Why should I send my child to GCA (Jiaxing)?

At GCA (Jiaxing) we are proud of our school and learning community. As a school, the staff work hard to be true to the values of lifelong learning, a strong work ethic, and being a thoughtful, active and cooperative member of our community. We have small class sizes, and place an emphasis on working with each individual student to develop their strengths and gifts.

Other benefits include:

1. Certified Canadian teachers with Canadian teaching degrees;
2. British Columbia curriculum designed for advancement to post-secondary education in Canada, the US, Great Britain or Australia;
3. Yearly inspections by the BC Ministry of Education to ensure high quality of program;
4. Small class sizes;
5. Close community with opportunities to develop life long friendships;
6. A Western Education in a Chinese setting;
7. Library of Western learning materials including books, dvds, and audio-book tapes;
8. Assistance with applying for Canadian student visas;
9. Guidance and counseling on applying to Western Universities.

What courses are available to students at GCA?  Is all instruction in English?

At GCA (Jiaxing) we run a program of BC Canadian courses and some Chinese courses, as well as Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The focus of the program is to prepare students for admission and success in Western Universities. All BC courses are taught in English.

Curriculum:

In order to graduate with a BC Dogwood Diploma, students are required to obtain a minimum of 80 credits. Our students have more than 100 credits available to them.

What are the benefits of taking Advanced Placement courses?

This year, GCA is offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses for our most academically-minded students. These courses are geared toward preparing students for college. High-performing students, looking for a challenge should consider taking AP courses. However, students must decide whether or not their schedules can accommodate the rigorous amount of time and dedication required to take AP courses. Students must obtain approval from the course teacher and the principal to take such courses.

Benefits of AP courses:

• AP courses allow students to take up a double major or a minor area of study or even take more elective courses at college or university
• students develop college-level academic skills
• AP courses increase a student鈥檚 eligibility for some scholarships
  
• approximately 85% of selective colleges and universities look at whether or not a student has taken AP courses to assist in admission decisions
• all U.S. colleges and universities accept AP courses while most Canadian colleges and universities accept AP courses for university credit (University of Toronto does not, University of B.C. only credits AP courses as electives towards a degree)
• AP courses may allow students in their first year to enroll in second-year university-level courses

What provincial exams are students required to write?

In order to successfully graduate from the BC program with a Dogwood Diploma, students are required to write the following provincial exams:

• English 12 and Communication 12
  

Are the teachers certified?

Students at Jiaxing Grand Canadian Academy study both Western B.C. courses and Chinese courses. All Western courses are taught by Canadian certified teachers with university degrees and degrees in education. All Chinese courses are taught by Zhejiang certified Chinese teachers. We also provide some ESL (English as a Second Language) support from an instructional leader with a university degree.

What kinds of extra-curricular activities and special events take place at the school?

At GCA (Jiaxing) we believe in the importance of student activities and extracurricular opportunities. Students will need to be able to study and work in a Western environment but they must also understand and be able to fit into Western culture. With this in mind we work to prepare students and have activities such as soccer and basketball tournaments with other offshore BC schools. We hold a Grade 11 leadership camp for all our students, and throughout the year, our students have opportunities to participate in speech contests, math contests, talent shows and opportunities to participate in Western cultural events such as the Terry Fox Run for cancer, Halloween carnival, and Christmas activities.

How is GCA (Jiaxing) different than traditional Chinese schools?

One of the strengths of our school is that while we are in a Chinese setting, we run a program that is largely Western. This means, our teachers interact much more freely and get to know the students far more personally than most Chinese schools. In addition, our class sizes are smaller, our expectations for individual students is dependent on their strengths and weaknesses rather than as a class of students. We work to prepare students for Western culture and so our discipline is largely about getting students to take responsibility for their own behavior and actions. By the time students graduate from our program, we expect they will be independent-minded, capable individuals, able to function far from the traditional school forms found in Chinese High schools and universities. In Chinese schools, traditionally learning is centred around exams and tests. At GCA (Jiaxing), we focus the learning around student understanding and use far more varied instructional and evaluation techniques such as: reports, projects, group presentations, labs, essays, and written assignments. Because our program is taught by certified Canadian teachers, our English program is a significantly different than Chinese schools.

Where is GCA (Jiaxing) located?

GCA (Jiaxing) is located in the small city of Tongxiang, in Zhejiang province approximately 30 minutes by taxi or bus from Jiaxing and approximately 35 minutes from Shanghai by the electric train.

Address: Maodun High School( 288zhenxing road east )

Contact Phone: 573-8810-7576 or 573-8810-7658
Fax: 573-8810-7576

What is the cost of Tuition?

Tuition: RMB 70,000 per academic year - two semesters

How do I get more information or register my child?

Contact with us :

1. Mr. Darren Larson - Principal Email: dlarson@gcahighschool.ca

2. Ms. Nancy Wu - Program Liaison Email: nancysnu@126.com

3. GCA Head Office Email: office@gcahighschool.ca