Since the arrival of its latest principal Brian Meadows, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, a neighborhood K-8 in Olney, has become one of just 10 schools in Philadelphia offering the International Baccalaureate program, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The school adopted the rigorous international curriculum framework to accelerate student learning among its middle grades. The program challenges students and encourages them to think about the larger world surrounding them.

Despite the school being in a heavily underfunded district that is educating a mostly economically disadvantaged student body, Meadows believed that if they were provided with proper conditions, Thurgood Marshall’s students would soar.

“I wanted to create a school of excellence in a majority minority neighborhood,” he said. “No matter what the neighborhood looks like, feels like, our students are able to rise to the occasion, to be great.”

Considering that the school’s budget was extremely tight, Meadows had to be strategic and set aside funds that would cover IB candidacy and teacher training. Thanks to pandemic relief funds, he was able to do it.

After being in candidacy for two years, this year the school finally became a full-fledged IB Middle Years Programme school.

Read more about Thurgood Marshall Elementary and the benefits of being in the International Baccalaurate program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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