After becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate school in early 2025, Poughkeepsie Day School appointed preK and kindergarten teacher, Andrea Istel, as our IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator. In this role, Andrea will be responsible for overseeing the implementation and integration of the PYP—a curricular framework for children aged 3-12—into PDS’s existing curriculum and pedagogy. To prepare for this role, Andrea participated in the “Lead the Learning” workshop from the IB Organization over the summer.

“This summer, I’ve begun preparing for my new role as our school’s PYP (Primary Years Programme) Coordinator as we continue our journey through the next phase of IB candidacy. I’m currently participating in the ‘Learning to Lead’ workshop through the IB, where I’m collaborating with educators from around the world and deepening my understanding of the IB mission, philosophy, and framework. The training is focused on the role of the learning leader, and I’m especially enjoying our exploration of leadership capabilities, international-mindedness, and how to support meaningful learning across the school community. I’m excited to bring what I’m learning back to PDS as we continue to grow within the PYP. Earlier this summer, I also completed a week-long Orton-Gillingham training—an intensive, research-based, multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. Literacy has always been one of my greatest passions, and this workshop offered valuable tools and insights that I look forward to integrating into our classroom routines. The hands-on strategies and structured techniques are especially effective for supporting early readers and diverse learning styles, and I’m eager to share this knowledge with students and colleagues alike.” 

To learn more about Poughkeepsie Day School’s International Baccalaureate journey, go to poughkeepsieday.org/ib.