Lehigh Valley Academy recently completed a very successful International Baccalaureate (IB) school visit on April 8-April 10. A visiting team of representatives from the IB spent three days evaluating LVA’s approaches to teaching, our plans, development, they interviewed students, staff and parents and experienced the day to day procedures of LVA. These essential visits take place every five years for all authorized IB World schools in order to ensure that we continue to embrace the IB and are implementing the program with fidelity.
In the past we have always had one programme evaluated at a time; however this time, all four programmes (Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme) were reviewed at the same time.
While the final comprehensive report will be available in the coming months, the visiting team graciously provided us with a preview of their findings during their exit interview with the administrative team and their presentation to the community. The team’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing several strengths of our school.
Strengths as an IB School
The team was very impressed with our school, the new building and our commitment to the IB programmes.
“LVA makes the IB happen.”
They shared that LVA makes you really feel the IB through the buildings, walls and the way that everyone interacts with each other and that IB permeates through everything that we do.
The team members were impressed with the way that teachers support the students. They recognized the strong relationships that the staff has built amongst each other, as well as with the students. Parents and students who met with the team shared how important the teachers are to the students. Students feel safe and that they are being supported in their learning.
The new building stood out for the team, as well. The purpose built facility helps everyone support learning in the school. They appreciated the resources that are available to our students like technology, flexible seating, calming spaces and the additional staff in the classrooms.
The team was also impressed by LVA’s commitment to removing barriers and allowing students to access “IB for All”. They recognized how hard everyone works to provide academic, as well as social-emotional support to the students.
Important Next Steps for LVA
While recognizing our achievements, the team also provided valuable recommendations for our continued growth. They advised on the importance of ensuring all teachers are adequately trained in the IB curriculum, suggesting a structured approach to ongoing professional development. Additionally, they highlighted the need for updates to certain IB policies to align with the organization’s standards.
They also encouraged us to embrace that LVA is a IB continuum school offering all four programmes by developing structured opportunities for collaboration across the programmes, as well as within each of the programmes.
Being an IB World School is an ongoing journey, where the process is often just as important as reaching the goal. The end of this visit means that we are ready to start our new chapter with a focus on continuing to make LVA the best possible choice for our students.
Thank you to everyone who supported LVA through this experience. Our IB Coordinators, teachers, students, administrators, and Board members worked incredibly hard in order to help LVA shine and we’re incredibly proud of everything that we have accomplished.
The best part is that the iReady lessons are specifically chosen for each individual student to best meet his/her needs and to give each student exactly what is needed to promote growth, giving all students the opportunity to continue being strong mathematical thinkers! This brand new society originated as a fun and engaging way to motivate the students to make the best of their time spent on iReady Online Instruction, and we have seen such enthusiasm from our students.
100% Society memories last! Each student also receives a limited edition monthly 100% Society Pin to wear on their lanyard that announces to LVA that they are rocking their Online Instruction. Each month features a fresh new color, and students are urged to collect them all. We look forward to inviting more and more students into the 100% Society to celebrate their commitment and growth using the iReady program!
conduct a full evaluation of the school’s Primary Years Programme (PYP) in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade. IB completes these reviews on a regular basis in order to ensure “that the standards and practices of the programme are being maintained” (IBO, 2020, p.1). Over the course of two days, the IB representatives met with teachers, students, parents, Board members, and administrators. They visited classrooms, observed school activities, and examined lesson plans and student work. 
the Primary Years Programme (PYP), followed by the Diploma Programme (DP) in 2007, and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 2009. LVA is thrilled to now be able to add the Career-related Programme (CP) to that list of authorizations, making it one of two schools in the United States to offer all four programmes and one of twenty-three in the world to offer all four programmes.
Essay in the DP, students will write an extended piece of academic writing that will focus on research and developing an argument. The RP will focus on an ethical dilemma in the student’s pathway. 
n prepare students for two-year medical related career programs, technical medical programs, and pre-professional programs. While we are starting with these two pathways, we do want to add more. The hope is to add a business/management pathway. After this, the sky truly is the limit; the CP is an extremely flexible program that we hope will meet the needs of students at LVA.
Lehigh Valley Academy RCS 