Oak Park District 97 is deeply committed to the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). We firmly believe that the IB mission statement and curriculum framework serve as a sturdy foundation for fostering District 97’s vision of creating an inclusive, equitable, and holistic learning environment for all students. The collaboration, dedication, and engagement of all stakeholders within our community are essential in helping our students achieve the following objectives:

• Cultivating a culture where learners are recognized, nurtured, and celebrated.
• Empowering students to become passionate scholars.
• Fostering confidence and perseverance in achieving goals.
• Encouraging creative critical thinking and nurturing global citizenship.

The IB Learner Profile is fundamental to teaching and learning within the IB MYP. It embodies the characteristics of effective learners, globally-minded individuals, and holistic beings. As IB learners, students aspire to embody the following attributes:

• Inquirers: Cultivating a natural curiosity and developing inquiry and research skills.
• Knowledgeable: Applying learned concepts across various disciplines to understand local and global issues.
• Thinkers: Utilizing creative and critical thinking skills to make reasoned and ethical decisions.
• Communicators: Expressing ideas clearly and collaboratively in appropriate styles and languages.
• Principled: Acting with integrity, fairness, and compassion while taking responsibility for one's actions.
• Open-minded: Appreciating diverse perspectives and cultures.
• Caring: Showing empathy, compassion, and commitment to service.
• Risk-takers: Approaching challenges with courage and resilience.
• Balanced: Understanding the importance of intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being.
• Reflective: Evaluating personal ideas and learning experiences in the context of the world.

District 97's curriculum aligns with the IB MYP's eight subject groups, ensuring that every child has access to meaningful learning experiences based on the Illinois Learning Standards. We believe in an inclusive approach to education, removing barriers and designing for learner variability to meet the needs of all students. Inclusion is a continuous process that embraces all students, regardless of their strengths, challenges, or background. In planning for learning, we focus on three interconnected curricular components: written, taught, and assessed, to develop, implement, and monitor our curriculum effectively.