International Academic School
The International Academy was founded in 1996 and is the first all International Baccalaureate Diploma Program public high school in North America. It is a magnet school that has expanded to three campuses within Oakland County, with thirteen member school districts. Commencing with ninth grade, it provides a unique blend of rigorous academic standards, practical and career-related learning as well as personal development opportunities. The IA is the second largest IB Diploma granting high school in the world and our Diploma Program acquisition results remain exceptional with 365 graduating seniors in 2018. The IB’s Middle Years Program in ninth and tenth grades help build the skills necessary to be successful in later years.
Because students come to the IA from so many different districts, the richness of our diversity and perspectives are woven into classroom discussions as well in the many events throughout the school year. We continue to build our capacity as a community that cultivates a global culture encouraging acceptance and inclusion.
We also foster an environment of service learning where students contribute and engage with the local and global community in meaningful ways. Our service learning program begins in the ninth grade and helps students to reflect upon and seek extension activities relating to their identity and how to meaningfully pursue Creativity, Activity and Service experiences. Service learning combined with the IB Learner Profile engages students in the IB’s mission to “create a better and more peaceful world.”
