporating detailed evidence to justify a point of view.

In the second year, students continue to refine their language and analytical proficiency within the five IB themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. The first semester focuses on expanding linguistic and cultural knowledge through diverse texts and resources, while the second semester emphasizes preparation for formal oral and written assessments, which are submitted in the spring.

IB Spanish SL I is designed for students who have completed Spanish IV. Some who have completed Spanish IV and those who have completed Spanish V are eligible for HL I.  

The course primarily focuses on language acquisition and the development of language skills to prepare students for college, professional life, and successful performance on the IB assessments. These skills are cultivated through the study and use of diverse written and spoken materials from Spanish-speaking cultures, including—but not limited to—films, radio, television, literature, magazines, and newspapers. The selected texts and resources foster intercultural understanding.

In this first year of IB Spanish, students will learn to express and support detailed opinions on a variety of topics. Instruction will take place almost entirely in Spanish, with an emphasis on both written and oral communication. The course reviews and requires mastery of all indicative tenses while introducing students to the present and imperfect subjunctive, as well as idiomatic expressions.

The curriculum is structured around five themes, explored over the two-year program:

• Identities – The nature of the self and what it means to be human
• Experiences – The stories, events, and journeys that shape our lives
• Human Ingenuity – The ways in which human creativity and innovation impact our world
• Social Organization – How groups of people organize themselves or are organized through common systems or interests
• Sharing the Planet – The challenges and opportunities faced by individuals and communities in today’s world

IB Spanish HL I places an emphasis on literature and is available for more advanced students.

IB Spanish B First Year is a prerequisite for IB Spanish B Second Year. The course aims to develop students' ability to communicate effectively in the target language, both orally and in writing, while fostering an understanding of its cultural and social context. At this level, an essential skill is the ability to present well-supported arguments, incorporating detailed evidence to justify a point of view.

In the second year, students continue to refine their language and analytical proficiency within the five IB themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. The first semester focuses on expanding linguistic and cultural knowledge through diverse texts and resources, while the second semester emphasizes preparation for formal oral and written assessments, which are submitted in the spring.

The IB Visual Arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with, and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education, as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts. The Course is in three parts:

Part 1: Comparative Study

An independent critical and contextual investigation that explores artworks, objects, and artifacts from differing cultural contexts.

Part 2: The Process Portfolio

A documentation of the students’ artistic experience during the course, both visual and written.

Part 3: The Exhibition

Students present a body of work accompanied by reflection showing critical understanding and awareness of context.

Year One: Students will learn about the structure of the course with the focus on the Process Portfolio, developing skills in drawing, painting, design, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. The Process Portfolio is 40 % of the final mark and documents the student's artistic journey during the course. It is not intended to be polished, refined, or even resolved work; final work is presented for the Exhibition component of the course. The PP is a collection of carefully selected materials which document the student's experimentation, exploration, manipulation, and development of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.

Some students will create their PP on a digital platform, others will scan journal pages, and most will do a combination of both.

Students also will learn about art history and aesthetics to inform their work on the Comparative Study which they will complete during the first year. The Comparative Study is an independent, critical and contextual investigation that explores artworks from differing cultural contexts. The CS is one of the 3 assessed components required by the Visual Arts Curriculum and it constitutes 20% of the final mark. It is basically a comparative, analytic investigation that strikes a balance between visual and written. The majority of the CS is completed during Year One. 

Year Two: Students will continue to develop and refine skills in a variety of 2D, 3D, and digital media. This is also when students will develop a body of personal work for the Exhibition, which happens in April of the second year. The final exhibition is the culmination of the students' IB Art experience. Students present a selection of their best work in the form of a curated final show and defend and articulate their purpose and intention in a written rationale. In HL, students develop and complete between 7 - 11 finished artworks for their exhibition.  In SL, students complete between 4 - 7 finished artworks. 

All final edits on the Comparative Study and the Process Portfolio are completed in the Spring of Year Two.

The IB Visual Arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with, and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education, as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts. The Course is in three parts:

Part 1: Comparative Study

An independent critical and contextual investigation that explores artworks, objects, and artifacts from differing cultural contexts.

Part 2: The Process Portfolio

A documentation of the students’ artistic experience during the course, both visual and written.

Part 3: The Exhibition

Students present a body of work accompanied by reflection showing critical understanding and awareness of context.

Year One: Students will learn about the structure of the course with the focus on the Process Portfolio, developing skills in drawing, painting, design, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. The Process Portfolio is 40 % of the final mark and documents the student's artistic journey during the course. It is not intended to be polished, refined, or even resolved work; final work is presented for the Exhibition component of the course. The PP is a collection of carefully selected materials which document the student's experimentation, exploration, manipulation, and development of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.

Some students will create their PP on a digital platform, others will scan journal pages, and most will do a combination of both.

Students also will learn about art history and aesthetics to inform their work on the Comparative Study which they will complete during the first year. The Comparative Study is an independent, critical and contextual investigation that explores artworks from differing cultural contexts. The CS is one of the 3 assessed components required by the Visual Arts Curriculum and it constitutes 20% of the final mark. It is basically a comparative, analytic investigation that strikes a balance between visual and written. The majority of the CS is completed during Year One. 

Year Two: Students will continue to develop and refine skills in a variety of 2D, 3D, and digital media. This is also when students will develop a body of personal work for the Exhibition, which happens in April of the second year. The final exhibition is the culmination of the students' IB Art experience. Students present a selection of their best work in the form of a curated final show and defend and articulate their purpose and intention in a written rationale. In HL, students develop and complete between 7 - 11 finished artworks for their exhibition.  In SL, students complete between 4 - 7 finished artworks. 

All final edits on the Comparative Study and the Process Portfolio are completed in the Spring of Year Two.