IB Spotlight

4/4/2025 4:39 pm

 

Friday, May 30, 2025

 

This week, our 5th grade students shined during our annual IB PYP Exhibition, the culminating project of their Primary Years Programme journey. Through months of inquiry, collaboration, and reflection, students explored real-world issues they are passionate about, including social media safety, pollution, narcolepsy, cancer awareness, and more. Each presentation highlighted the learner profile attributes in action and demonstrated how our students are becoming globally minded, caring individuals ready to take action. We are so proud of their hard work and the meaningful learning they shared with our community!

 

 

 

Friday, May 16, 2025

 

This past week, our incredible 5th graders truly embodied the IB Learner Profile by taking meaningful action in our school community.

On Tuesday, May 13, they led an inspiring anti-bullying campaign during arrival, spreading kindness and raising awareness about the importance of standing up for one another. Their leadership, confidence, and commitment to creating a caring school environment were powerful examples of what it means to be principled and courageous.

Later in the week, two student groups took their learning even further by presenting their research on cancer to our faculty during a staff meeting. Their presentations were thoughtful, well-researched, and a testament to how inquiry can lead to advocacy and deeper understanding.

Thank you to all who also supported our campus food drive. Your donations help us continue fostering compassion and service throughout our school community.

 

Way to go, 5th grade! You’re lighting the path to a better world.

 

 

Friday, May 9, 2025

 

 

As part of their Exhibition projects, two of our 5th grade groups are taking action in powerful ways! One group is leading an anti-bullying initiative, while another is hosting a food drive to support local families.
We invite you to participate by donating canned food items. Every contribution helps!

Also, this Tuesday, from 8:15–8:30 AM, a group of 5th grade upstanders will be at each drop-off entrance welcoming students with uplifting messages to start the day. Drop-off will remain as normal just expect an extra dose of positivity as your child walks into school!

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, May 2, 2025

📚 IB PYP Spotlight: Prose and Poetry in Action🎤

This week, our PK–8th grade students embodied the IB Learner Profile as they participated in our annual Prose and Poetry Contest. In preparation for this special event, students demonstrated what it means to be reflective, carefully revising their work and practicing their delivery with intention and purpose. As communicators, they spoke with clarity and emotion, sharing original and published works that highlighted their unique voices.

Our students also showed great courage and risk-taking by performing in front of peers, families, and teachers—some for the very first time. Their creativity, confidence, and commitment to excellence truly shone on stage. This showcase of student voice is a celebration of the IB PYP’s mission to develop lifelong learners who express themselves with meaning and care.

We are so proud of every student who participated and thankful to our teachers and families who supported them throughout the process!

 

 

Friday, April 25, 2025

 

A BIG thank you to all of our amazing IB Mentors for attending this week’s student mentor sessions! Your presence, knowledge, and guidance helped our students dive deep into thought-provoking issues like social media safety, climate change, and mental health. Thanks to you, our students are confidently building their action plans and making meaningful connections to the world around them.

 

Mark your calendars! Our next IB Mentor Meeting is scheduled for May 9th. We can’t wait to see how the students’ inquiries and actions evolve!

 

As we approach the end of the school year, most grade levels are transitioning to their final units of inquiry (planners). You can extend your child’s learning at home by exploring the following essential questions together:

 

🏠 Essential Questions by Grade Level

 

Grade	Central Idea	Essential Question to Explore at Home
Pre-K	Everyone needs a shelter for health and safety.	What makes a shelter safe and healthy for different people?
Kinder	Interdependence shapes systems.	How do people, animals, and plants depend on each other to live?
1st	Technology impacts society.	How does technology make life easier or harder for people today?
2nd	What we eat affects our bodies and is a reflection of different cultures.	How do our food choices affect our health and reflect our culture?
3rd	Living organisms depend on and affect the balance of nature.	What happens when we change or harm an ecosystem?
4th	People use creative expression to share beliefs, experiences, and values, shaping cultural identity and perspective.	How can art or stories help us understand other cultures and ourselves?
5th	Our need to act on our beliefs and ideas drives us to develop effective ways to communicate. (Exhibition)	What do you believe in, and how can you share that with the world?

 

 

Friday, April 18, 2025

 

This week, our Wharton students enjoyed an engaging and uplifting experience through Ned’s Mindset Mission Assembly, where they met characters like Ned and Johnny who reminded us all about the power of resilience, perseverance, and a positive mindset.

As principled learners, our students are encouraged to do what is right, even when it’s hard, and to stay committed to their goals. As risk-takers, they embrace new challenges with courage and resilience. Ned and Johnny showed us that mistakes are part of learning and that a growth mindset helps us bounce back stronger.

 

Want to keep the conversation going at home? Try these simple activities:

 

- Family Reflection Talk: During dinner or before bedtime, ask your child, “What’s something that was hard for you this week, and how did you keep going?” Praise their effort and resilience!
- Try Something New Together: Learn a new skill as a family, like trying a new recipe, practicing a few words in a new language, or even doing a tricky puzzle. Celebrate the process, not just the result.

 

Thank you for partnering with us to raise learners who believe in themselves, take risks, and grow from every experience!

 

 

Friday, April 11, 2025

Thank you mentors! On April 11th our students were able to meet with their mentors to share their central idea and start brainstorming on the student agency piece of their project. We have a variety of topics and would love guest speakers for student groups. Here are a few topics students are inquiring into:

 

Pollution
Social Media Dangers
World Hunger
Homelessness
Pollution
Cancer Research
Global Warming
Bullying

 

Next meeting is set for Friday, April 25th.

 

Friday, April 4, 2025:

 

Calling all volunteers! Please see here for more information about IB Mentors!

 

We’re proud to share a special moment that highlights the real-world impact of the IB principles our students engage with every day at Wharton DLA.

On Monday, one of our students, Lyla, had the incredible opportunity to testify at the Texas Senate’s State Affairs Committee in Austin regarding three bills currently under consideration—Senate Bills 1313, 1314, and 1316. These bills aim to reduce students’ exposure to smoke shops located near schools.

Although the bills are still in committee and awaiting a vote, this experience reflects the values of advocacy, civic engagement, and global citizenship that we cultivate through our IB framework. We are proud of Lyla’s voice and the example she sets for her peers and community.

You can view the video of the testimony here: Video

 

Friday, March 28, 2025:

Calling all volunteers! Please see here for more information about IB Mentors!

 

 

While each grade level dives into specific aspects of teaching and learning within their current Unit of Inquiry on their weekly newsletter, we want to provide a campus-wide view of the incredible learning happening through our transdisciplinary units of study. You can support your child at home by discussing these essential questions with them.