Originally, the Incline Schools Reflective Task Force — which met under former Washoe County School District Superintendent Paul Dugan to devise solutions to combat declining enrollment — suggested IB as a potential magnet to draw new students to the community.

While current Assistant Superintendent Pedro Martinez has backed off representing IB as an enrollment magnet — saying there is too much speculation involved and the primary reason for implementation is to address the needs of the students currently enrolled — some parents and community members continue to offer the program as a method of increasing attendance.

McKibben believes components of IB program — such as the emphasis on critical thinking and creativity — are essential elements of quality education, but also points out the program is not as relevant as those who implement it.

“As a coach, I realized early on that you could have all the brilliant game strategies you want, but if you have kids that can't walk and chew gum at the same time, you aren't going to have much success,” he said. “It's the same with a curriculum. You can have the best program, but if you don't have the teachers and administrators to carry it out, it won't work.”

Nevertheless, McKibben said the dichotomy established by proponents and detractors of IB between a liberal arts education and math- and science-based education that prepares young people for the work force is false.

“The truth is somewhere in the middle,” he said. “I talk with parents and teachers and what they want is for children to be able to pursue their own passion, while developing a sound character and healthy bodies.”

Business people want people with workplace skills, but with the changing pace and nature of the workplace, it is hard to identify what that specific skill-set entails, McKibben said. For instance, typing proficiency is currently considered a major asset to a resume, but with the emergence of voice recognition software, it's difficult to say whether that skill may be defunct by the time kindergarten students reach an employable age.

“What's truly important is to give children the ability to think critically, to communicate effectively, to develop a moral compass and an ethical center,” said McKibben. “They need to develop a sense of who they are before they develop a role in the economy.”

While McKibben did not fully endorse IB, he said the focus on how the individual, family, community, nationality and global perspectives interrelate is important to the future of this generation of young people, and it is a major focus of Lake Tahoe School's programs.