Speas Global was chosen as a magnet school in WSFCS beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Only 21 select Elementary, Middle, and High schools in WSFCS are Magnet schools.  Magnet schools offer innovative programming and unique ways to learn NC required curriculum. 

Speas Global's Magnet Theme is the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme. Every student who comes to Speas Global is immersed in the innovative, inquiry-based teaching philosophies of our IB-trained staff, which strengthens children's creative thinking capacities and problem-solving abilities. All children learn an additional language, Spanish, either through a weekly Encore (Specials) class or by choosing in Kindergarten to be in a Spanish Dual Language Immersion classroom.

Already dedicated to a global education and Spanish Dual Language Immersion, in Fall 2014 Speas Global began investigating a third component to further strengthen our ability to engage students in authentic learning opportunities.  We explored the resources that the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme had to offer and decided we wanted to apply to become the only Elementary School in WSFCS to offer the IB PYP to students. Once Speas Global was chosen by WSFCS, we began pursuing authorization as an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme. This journey takes about 3 years to become fully authorized by the IBO. The PYP curriculum framework helps bring together the many curriculum demands and focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside.

Throughout the 2015-16 school year we worked diligently to learn about PYP best practices, wrote and taught our first Units of Inquiry (UOIs), and completed the application to become a candidate school desiring to offer the Primary Years Programme.  On May 23, 2016, Speas Global Elementary School was recognized as a *candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). On July 31, 2018, Speas Global was fully authorized as an IB World School offering the PYP. IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging international education that we at Speas Global Elementary School believe is important for our students. Authorized IB World Schools also receive Evaluation Visits from the IB Organization after 4 years of obtaining their Authorization status. Speas Global had their first Evaluation Visit in April of 2022. We received our report without any matters to be addressed and much support and advice to continue growing our successful PYP program. We will have our next Evaluation Visit in the spring of 2027.

The Speas learning community strives to develop well-rounded students with character who respond to challenges with optimism and an open mind, are confident in their own identities, and make ethical decisions. Students join with others in celebrating our common humanity and are prepared to apply what they learn in real-world, complex and unpredictable situations. Speas Global teachers infuse local and state curriculum requirements with international perspectives from other countries and cultures.  All Speas students benefit from an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning, but additionally, students may choose to enroll in a Spanish Dual Immersion class. Both native English and native Spanish speaking students explore together and acquire Spanish through a natural process of language acquisition. All Speas students develop the attributes and skills needed for both academic and personal success.

For more information about our Magnet Program, please click on the following links:

International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) 

Learning a second language:

Spanish Dual Language Immersion (DLI) and Spanish as an Encore (Specials) class

 *Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP) or the Career-related Programme (CP).