Dear IB Diploma Candidate,

I am excited to welcome you to the Class of 2024 IB Diploma Cohort! As you know, the commitment to the diploma program is not one to be taken lightly. In our conversations, we discussed some key traits that will allow you to succeed in this program, those worth mentioning again are: effective time management skills, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to take academic risks.

From my experience as a teacher and IB Coordinator, junior year can be stressful as it is a time when many students want to continue their strong academic performance, and for others, they want to demonstrate what they are capable of achieving, even if that was difficult in the past. The IB Diploma Programme is a great way to showcase not only your academic skill set but also your commitment to the community and reflect on your role in the process.

As we get ready to begin this new phase of school, I want to make you aware that the IB and Portledge mandates students and families are made aware of certain policies. Linked below you will find several documents which should be reviewed prior to the start of school. The Receipt of Documentation form and Maintaining Good Standing form should be submitted before September 5th. These two forms can be found on MyPortledge beginning August 15th.

These documents are a bit cumbersome, so please know we will review key aspects with students throughout the course of the school year. Below are some key takeaways to guide you through the documents:

• IB General Guidelines: This document goes over the key aspects of the Diploma Programme in legal terms, while also providing students and families with a scope of not only the program but the awarding of the diploma.
  
  
• Candidates with Assessment Access Requirements: This refers to students who may require special accommodations. Portledge School honors IEPs and 504 Plans, however, in order to gain such accommodations for IB exams the IB Coordinator must apply for said accommodations by October 1 of the exam year. It is not guaranteed that these accommodations will be honored; however, we have had success in the past as long as timely and appropriate documentation is provided.
  
  
• Effective Citing and Referencing: This document will be referenced often in all IB courses. Students have an expectation of adhering to academic standards including adhering to academic integrity policies.
  
  
• Maintaining Good Standing: As the title infers this document highlights the need for abiding by the Portledge Pillars and maintaining academic integrity. Please, carefully review and then sign this document.

I am sincerely excited to begin this year and I am hopeful that this cohort of twenty-four capable students will find success in a myriad of ways, some of which we may not even be aware of at this time.

Best Regards,

Mrs. Rigg
IB Coordinator
trigg@portledge.org