Specialty Programs

Buckland Mills Elementary School is proud to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), which nurtures curiosity, global awareness, and academic growth that supports our goal to guide students in becoming lifelong learners, critical and compassionate thinkers, and responsible citizens of our country and world. The IB PYP framework is student-centered, rigorous, and based on best teaching and learning practices. All students at Buckland Mills participate in the IB PYP program.

As an IB PYP school, we teach and learn through inquiry. An inquiry-based education empowers students to reflect on, find, and solve problems in their lives. Our students construct meaning and talk about their thinking while exploring new concepts. We believe that students need to be engaged in their learning and must be given multiple opportunities to explore and show their knowledge. In inquiry-based learning, the students are highly active participants in their own learning. They make personal decisions about what and how they will learn and have a thorough understanding of what is expected of them.

Our students share their learning through a variety of products, as well as traditional methods of assessment. We share expectations through the use of rubrics and provide specific feedback. These open-ended opportunities for demonstrating mastery of standards-based education encourage creativity and diversity. Student learning also includes self-awareness and a responsibility to recognize our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet. The Learner Profile, coupled with the Approaches to Learning, is essential to these understandings.

Currently, our students are beginning to speak Spanish, and they are learning to value other cultures. We are learning about other perspectives and traditions. We also have a learning garden and a Rooted in Education living laboratory garden for students to create authentic connections with local and global communities. Fifth grade refers to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals to support its Exhibition research, with academic ties to actionable ways we can become caring and compassionate citizens of the world. Buckland Mills has begun a composting program, and all classrooms have access to recycling bins to continue our positive impact on our environment.

Program Type

Transfer program – Students participating in this program will transfer to the program location for all courses and activities. Express bus transportation is available to accepted students living outside the program location boundaries through Specialty Program Transportation.

Note: Applications for this program are open for rising students in grades 1-5.

Contact

Tessa Swiger, IB PYP coordinator
703-530-1560
[email protected]

Application Information

School-Based Information Sessions

October 21, 2026, 5 p.m. at Buckland Mills Elementary in the library

January 6, 2027, 5 p.m. on Zoom

Only students who do not currently attend Buckland Mills and are in one of our zoned schools below need to submit an application.

Attendance Areas

Alvey Elementary, Buckland Mills Elementary, Glenkirk Elementary, Gravely Elementary, Haymarket Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, and Tyler Elementary

Who Can Apply?

Rising 1-5 grade students in our program's attendance area. Limited seats are available.

When considering students for participation, we review the following criteria:

• Academic Performance – Academic performance is considered as part of the overall review process.
• Attendance – Students should have no more than 10 absences during the current school year to ensure consistent engagement in learning. Patterns of tardiness or early dismissal may be counted toward this limit, as they impact instructional continuity.
• Behavior and Discipline – A positive and respectful learning environment is essential. Students must be in good disciplinary standing, which includes:
  • No disciplinary incidents in the past 12 months related to fighting, vaping, disrespect, classroom disruption, or vandalism.
  • No history of serious infractions, including assault or battery, sexual assault or harassment, arson, possession of weapons, or involvement with drugs or alcohol.

We are embracing and responding to the needs of our community and the world. Every year, we provide coats to those in need through our Coats from Caring Wildcats program. We also collect canned goods to fill the shelves of our local food bank and used glasses to help people see. Our SCA also supports service action and opportunities for our school community. We have made donations to Boxes for Basics and Pencil4U and hosted an animal shelter supply drive. We take local action to support a global mission of being compassionate thinkers.

With every new opportunity that arises, we challenge ourselves to reach beyond our community to create a positive impact on our world.