SINT MAARTEN (SOUTH REWARD) - Management of the St. Dominic High School has shared with parents, students, teachers, and members of the St. Dominic High School Community, the outcome of the IB Diploma Programme evaluation visit.
We are pleased to share the outcome of our International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme Five-Year Evaluation Visit, which took place from May 30 to April 1, 2026.
This visit was a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to delivering a world-class IB education, and we are proud to report that St. Dominic High School has emerged from this process in an outstanding position.
The purpose of the IB five-year evaluation visit is to support our school in becoming even better, not to judge us, but to partner with us in continuous improvement. The IB evaluators examined our school across five key dimensions:
- Teaching and Learning — how students are taught in the classroom
- Curriculum Planning — what students learn and how it is organised
- Student Experience — engagement, well-being, and support
- School Leadership — how the school is managed and developed
- Policies — how policies are created, communicated, and made accessible to our wider school community
Findings: Areas of Strength
The IB evaluators identified a number of outstanding strengths that reflect the dedication and hard work of every member of our school community. These include:
- Impactful CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) projects, with every member of the community able to speak confidently about CAS — a testament to the depth of student engagement and the great opportunities for student-led initiatives.
- Our school's mission is strongly aligned with the IB Mission, reflecting our shared values and purpose.
- An excellent teacher-to-student ratio that enables personalised support and quality learning experiences.
- A culture where students are actively encouraged to learn by taking action and making a difference.
- Clear and thoughtful reflection practices, with strong evidence of insights being gathered and applied.
- A collaboratively developed Programme Development Plan (PDP) with a clearly outlined rationale, reflecting inclusive and forward-thinking leadership.
- Strong approaches to assessment, including effective use of IB rubrics.
These strengths are a direct reflection of the professionalism of our teachers, the engagement of our students, the commitment of our parents, and the vision of our leadership.
Matters to Be Addressed
We are proud to report that following the evaluation, St. Dominic High School has been found to have NO matters to be addressed. This means that our school meets all IB standards and requirements. This is an exceptional achievement and a tribute to the collective effort of our entire school community.
Areas for Development
As part of the evaluation process, the IB evaluators offered suggestions for areas of development. These are not requirements but thoughtful recommendations to support our growth and excellence. These suggestions will be carefully considered as we build our Programme Development Plan (PDP) for the next five years, leading to 2030.
The specific areas for development identified by the evaluators will be reviewed by our leadership team, teachers, parents, students and schoolboard and integrated into our school's five-year PDP, ensuring that St. Dominic High School continues to evolve and improve in line with IB best practices and the needs of our community.
What Happens Next
The evaluators' findings will be submitted to the IB World Schools (IBWS) Manager for review. The official IB evaluation report will be received by the school within three months.
In the meantime, our Diploma Programme Coordinator Mrs. Gisella Reijna and the St Dominic High School community will begin planning our next steps, including how we will build on our strengths and integrate the evaluators' developmental suggestions into our 2025–2030 PDP.
Our next self-evaluation is scheduled for 2030, at which point we will once again reflect on our progress and continue on our journey of continuous improvement.
A Heartfelt Thank You
A successful evaluation of this nature is never the result of one person's effort — it is a community achievement. We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed:
- Our Teachers — for your professionalism, preparation, and dedication to IB standards and to each and every student you serve.
- Our Students — for representing our school with confidence, honesty, and pride, and for demonstrating exactly what an IB learner looks like in action.
- Our Parents — for your continued partnership, trust, and support of the IB programme and of this school.
- The SKOS Board — for your governance, strategic support, and commitment to the quality of education at St. Dominic High School.
- Our Diploma Programme Coordinator — for the exceptional leadership, organization, and preparation that made this evaluation visit a success.
The evaluation visit reflects the very best of what St. Dominic High School is: a community united in the pursuit of excellence, growth, and the development of principled, caring, and knowledgeable young people.
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