Designed for learners ages 11–16, the MYP spans the sixth through tenth grades. Students who begin the program at ALBA can apply to an IB-authorized high school to complete the MYP.

ALBA is a Candidate School* for the IB Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that ALBA believes is important for our students. *Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme, or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit ibo.org.

 MYP Curriculum

The MYP curriculum framework:

• Integrates IB approaches to learning and State of Wisconsin academic standards.
• Comprises eight subject groups to provide a broad and balanced education for early adolescents: language acquisition, language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design.
• Incorporates a Community Project in the eighth grade. This is an important opportunity for students ages 13-14 to collaborate and pursue service learning.
• Can be adapted to meet an individual student’s needs and abilities.

Students who successfully complete MYP coursework, the MYP Community Project (eighth grade), and the MYP Personal Project (tenth grade) are ideal candidates for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, offered at IB-authorized high schools during junior and senior years.

MYP Projects

The MYP Community Project and MYP Personal Project are student-centered, age-appropriate, and they enable students to engage in practical explorations through a cycle of inquiry, action and reflection:

• Helping students develop the attributes of the IB learner profile,
• Providing students with an essential opportunity to demonstrate approaches to learning (ATL) skills, and
• Fostering the development of independent, lifelong learners.

MYP Community Project

At ALBA, eighth graders complete a community project that encourages them to explore their rights and responsibilities to implement service as action in the community. The community project gives students an opportunity to develop awareness of needs in various communities and address those needs through service learning. As a consolidation of learning, the community project engages in a sustained, in-depth inquiry leading to service as action in the community. The community project may be completed individually or by groups of a maximum of three students.