A NEW CHAPTER FOR FASPS

MULTIPLE LANGUAGES DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES DEEPER THINKERS

FASPS is now an IB Candidate School for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP)—an exciting milestone in the evolution of our French-American, multilingual education.

EXPLORE OUR IB JOURNEY DISCOVER PYP + MYP

For more than 30 years, FASPS has helped students learn across languages, cultures, and educational traditions. Pursuing IB authorization builds on that foundation—it’s not a departure from it.

The IB framework emphasizes inquiry, reflection, conceptual understanding and international-mindedness. By connecting these approaches to the strong French-American education already at the heart of FASPS, we aim to give students more ways to ask questions, make connections and see the world in a new light.

WHY IB? WHY FASPS?

An evolution of what makes FASPS extraordinary.

French remains foundational. Multilingualism expands. Our students learn to see the world through more than one lens.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND OUR JOURNEY

Hear From Our Leadership

Discover why IB candidacy represents an exciting next step in the evolution of FASPS. Hear from our leadership team about our vision, the selection process, and the journey toward evaluation and authorization as an IB World School.

Our Vision for the Future

Barbara Martin, Head of School, shares her vision and aspirations for this important next step in the evolution of FASPS.

01 MULTIPLE LANGUAGES

LEARNING TO
see differently.

At FASPS, language is more than something students learn. It becomes a different lens through which they understand ideas, cultures, people, and the world around them.

Rooted in a strong French educational foundation, students move between French and English, and expand their perspective through Spanish and Mandarin.

30+

Years of multilingual and immersion expertise

French remains foundational as our multilingual experience grows.

THE FASPS DIFFERENCE

Multiple languages aren't simply subjects children learn. They become different ways of seeing.

02 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

MAKING DEEPER
connections.

The world doesn't come organized by subject, language, or point of view. Learning to connect ideas across languages, cultures, disciplines, and perspectives helps students see relationships others may miss—and develop a richer understanding of the world around them.

Our French educational foundation, multilingual learning, and international community already create an unusually rich environment. IB gives students and teachers a stronger framework for making those connections more intentional.

Connecting ideas changes understanding.

The power comes from the connections.

Different perspectives don't compete.
Students learn to bring them together.

THE FASPS DIFFERENCE

FASPS brings educational traditions, languages, cultures, and perspectives together. IB gives us a stronger framework for connecting them.

03 DEEPER THINKERS

KNOWING WHAT
to ask.

When answers are at our fingertips, the questions matter more. At FASPS, students develop the knowledge and confidence to ask better questions, evaluate what they discover, exercise sound judgment, and decide what to do next.

Strong academic foundations make informed questioning possible. Moving between languages, cultures, and perspectives teaches students to navigate uncertainty and consider more than one answer. IB inquiry and reflection build on that experience, preparing independent thinkers for school, work, and a changing world.

FROM QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTANDING

START WITH ? What would you ask?

ASK Define the question. Knowing what to ask shapes what you discover.

EXAMINE What can you trust? Distinguish a quick answer from one you can trust.

CONNECT What else belongs here? Explore perspectives and more than one interpretation.

JUDGE Weigh what you know. Weigh evidence, context, and competing perspectives.

ACT Decide what comes next. Make thoughtful choices even when answers aren't certain.

THE RESULT KNOW.
QUESTION.
EVALUATE.
JUDGE.
ACT.

The questions matter more.

Knowledge and rigor remain essential. Students also learn what to ask, which answers to trust, how to connect ideas, and when to act with confidence.

THE FASPS DIFFERENCE

The ability to ask the right questions, make sense of answers, and exercise judgment starts at FASPS. These are skills students carry to their next school, into college, the workforce, and whatever comes next.

PYP PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME

CURIOSITY becomes inquiry.

The Primary Years Programme strengthens the way young learners ask questions, make connections, and take an active role in understanding the world around them.

At FASPS, this builds naturally on our French-American educational foundation, multilingual learning, and internationally minded community. Students continue developing strong academic knowledge while learning to connect ideas across subjects, perspectives, languages, and experiences.

PYP AT FASPS LEARNING
THROUGH
INQUIRY

ASK What do I notice?
What do I wonder?

EXPLORE Investigate ideas,
evidence, and experiences.

CONNECT Link learning across
subjects and perspectives.

REFLECT How has my thinking
changed?

ACT What can I do with
what I now understand?

PYP CANDIDATE SCHOOL

Building on what FASPS already does well.

The Primary Years Programme strengthens the habits of inquiry, reflection, and connection-making that are already part of a FASPS education. Students continue developing strong academic foundations while learning to ask meaningful questions, explore ideas across disciplines, and better understand their place in the world.

FASPS is a candidate school* for the IB Primary Years Programme. Candidacy is a period of learning, faculty development, implementation, reflection, and evaluation as the school works toward possible authorization.

*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate can offer one of its academic programmes. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

01 Inquiry-driven learning

Students learn to ask meaningful questions and investigate ideas rather than simply waiting for answers.

02 Connections across learning

Subjects remain academically strong while students learn to recognize relationships among concepts, disciplines, and experiences.

03 Reflection and agency

Students increasingly understand how they learn, make thoughtful choices, and take greater ownership of their learning.

04 International perspective

FASPS students continue learning across languages and cultures while developing the habits of mind needed to understand different viewpoints.

THE FASPS DIFFERENCE

PYP does not replace the academic and multilingual foundation of a FASPS education. It gives students a stronger framework for asking questions, connecting ideas, reflecting on their learning, and becoming increasingly independent thinkers.

MYP MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME

IDEAS CONNECT. thinking deepens.

The Middle Years Programme helps students move beyond learning subjects in isolation. They learn to connect knowledge across disciplines, examine different perspectives, and apply what they know to complex questions and real-world situations.

At FASPS, this builds on a strong French-American academic foundation and a multilingual, international learning environment. MYP adds a more intentional framework for inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, reflection, and application—helping students become more independent and thoughtful learners.

MYP AT FASPS CONNECT
THINK
APPLY

01 DISCIPLINES

Build strong knowledge within subject areas.

02 CONNECTIONS

Recognize relationships across subjects and ideas.

03 PERSPECTIVES

Consider different viewpoints, contexts, and experiences.

04 REFLECTION

Examine how thinking changes and develops.

05 APPLICATION

Use learning to address meaningful questions and situations.

MYP CANDIDATE SCHOOL

Building stronger connections across Middle School.

The Middle Years Programme gives students a framework for connecting subject knowledge with broader concepts, questions, and real-world contexts. It strengthens inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, reflection, and student agency while preserving the academic depth of the FASPS Middle School experience.

FASPS is a candidate school* for the IB Middle Years Programme. Candidacy includes faculty development, programme implementation, reflection, and evaluation as the school works toward possible authorization.

*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate can offer one of its academic programmes. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

01 Strong disciplinary learning

Students continue developing deep knowledge and skills within individual subject areas.

02 Interdisciplinary thinking

Students learn to connect ideas across subjects and recognize how knowledge works together.

03 Inquiry and reflection

Students ask better questions, evaluate what they learn, and reflect on how their thinking evolves.

04 Real-world application

Learning is connected to meaningful contexts, helping students understand why knowledge matters and how it can be used.

THE FASPS DIFFERENCE

MYP strengthens the academic depth of FASPS Middle School by helping students see how knowledge connects. They learn to move from subject knowledge to deeper understanding, thoughtful judgment, and meaningful application.

OUR IB JOURNEY CANDIDACY IN PROGRESS

A JOURNEY OF LEARNING + GROWTH.

Becoming an IB World School is a thoughtful, multi-stage process. Candidacy gives FASPS the opportunity to learn, implement, reflect, and refine as we work toward possible authorization for the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme.

WHERE WE ARE

Candidate School

FASPS has entered candidacy for both the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme, beginning a formal period of learning, implementation, and development.

FACULTY LEARNING

Training + Collaboration

Faculty and school leaders deepen their understanding of IB philosophy and programme practices while connecting them to FASPS's existing academic and multilingual strengths.

IN PRACTICE

Implementation

Teachers increasingly incorporate inquiry, interdisciplinary connections, reflection, and student agency into programme planning and classroom learning.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Reflect + Refine

Faculty examine what is working, identify opportunities for growth, and continue strengthening alignment between IB practices and the FASPS educational experience.

FUTURE MILESTONE

Evaluation + Possible Authorization

The candidacy process ultimately includes evaluation by the International Baccalaureate. Authorization is granted only when IB requirements have been successfully met.

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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FAMILIES? Students benefit from the evolution while the school does the work.

Families will see inquiry, reflection, stronger connections among ideas, and increasingly intentional opportunities for student agency become more visible throughout the FASPS learning experience.

QUESTIONS + ANSWERS IB AT FASPS

WHAT FAMILIES WANT TO KNOW.

IB candidacy represents an evolution of the FASPS educational experience—not a departure from who we are. Here are answers to some of the questions families may have along the way.

GENERAL

What does it mean that FASPS is an IB Candidate School? +

Candidate status means FASPS is actively working toward authorization for the IB Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme. During candidacy, the school engages in faculty learning, programme implementation, reflection, development, and evaluation. Candidate status does not guarantee authorization.

Is IB replacing the French-American programme? +

No. FASPS's French-American academic foundation, multilingual learning environment, and international community remain central to the school experience. IB provides an additional framework for connecting learning, inquiry, reflection, and student agency.

Why is FASPS pursuing IB now? +

Many of the qualities emphasized by IB—international-mindedness, inquiry, reflection, interdisciplinary connections, and student agency—already align naturally with the FASPS educational model. Candidacy gives the school a structured way to deepen and connect those strengths.

Will students still receive a rigorous academic education? +

Yes. Strong subject knowledge remains essential. The goal is to complement academic depth by helping students ask stronger questions, make connections among ideas, examine different perspectives, and apply what they know thoughtfully.

PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME

What is the Primary Years Programme? +

The PYP is an inquiry-focused educational framework for younger learners. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate ideas, connect learning across disciplines, reflect on their understanding, and increasingly take ownership of their learning.

What will PYP look like in a FASPS classroom? +

Students may encounter more explicit opportunities to investigate meaningful questions, connect ideas across subject areas, reflect on their learning process, explain their thinking, and use what they learn in new contexts.

Does inquiry mean students choose everything they learn? +

No. Teachers continue to provide clear academic goals, strong subject instruction, guidance, and structure. Inquiry gives students meaningful opportunities to ask questions and actively engage with that learning.

How does PYP fit with multilingual learning? +

FASPS students already experience ideas through multiple languages and cultural perspectives. PYP provides a framework that can help students make those connections more explicit and use them to deepen understanding.

MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME

What is the Middle Years Programme? +

The MYP is designed to help students develop strong subject knowledge while making meaningful connections among disciplines, concepts, perspectives, and real-world contexts.

Will individual subjects still matter in Middle School? +

Absolutely. Students continue developing knowledge and skills within individual disciplines. MYP also helps them see how those disciplines connect and how knowledge can be applied beyond a single class.

How does MYP support deeper thinking? +

Students are encouraged to investigate complex questions, examine evidence, consider different perspectives, connect concepts, reflect on their thinking, and make thoughtful judgments about what they learn.

How does MYP prepare students for what comes next? +

The programme emphasizes habits that become increasingly important as students advance academically: independence, research, communication, reflection, interdisciplinary thinking, judgment, and the ability to apply learning in unfamiliar situations.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES