After several weeks without an IB Diploma Programme Coordinator, ROHS teacher Ray McMann was chosen to take on the position. McMann has served as a science and German teacher, and also serves as the school’s senior class adviser and IB MYP Coordinator.
According to Royal Oak High School Principal, Donal Loomis, the hiring of a new DP Coordinator was delayed for a couple of reasons.
“We had a number of applicants, and some of those applicants didn’t work out, and then there was a change in staffing within the district,” said Loomis. “And then the district kind of stopped our hiring process and then started to think: ‘Okay, what are we going to do, and how are we going to do it?’ That’s when we consolidated [the coordinator role] within Mr. McMann’s position.”
English teacher Kayla Johnson served as DP Coordinator after the mid-year retirement of Leah Barnett, and coordinated all DP activities from January to June of 2025, but chose to remain in the classroom this year. She explained the extensive nature of the position.
“The DPC (DP Coordinator) is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the IB Diploma Programme, from staff training to exam registration, to communication with the community, to curriculum development (and everything in between),” Johnson said.
This means McMann will be playing a vital role in everything that goes on in the IB Diploma Programme. He understands that the commitment required is extensive.
“My responsibilities are to make sure that everything runs smoothly with the DP, making sure all the students are registered who are taking the DP exams SL and HL [Standard Level and Higher Level], making sure that we’ve met our requirements, sending out all the information to parents and students about those assessments, and making sure there’s a schedule for all of that from now until that end of the year,” said McMann.
Along with being the DP Coordinator, McMann will continue serving in his position as MYP (Middle Years Programme) and Personal Project Coordinator.
“Each day is a different day. Someday, it might be more DP, someday might be more MYP, someday might be a full Personal, Project focus,” said McMann, who is hopeful that someone who is based at ROHS and who is entirely focused on the IB program will be very helpful to staff members and students alike.
Loomis agreed.
“I’m glad that the [MYP, DP, and Personal Project coordinator] is kind of consolidated into one person because if I have an IB question, that’s one person [I can connect with],” said Loomis.
McMann said he looks forward to “watching a lot of students succeed or learn more than they thought they were capable of.”
According to DP History teacher Ryan Piippo, there have been no extreme changes for DP teachers, in spite of the temporary vacancy in the DP Coordinator position.
“We were not rudderless because we didn’t have a coordinator,” he said. “Most of the DP teachers, we’re all experienced and have done it before.”
Piippo noted that the only real changes in the absence of a coordinator were some of the organizational pieces.
“For instance, we always draw an assessment calendar so that we don’t overload DP students on the same days with assessments, and since we didn’t have that organizing force, we hadn’t had any conversations about it,” said Piippo.
For new DP teachers like Brian Hacker, who is teaching DP French for the first time this year, there had been some slight difficulties in the temporary absence of a coordinator.
“As a new DP teacher, there are expectations of DP and elements of the program that I don’t even know enough to ask the right questions, and a coordinator is the kind of person who would be able to sit down with me and say, ‘Okay, here’s what you need to know,’” said Hacker, who added that the other DP teachers “have been awesome and very helpful.”
Despite some organizational pieces and a small learning curve for new DP teachers, Johnson said that things are moving along well.
“Classes, content, and IB requirements within the classroom have continued without interruption, and I’m really proud of that,” said Johnson.
“I’m super happy that Mr. McMann is stepping up to take care of this, and I think he’s going to do a great job,” said Hacker.
