Specialized Programs

International Baccalaureate Program


Busing to Rainbow District School Board’s five specialized secondary school programs is offered to students within Greater Sudbury.

This internationally recognized two-year comprehensive program encourages critical thinking and research skills and promotes service as part of the learning process. The IB Program is available at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School to all students who have the required commitment, ability, interest and time to devote to the program. IB is designed to meet the highest standards required by any secondary school student in the world and is recognized by leading universities in most countries.

Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School has been authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program since September 2001. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a recognized  leader in the field of international education, encouraging students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens. There are over 1800 IB schools located in 120 countries worldwide, and Lo-Ellen Park is proud to be one of them.

The IB Diploma Program is a challenging two-year curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. It leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities. Students learn more than a collection of facts.

The Diploma Program prepares students for university and encourages them to:

  • ask challenging questions
  • learn how to learn
  • develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
  • develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.

At the end of the two-year program, students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject.

The IBO works closely with universities in all regions of the world to gain recognition for the IB diploma. To aid this process, university admissions officers and government officials have direct online access to all syllabuses and recent examinations.

IB graduates from Lo-Ellen Park have gone on to thrive in many competitive enrolment programs at Ontario, Canadian and American universities, and are often the recipients of valuable scholarships.

Students must successfully complete the grade 9 and 10 Pre-IB program at Lo-Ellen Park before entering the IB Diploma Program in Grade 11. Thus, students must apply for entry from Grade 8. A combination of high academic performance, teacher recommendation and an interview (in some cases) are required for acceptance into the program In Grades 9 and 10, all compulsory subjects are taught at an enriched level to prepare students for the academic rigour of the IB Diploma.

All qualified students living in the Rainbow District School Board will be provided transportation to Lo-Ellen Park for the Pre-IB and IB Program.

For more information about the IB Diploma Program, visit www.ibo.org or contact Alison Gomm at gomma@rainbowschools.ca