International Student Program Update
In only its second full year, SD83’s International Student Program (ISP) is thriving. A total of 44 students came to study at our high schools during the 2021-22 school year, and with 38 students from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Mexico, China, and the Netherlands already registered for classes in September, it seems there is no slowing down for the ISP, reports the ISP team of District Principal Rob MacAulay, teacher Chris Davidson and homestay co-ordinator Sandra Rhodes.
The 2021-22 school year has been very successful for the ISP students at SD83. Almost all of them have adapted well into their school life here in Canada, and most have been actively involved in various extra-curricular activities such as band, theatre, and sports (cross-country running, volleyball, basketball, rugby, skiing, soccer, mountain biking, track & field, etc.).
Every month the ISP offers its students (and their homestay siblings) a field trip, and these monthly activities have become very popular. Field trips have included the Revelstoke Mountain Coaster, Adams River, Quaaout Lodge, H₂O Watersports, Tube Town, Larch Hills, Gardom Lake, Oyama Zipline, as well as an amazing day trip on a houseboat, courtesy of an incredibly generous donation from Twin Anchors.
With more and more international students choosing to come to SD83, the ISP is always looking for new homestay families for the communities of Salmon Arm, Armstrong, Sicamous and Enderby. If your family is seriously considering the incredibly diverse cultural experience of hosting an international student(s), then there are various length of stay options that you could consider.
Full year students come for the entire school year. These students arrive at the end of August or early September, are here for two semesters (10 total months) and stay until the end of June. If you are looking for a student who will be like a family member for the whole school year, or a brother/sister for your own children, then a full school year student may be the perfect fit for you.
Many students also come for one semester and stay for five months. These students arrive at the end of August or in early September and stay for just one semester until the end of January, or they start at the end of January or beginning of February and stay until the end of June. If your family is thinking about hosting an international student but can’t or aren’t ready to make a full school year commitment, then this option is a good choice for you.
Finally, we also have some students who come for just three months during both semesters. These students start the semester, attend school for 3 months, and finish at the end of November or April. This is an excellent opportunity for a family who is still wondering if hosting a student is something that works for them, and a shorter length of stay is a great way to find out. Additionally, we are always looking for respite and temporary homestays for emergency situations where a student may need an emergency move and require a shorter period of stay.
For the 2022-23 school year, the ISP will pay $850/month per student. This will increase to $900 for the 2023-24 school year. If you would like to learn more about the ISP, please have a look at our website at https://isp.sd83.bc.ca/, or if you have any questions, please email ISP@sd83.bc.ca.
