INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GRADUATION POLICY
Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Academy
Rational
It is the desire of Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Academy to welcome international students to learn side-by-side Gaglardi students so that all are exposed to other cultures and build relationships with an international community.
Policy Statements
- This policy applies to all international students who intend to graduate with a BC Certificate of Graduation – Dogwood Diploma – and have not previously had an English language learning experience (minimum of two years).
- This policy is not applicable to those students whose educational program in English began before their entrance into the BC Graduation Program (ie grades 10-12).
- This policy is intended to ensure that international students, who plan to graduate high school in the province of BC, complete the necessary courses as part of the 2018 (or 2004) graduation program in order to obtain a Dogwood Diploma.
- Only a limited number of courses at the Graduation Program level may be credited through challenge or equivalency assessments to ensure the international credibility of the Dogwood Diploma.
- International students who enter Gaglardi Academy after Grade 10 may be able to meet the academic requirements to obtain a Dogwood Diploma ( see the schedule below for course that have no equivalency)
- International students entering Gaglardi Academy at the grade 12 level and who cannot meet the requirements of a Dogwood Diploma in the first year may either receive a School Completion Certificate (see separate policy) or attend a further year of study at Gaglardi Academy.
- For an international student to receive a School Completion Certificate, the principal, in consultation with teachers, should ensure that the student has met the goals of his or her education program or other criteria established by the School Board.
- In finding appropriate work experience or community involvement for international students, Gaglardi staff must ensure that the work does not conflict with the terms of their legal status in Canada (ie in most cases, international students may not engage in paid employment).
Ineligible External Equivalency Courses
International students may earn credit for the Graduation Program courses, with the exception of those listed below, through an equivalency review or challenge process.
- International students must earn credit for courses in the following categories through instruction from a British Columbia-certified teacher. No Equivalency review or Challenge process is permitted:
- Language Arts 11
- Language Arts 12
- One of Science 11 or 12
- One of Mathematics 11 or 12
- Social Studies 11 (or Civic Studies 11 or BC First Nations Studies 12)
- Planning 10
- For Language Arts 12, students must write the required provincial exam(s).
- For the 2018 Graduation Program, students must successfully complete the FSA Assessments for literacy and numeracy before being awarded a Dogwood Diploma.
- International students must also earn credit for Graduation Transitions through a school-supported course or process. International students must be assessed to determine if all the Graduation Transitions Prescribed Learning Outcomes have been met, regardless of the grade level at which they enter a British Columbia school. When the requirements have been met, international students will be assigned four (4) credits and “requirements met (RM)” will be noted on their transcript.
International Student Graduation Policy
Approved May 2015
Updated January 2017
