Thanks for the input.
Kerry: From my conversation with the director, they appear to be in line with what you described for the elementary education. She talked about international component and community service, as well as flexibility for the students. I do like the thematically organized approach and is a big plus for us. We are already looking at schools we might consider past 5th grade and I'm excited about a college prep school whose ideology is progressive. It, too, allows for a thematic approach and puts the focus on the student. They certainly do not teach to the standards (though there is some tests). I am going to monitor the school over the next few years and see how it stacks up to a few others, but for now it is definitely one we would consider sending DD to when it is time for her to go to 6th grade. It sounds to me that the IB method is not an extreme difference from the progressive so it might make for an easy transition.
On a side note ... I received another dose of how advanced DD's school really is ... baccalaureate was one of the spelling words for the 1st graders.
