Updates on IB's response to COVID-19
Fall 2023
IB has returned to its pre-pandemic practices in all subjects. Students who contract COVID during exams still have a process to earn their IB scores, despite missing one or more assessments. Contact Lisa Lacy at [email protected] for more information.
March 2021
IB has communicated to us that Tualatin High students who are registered for IB scores this year will be awarded scores based on their non-exam route. That means that we will NOT be hosting IB exams in May. Rather, students will be assessed using in-class assessments and teacher input. Click here for the official announcement from the district back in February. Students will still receive a score and transcripts will be sent to students' selected universities when they are released in July 2021. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lisa Lacy at [email protected].
September 2020
We're guessing you've got some questions about the impact of Comprehensive Distance Learning and the four-period, every-day schedule on the IB Program at TuHS. Here are some answers to the questions we are hearing the most.
Q. What will IB classes look like this year?
A. You'll still have readings, reflections, group discussions, problem sets, quizzes and tests. None of that will change but the format will. Your "group discussions" may happen over Google Hangouts or they may happen in a written document where you respond to others in writing. Will you have "open note" tests? Probably. Will your IB exams in May '21 be open note? Not a chance. So how do we hold you accountable for really knowing information and having it stored in your memory when our normal methods of doing this (i.e. "You have a quiz on Friday. Be sure to study chapter 4!" ) are no longer available to us? This will require YOUR buy in. IB teachers can teach but it is on YOU to learn. Learning is something that YOU have to do.
Q. Will we still have to do as much work in IB classes as in a normal year?
A. Your IB courses will be challenging and rigorous; however, the IBO has removed some specific assessments in different subjects and therefore certain parts of the curriculum don't have to be covered in order to prepare you for spring exams. For example, in science there won't be a Group 4 project. In English, Paper 2 has been removed, so the books that correspond to Paper 2 can be removed from the syllabus. Your teachers are working very hard to distill exactly what they need to teach in order for you to be successful. It is our goal to minimize stress while still preparing students for exams and college success.
Q. What about my schedule? What will that look like?
A. Every student will take up to 4 credits per semester, for a total of 8 possible by the end of the year. You'll have 4 classes in Semester 1 that meet every day. At the end of Semester 1, you'll start 4 new classes. On Wednesdays, you'll be working independently on assignments in all 4 subjects.
Q. Does this mean I won't have math (or English or history or whatever) all year long?
A. Yes - that is what this means. If you have math 1st semester, you won't have it 2nd semester, and vice versa. You will earn .5 credit per quarter, or 1 full credit per semester in each of your courses.
Q. What about second semester. Will we still be doing Comprehensive Distanced Learning then, too?
A. No one knows the answer to that, unfortunately. Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties all have to fall below the governor's threshold for virus cases per 100,000 people before we can go back to in-person instruction.
Q. When will I get my schedule?
A. As soon as possible. Our administrators and counselors have been working around the clock to build a schedule that works for everyone. If you get a chance to thank them for all of their hard work, YOU SHOULD!
Q. Do I have to do my Extended Essay?
A. Ha! Of course! That hasn't changed at all. But nice try.
Q. So how do I do my Extended Essay?
A. The same way you would if you were face to face with Mr. Malone. You will do your research online (as you would have done anyway) and you'll do your writing on your own (as you would have done anyway). When you need to meet with your Extended Essay adviser, you'll need to schedule a hangout or phone call with that person.
Q. What about CAS (the Creativity, Activity, and Service Portfolio)?
A. As we have always said, you GET to do CAS. CAS remains a key part of the IB Diploma that should be a fun and welcome escape from your academic responsibilities. CAS is designed to ensure you are well-rounded and healthy -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. The CAS requirements are unchanged -- you should be doing something at all times that contributes to your well-being or the well-being of your community, something creative, active, or service-oriented. The service component is really flexible. You must not put yourself at risk with volunteering in person if it can't be done safely. But if you can find something to do for service that is safe, includes mask-wearing and/or social distancing, then we encourage you to go for it. The creative and active aspects of CAS are even more flexible, and they are a critical part of supporting your mental health. If you want to make a plan to go for a jog twice a week as a way to burn off some frustration, that's most definitely an active experience you should document in your CAS portfolio. If you want to take up watercolors or learn to bake sourdough bread, those are awesome ideas for spending some time on creativity. If you're a full IB Diploma candidate, you'll get all the details on CAS during IB seminar. Just remember that keeping yourself and your community well is what CAS is all about.
Q. Are colleges going to accept my IB diploma if I earn one?
A. Yes. Colleges and universities have not changed their policies, nor is there any indication they will. Some schools (like Oregon and Washington public colleges) are required by LAW to give credit for scores of 4 or higher out of 7. This past year, 91.4% of TuHS students who registered for an IB subject scored high enough to earn college credit, and collectively they saved $447,200 on tuition as a result! Wow!
Q. What will the Internal Assessments look like this year?
A. The IAs will be super important this year, and your IB teachers will likely try to get them started early in the semester. As we learned last year, if exams are canceled again due to the pandemic, your Internal Assessments become really important in calculating your IB scores, so they should be your best work and should be done ON TIME.
Q. What do IB exams in May 2021 look like?
A. At this point the IBO has plans for students to sit for IB exams as they have done in years past. Students completing exams at school is the ideal situation. If we are not back to in-person instruction by then, or if it is unsafe for examinations to take place, the IBO will have an alternative. Last spring, without exams, IB determined final grades based largely on the IAs, which is why they must be your best work.
Q. Should I keep doing a Full IB Diploma? Is it worth it?
A. That is entirely up to you. There are benefits to earning an IB Diploma, such as preferred admission and college credit. However, what you learn from the PROCESS of earning your IB Diploma is even more valuable (balance / critical thinking skills / self reliance / collaboration / writing skills / understanding how truly capable you are). You are the only one who knows whether those benefits outweigh the costs. And it will cost you. You will earn this diploma; it will not be given to you. It will require some stress, some sacrifice, some long nights, some self doubt, and some frustration. Each of you must consider what is reasonable during this unique situation. As always, Mr. Malone and Ms. Lacy are here to help you know your options and decide what is best for you.
Here are some things you can consider:
IB has returned to its pre-pandemic practices in all subjects. Students who contract COVID during exams still have a process to earn their IB scores, despite missing one or more assessments. Contact Lisa Lacy at [email protected] for more information.
March 2021
IB has communicated to us that Tualatin High students who are registered for IB scores this year will be awarded scores based on their non-exam route. That means that we will NOT be hosting IB exams in May. Rather, students will be assessed using in-class assessments and teacher input. Click here for the official announcement from the district back in February. Students will still receive a score and transcripts will be sent to students' selected universities when they are released in July 2021. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lisa Lacy at [email protected].
September 2020
We're guessing you've got some questions about the impact of Comprehensive Distance Learning and the four-period, every-day schedule on the IB Program at TuHS. Here are some answers to the questions we are hearing the most.
Q. What will IB classes look like this year?
A. You'll still have readings, reflections, group discussions, problem sets, quizzes and tests. None of that will change but the format will. Your "group discussions" may happen over Google Hangouts or they may happen in a written document where you respond to others in writing. Will you have "open note" tests? Probably. Will your IB exams in May '21 be open note? Not a chance. So how do we hold you accountable for really knowing information and having it stored in your memory when our normal methods of doing this (i.e. "You have a quiz on Friday. Be sure to study chapter 4!" ) are no longer available to us? This will require YOUR buy in. IB teachers can teach but it is on YOU to learn. Learning is something that YOU have to do.
Q. Will we still have to do as much work in IB classes as in a normal year?
A. Your IB courses will be challenging and rigorous; however, the IBO has removed some specific assessments in different subjects and therefore certain parts of the curriculum don't have to be covered in order to prepare you for spring exams. For example, in science there won't be a Group 4 project. In English, Paper 2 has been removed, so the books that correspond to Paper 2 can be removed from the syllabus. Your teachers are working very hard to distill exactly what they need to teach in order for you to be successful. It is our goal to minimize stress while still preparing students for exams and college success.
Q. What about my schedule? What will that look like?
A. Every student will take up to 4 credits per semester, for a total of 8 possible by the end of the year. You'll have 4 classes in Semester 1 that meet every day. At the end of Semester 1, you'll start 4 new classes. On Wednesdays, you'll be working independently on assignments in all 4 subjects.
Q. Does this mean I won't have math (or English or history or whatever) all year long?
A. Yes - that is what this means. If you have math 1st semester, you won't have it 2nd semester, and vice versa. You will earn .5 credit per quarter, or 1 full credit per semester in each of your courses.
Q. What about second semester. Will we still be doing Comprehensive Distanced Learning then, too?
A. No one knows the answer to that, unfortunately. Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties all have to fall below the governor's threshold for virus cases per 100,000 people before we can go back to in-person instruction.
Q. When will I get my schedule?
A. As soon as possible. Our administrators and counselors have been working around the clock to build a schedule that works for everyone. If you get a chance to thank them for all of their hard work, YOU SHOULD!
Q. Do I have to do my Extended Essay?
A. Ha! Of course! That hasn't changed at all. But nice try.
Q. So how do I do my Extended Essay?
A. The same way you would if you were face to face with Mr. Malone. You will do your research online (as you would have done anyway) and you'll do your writing on your own (as you would have done anyway). When you need to meet with your Extended Essay adviser, you'll need to schedule a hangout or phone call with that person.
Q. What about CAS (the Creativity, Activity, and Service Portfolio)?
A. As we have always said, you GET to do CAS. CAS remains a key part of the IB Diploma that should be a fun and welcome escape from your academic responsibilities. CAS is designed to ensure you are well-rounded and healthy -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. The CAS requirements are unchanged -- you should be doing something at all times that contributes to your well-being or the well-being of your community, something creative, active, or service-oriented. The service component is really flexible. You must not put yourself at risk with volunteering in person if it can't be done safely. But if you can find something to do for service that is safe, includes mask-wearing and/or social distancing, then we encourage you to go for it. The creative and active aspects of CAS are even more flexible, and they are a critical part of supporting your mental health. If you want to make a plan to go for a jog twice a week as a way to burn off some frustration, that's most definitely an active experience you should document in your CAS portfolio. If you want to take up watercolors or learn to bake sourdough bread, those are awesome ideas for spending some time on creativity. If you're a full IB Diploma candidate, you'll get all the details on CAS during IB seminar. Just remember that keeping yourself and your community well is what CAS is all about.
Q. Are colleges going to accept my IB diploma if I earn one?
A. Yes. Colleges and universities have not changed their policies, nor is there any indication they will. Some schools (like Oregon and Washington public colleges) are required by LAW to give credit for scores of 4 or higher out of 7. This past year, 91.4% of TuHS students who registered for an IB subject scored high enough to earn college credit, and collectively they saved $447,200 on tuition as a result! Wow!
Q. What will the Internal Assessments look like this year?
A. The IAs will be super important this year, and your IB teachers will likely try to get them started early in the semester. As we learned last year, if exams are canceled again due to the pandemic, your Internal Assessments become really important in calculating your IB scores, so they should be your best work and should be done ON TIME.
Q. What do IB exams in May 2021 look like?
A. At this point the IBO has plans for students to sit for IB exams as they have done in years past. Students completing exams at school is the ideal situation. If we are not back to in-person instruction by then, or if it is unsafe for examinations to take place, the IBO will have an alternative. Last spring, without exams, IB determined final grades based largely on the IAs, which is why they must be your best work.
Q. Should I keep doing a Full IB Diploma? Is it worth it?
A. That is entirely up to you. There are benefits to earning an IB Diploma, such as preferred admission and college credit. However, what you learn from the PROCESS of earning your IB Diploma is even more valuable (balance / critical thinking skills / self reliance / collaboration / writing skills / understanding how truly capable you are). You are the only one who knows whether those benefits outweigh the costs. And it will cost you. You will earn this diploma; it will not be given to you. It will require some stress, some sacrifice, some long nights, some self doubt, and some frustration. Each of you must consider what is reasonable during this unique situation. As always, Mr. Malone and Ms. Lacy are here to help you know your options and decide what is best for you.
Here are some things you can consider:
- If you were planning to take mostly IB classes anyway, dropping full IB won't change your schedule very much.
- If dropping full IB will only take away the responsibilities of the Extended Essay and CAS, is it worth it to drop the IB Diploma?
- This will be an interesting examination year, and IB has removed or amended parts of the assessments for almost every subject. While the learning environment may be more difficult with Comprehensive Distanced Learning, IB teachers are committed to cutting down the work you are asked to do outside the school day, and the official assessments for IB are shorter/lighter than they have been in the past.
- Besides doing school online, what else has changed for you? Are you responsible for siblings? Are you working? Has your home life changed? How has your mental health been affected by these circumstances? Do you feel more stressed? Less stressed? Only you know the answers to these questions and how much added stress you can manage this year. Be sure to reach out to Mr. Malone or Ms. Lacy if you are struggling or need help thinking about your options. We are always available via email.
May 2020
Hi IB Students and Families,
I know you are being inundated with information from teachers, the school district, and people like me. This is just a reminder that all students who registered for IB exams in the fall will STILL receive a score that will get them credit at many universities. Your IB score is usually based on multiple components, including internal assessments, predicted grades, and externally-assessed components like exams or papers. Some subject areas have as many as five elements that are assessed to create the IB score. Yes, exams were cancelled, but IB is STILL providing you with your score. Therefore, IB is not issuing refunds to all students who registered.
How will my score be calculated without the exams?
IB is using an algorithm that examines the historic relationship (at TuHS and globally) among the IAs, predicted grades, and other components including exams to project what your score is, even though you're not sitting for exams. This means that in subjects where students typically do better on exams than they do on other components, the score will account for that.
Will my university still accept that score?
I have yet to hear of a university that is not honoring its IB score policy. In fact, this morning Oregon State announced that it will now accept scores of 4 out of 7 for this year's incoming freshmen, rather than their previous policy requiring 5s. All other universities in the Oregon University System will begin accepting 4s with the fall of 2021, unless they change their policies to follow along with OSU. Fingers crossed! If you are wondering about your university's score policy, just Google it!
When will scores be issued?
Scores will be released, as usual, on July 6th. As we get closer to that time, I will send out your personal log in information via email so that you can view your scores online. Seniors are provided with one official IB transcript, sent to the university of your choice, free of charge. Next month, I'll send out a Google Form for seniors to request a transcript for your school. Transcripts are mailed directly to your university as soon as scores are released on July 6th.
What do I do if I have more questions?
The IB website is a great source of information about the IB Program at TuHS. Check out our program info. You can also find answers to your FAQs at ibo.org, the official IB website. If you still have questions, feel free to email me ([email protected]) or Shem Malone ([email protected]). We're happy to help.
Wishing you all health and perseverance as we get through all this together,
Lisa/Mrs. Lacy
Hi IB Students and Families,
I know you are being inundated with information from teachers, the school district, and people like me. This is just a reminder that all students who registered for IB exams in the fall will STILL receive a score that will get them credit at many universities. Your IB score is usually based on multiple components, including internal assessments, predicted grades, and externally-assessed components like exams or papers. Some subject areas have as many as five elements that are assessed to create the IB score. Yes, exams were cancelled, but IB is STILL providing you with your score. Therefore, IB is not issuing refunds to all students who registered.
How will my score be calculated without the exams?
IB is using an algorithm that examines the historic relationship (at TuHS and globally) among the IAs, predicted grades, and other components including exams to project what your score is, even though you're not sitting for exams. This means that in subjects where students typically do better on exams than they do on other components, the score will account for that.
Will my university still accept that score?
I have yet to hear of a university that is not honoring its IB score policy. In fact, this morning Oregon State announced that it will now accept scores of 4 out of 7 for this year's incoming freshmen, rather than their previous policy requiring 5s. All other universities in the Oregon University System will begin accepting 4s with the fall of 2021, unless they change their policies to follow along with OSU. Fingers crossed! If you are wondering about your university's score policy, just Google it!
When will scores be issued?
Scores will be released, as usual, on July 6th. As we get closer to that time, I will send out your personal log in information via email so that you can view your scores online. Seniors are provided with one official IB transcript, sent to the university of your choice, free of charge. Next month, I'll send out a Google Form for seniors to request a transcript for your school. Transcripts are mailed directly to your university as soon as scores are released on July 6th.
What do I do if I have more questions?
The IB website is a great source of information about the IB Program at TuHS. Check out our program info. You can also find answers to your FAQs at ibo.org, the official IB website. If you still have questions, feel free to email me ([email protected]) or Shem Malone ([email protected]). We're happy to help.
Wishing you all health and perseverance as we get through all this together,
Lisa/Mrs. Lacy
