International Academy
Encyclopedia
The International Academy, or IA, is a high school
located in Bloomfield Hills, Oakland County, Michigan
, with additional campuses in White Lake Township, Michigan and Troy
, Michigan
. It is a public, tuition-free school of choice (although selection is by a lottery) for students across Oakland County. Students are required to earn both high school and International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas. According to IA, 95% of the Class of 2006 earned IB degrees. According to an article from 2004, 88% of enrolled students go on to earn IB degrees.
. International Academy opened in August 1996 with Okma as principal, and the school had its first graduates in May 2000. The school is officially hosted by the Bloomfield Hills School District.
Okma retired from his position as principal at the end of the 2008-09 year, though he continues to work as an IB consultant for other districts.
as the top public school in the nation in 2003, second in 2004, second in 2005, ninth in 2006, seventh in 2007, twelfth in 2008, second in 2009,25th in 2010, and 20th in 2011. Newsweek's standings were based upon the number of IB (International Baccalaureate) or AP (Advanced Placement) tests that the school averages per graduating senior. The IA's high rankings are due to the full diploma program being required of all students, meaning they each sit for at least 6 IB exams in May of their senior years. Each senior therefore takes at least six IB tests (in addition to the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay requirements), giving the school a high average number of IB tests.
IA was recognized by the U.S. News as the second best public high school in the nation in December 2009. Again earning this #2 ranking in 2011. The U.S. news used "quality-adjusted tests per student" as the criteria, and so the International Academy was also named the best public IB program in the country, with an "IB Diploma per Grade 12 student enrolled" rate of 90.4%.
According to IA, on standardized tests the Class of 2009 averaged a 629 Verbal average and a 668 Math average for the SAT
. The average ACT
composite score was a 28.1. In addition, 42 members (27%) of the Class of 2009 were named National Merit Scholars, 18 of whom were named Finalists, 1 Semifinalist and 24 of whom were named Commended Scholars.
. All students are enrolled in at least six IB subjects in their junior and senior years. Some students take IBs in their freshman and sophomore years, usually due to placement tests. The Environmental Systems IB course is also offered as an elective to tenth-graders when not filled by older students.
The only Group 1
subject offered is English
. Pre-IB courses are English courses in World Literature (9th grade) and American Literature (10th grade), as well as a course in public speaking skills (9th grade). Students who are non-native speakers are still expected to take English as their Language A
, so most have a near-native degree of fluency.
French
, German
, Mandarin Chinese
, and Spanish
are all offered as Group 2
subjects, which the student studies for two years at IA before beginning the IB Language B class in that language. Students are also allowed to take an extra language ab initio
in place of a Group 6
subject. In the early years of the school, the current English wing was occupied by the Japanese School of Metropolitan Detroit (currently located at Birmingham Seaholm High School
), and students could choose to take Japanese
as an elective in their freshman and sophomore years. However, this is no longer available as an option.
All students are required to take IB History as their Group 3
subject. IB Economics is also offered as a replacement for a Group 6
subject. To prepare for IB history, freshmen must take a course in world history and geography and sophomores take a history course focused on American history as well as including information on the French and Latin American revolutions. A semester-long course in micro-economics is also required for freshmen.
The International Academy offers almost all of the available Group 4
subjects. Students can elect to take Biology
, Chemistry
, Physics
, or Environmental Systems
, as well as an extra Group 4 subject in place of a Group 6 subject. This is the option taken by the majority of IA students. To prepare for the IB sciences, students must complete one course in biology during freshman year, one in chemistry during sophomore year, and a half-semester physics course each year.
Traditionally, Group 5
subjects offered at the International Academy included Mathematical Studies SL, and Mathematics HL and SL. IA students, upon entrance to the International Academy, are placed on a math tracking system based on a score on a placement test
and math classes taken in middle school
. Students who have taken Algebra 1 only in middle school are offered the option of eventually studying Mathematical Studies or Mathematics SL, whereas students who have taken both Algebra 1 and Geometry
are given the option of Mathematics HL as well. The IA has added an IB Further Mathematics course for very advanced students.
The International Academy offers two Group 6
subjects: Music and Visual Arts. The Visual Arts course is highly selective: students usually must demonstrate a great deal of talent at art, and must have taken art courses in 9th and 10th grade, in order to be allowed to apply for the course. The Music course is not selective, and while most students who take the course have experience with playing an instrument or singing, it is not required.
In addition, the school offers the Theory of Knowledge course as mandated by the IBO. This one-year course is divided into one semester each during grades 11 and 12.
It is not uncommon for IA students to take seven IB subjects, and the option is open to students who meet certain academic requirements.
Students also take non-IB courses as well. Along with the normal academic courses preparing students for their IB equivalents, students are required to take at least one and normally two years of either music or art. IA offers two non-IB art courses, taken in the freshman and sophomore year and intended as preparation for IB Visual Arts. There are also a number of musical ensembles open to all four grades, including two concert band
s; two jazz band
s; string
, full, and chamber orchestras
; and three choirs, including an a cappella
ensemble. The International Academy Orchestra has received first division ratings at the State level from the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) in the past, and the International Academy Jazz Band I received a first division rating and an invitation to the Detroit International Jazz Festival in 2007. About 60% of the student body participates in one of the musical ensembles at the IA. The IA also has an active theatre
department, but it operates as an after-school club, and IB Theatre
is not offered as a sixth IB course.
Juniors must take a course in American government as required by the state of Michigan
's high school educational standards. Sophomores also are required to take a semester-long physical education
course, called "Adventure Challenge," a non-traditional gym course that focuses more on teamwork than on competition and traditional sports. As well as the school's numerous musical ensembles, the IA also offers a number of "product teams," usually student-directed classes that often focus on community service
or athletics
, as well as school publications such as the yearbook
and student newspaper
. The work level in these courses vary; they can range from "blow-off classes" or unofficial "study periods" to just as demanding as other non-IB courses, though product team teachers are prohibited from giving students work to do outside of classroom time.
; buildOn (formerly known as Building with Books); Science Olympiad
, scuba diving classes and international dive trips; Biology and Physics Olympiad
s; Political Debate Club; Model United Nations
; Quiz Bowl; the Phoenix Theatre Company; Forensics
; various ethnic organizations such as the Indian-American Student Association, the Asian Student Association, and the Black Student Association; religious organizations such as the Christian Student Initiative and the Muslim Student Association; a Gay-Straight-Whatever Alliance
; an active photography club; Future Business Leaders of America; and various environmental groups. The International Academy also has chapters of various honor societies, including National Honor Society
, French Honor Society, German Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and the Quill and Scroll Honor Society
. The western campus has many of the same activities, including a Model UN team and a Christian club, in addition to some activities the central campus does not have such as Future Problem Solving. Most extracurricular activities at IA West, however, are done in conjunction with the activities offered at Lakeland High School
.
The 2005-2006 Physics Club is notable for its second-place finish at the University of Michigan
Physics Olympiad. One student (Alexander Chernyak, class of 2006) won a $20,000 scholarship and gold medallion (physics category) at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and 1st place Grand Award (team competition) at the 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
The IA Science Olympiad Team placed 11th in the 2006 Michigan Science Olympiad Competition, their first state competition. In the 2007 state competition the team place 7th, in 2008 they placed 6th, in 2009 they placed 5th, and in 2010 they placed 6th.
An IA team won the Michigan region of the 2006 High School Fed Challenge.
The IA West Future Problem Solving group placed third place in the Middle Division at the 2007 State Bowl.
The IA Forensics Team also competes in various district, regional and state competitions. The team has been known for producing state champions and in 2009, IA took state championships in the categories of poetry, dramatic interpretation and duo. The team has been 4th overall in the Class BCD Category for two years running.
IA music students have been selected in the past for the Michigan Youth Honors Band and Honors Orchestra, as part of the Michigan Young Arts Festival in May of each year. In 2007, one student was selected for the band, three for the orchestra, and an ensemble was selected to play at the festival. The International Academy also had a student selected as one of the top young composers in Michigan by the Michigan Music Educators Association, for its 2007 conference in Grand Rapids.
, and has a number of international students - about 10 to 15 percent of the student body attended a school overseas before coming to the IA. However, their families must move to one of the sending districts before coming to the IA. The IA does not have boarding students. The IA gives preference to international students (classified as students who have lived in the US for less than one year), as well as students coming from other IB schools (in the United States or elsewhere). The Central and East campuses have particularly large Asian-American populations (mainly from China
, Korea
, the Indian subcontinent
, and the Middle East
).
The IA is allowed to have athletic teams which compete against other schools so long as they are completely student-run, with no funding from the school. In the past, students have started their own competitive teams, including a series of soccer
teams, an Ultimate Frisbee
club, and a competitive boys' basketball team. There are also school-funded intramural tournaments, such as a Paintball
tournament and the annual IA Olympics, which consists of various competitive events, including athletic events, between the different grades at each campus.
The Central Campus's classrooms are organized by subjects into different hallways: the 100 hallways house the foreign language, music, and Theory of Knowledge classrooms; the 200 hallway houses the math and science classrooms; the 300 hallway houses the social studies classrooms, as well as the art room; and the 400 wing houses the English classrooms. This makes it relatively easy for students to figure out where each class is, especially in such a small school. The school also has an all-purpose room, called the International Student Center (ISC), where school assemblies, Adventure Challenge classes, school plays, and large social events such as dances are held. This is also where students eat lunch every day. However, the ISC's relatively small size for an auditorium (about the size of an elementary school gymnasium) limit it from holding larger events, such as large musical concerts or graduations. These are normally held at other schools, such as Lahser High School
(where orchestra, band, and choir concerts are held), Lake Orion High School
(where the IA graduation ceremony was held through 2009) and Lakeland High School
(where the graduation ceremonies are now held).
Districts which send students to the Central Campus include Bloomfield Hills, Berkley
, Birmingham
, Clawson
, Lake Orion
, Rochester
, Royal Oak
, Walled Lake
, Waterford and West Bloomfield. The Farmington
and Oxford
districts have recently chosen to leave the IA consortium in order to start their own IB programs.
of Huron Valley Schools
. The sending districts include Huron Valley and South Lyon. Their experience is similar to that of students on the Central Campus, with the exception of fewer options in foreign language (Spanish
and French
only). Unlike the Central Campus, Lakeland's recent remodeling promises to prevent building problems similar to those of the Central Campus. Like at the Central Campus, students play sports through their sending districts. Fine arts classes, which include band, choir, and visual arts, are also facilitated through Lakeland High School, as well as freshman-level economics
. Huron Valley Schools has opened up 10 spots for students in districts outside the International Academy consortium, including students living outside of Oakland County, for the Class of 2011 onward. Though initially successful, the West campus has seen its number of consortium districts dwindle as a result of district budget cuts and more districts (such as Fenton) opting to start their own IB programs rather than send students to the IA.
, in the former Baker Middle School building. Classes were first held in the 2008-2009 school year. Like the other two campuses, the school began with one freshman class and has added another each year, so the first graduating class will be the Class of 2012. This campus includes students from the Troy School District as well as school-of-choice students from other districts. Troy originally sent students to the Central campus and the Class of 2011 will be the last class of Troy students to graduate from there. The Eastern campus's student body will be about the same size as the Central campus when filled, and students have access to the same classes as students at the Central campus, save for German, which was not added to the curriculum as the first incoming freshman class did not have a sufficient amount of people who were interested in the course. The Eastern campus offers the same fine arts options as the Central campus. The Troy School District has also started Primary Years
and Middle Years
programs in some of its elementary and middle schools.
into the Zangle computer systems and changing their grades. Six students were expelled and twelve suspended.
On July 16, 2009 it was announced that the central campus was to be re-named the Lambert S. Okma campus of the International Academy to honor the retired principal and founder.
On December 2, 2010 the East campus was closed for a day due to a norovirus outbreak. The epidemic had affected 120 students out of 350, and 8 staff members.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Bloomfield Hills, Oakland County, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, with additional campuses in White Lake Township, Michigan and Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is a public, tuition-free school of choice (although selection is by a lottery) for students across Oakland County. Students are required to earn both high school and International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas. According to IA, 95% of the Class of 2006 earned IB degrees. According to an article from 2004, 88% of enrolled students go on to earn IB degrees.
Foundation
The school was founded at the initiative of Lambert Okma, who proposed the school in 1992. Okma previously taught economics at Bloomfield Hills Lahser High SchoolLahser High School
Lahser High School is a high school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Opened in 1967 with 200 students, it now has under 900 students. Now the school is receiving the International Baccalaureate program for the class of 2013 and beyond. The teachers at Lahser have been preparing for this for 3 years...
. International Academy opened in August 1996 with Okma as principal, and the school had its first graduates in May 2000. The school is officially hosted by the Bloomfield Hills School District.
Okma retired from his position as principal at the end of the 2008-09 year, though he continues to work as an IB consultant for other districts.
Recognition
IA was recognized by NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as the top public school in the nation in 2003, second in 2004, second in 2005, ninth in 2006, seventh in 2007, twelfth in 2008, second in 2009,25th in 2010, and 20th in 2011. Newsweek's standings were based upon the number of IB (International Baccalaureate) or AP (Advanced Placement) tests that the school averages per graduating senior. The IA's high rankings are due to the full diploma program being required of all students, meaning they each sit for at least 6 IB exams in May of their senior years. Each senior therefore takes at least six IB tests (in addition to the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay requirements), giving the school a high average number of IB tests.
IA was recognized by the U.S. News as the second best public high school in the nation in December 2009. Again earning this #2 ranking in 2011. The U.S. news used "quality-adjusted tests per student" as the criteria, and so the International Academy was also named the best public IB program in the country, with an "IB Diploma per Grade 12 student enrolled" rate of 90.4%.
According to IA, on standardized tests the Class of 2009 averaged a 629 Verbal average and a 668 Math average for the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
. The average ACT
ACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
composite score was a 28.1. In addition, 42 members (27%) of the Class of 2009 were named National Merit Scholars, 18 of whom were named Finalists, 1 Semifinalist and 24 of whom were named Commended Scholars.
Classes offered
All graduates of the International Academy are expected to complete the full International Baccalaureate Diploma ProgrammeIB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
. All students are enrolled in at least six IB subjects in their junior and senior years. Some students take IBs in their freshman and sophomore years, usually due to placement tests. The Environmental Systems IB course is also offered as an elective to tenth-graders when not filled by older students.
The only Group 1
IB Group 1 subjects
The Group 1 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme refer to the student's "Language A1," which is the student's native language or otherwise best language, taken at either Standard Level or Higher Level . The course focuses on developing oral and written communication skills and performing literary...
subject offered is English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Pre-IB courses are English courses in World Literature (9th grade) and American Literature (10th grade), as well as a course in public speaking skills (9th grade). Students who are non-native speakers are still expected to take English as their Language A
IB Group 1 subjects
The Group 1 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme refer to the student's "Language A1," which is the student's native language or otherwise best language, taken at either Standard Level or Higher Level . The course focuses on developing oral and written communication skills and performing literary...
, so most have a near-native degree of fluency.
French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Mandarin Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
are all offered as Group 2
IB Group 2 subjects
The Group 2 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of the nearly 80 additional languages offered and may be studied at the following levels: A2 , B , or ab initio . Latin and Classical Greek are also offered and may be taken at SL or HL...
subjects, which the student studies for two years at IA before beginning the IB Language B class in that language. Students are also allowed to take an extra language ab initio
IB Group 2 subjects
The Group 2 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of the nearly 80 additional languages offered and may be studied at the following levels: A2 , B , or ab initio . Latin and Classical Greek are also offered and may be taken at SL or HL...
in place of a Group 6
IB Group 6 subjects
The Group 6 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consist of four courses at both Standard Level and Higher Level : Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Film...
subject. In the early years of the school, the current English wing was occupied by the Japanese School of Metropolitan Detroit (currently located at Birmingham Seaholm High School
Seaholm High School
Ernest W. Seaholm High School is a public school located within the Birmingham City School District in Birmingham, Michigan, serving grades 9-12. It is located at 2436 West Lincoln Road, Birmingham, Michigan 48009. Seaholm opened its doors for the first time in 1951 under the name Birmingham High....
), and students could choose to take Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
as an elective in their freshman and sophomore years. However, this is no longer available as an option.
All students are required to take IB History as their Group 3
IB Group 3 subjects
The Group 3 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of nine courses offered at both the Standard level and Higher level : Business and management, Economics, Geography, History, Information technology in a global society , Islamic history, Philosophy, Psychology, and Social and cultural...
subject. IB Economics is also offered as a replacement for a Group 6
IB Group 6 subjects
The Group 6 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consist of four courses at both Standard Level and Higher Level : Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Film...
subject. To prepare for IB history, freshmen must take a course in world history and geography and sophomores take a history course focused on American history as well as including information on the French and Latin American revolutions. A semester-long course in micro-economics is also required for freshmen.
The International Academy offers almost all of the available Group 4
IB Group 4 subjects
The Group 4 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme comprise the main scientific emphasis of this internationally recognized high school programme. They consist of five courses, four of which are offered at both the Standard Level and Higher Level : Chemistry, Biology,...
subjects. Students can elect to take Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, or Environmental Systems
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, as well as an extra Group 4 subject in place of a Group 6 subject. This is the option taken by the majority of IA students. To prepare for the IB sciences, students must complete one course in biology during freshman year, one in chemistry during sophomore year, and a half-semester physics course each year.
Traditionally, Group 5
IB Group 5 subjects
The Group 5 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of four different mathematics courses and two computer science courses. To earn an IB Diploma, a candidate must pass one of the following four mathematics courses: Mathematical Studies SL , Mathematics SL, Mathematics HL , or Further...
subjects offered at the International Academy included Mathematical Studies SL, and Mathematics HL and SL. IA students, upon entrance to the International Academy, are placed on a math tracking system based on a score on a placement test
Placement exam
In many countries, including the United States, it is not unusual for students to take a placement exam in a subject such as mathematics upon entering middle or high school to determine what level of classes they should take...
and math classes taken in middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. Students who have taken Algebra 1 only in middle school are offered the option of eventually studying Mathematical Studies or Mathematics SL, whereas students who have taken both Algebra 1 and Geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
are given the option of Mathematics HL as well. The IA has added an IB Further Mathematics course for very advanced students.
The International Academy offers two Group 6
IB Group 6 subjects
The Group 6 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consist of four courses at both Standard Level and Higher Level : Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Film...
subjects: Music and Visual Arts. The Visual Arts course is highly selective: students usually must demonstrate a great deal of talent at art, and must have taken art courses in 9th and 10th grade, in order to be allowed to apply for the course. The Music course is not selective, and while most students who take the course have experience with playing an instrument or singing, it is not required.
In addition, the school offers the Theory of Knowledge course as mandated by the IBO. This one-year course is divided into one semester each during grades 11 and 12.
It is not uncommon for IA students to take seven IB subjects, and the option is open to students who meet certain academic requirements.
Students also take non-IB courses as well. Along with the normal academic courses preparing students for their IB equivalents, students are required to take at least one and normally two years of either music or art. IA offers two non-IB art courses, taken in the freshman and sophomore year and intended as preparation for IB Visual Arts. There are also a number of musical ensembles open to all four grades, including two concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
s; two jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
s; string
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
, full, and chamber orchestras
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
; and three choirs, including an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
ensemble. The International Academy Orchestra has received first division ratings at the State level from the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) in the past, and the International Academy Jazz Band I received a first division rating and an invitation to the Detroit International Jazz Festival in 2007. About 60% of the student body participates in one of the musical ensembles at the IA. The IA also has an active theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
department, but it operates as an after-school club, and IB Theatre
IB Group 6 subjects
The Group 6 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consist of four courses at both Standard Level and Higher Level : Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Film...
is not offered as a sixth IB course.
Juniors must take a course in American government as required by the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's high school educational standards. Sophomores also are required to take a semester-long physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
course, called "Adventure Challenge," a non-traditional gym course that focuses more on teamwork than on competition and traditional sports. As well as the school's numerous musical ensembles, the IA also offers a number of "product teams," usually student-directed classes that often focus on community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
or athletics
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
, as well as school publications such as the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
and student newspaper
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
. The work level in these courses vary; they can range from "blow-off classes" or unofficial "study periods" to just as demanding as other non-IB courses, though product team teachers are prohibited from giving students work to do outside of classroom time.
Student life
Students are selected by lottery among the applicants. In 2004, the school enrollment was 576. International Academy has an extended school year (205 days) and an extended school day. At the end of the school day at 2:35 (or 2:40 for the West Campus), many students go home, but many opt to stay to participate in after-school clubs, extra classes (jazz band or full orchestra), or meet with teachers and friends. Students may also participate in activities at their home schools. Students typically only participate in activities at their home high schools that the International Academy does not offer, including sports teams and marching bands.Extracurricular activities
Some of the extracurricular activities offered at IA's central campus include FIRST RoboticsFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
; buildOn (formerly known as Building with Books); Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
, scuba diving classes and international dive trips; Biology and Physics Olympiad
Physics olympiad
The United States National Physics Olympiad is a competition in physics, usually among high school students, where the participants solve problems and/or perform and analyze experiments...
s; Political Debate Club; Model United Nations
Model United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
; Quiz Bowl; the Phoenix Theatre Company; Forensics
National Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
; various ethnic organizations such as the Indian-American Student Association, the Asian Student Association, and the Black Student Association; religious organizations such as the Christian Student Initiative and the Muslim Student Association; a Gay-Straight-Whatever Alliance
Gay-straight alliance
Gay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
; an active photography club; Future Business Leaders of America; and various environmental groups. The International Academy also has chapters of various honor societies, including National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, French Honor Society, German Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and the Quill and Scroll Honor Society
Quill and Scroll
Quill and Scroll is an international high school journalism honor society that recognizes and encourages both individual and group achievements in scholastic journalism. According to the Quill and Scroll website, over 14,104 high schools in all 50 U.S. states and 44 countries have established local...
. The western campus has many of the same activities, including a Model UN team and a Christian club, in addition to some activities the central campus does not have such as Future Problem Solving. Most extracurricular activities at IA West, however, are done in conjunction with the activities offered at Lakeland High School
Lakeland High School (White Lake Township, Michigan)
Lakeland High School is a secondary school located in White Lake, Michigan. The current principal is Currently undecided and the Associate Principals are Liz Mosher and Marc Kay. The Student Activities Director is Scott Rolando. Mike Fray is the Dean of Students and Jon Kirken is the White Lake...
.
Achievements
The FIRST Robotics team won the title of "National Champion" in the 2003 competition. It qualified for national competition in 2006, winning the 2006 Detroit Regional competition and earning a silver medal in the 2006 Great Lakes Regional. In 2007 the team won West Michigan Regional and came in with a silver at Detroit Regional. Similarly, in 2008, the team won the Detroit Regional, and earned a silver medal in the Great Lakes Regional. Last year (2009), the team advanced to the State Championship in the new district model, and competed in the World Championship. In addition, the team placed second in the 2010 FIRST Robotics Competition.The 2005-2006 Physics Club is notable for its second-place finish at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Physics Olympiad. One student (Alexander Chernyak, class of 2006) won a $20,000 scholarship and gold medallion (physics category) at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and 1st place Grand Award (team competition) at the 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
The IA Science Olympiad Team placed 11th in the 2006 Michigan Science Olympiad Competition, their first state competition. In the 2007 state competition the team place 7th, in 2008 they placed 6th, in 2009 they placed 5th, and in 2010 they placed 6th.
An IA team won the Michigan region of the 2006 High School Fed Challenge.
The IA West Future Problem Solving group placed third place in the Middle Division at the 2007 State Bowl.
The IA Forensics Team also competes in various district, regional and state competitions. The team has been known for producing state champions and in 2009, IA took state championships in the categories of poetry, dramatic interpretation and duo. The team has been 4th overall in the Class BCD Category for two years running.
IA music students have been selected in the past for the Michigan Youth Honors Band and Honors Orchestra, as part of the Michigan Young Arts Festival in May of each year. In 2007, one student was selected for the band, three for the orchestra, and an ensemble was selected to play at the festival. The International Academy also had a student selected as one of the top young composers in Michigan by the Michigan Music Educators Association, for its 2007 conference in Grand Rapids.
Internationalism
The IA often classifies itself as an international schoolInternational school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
, and has a number of international students - about 10 to 15 percent of the student body attended a school overseas before coming to the IA. However, their families must move to one of the sending districts before coming to the IA. The IA does not have boarding students. The IA gives preference to international students (classified as students who have lived in the US for less than one year), as well as students coming from other IB schools (in the United States or elsewhere). The Central and East campuses have particularly large Asian-American populations (mainly from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
).
Athletics
The International Academy has no school-sponsored sports. When the IA was founded in 1996, it agreed not to sponsor sports teams when sending districts voiced concern that they would lose athletes to the IA. Students who wish to participate in sports or marching band must do so through their sending district. About one-third of the students participate in competitive sports or other activities through their home high schools.The IA is allowed to have athletic teams which compete against other schools so long as they are completely student-run, with no funding from the school. In the past, students have started their own competitive teams, including a series of soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
teams, an Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate (sport)
Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
club, and a competitive boys' basketball team. There are also school-funded intramural tournaments, such as a Paintball
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
tournament and the annual IA Olympics, which consists of various competitive events, including athletic events, between the different grades at each campus.
Facilities
The International Academy's Central Campus is housed in the former site of Elizabeth Taylor Traub Elementary School. Though additions extending into the former playground have significantly increased its size, the use of an elementary school for a campus of over 700 teenagers can make the halls rather crowded. The building suffers from masonry issues, several leaks in the roof, heating and cooling issues, and a shortage of hot water.The Central Campus's classrooms are organized by subjects into different hallways: the 100 hallways house the foreign language, music, and Theory of Knowledge classrooms; the 200 hallway houses the math and science classrooms; the 300 hallway houses the social studies classrooms, as well as the art room; and the 400 wing houses the English classrooms. This makes it relatively easy for students to figure out where each class is, especially in such a small school. The school also has an all-purpose room, called the International Student Center (ISC), where school assemblies, Adventure Challenge classes, school plays, and large social events such as dances are held. This is also where students eat lunch every day. However, the ISC's relatively small size for an auditorium (about the size of an elementary school gymnasium) limit it from holding larger events, such as large musical concerts or graduations. These are normally held at other schools, such as Lahser High School
Lahser High School
Lahser High School is a high school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Opened in 1967 with 200 students, it now has under 900 students. Now the school is receiving the International Baccalaureate program for the class of 2013 and beyond. The teachers at Lahser have been preparing for this for 3 years...
(where orchestra, band, and choir concerts are held), Lake Orion High School
Lake Orion High School
Lake Orion High School is a public secondary institution located in Orion Township, Michigan. It is a part of Lake Orion Community Schools.The large campus features a centralized commons area, which serves as a distribution center to the wings. The commons area features the cafeteria and student...
(where the IA graduation ceremony was held through 2009) and Lakeland High School
Lakeland High School (White Lake Township, Michigan)
Lakeland High School is a secondary school located in White Lake, Michigan. The current principal is Currently undecided and the Associate Principals are Liz Mosher and Marc Kay. The Student Activities Director is Scott Rolando. Mike Fray is the Dean of Students and Jon Kirken is the White Lake...
(where the graduation ceremonies are now held).
Districts which send students to the Central Campus include Bloomfield Hills, Berkley
Berkley, Michigan
Berkley is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 14,970.-Downtown, Dream Cruise, etc.:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
, Clawson
Clawson, Michigan
Clawson is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,825.-Geography:...
, Lake Orion
Lake Orion, Michigan
Lake Orion is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,973 at the 2010 census. "Lake Orion" is often used to describe both the village and the much larger Orion Township, of which the village is a part....
, Rochester
Rochester, Michigan
Rochester is an affluent city in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the northern outskirts of metro Detroit. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census...
, Royal Oak
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
, Walled Lake
Walled Lake, Michigan
Walled Lake is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,999 at the 2010 census.-Origins of the name:The town's name is said to have been given by the first Euro-American settler, Walter Hewitt, in 1825...
, Waterford and West Bloomfield. The Farmington
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
and Oxford
Oxford, Michigan
Oxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township. The village occupies one square mile and is both politically and geographically a part of the township. The village calls itself...
districts have recently chosen to leave the IA consortium in order to start their own IB programs.
West Campus
The West campus was the first satellite campus of the International Academy. A satellite campus had been considered as early as 2003. This school first held classes in August 2006, and its first graduating class was the Class of 2010. The IA West campus is located inside Lakeland High SchoolLakeland High School (White Lake Township, Michigan)
Lakeland High School is a secondary school located in White Lake, Michigan. The current principal is Currently undecided and the Associate Principals are Liz Mosher and Marc Kay. The Student Activities Director is Scott Rolando. Mike Fray is the Dean of Students and Jon Kirken is the White Lake...
of Huron Valley Schools
Huron Valley School District
Huron Valley Schools is a school district located in Oakland County, Michigan which serves the communities of Commerce Township, Highland Township, Milford, and White Lake....
. The sending districts include Huron Valley and South Lyon. Their experience is similar to that of students on the Central Campus, with the exception of fewer options in foreign language (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
only). Unlike the Central Campus, Lakeland's recent remodeling promises to prevent building problems similar to those of the Central Campus. Like at the Central Campus, students play sports through their sending districts. Fine arts classes, which include band, choir, and visual arts, are also facilitated through Lakeland High School, as well as freshman-level economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. Huron Valley Schools has opened up 10 spots for students in districts outside the International Academy consortium, including students living outside of Oakland County, for the Class of 2011 onward. Though initially successful, the West campus has seen its number of consortium districts dwindle as a result of district budget cuts and more districts (such as Fenton) opting to start their own IB programs rather than send students to the IA.
East Campus
IA has set up an Eastern campus in TroyTroy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, in the former Baker Middle School building. Classes were first held in the 2008-2009 school year. Like the other two campuses, the school began with one freshman class and has added another each year, so the first graduating class will be the Class of 2012. This campus includes students from the Troy School District as well as school-of-choice students from other districts. Troy originally sent students to the Central campus and the Class of 2011 will be the last class of Troy students to graduate from there. The Eastern campus's student body will be about the same size as the Central campus when filled, and students have access to the same classes as students at the Central campus, save for German, which was not added to the curriculum as the first incoming freshman class did not have a sufficient amount of people who were interested in the course. The Eastern campus offers the same fine arts options as the Central campus. The Troy School District has also started Primary Years
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
and Middle Years
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
programs in some of its elementary and middle schools.
News
In 2006, a group of IA students were caught hackingHacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
into the Zangle computer systems and changing their grades. Six students were expelled and twelve suspended.
On July 16, 2009 it was announced that the central campus was to be re-named the Lambert S. Okma campus of the International Academy to honor the retired principal and founder.
On December 2, 2010 the East campus was closed for a day due to a norovirus outbreak. The epidemic had affected 120 students out of 350, and 8 staff members.
See also
- International Baccalaureate
- Bloomfield Hills School DistrictBloomfield Hills School DistrictBloomfield Hills School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was founded in the 1950s. BHSD has ranked among the best school systems in Michigan multiple times.-Schools:*Wing Lake Developmental Center...
- Huron Valley School DistrictHuron Valley School DistrictHuron Valley Schools is a school district located in Oakland County, Michigan which serves the communities of Commerce Township, Highland Township, Milford, and White Lake....
- Lakeland High SchoolLakeland High School (White Lake Township, Michigan)Lakeland High School is a secondary school located in White Lake, Michigan. The current principal is Currently undecided and the Associate Principals are Liz Mosher and Marc Kay. The Student Activities Director is Scott Rolando. Mike Fray is the Dean of Students and Jon Kirken is the White Lake...
- Lakeland High School
- Troy School DistrictTroy School District (Michigan)Troy School District is a school district in Troy, Michigan. It covers over half of the city, but some parts of the city are in the Avondale School District, the Warren Consolidated Schools and the Birmingham City School District among others....
- International schoolInternational schoolAn International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...