Princeton Montessori School has won authorization to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program to students in grades six-eight. It is one of only seven schools in New Jersey to offer this program at the middle school level, joining a community of 4,000 IB World Schools across the globe.

“We are so proud of our dual accolades, American Montessori accreditation and now International Baccalaureate authorization, as they help us guarantee the optimal learning environment for our students,” Princeton Montessori Head Michelle Morrison said. “Earning the IB authorization for the middle school assures parents that our Montessori approach to creating a holistic, empowering, and inquiry-based environment for early adolescents is matched by a curriculum that meets an international standard of excellence.”

Pointing out the parallel missions of Montessori and IB “in that they both seek to develop creative and compassionate critical thinkers who can design their own future while improving the world around them,” Morrison noted that IB emphasizes intellectual challenge and a rigorous yet flexible framework.

IB “encourages students, ages 11-14, to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life,” last week’s Princeton Montessori announcement noted.