The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School is set to begin a new chapter in its academic development after being accepted into the International Baccalaureate program, a prestigious consortium of over 5,000 schools worldwide.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) began in 1968 and focuses on creating critical thinking students through both a rigorous core curriculum (much like Advanced Placement) and a more fluid, student-centered one. The school will officially incorporate the curriculum for junior and senior high school students in the fall of 2021.

“What is exciting for the families and students is that we are now part of an international group of learners,” charter school director Pete Steedman told the Gazette by Zoom this week. “We are part of something larger than ourselves.”

The school was accepted into two IB programs, the diploma program and the career program, a hybrid incorporating vocational and academic tracks. Currently only 283 schools have been accepted into the career program. Read more on Vineyard Gazette