International Baccalaureate coordinators in Minnesota have been meeting quarterly since the mid-1980’s as the MNIB (Minnesota Association of International Baccalaureate Schools).  Through the years, the joint efforts of these coordinators have been focused on promoting the growth of IB in the state of Minnesota by assisting new school applicants to the program and working with the legislature to gain financial support.  They have sought to bring awareness of the program to the citizens of Minnesota, colleges and universities throughout Minnesota, and to educators of Minnesota through college recognition seminars, workshops, roundtables and all-day orientation sessions.  

            Members of MNIB, which now includes representatives from the Primary Years Program (PYP) and the Middle Years Program (MYP), in addition to the original body of Diploma Program (DP) coordinators, have facilitated ongoing IB staff development through teacher networking sessions.  These all-day gatherings allow new and experienced teachers of IB to share best practices in subject area groups, as well as to meet staff from regional offices of IB in Bethesda, Maryland and Vancouver, British Columbia.  Coordinators have also valued time with each other to stay fresh and informed on developments within the parent organization, and to share ideas on effective techniques in coordination. 

        MNIB established a "roundtable" program in the state in early 2009 whereby teachers, administrators and staff in all three IB programs may come together informally (facilitated by a topic expert) to share successes and challenges pertinent to either academic subject areas or particular topics. These have also included ELL, Special Education, and Heads of School/Principals issues.  

       MNIB also strives to bring students from IB schools together, such as with the exciting  all-state IB CAS Fair and IB Showcase. Currently, an MNIB scholarship system is also being investigated.

       MNIB serves as a link to the Minnesota Department of Education by meeting regularly with the department’s designees and following through on requests made by them.  It also sends annual delegates to the Americas branch of IB’s sub-regional conferences, and works as a group with the head offices of IB in North America and Vancouver (IBA). 

 

            Minnesota Association of International Baccalaureate Schools is governed by a set of by-laws, last amended and ratified in 2008.