California Dreaming... of International Exchange
June 2nd, 2008
Extract from Grimsby Telegraph 02 June 2008American school representative Linda Bratcher brought the Californian sunshine with her to North East Lincolnshire when she paid a visit to Tollbar Business And Enterprise College.
Ms Bratcher, head of programmes at St Mary and All Angels school in Aliso Viejo, California, visited the New Waltham school in preparation for a teacher exchange which will take place later in the year.
The two schools forged a relationship after she met Tollbar principal David Hampson at a conference in October.
One thing they have in common is the adoption of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme of education.
St Mary and All Angels already has two IB programmes for its pupils aged between two-and-a-half and 14.
Tollbar will replace A-Levels with the IB in September and is aiming to attract international students.
Ms Bratcher said: "We are in different places but still in the IB family, and we wanted to implement an additional exchange programme to the one we already have with an Italian school."
Diana Shelton, Tollbar's assistant principal, said: "The IB is looking at producing international citizens. It's an increasingly global society and it's valuable to look at other people's viewpoints."
