International Program - Abbotsford School District

abbotsford
Your Total Canadian Experience!
Abbotsford International
Student Program
British Columbia, Canada
www.experienceabbotsford.com
Abbotsford
Live and Learn
2
2
Low
Nov
Annual temperatures
averages (° Celcius).
Oct
High
Sep
Abbotsford Climate
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
Aug
•Quality, carefully-selected
homestay families
Jul
•Unique specialty
programs
Jun
•Comfortable climate
May
•Extra level of student
support
Apr
•Full immersion ESL
experience
Mar
•Well-rounded experience
for students
Feb
•Excellent student
performance
Jan
•Ideal location in Greater
Vancouver Area
Dec
Learn more and live better.
Enjoy a real Canadian lifestyle and education.
Discover and experience the Abbotsford advantage.
Central Commercial District
Welcome to the Abbotsford
School District
The city of Abbotsford is located in the heart of the Fraser Valley, and is
affectionately known as the ‘City in the Country’.
We have an international
airport for easy travel, a new state of the art hospital with a cancer research
centre, and a local university that works closely with each of our high
schools. Abbotsford, one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, has all the
amenities of a big city, but in a country setting.
Abbotsford School District is well known for its excellence in education and
has been recognized for its leadership in the areas of academic excellence,
health and fitness, sports and early learning. Abbotsford high schools and
State of the art Abbotsford Regional Hospital
middle schools have outstanding sports programs, and win championships
every year in numerous sports.
Many of our athletes win provincial,
national, and international scholarships. Numerous students who graduate
from our schools have gone on to study and teach at prestigious universities
throughout North America.
Academic excellence is a focus of our schools, and preparing our students
to meet the challenges and opportunities for the 21st century is our core
business. We feel strongly that students must have the knowledge, skills,
and intellect to compete in a global market. Abbotsford provides several
“choice programs,” including advanced university credit technology courses,
an International Baccalaureate Program, Advanced Placement university
credit courses, and four sport academies (hockey, soccer, golf, and baseball).
All of our high schools have strong fine and performing arts programs, and
the District has an elementary and middle/secondary integrated arts school.
Shopping Centre
Recently, two of our schools were recognized by national publications as two
of the top schools in Canada.
Abbotsford School District is a high performing district because we care
deeply about our students. We are committed to providing every student
in our system with the best choice of programs and educational support
possible. Every school in Abbotsford reflects our district motto: “Respect,
Opportunity and Innovation.”
Sincerely,
Kevin Godden, Superintendent of Schools
University of the Fraser Valley
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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Canada
Canadian Education
•Voted one of the best countries in the world to
live in by the United Nations.
•World leader in language training
•Second largest country by area in the world,
with a growing population of 35 million people.
•Multicultural society welcoming new
immigrants and international students.
•According to the PISA studies conducted by
the OECD, Canada has the #1 ranked English
speaking High School Education System, well
ahead of the United States and the United
Kingdom.1
•Canada’s University education is recognized as
world class. One global study placed Canada
as #4 overall in the world in 2013.2
Beautiful
forests
RiversLakes
British
Columbia
CANADA
ABBOTSFORD
Greater Vancouver Area
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1 Source: OECD, PISA 2009 Database. 12 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932343342
2 Source: http://www.universitas21.com/article/projects/details/158/overall-2013-ranking-scoresand-conclusion
Ottawa
Toronto
mountains
mountains
oceans
British Columbia
Greater Vancouver Area
•Third largest metropolitan area in Canada with
around 2.2 million people.
British Columbia: Green & Vibrant
•Has beautiful ocean, lakes, rivers, mountains
and forests.
•Home to famous ski resorts and host of 2010
Winter Olympics.
British Columbia’s Education
•Offers opportunities for outdoor recreation
such as skiing, boating or walking along the
Stanley Park Seawall.
•Center of art and culture in BC. Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra, Bard on the Beach, the
Vancouver Art Gallery and many others are
located in Vancouver.
•Canada’s education is world class and BC’s
is even better! According to the OECD, BC
outperformed other Canadian provinces and
top OECD countries in Math, Science and
Literacy.
s
•Stretches into the Fraser Valley and has
many of the largest municipalities in British
Columbia, including the cities of Vancouver
and Abbotsford.
•Vancouver is home to the internationally
recognized University of British Columbia and
Simon Fraser University.
BC’s GLOBAL
COMBINED
OVERALPERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
ACADEMIC
British Columbia
6th
Canada
7th
New Zealand
8th
Australia
10th
United Kingdom
20th
OECD average
24th
United States
25th
480
490
500
510
520
530
540
Combined Mean Score of Math, Science & Literacy Results
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Abbotsford: Learn it. Live it.
City Overview
and Location
•One of fastest growing cities
in Canada with 140,000
people.
•Ideal location – about a one
hour drive from downtown
Vancouver and the Vancouver
International Airport.
•Strong economy based on
transporation,aerospace,
agribusiness, and light
manufacturing.
ideal
Climate
Very mild climate compared to
the rest of Canada.
Winter – Very little snow
[except in the mountains]
with daytime temperature
around 7°C in January and
February.
Summer – Comfortable,
dry and warm, with
August average daytime
temperature around 24°C.
IDEAL LOCATION
City Amenities and
Local Activities
•International restaurants,
modern hospital, theatre, a
vibrant downtown and brand
new mega-mall.
•3 large recreation centres,
ice rinks, swimming pools
parks, climbing gym, tennis
courts, skateboard parks,
riding trails.
•Local activities include annual
community events such as
The Berry Festival and the
Abbotsford International
Airshow - one of the largest
airshows in the world.
•Home to one of British
Columbia’s larger postsecondary institutions—
University of the Fraser
Valley, which has over
16,000 students and offers
excellent programs, many
of which transfer directly
to the University of British
Columbia.
I never considered any of the big cities because I wanted to go to a small town and
experience something different from what I had in Brazil wherein I lived in a big city. I also
thought that being in a small town would allow me to know and interact with the Canadian
people more easily than if I were to go to a big city. So, going to Abbotsford, I thought, would
mean that I would speak more English, I would listen to more English, and I would really get
to know about what a Canadian life is.
~ Isabela Copola, Brazil
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Reason #1
Key Achievements
of Abbotsford Schools
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #2
EXCELLENT DISTRICT-WIDE
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Our schools have been recognized for their innovative
programs and academic success. How good are we?
Abbotsford schools have…
Abbotsford students have…
•been profiled in Maclean’s Magazine as one of
the “Top Ten Schools in Canada”.
attended top universities across Canada, the
United States and around the world, including…
• received the Prime Minister’s award for
teaching excellence.
•Oxford University Rhodes Scholarship
Winner
•MIT
•Harvard
•Stanford
•Cornell University
•Brown University
•Clemson University
• received Canada’s Outstanding
Principal’s Award.
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #3
LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED SCHOOLS
•Parson’s School
of Design
•John Hopkins
University
•Seoul National
University
•University of Toronto
•University of
British Columbia
•McGill
…competed and won at national and international academic
and technical competitions, including the World Chemistry
Olympiad in Moscow, Russia.
…gone on to exciting careers at NASA and MIT, Soft Citizen,
Electronic Arts (EA), Disney…. Our grads are successful
engineers, architects, doctors, artists… one of them is the
pilot for the Prime Minister!
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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School District
The Abbotsford School District welcomes international students from around the world to study at its top rated
schools. The Abbotsford experience includes a quality-focused international program, modern school facilities,
and thoughtfully selected homestays. Abbotsford offers language training as well as complete academic
programs that are fully accredited by the BC Ministry of Education. Abbotsford also offers advanced academic
opportunities for those students seeking a higher level of academic challenge, and the opportunity to earn
post-secondary credits while attending secondary school. In Abbotsford, international students are given the
opportunity to learn English and experience a new culture, all while attaining a world-class education.
The Abbotsford School District has approximately:
•19,000 students
•30 elementary schools
(Kindergarten to grade 5)
•7 middle schools
(grades 6 to 8)
•7 secondary schools
(grades 9 to 12)
•1400 teachers
•350 international students
•virtual school
Abbotsford School District #34 Schools
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
All Secondary Schools Offer a Range of Academic Courses
Abbotsford Senior Secondary School
Grades: 9 to 12
Approximate Number of Students: Approx 950
Specialty Programs/Classes:
International Baccalaureate Program (IB), Honours
Program, Law, Accounting, Business and Management,
Broadcasting, Sports Rehab Medicine, Soccer Academy,
Art, Digital Art, Dance, Theatre, Band, Drumline,
Sports: Volleyball, soccer, basketball, rugby, wrestling,
football, cross-country, running, track and field
Clubs: Kiwanis Key Club, HIB Leadership, Multicultural
Club, Grad Committee, Scholarship Club, ISP Peer
Mentoring, Big Sisters Peer Tutoring/Buddy Program,
Fish Hatchery Volunteers
http://www.abbysenior.com
Rick Hansen Secondary
Grades: 9 to 12
Approximate Number of Students: 800
Specialty Programs/Classes:
Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Honours Program,
Aviation, Fine Arts, Digital Art, Broadcasting,
Journalism, Business, Accounting, 2D+3D Drafting
and Design, Architecture, Recording Studio
Sports: Cross country running, soccer,
volleyball, football, basketball, wrestling,
rugby, track, ultimate Frisbee, golf
Clubs: Scholarship Team, School Newspaper,
Multicultural Club, Global Awareness Club
http://www.rickhansensecondary.com
8
Robert Bateman Secondary
Grades: 9 to 12
Approximate Number of Students: 800
Specialty Programs/Classes:
Advanced Placement (AP), Honours Program,
Journalism, Law, Business, Accounting, Marketing,
Tourism, 3D Animation, Fine Arts, Digital Art, Golf
Academy, Hockey Class, Broadcasting, Dance, Musical
Theatre, Outdoor Recreation, 2D+3D Drafting and
Design, Robotics, Theatre, Band,
Sports: Swimming, volleyball, soccer, basketball,
rugby, golf, badminton, track and field
Clubs: Improvisational Club, Drama, Multicultural Club,
Environmental Club, First Nations Carving Club, Art
Club, Music, Chess Club, Wolfpack Student Leadership,
Kiwanis Key Club, Yearbook, Hockey Program
http://www.robertbatemansecondary.com
W.J. Mouat Secondary
Grades: 9 to 12
Approximate Number of Students: 1550
Specialty Programs/Classes:
Honours Program, Business, Accounting, Marketing,
Economics, Psychology, Law, 2D+3D Design and
Drafting, 3D Printer, 3D Animation, Outdoor Education,
Fashion Design, Band, Choir, Visual Arts, Digital Art,
Sports: Swimming (Speed and Synchro), cross
country, football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, golf,
soccer, track and field, rugby
Clubs: Multicultural Club, Chess, Dance Squad,
Right Fight Club, Youth Buddy Club, Hawkzine School
Newspaper, Improv Team, School Dances, Scholarship
Club, Benevolent Nerds Society (Peer Tutors), Grad
Council, Ski Club, Golf Club, Scholarship Club
http://www.mouatonline.com
Yale Secondary
Grades: 9 to 12
Approximate Number of Students: 1150
Specialty Programs/Classes:
Advanced Placement (AP), Honours Program, Law,
Psychology, Business, Accounting, Economics, Robotics,
2D+3D Drafting and Design, Theatre, Band, Choir,
Visual Arts, Hockey/Baseball/Softball Academy
Sports: Swimming, cross country, soccer, volleyball,
basketball, wrestling, rugby, track and field, water polo,
badminton, golf
Clubs: Student Leadership, Youth Rotary, Youth
Kiwanis Leadership, Graduation Council, Art Club,
Improvisation Club (Theatre Sports), Intramurals,
Band, Choir, Musical Theatre, Anime Club, Chess Club
http://www.yalesecondary.com
Abbotsford
Traditional
Secondary
Abbotsford School of
the Integrated Arts
Sumas Mountain Campus
Grades: 9 to 12
Grades: 6 to 12
http://www.atss.ca
http://abbotsfordintegratedarts.ca
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #4
SPECIALTY PROGRAMS
Specialty Programs
Students are also able to enroll in special interest programs such as:
Advanced Placement
[AP] Program
International
Baccalaureate Program
•The AP Program operates
in Canada and the US, and
enables academically strong
students to study university
level courses and earn
university credits while still
in high school. Students
must be approved to take AP
courses , and require very
strong English.
•This demanding
internationally recognized
diploma program helps
students prepare for
university.
Sports Academies
•Sports academies provide
high performance training
and elite skill development
during school hours. Students
are coached by professionals,
and earn Physical Education
credit and elective course
credit.
•Golf, Hockey, Soccer,
Baseball/Softball and
Equestrian are currently
offered.
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #5
OPTION TO OBTAIN UNIVERSITY
CREDITS WHILE IN HIGH
SCHOOL
10
•Available in Grades 11
and 12, students can earn
university credit (equivalent
to 1st year University) while
in high school.
3-D Design
•Abbotsford was the first
program in North America
to run a 3-D Printer in High
School.
•Ideal course for students
interested in engineering,
architecture or design.
SAT
•Abbotsford School District
is now offering an optional
8 session SAT preparation
course for students wanting
to apply to universities in
the United States.
Taught by certified
Math and English
teachers, students
will be prepped
in the math,
critical reading,
and writing
portions of the
exam. Scoring
well on the test
can lead to
thousand of
dollars in academic
scholarship money
and entrance into
top U.S. schools.
Abbotsford School District offers advanced placement courses in
Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, English, French, Art, and Psychology.
These are first year university credit courses. Although I could not even speak
English well before I came to Abbotsford, I have placed first or second in many
different kinds of math, Physics, and Chemistry contests. I like the challenge of
competition, and winning or placing high in the standings looks good on my
academic record.
~ Gil Woo Kong, Korea
Aviation Academy
Robotics
Journalism
•Designed for individuals who
are interested in a career
in aviation. Students learn
critical thinking and analytical
skills needed for careers as
pilots, air traffic control, or in
aerospace engineering and
maintenance. In addition
spending time in a simulator,
students visit an air traffic
control tower, fixed wing and
helicopter facilities, and the
Everett Boeing Factory.
•Linked with the postsecondary BCIT Robotic
program, students learn to
build and program robots
capable of sensing their
environment and performing
a variety of complected tasks.
•The course is designed
for students to experience
and learn aspects of print
journalism and digital
newspaper production.
Students learn to use
technology for digital layout,
graphic production, digital
photography, word processing
and editing.
TV and Film
•Using sophisticated
technology, students learn
to design and produce
T.V. broadcasts. From
camera operation and set
lighting to video editing and
enhancement, this program
covers the skills required
to create professional video
products.
•Students are taught a full
range of studies and provided
work experience by college
instructors.
Outdoor Recreation
•Students receive credit while
participating in a wide variety
of recreation activities,
including rock climbing, back
country hiking and camping,
skiing/snowboarding,
whitewater rafting, mountain
biking…
Animation
•Students collaborate
to create impressive,
professional looking projects.
3D modeling, 2D animation
and scripting, 3D animation,
graphics, imaging, web
development and digital video
are all covered.
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #6
FULL IMMERSION ESL
EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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skills
Special Care/Support
Abbotsford supports international
students by providing:
ESL Support
Low International Student Ratio—out of approximately 19,000 students, less than 2% are
international.
Full immersion experience—international students attend regular academic subjects alongside
their Canadian peers, while being provided with full ESL support.
ESL assessment and placement—international students are given comprehensive placement
assessment upon arrival and ESL assistance is provided based on assessment results.
International Assistants
Student Orientation
Abbotsford school district
employs specially trained
individuals as International
Assistants (IAs). Many IAs
speak the students’ first
language and provide the
following:
Before the start of each semester (end of August &
end of January each year), international students
attend a three-day orientation to help them know how
to succeed and enjoy their stay in Canada. During the
orientation, students learn the following:
•Assist international students
with any problems in school
or outside of academic life
•Monitor students’ academics,
attendance, homestay, and
overall well-being
•Help with renewal
documents, orientation, and
adjustment to life in Canada
•Facilitate communication
between the students,
parents, school staff,
and homestay parents
•Learn how to excel in a Canadian school setting
•Understand more about Canadian expectations in terms of
academics
•Discuss what to expect in a Canadian home stay family
•Learn how international students can share their culture with
others while still learning about Canada
•Have an opportunity to meet other international students
and the International Assistants
•Have the students’ language skills evaluated to see if extra
ESL support is required
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #7
12
16
EXTRA LEVEL OF
STUDENT SUPPORT
Student Life,
Activities, and Clubs
Below is a sample of activities and events that are
coordinated in some schools to help our students gain
exposure to new experiences and develop confidence:
Sports Teams
and Events
Basketball, Golf, Tennis,
Badminton, Gymnastics,
Track and Field, Soccer,
Handball, Swimming (Speed
and Synchronized), Volleyball,
Wrestling, Football, Cross
Country, Skating, Skiing
Hockey and Rugby.
Field Trips and
Exchanges
Field Trip destinations have
included ski resorts, art
galleries, museums, outdoor
natural parks, government
offices, universities, science
centers and many other
classroom related locales.
School Clubs and
Extracurricular
Activities
opportunity
Art, Intramural Sports,
Environmental Club, Youth
Rotary, Public Speaking, Dance,
Graduation Council, School
Newspaper, Friendship Club,
Band (Regular and Jazz),
Student Leadership, Fencing,
Rowing, Multi-Cultural Club,
Choir (Regular and Jazz),
Outdoor Education, Library
Assistant Group, Math,
Cooking, Chess, Club of
Good Deeds, Graphic Design,
Theatre, Photography, and the
Think Globally, Act Locally Club.
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #8
WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE
FOR ITS STUDENTS
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
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family
friendship
Homestay…not Hotel-stay!
If an international student chooses to
live with a homestay family provided
by our District, he/she will:
•Be provided with information about the host
family prior to arrival
•Receive pre-arrival information to help
prepare for his/her homestay experience
•Attend a homestay orientation meeting
after arrival
•Have access to on-going support from the
homestay staff
•Have a 24-hour emergency contact number
Why Choose
Abbotsford?
Reason #9
QUALITY, PRE-SCREENED
HOMESTAY WITH CARING
CANADIAN FAMILIES
Homestay families provide the students
with a welcoming and supportive
environment, as well as the following:
A clean and private bedroom, which includes:
• Comfortable bed (including linen,
duvet cover, blanket, pillows)
• Night table, dresser, lamp,
alarm clock
• Work desk with a chair
and sufficient lighting
• Closet and mirror
If an international student wants to study in
Abbotsford, and is under 12 years of age, he/she
must live with a parent or direct relative.
Three meals every day and nutritious snacks
Access to bathroom, laundry and other facilities
My homestay family experience was great. I had a homestay sister that was my
age, and we became friends right away. That was really cool! They were all really nice to
me. They took me places and showed me Abbotsford and the rest of Canada.
~ Ana, Germany
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What students say…
One funny thing is that during my first week in Abbotsford, all I wanted to do was go back home. I called my mom in desperation,
cried and cried. At the end of the term, I cried a lot too, but only because I did not want to leave.... I cried because I loved my host
family, I loved my school, I loved living in a place that was surrounded by snowy mountains, I loved the feeling of imagining to be in
an American movie, and above all, I loved having had the opportunity to travel and get to know a new place, a new culture, and new
people who I will never forget. Today I’m back in Brazil and I’m very happy to be with my friends and family again, but Abbotsford
will always have a very special place in my heart.
~ Marcela Freitas, Brazil
The experience of studying in Abbotsford will surely contribute to my future. If all stages of our life are full of good education,
we can broaden our cultural horizon and cast away our biases towards other people. It’s become an unforgettable chapter of my life
that can never be exchanged with anything.”
- Christina Ji Yoon Kim, Korea
I always wanted to try different
sports. I joined rugby and wrestling
when I was in grade 8. Even though I
have never played these sports before, I
tried to do my best and practiced extra
harder than other teammates. My hard
work paid off. For example, in grades
8 and 9, my rugby team and I won the
fraser valley rugby Championships.
My homestay family was so nice. They would
always tell me that I was like a son for them and
in the same way, I felt like they have become my
second family- my Canadian family. They made me
feel home. I enjoyed so much the time I spent with
them.
~ Vinicius Matar Wawrzeniak, Brazil
~ Chi Hwan Ahn, Korea
Since I came to Abbotsford, I have
loved sightseeing around to explore all
the beautiful landscapes. People here
are very kind and friendly. If you need
help, they are always willing to give you
a hand. The weather is also one of my
favorites in Abbotsford. It is not too hot,
also not too cold. As my home country
is hot and dry, the climate in Abbotsford
makes me feel much better.
If you are planning to study abroad or
looking for a new way to spend your
life, Abbotsford will be one of your top
choices. It is a place that gives you the
most unforgettable memories of your
life.”
~ Vi Phan, Vietnam
Abbotsford is a beautiful place to
live and study in. Its closeness to both
fascinating nature and the amazing city
of Vancouver is simply impressive. Most
of all, though, it is such an open-hearted
city. My teachers and International
Assistants at Rick Hansen Secondary
School have always had an open door.
I’d also like to thank everyone at the
International Student Program Office
for being so welcoming and caring. I
am very grateful for the many moments
of joy and laughter with my gorgeous
Canadian (host) family. During my stay
in Abbotsford, I truly found my second
home.”
~ Saskia, Germany
Abbotsford - Your Total Canadian Experience!
15
Experience
Abbotsford.
succeed
learn
belong
Abbotsford School District - International Student Program Office
2790 Tims Street
Abbotsford, BC V2T 4M7
Canada
Telephone: 1-604-851-4585 | Fax: 1-604-504-7629
Email: info@experienceabbotsford.com
Web: www.experienceabbotsford.com