The 9th and 10th grade academic programs are preparatory to the final two years of high school during which students complete either the International Baccalaureate (IB) or French Baccalaureate diploma. In the core disciplines (English, Math, Science, Humanities, Modern Languages and Art), courses are designed to build upon the foundation established in middle school, with a particular focus on the content and skills needed for success in the upper grades curriculum.  Please note that arts courses in the first two years of high school are exploratory by design but also satisfy criteria set by colleges for both college entrance and further studies in the arts.  Physical education classes are required for all 9th and 10th grades and continue in the upper grades in the French track only.

The academic programs offered at International are comprehensive honors programs.  Unlike the Advanced Placement (AP) program, which consists of individual classes and varies by subject offerings in different schools, both the International Baccalaureate and the French Baccalaureate are two-year comprehensive honors programs which compose a student’s 11th and 12th grade years. Success in the programs’ examinations result in the awarding of a Baccalaureate diploma. The challenging curricula are regulated by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) located in Geneva, Switzerland and the French Ministry of Education in Paris. Both programs are recognized worldwide. Many U.S. colleges grant students up to an entire school year’s worth of credit upon admission with either Baccalaureate diploma.  The 9th and 10th grade academic programs are designed to prepare students for each respective baccalaureate’s diploma requirements. Consequently, they too are comprehensive programs with rigorous assessment procedures to prepare students for their externally-moderated diploma examinations.  In sum, a four-year diploma from International reflects success in a demanding, comprehensive, integrated, internationally-based college preparatory program unique in the San Francisco Bay Area.