Wareham Public Schools plans to phase out its IB, or International Baccalaureate, program by the end of the 2024-25 school year. 

While the district came to this plan through a process of discussion and research, opinions on whether it was the right decision were split among members of the School Committee, school administration, students, teachers and other members of the district. 

The School Council, a body representing all the different perspectives in the district, recommended that the school dissolve its IB program. High School Principal Scott Palladino relayed the Council’s recommendation to the School Committee in a Thursday, May 16 meeting. 

While students in the first year of two-year courses will be able to finish their second year of courses during the 2024-25 school year, no new two-year classes will be started, and the program will end at the end of that school year, the Council recommended. 

The Council considered many factors in its recommendation, including the school’s tough fiscal situation and the tough choices in scheduling which happen because the school is trying to run IB, AP (or Advanced Placement) and dual-enrollment courses, according to Palladino. 

“Are we a school that’s big enough to have three great programs for our students that want to challenge themselves academically?” Palladino asked, providing a synopsis of the School Council’s thinking. 

However, in a sign of the divided opinions on the answer, Palladino said his opinion differed from that of the School Council: “I love the IB program.”

Superintendent Matt D’Andrea had final say on the decision. He told the School Committee he planned to accept the Council’s recommendation. 

D’Andrea said a “comprehensive process” resulted in the School Council’s recommendations, starting with the hiring of an independent consultant who came in a year ago to examine the program. 

“We, here — me as a Superintendent, you folks as School Committee — we’re 30,000 feet above this whole thing, and I feel that by going to School Council, we have heard from those on the ground that are doing the work,” D’Andrea said. 

The teachers who testified before the School Council split roughly 50/50 in favor of and against keeping the IB program, according to Palladino. 

Student representative Gisella Priestly told the School Committee she loved her time in the IB program and that, when the consultant came in to talk with students about it, “overwhelmingly, students were in favor of it.”

The members of the School Committee were themselves divided in their opinions on whether to keep the IB program. 

Ultimately, the Committee did not vote either way. Chair Kevin Brogioli said that while it was a bit of a “gray area,” his understanding was that the Committee did not have to vote. 

“Honestly, I think that the reason we hired Dr. D’Andrea is to make these kinds of decisions,” said School Committee member Brennan McKiernan. “I don’t want necessarily to get rid of the program, but I’m not Superintendent, I’m not in the schools every day. You are, and [if] you say you accept the recommendation, then I do too. Even if I don’t like it.”