Patterson Elementary celebrates IB Primary Years authorization; staff cite student engagement gains

School and district leaders presented an IB Primary Years Program (PYP) spotlight at the board meeting, describing Patterson Elementary’s multi-year candidacy, recent authorization and classroom practices that staff say have improved student engagement and measurable growth.

Chip Pettit, principal at Patterson Elementary, recounted the school's candidacy beginning in 2021 and said Patterson achieved authorization last year after a site visit by IB evaluators. "Authorization was last year…we submitted an action plan, it was approved, and then we got a site visit," Pettit said.

Paula Dunnet, the school's IB coordinator, explained PYP features including learner-profile attributes, six transdisciplinary themes, units of inquiry (six to ten weeks), approaches to learning (ATL) skills, and an assessment philosophy that emphasizes process and student agency. She provided classroom examples — student-led book drives, garden clubs and service projects — and said teachers co-construct rubrics with students to make learning visible.

Trustees asked whether the process focus could affect summative results. District administrators and Pettit said weekly formative checks and embedded assessments guide instruction so that final results remain strong; district staff cited campus scores rising from 82 points to as high as 96 in recent years with high growth-point performance. "If we do things the right way…results will come," one district official said, noting that Patterson earned 48 of 50 possible growth points in the most recent reporting cycle.

The board thanked staff and students for the presentation; Pettit noted a student exhibition scheduled for Feb. 27 to showcase sixth-grade work under the PYP framework.