International Baccalaureate candidate school in Shoreline - St. Luke School

Principal Rick Boyle with student

St. Luke School in Shoreline is a candidate for the International Baccalaureate program.

“Our vision is to offer a world-class international school for elementary and middle school students right here in the heart of Shoreline,” says Rick Boyle, Principal at St. Luke. 

“This is not what you typically think of your local Catholic school. But we’re not a typical Catholic school. It’s not enough to offer a traditional curriculum anymore. The world is changing and so are we.”

This isn’t just talk, either. St. Luke is a now a new candidate school for the global International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.

Once authorized, St. Luke School will be the first IB program for elementary and middle school students in Shoreline. In fact, it joins only thirteen such programs in the entire state of Washington.

Research shows that students in the IB program performed better than non-IB students in a global International Schools’ Assessment study and that IB better prepares students for the rigor of college and world of work.

As an IB school, St. Luke will join a worldwide network of highly respected IB World Schools, working together to share best practices.

“We want students at St. Luke to have the 21st century skills that colleges and employers are looking for,” adds Meaghan Roach, St. Luke’s IB Coordinator and former international school teacher. 

“These include skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, strategic planning and creativity.”

During the next couple of years, St. Luke teachers are learning and planning for the inquiry based teaching methodology of the IB. Teachers have already visited existing IB programs across the state to see IB in action.

One of the most important features of an IB school is their focus on inquiry; supporting students of all ages to ask important questions, research, initiate responsible action, reflect and transfer the conceptual knowledge learned to unknown situations in the future.

St. Luke has a jump start on inquiry through their school-wide garden project.

In the garden, students investigate where their food comes from, observe successes and failures in growth patterns, and partake in the cycle of food from seed harvesting, to planting, then harvesting and composting.

St. Luke School also partners with Seattle Tilth Organization to develop rich curriculum that includes literature, math concepts, science observations, and art. 

Curious about St. Luke School?

Come to their Open House on November 30 at 6:30pm to see firsthand the innovative work being done.

St. Luke School is proud of their efforts to lead the way in best practice and are currently accepting applications for new students in kindergarten through eighth grade. All faiths are welcome to apply.

See their school website for more information on their IB journey. St. Luke School is located at 17533 St Luke Place North, Shoreline 98133.

Photos courtesy St. Luke School