The International Baccalaureate ("IB") program is a world-renowned, prestigious, pre-university course of study, offered during the last two years of secondary school. Turner Fenton is the only school in the Peel Board, and one of only nineteen in Ontario, that offers this excellent academic and personal opportunity. The program is rewarding and demanding. IB students will need to be motivated, independent learners with an excellent command of spoken and written language who display high academic standing, superior academic potential, leadership skills, the ability to accept challenges and who are involved in broad areas of both school and community life.

All IB candidates (who will also, if successful, obtain the regular Ontario Secondary School Diploma) must study language, sciences, mathematics and humanities. A student’s program consists of the following six groups: English, French, History, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and an Elective.

In our initial IB "package", three of the subjects - English, math or history and science - are taken at the "Higher Level" (HL), each of which is roughly equivalent to two OAC subjects and the other three at the "Standard Level" (SL), each of which is equivalent to one or two OAC courses. Students must also complete a "Theory of Knowledge" (TOK) course, undertake a minimum of 150 hours of balanced extracurricular involvement in the "Creativity, Action, Service" (CAS) components of the program and complete an "extended essay" of some 4 000 words.

For a much more detailed explanation, including a five-page handout describing characteristics of a "typical" IB student, advantages of taking this program, fee information, admission criteria, and application forms and procedures, students and their parents should contact Mrs. M. Tracy or Ms. L. Roe-Etter or visit the Turner Fenton IB website.

Note: All Grade 8 students wishing to take the IB program must consult their counselor for correct course codes.