District highlights IB program and approves new world‑language instructional materials

The board received an overview of the Washoe County School District’s International Baccalaureate (IB) offerings and approved a multi‑vendor adoption of world‑language instructional materials on April 28.

District leaders described the district’s IB continuum — the Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career‑related Programme (CP) — offered at Vaughn Middle School and Worooster High School. Director Nicole Johnson and principals David Kitchen and Mandy Lobitz said IB programming includes bilingual Spanish literature at the high‑school level, interdisciplinary units, internal assessments and external examinations, and a career‑related pathway that blends IB coursework with CTE concentrations.

Board members asked about outreach and enrollment. Leaders said growth has been strongest among students who take one or two IB courses rather than the full DP track, and emphasized an intention to expand awareness and access across the district. Trustees also asked staff to provide outcome data and college‑credit comparisons in future reports.

Separately, the board approved the district’s recommended world‑language instructional materials following a multi‑month RFP and field‑testing process. The board adopted materials from Carnegie Learning for Chinese; Lingo Language Labs for French, German and Spanish; Vista Higher Learning for middle‑school Spanish; and Wayside Publishing for AP Spanish literature for a seven‑year term beginning July 1, 2026. Staff said the purchases will be funded from general funds and used to support curriculum, pacing and teacher professional development.

What happens next: District curriculum staff will implement the materials, align pacing guides and deliver teacher training before the 2026–27 school year.