Congratulations to our WAB 2020 graduates who overcame unprecedented challenges in their final year of school. Your hard work and perseverance, despite the adversity, has shown your strength and resilience.
The International Baccalaureate Organization released results for the 2020 Diploma Pogramme, and WAB's IB DP students continued our tradition of academic excellence, far exceeding the global average. Our students have continued following their dreams and passions and gained admission to some of the most prestigious and specialized university programs around the globe. We are really proud of them.
"Despite unprecedented challenges including a pandemic, school closure, the cancelation of exams, and the separation of the group, the Class of 2020 continued to excel and received results just as strong as in past years at WAB," High School Principal Melanie Vrba said. "That they continued to show strong results while also dealing with so many challengers is a credit to the whole class."
As COVID-19 became a global pandemic and schools around the world struggled to safely administer Diploma Programme exams, the IBO was forced to make changes to how they assessed students. They created and employed a new algorithm based on students' Internal Assessments, coursework, projected grades, and historical data from the schools.
As results came back, discrepancies in results became apparent, and WAB worked with several other leading schools worldwide to request a review of the IB assessment process. WAB sought clarification for several individual students whose scores were not aligned with the quality of their work that they consistently showed at school. As a result, the students were part of a IB revision process and ultimately obtained grades that reflected them more accurately as learners.
"Overall, WAB's 2020 DP results are very strong," said Scott Lindner, WAB's Diploma Programme Coordinator. "In these unprecedented times, even though the school year was over, we have continued to provide support for our Class of 2020 students in the form of advocacy to university admissions offices, as well as seeking clarification on their scores and retakes. We were all in this together."
WAB's scores remained excellent this year too and earned many students spots at their first-choice university. Amidst COVID-19 uncertainties, our faculty - teachers, counselors, mentors, and leadership - were certain that by working together with each individual student and family, we would ensure that students were progressing on their learning journey and achieving their future goals. We are very proud to see the fruits of that work.
WAB parent Limin Song said the unique challenges in 2020 created uncertainties and stress for their family as their son prepared to graduate. Having been at WAB for ten years, however, she felt confident in the WAB faculty and leadership would help guide her child through it all.
"I feel that WAB faculty members genuinely care about our children as individuals," she said.
Limin said the counseling team offered individualized university guidance and support even when campus was closed; WAB's DP coordinator spent one-on-one time ensuring the family had access to all resources available to them; and the WAB principal personally wrote to her son's top choice university to advocate and explain the IB DP exam situation.
"My son is starting with Imperial College soon," Limin said. "I am confident that the passion for learning and personal growth he had developed over years at WAB will stay with him forever. My family is grateful that we are part of the WAB community."