A Proud Marianist, International Baccalaureate World School

Purcell Marian’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program is designed to help students become knowledgeable, reflective, and compassionate citizens who are prepared to engage with a complex and interconnected world. While IB coursework officially begins in junior year, IB-informed instruction is embedded throughout every student’s four years at Purcell Marian. Students are encouraged to think critically, make connections, and take an active role in their own learning.

One of the central ideas behind IB is that learning does not happen in isolation. Knowledge and skills developed in one discipline can often be applied in another, and students are taught to recognize those connections early.

IB-informed instruction emphasizes inquiry, real-world application, and student ownership of learning. Students are asked to grapple with complex problems, consider multiple perspectives, and understand how their choices and actions affect both their local communities and the wider world. Learning becomes less about collecting information and more about making meaning from it.

“As an educator, I fell in love with IB when I saw how it changed the role my students played in their own learning. They were pushed to ask questions, make intellectual decisions, take risks, revise their thinking, and assume increasing responsibility for their work.”

• Barret Bell, Director of IB