IB MYP: Frequently Asked Questions

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How can I sign my child up for the IB program at Hamilton?

• The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is designed for ALL students at Hamilton Middle School; students do not have to apply in order to participate.
• All students at Hamilton are enrolled in our IB program at Hamilton.
• We are proud to offer a “one school for all” model!

Is IB offered at all Denver Public Schools?

• No. Hamilton chose to go above and beyond our normal state accreditation and district requirements to become an IB school. IB candidate schools undergo a rigorous process to prove that practices are in place to become authorized as an IB world school.

Why are the subject names different?

IB recognizes 8 subject groups:

1. Unified Arts: Physical and Health Education (PE and Dance), STEM Visual Arts and Performing Arts (Orchestra, Band, Drama)
2. Individuals and Societies: Social Studies
3. Language Acquisition: Heritage Spanish and Spanish A
4. Mathematics: Math
5. Language and Literature: Language Arts
6. Sciences: Science

What is the difference between year 1, 2, and 3?

• In keeping with the international aspect of the program, IB uses number equivalences to our American grade levels:
  • Year 1: 6th Grade
  • Year 2: 7th Grade
  • Year 3: 8th Grade

What is the difference between IB and MYP?

International Baccalaureate is the overarching framework for education at Hamilton. The MYP, or Middle Years Programme, is the grade-specific delineation of the IB framework for American middle schools. A good analogy is IB is like Nike, and MYP is like Air Force Ones.

Is IB a prescribed curriculum teachers have to adhere to?

• No. IB is not a prescribed curriculum and teachers still write and create their own. Unit plans for each subject follow the IB framework that includes an emphasis on inquiry through certain concepts and global contexts.

How can I get involved in my child’s education?

• You can use Schoology and Parent Portal to check your child’s grades and progress.
• Hamilton always encourages parents to reinforce learning at home. Reach out to your child’s teachers and ask how you can initiate conversations with your child about the specific topics they are currently learning about. You can find updated phone numbers and email addresses by clicking here.
• Additionally, parents are encouraged to join our school committees and help make decisions to support Hamilton’s needs!
  • Collaborative School Committee (CSC)
  • Multi-Lingual Education Parent Advisory Committee (MLE-PAC)
  • Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)

How is an IB education different from traditional education?

• An IB education emphasizes inquiry and project-based tasks to tackle relevant global issues that are connected to the learning that takes place in classrooms.
• Additionally, IB emphasizes social-emotional learning through Learner Profile traits. These traits teach students how to succeed at school and how to be effective members of our increasingly global society.

Where can I find more information on the IB program?

You can find more information by visiting our IB Program page on our website.