Academic

Chemistry 12 exam at GISS

The Academic Study and Graduation Program is designed for students, mostly from Asia, who have chosen to study at Gulf Islands Secondary School until they graduate from school and earn the provincial Dogwood Graduation certificate. The majority of these students are enrolled in the program for two or more years.

Previous academic transcripts, language and math assessments, and letters of recommendation help determine grade placement, level of language support, and the potential for transfer credit.

Like the Canadian students, the international students are expected to meet all of the graduation requirements as determined by the Ministry of Education of British Columbia.

All of the students in this program share the same goal, that is, to successfully make the transition from high school to university or college in Canada, the United States, or perhaps even back at home.

Given this challenge, the Gulf Islands International Program has determined that this program is not advisable for students with beginner level English, unless these students were prepared to enroll at an earlier age and spend as long as four or five years in the program.

It is important to note that Gulf Islands Secondary School is a comprehensive school and the only high school serving the educational needs of the students who live in the Gulf Islands. As a comprehensive school, several distinct education programs are offered at the school, including academic, vocational and arts programs.

The international students in the Academic Study and Graduation Program enroll in the academic program, but have the option of taking vocational and arts electives, as well as other elective programs.

In 2004, the Gulf Islands School District 64 adopted an innovative four day schedule that resulted in the students and teachers spending more time in the classroom for four days of the week.

Although the school week has been shortened by a day, the total amount of instructional time per week remains the same. Please see the local versus standard calendar. This immersion approach to scheduling has increased student results on provincial assessments, and the Gulf Islands students earn marks well beyond the provincial average on most government exams.

The four day schedule has proven an added benefit for the international students registered in the Academic Study and Graduation Program. These students have the option of participating in a Friday program that includes English 10, 11 and 12 support programs; additional seminar support for ESL students; and SAT and TOEFL preparation. They actually receive up to 20% more instructional time than other students in British Columbia.

To help our international students prepare for the transition to post-secondary, the Gulf Islands International Program and the school offer a number of support programs including post-secondary counseling, tutorial support and peer support.

The Gulf Islands International Program also has transition partnerships with three Vancouver Island post-secondary institutions: the University of Victoria, Camosun College and Vancouver Island University.

Related Links:

Quality Instruction

As previously mentioned, Salt Spring Island is one of the most desirable places in Canada to live. Residents enjoy the best of both worlds. They are close enough to the city to get there with relative ease (a short ferry trip and drive into Victoria or Vancouver), yet far enough away to enjoy the peace and quiet of the beautiful island setting.

The relaxed, yet upscale, modern and safe, lifestyle attracts many top educators to the island. The teachers and administrators in School District 64 are among some of the best in the province.

The schools boast having certified and well educated teachers who are student-centered and dedicated to helping their students achieve their personal best.

It is not unusual for the teachers to spend extra time in the mornings, at lunch time, or even after school helping their students master the skills they need to strive in the 21st century. Some of them even take the time to reinforce learning by posting review lessons online. Here’s an online math example.

Academic Success

It is interesting to compare the blended results (the combination of school and provincial exam results) in key provincially examinable courses. The following table reflects the percentage spread of grades C+ or higher in three of these examinable courses:

School District	Science 10 Results	Socials 11 Results	English 12 Results
Gulf Islands	71	81	73
Vancouver	66	70	67
West Vancouver	74	73	73
Delta	64	67	67
Greater Victoria	65	69	73
Surrey	69	66	67
Richmond	64	64	71

source: BC Ministry of Education

The spread of grades C+ or higher for the blended results for Communications 12, a grammar based alternative to the more literature based English 12, is even more revealing:

School District	Communications 12 Results
Gulf Islands	69
Vancouver	44
West Vancouver	45
Delta	51
Greater Victoria	44
Surrey	47
Richmond	54

It is noteworthy to mention that none of the students enrolled in Communications 12 at Gulf Islands Secondary School during the most recent reporting period failed the course, which was not the case in the other Districts.

It is not unusual for some international students to be enrolled in Communications 12 if there is pressure on the school or program to graduate them within a given period of time.

Depending on TOEFL scores, graduates with Communications 12 credit are often accepted into language institutes at the university level or into university transition programs that include additional ESL instruction at one of the colleges. The Gulf Islands International Program recognizes this possibility and offers TOEFL and SAT preparation so that our students are better prepared for direct entry into degree or diploma programs at the universities or colleges.

None of the above is intended to imply that students will perform any better academically in the Gulf Islands International Program. There are many variables to consider, starting with the quality of the student, and his or her level of commitment and motivation. International students attending Gulf Islands Secondary School will get a quality education in a quality school featuring quality teachers. All of the programs mentioned above offer the same thing…a quality education in a province that is recognized as having one of the best school systems in the world.

University Preparation

The University Preparation Program is a one year program that is designed to help international students , who have already graduated in their home country, prepare themselves for entry into a Canadian or American college or university. This program is limited to students who are 18 years of age or younger at the time of enrolment.

As most Canadian universities require a minimum of 80% in four academic Grade 12 subjects as well as a minimum of 70% in English 12 or an overall TOEFL score of 90 (Reading 22, Listening 22, Writing 21 and Speaking 21) the focus of the University Preparation Program is mostly academic study and language development.

A TOEFL Preparation Program is offered to help students prepare to write the exam. This tutorial program is mandatory for all students enrolled in the program.

In addition to Math 12, it is expected that all students will take Calculus 12 in their second semester.

To be considered for the University Preparation Program, a student needs to have better than average grades on their graduation transcripts.

Grade 12 academic courses currently offered by Gulf Islands Secondary School include English 12, Physics 12, Chemistry 12, Biology 12, Geography 12, History 12, Math 12, and Calculus 12. Students with previous knowledge of French or Spanish may be eligible for French 12 and/or Spanish 12 credit.

Challenge credit may be available in some language areas, but this is subject to a formal challenge process and writing a mandatory provincial exam for Grade 12 credit.

The students who are enrolled in the University Preparation Program are encouraged to take at least one elective course each semester. Balance is important both at the secondary and post-secondary level.

The students in this program are also eligible to take the dual credit courses that are offered by the school. English 150, Biology 150 and AP Studio Art will be available during the 2011-2012 school year.

Post-Secondary Transition

Gulf Islands Secondary School has a school population of 600 students, including 60 international students. The school enrols students from Grade 9 to Grade 12. Like the community, which is well educated, Gulf Islands Secondary School places a high value on education and our graduates earn more scholarships and higher grades in most provincial examinations than the provincial average.

The “direct transition to university” rate of Canadian students is about 62%. On the surface this might seem low, but it is almost twice the national average. It is important to remember that Gulf Islands Secondary School is a comprehensive school; one that serves the educational and vocational needs of a wide variety of students. The students in the academic program go to university and college. The students in the vocational programs go to vocational institutions, start apprenticeships, or enter the world of work, and the students in the arts program often pursue their passion for the performing, visual or media arts. In some cases our students defer direct entry into post-secondary studies.

There are several cultural and educational reasons that help explain why some Canadian students defer direct entry into university or college. It is not unusual, for example, for many local students to fund a major portion of their post-secondary education themselves, so they sometimes choose to work for a year or more before entering university or college.

One of the goals of the Gulf Islands International Program has been to promote more cultural understanding and global awareness. This goal has successfully motivated an increasing number of local students to participate in what is commonly referred to as “GAP” year after they graduate. Post-secondary plans are temporarily put on hold in favour of working and travelling for year. Doing a GAP year is quite popular in other parts of the world, as well, especially in Japan, Europe and parts of South America.

Our international graduates seldom defer making the direct transition to post-secondary studies. In the case of our Chinese speaking international graduates, for example, 100% of these students have successfully made the transition to top universities and colleges both in Canada and the United States directly after graduation.

According to a recent Superintendent’s Report, “Students from our school district who pursue post‐secondary studies in accredited Canadian universities and colleges have a transition rate from first‐year to second‐year (in programs of 2 years or longer) that was 90% in 2007‐08 and was 96% in 2008‐09. Three BC universities that measure success in post‐secondary show Gulf Island`s graduates achieving an average 3.1 GPA (2008‐09) as compared with a province‐wide average of 2.5 GPA.”

For students in the vocational stream Gulf Islands Secondary School is committed to providing learning opportunities in many trade areas (the fastest growing sector of our labour market) and the school offers one of the best career counselling programs in British Columbia.

In addition to a strong Apprenticeship Program, vocational students are able to enrol in college level trade programs such as Carpentry or the Culinary Arts while still attending high school through a partnership with Camosun College on Vancouver Island. These programs provide a seamless transition to the workplace for many graduating students.