In December 2017, Methow Valley Elementary School was officially recognized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. IB schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is underpinned by six transdisciplinary themes around which learning is planned. These are:

• Who we are

• Where we are in place and time

• How we express ourselves

• How the world works

• How we organize ourselves

• Sharing the planet

These themes are selected for their relevance to the real world. They are described as transdisciplinary because they focus on issues that go across subject areas.

The transdisciplinary themes help teachers to develop a program of inquiry. Teachers work together to develop investigations into important ideas, which require a substantial and high level of involvement on the part of students.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) provides schools with a curriculum framework of essential elements — the knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes, and action that young students need to equip them for successful lives, both now and in the future.

Schools work with these five elements to construct a rigorous and challenging curriculum that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant for learners in the 3–12 age range.

All students at Methow Valley Elementary School are a part of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) program.