As of March/April of 2015, Winter Springs High School has been preparing for the upcoming International Baccalaureate program. Dr. Mickey Reynolds and Mrs. Karman Sims, worked on the application in March and applied in April. This program will start in the 2016-2017 school year, and will give students on the Eastern side of the Seminole County District another IB school option other than Seminole High School, which is in the western side. As of this previous summer, 15 teachers that were interested in teaching IB students, attended a 3-day IB teaching training, where they learned everything they need to know to teach IB and be involved in the IB program.

Many students have had the question of how much the school will change, and what is the difference between AP and IB. Administration has informed us that the school will not drastically change, “…Day to day you probably won’t notice a change, your average student, it’s a school within a school, the way I would best term it, you’ll see some students studying a bit more rigorously, day to day you guys probably won’t notice,” said Dr. Rodriguez, assistant principal. Not only will students notice some students studying more rigorously, but administration hopes that their habits will rub off on some other students.

Not only will good habits from the IB students rub off on other students, but so will the “…international mindedness…” as Dr. Reynolds, principal of WSHS, put it, “One thing that I am anticipating with implementing IB is that it has a certain international mindedness to it, there is a big citizenship component, but in terms of being a world citizen, and I think that will filter, across the community and not just for the DP [IB Diploma Programme] kids, I hope that it will kind of increase focus, and awareness throughout the school which is something that I am interested in.”

Also, Administration has told us that the IB program also brings funding to the school. Another benefit of implementing the IB program is that “…the esteem of the IB program will be positively reflected here at Winter Springs High School,” said Rodriguez. It is a convenience for the parents and students of Seminole County because they will have another option for enrolling their students in the IB program.

On the other hand, there is a possibility of having some challenges with this up and coming program. Dr. Reynolds has stated that space may be an issue, and the school would have to possibly in the future, bring in portables.

The reason for this addition to Winter Springs High School is because of the location and the zoning. For some students that are zoned for WSHS or Oviedo High School, the bus ride or even the car ride to Seminole High School can be quite a haul. So now, students will be able to have another option that won’t take as long to get to. Dr. Rodriguez, said, “Because that is so far, you’re talking, getting on bus around 6 am, it’s a long amount of time to be on a bus, you guys are kids, even though IB, is great it’s important that you still have experiences that kids have, you know hanging out with friends going to movies, all of those types of things going to sporting events, and when most of your day is wrapped around school and then transportation, it’s a burden to you guys and it’s a burden to your parents.”

With its multiple benefits, and convenience, the IB program is sure to be successful and enhance the curriculum at Winter Springs High School.