Markham District High School

Markham District High School

This public high school is located in the city of Markham, in the province of Ontario. Markham High School was established in 1858 and became the first school in the city. Today it’s one of the secular secondary schools of the York Region District School Board, which has a semestered system and more than 1400 students. There are forty-four clubs in the Markham District High School, music ensembles, football, basketball, and curling sports teams. 

Programs

Markham High School offers international students the opportunity to take the same classes and courses as are available to domestic students, with the exception of French Immersion, Arts Program, Special Education, and Arts programs. To graduate from Markham District High School and achieve a Secondary School Diploma, international students need to complete eighteen compulsory credits, twelve elective credits and forty hours of community service. Each semester, students study four courses at Markham District High School. 

For example, there is an International and Indigenous Language program, and students don’t need to have any previous knowledge of a language to be eligible. The program aims at teaching Markham District High School students a new language, raising their intercultural awareness and their intellectual capabilities. The result of completing the program of modern languages at Markham High School can be up to three credits towards a Secondary School Diploma. Completing Level D of a course can aid students in the process of applying to a post-secondary institution. Students are free to choose among a long list of languages: Mandarin, Japanese, Greek, Spanish, Tamil, Urdu, Arabic, and others. Today, the international language course is delivered in the online mode, but there is a chance that Markham District High School students will be able to attend the offline language classes any time soon. As a part of the York Region District School Board, Markham High School offers its students the opportunity to take part in the Athletic Association to give them a chance to try themselves in sports. Students of Markham High School can participate in the Exploring Opportunities program, which allows them to focus on the construction sector. During the program, students will have access to not only academic classes at Markham High School but also work and acquire practical skills, collaborating with professional workers and employers. This program at Markham District High School provides advanced standing for students, who took apprenticeship or skill certification programs. 

There is also an Apprenticeship program, which makes it possible for Markham High School students to gain hands-on experience in one of the trades before their graduation. The program was devised for students to gain a better understanding of their preferences in terms of profession, so that they could choose a future career path more easily. Even if students happen to find the trade they’ve taken an apprenticeship in uninteresting, they will still acquire the skills and experience, important for life or any other occupation. Students of Markham District High School have more than 150 trades to choose from, such as Construction Craft Worker, Interior Insulated Finishing, Heavy Equipment Operator, Child and Youth Worker, Retail Meat Cutter, Horse Harness Maker, Native Clothing and Crafts Artisan, Automotive Glass Technician, and others. The program is available to Markham District High School students who are enrolled in grades eleven and twelve. Markham High School also offers the co-op program, which is also available to eleventh and twelve-grade students, as well as to any student over fifteen. This program at Markham High School combines usual academic classes with work. The students of this program at Markham High School earn credits towards their graduation, and it basically serves as a foundation for the Exploring Opportunity Program and Apprenticeship Program. 

Students of Markham District High School can take the course in Business beginning in grade nine. During the first year course, Markham High School students learn about Information Technology in Business: how to use business software, implement electronic technology to streamline some internal routine business processes and the impact technology can have on business development. This course at Markham District High School can be beneficial not just for the enhancement of business skills, but also for the general understanding of the IT sphere. The next two stages of the business course at Markham District High School are dedicated to learning more challenging business concepts and skills, such as accounting, marketing, retail, and service, as a part of a University or College preparation program. After obtaining a Secondary School Diploma at Markham District High School, having completed a course in Business, students can go for a diploma in Business in Fanshawe College. This program provides students with extensive knowledge of human resources, supply chain management, project management, and leadership skills for their future work in small businesses and large corporations. Graduates of the program of Fanshawe College can work as e-commerce coordinators and private wealth financiers, counseling clients on matters of private investment. 

Students who are studying in grade twelve can take the interdisciplinary course in Sports, Art and Event Marketing. This one is aimed at teaching students how art, sports, and event marketing can be interrelated, how to use electronic and mass media resources for research and analysis of historical innovations, and also the skills of problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Another program offered to twelve-graders at Markham High School is International Business Fundamentals. Students learn about marketing strategies and business management on a global scale. After completing this course and graduating from Markham District High School, students can continue their studies at Conestoga College. The college offers international students the opportunity to take the program in International Business, which lasts for two years and leads to a diploma. During this program, former students of Markham High School will learn how Canadian businesses and enterprises abroad are connected and have an impact on one another. Moreover, international students at Conestoga College gain practical experience in marketing, risk management, and business planning, so that after the completion of their studies they will be ready to work either for a Canadian or international business. An academic year of the program in International Business costs an international student around CAD 17,700. 

As you can see, the main aim of most of the courses offered by Markham District High School is to prepare students to enter the Canadian educational establishments of the next level. 

International students are to pay around CAD 13,800 for an academic year at Markham District High School. The health insurance will cost CAD 450, and a non-refundable application fee is around CAD 300. 

Accommodation 

At Markham District High School, international students can participate in a homestay program to fully immerse in Canadian culture and learn the English language faster. International students at Markham District High School will live with host families, who were carefully inspected beforehand, interviewed, and instructed on the matters of international students’ possible issues and psychology. That’s why international students of Markham District High School enjoy a homely and supportive atmosphere while living with a host family. Furthermore, students' well-being is monitored by the staff of the organization that provides homestay, and in case of any troubles or misunderstandings, either family members or international students can call the support staff, ask for their advice, and, if there is no other way, students can be moved to another host family. Each family can host a maximum of two international students, who are guaranteed to have a private bedroom and access to all the shared facilities, including laundry. In the event that they don’t opt for a homestay, international students are required to live with an adult who is over twenty-five years old, a family member or a family friend. The homestay program at Markham District High School costs around CAD 12,500 with custodianship included.

Future Prospects 

After graduation from Markham District High School, international students have a lot of Canadian post-secondary educational establishments to choose from. They may  decide to study at Fanshawe College or Conestoga College, which were mentioned above, or choose any other institution. Graduation from Canadian institutions of post-secondary education brings even more opportunities for international students, with a solid foundation of knowledge gained at Markham District High School. They may start working legally right away, obtaining a post-graduation work permit. This visa is granted to foreign citizens who have completed full-time studies at a Canadian institution and meet a number of other requirements. The next step for international graduates can be applying for the Express Entry and get a permanent resident status in Canada, which, in turn, can be transformed into Canadian citizenship. At the same time, international graduates of Markham District High School can go to any other country in the world and continue their education there, as they have acquired top-quality high school knowledge and the Canadian Secondary School Diploma is recognized almost everywhere. So it’s all up to the goals and aspirations of an international graduate, as they are free to choose from many opportunities lying in front of them. 

 

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