Proposed Period: March 2 to March 29, 2008 ( 4-week program) Group Size: 100 school students from Korea Age Group: middle and high school students, from Grade 7 to Grade 12 Purpose: To gain a cultural experience with Canadian homestay families, improve English skills and build a confidence in the English speaking environment Hosting Partner: Marco Polo Korea and Niagara Catholic School Board ( NCDSB) Full school integration program with 10 catholic schools in St. Catharines,Niagara Falls. Daily supplementary ESL studies signed and offered by qualified ESL teachers of the NCDSB Supervised tours to Niagara Falls, MarineLand, Niagara Zoo, Niagara-on-the-Lake Excursions to Toronto, CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Science Centre, the University of Toronto Other diversified cultural, recreational activities to winery tours, museums, hockey night Golf lessons by professional golf instructors at the West Dalhousie Golf Course. Substantial cultural experience and interaction with pre-selected Canadian host families This proposal has been designed with a view to making the program in Canada an enjoyable learning experience for the students from Jejudo, Korea. In keeping with this goal the program attempts to meet the following objectives for the students: (a) Improving English skills, with a focus on listening, speaking and pronunciation skills, (b) Learning about Canadian culture, lifestyle, geography and history through homestays, activities, and visit to local attractions, (c) Sharing experiences and building friendship with Canadian friends and host families Canadian Homestay Program The NCDSB has extensive experience in homestay arrangements, as it has offered this service to international students for over fourteen years. 1 or 2 Korean students will be placed at one Canadian homestay family. All host families are carefully interviewed by our staff, who selects only those homes that are able to provide a safe, caring atmosphere and adequate accommodation arrangements. A first priority in selecting ideal host families will be given to those who have similar age school students. This program is designed to increase more opportunities for cultural and social interaction with the truly Canadian people ESL Program Each English as a Second Language (ESL) program is designed for the specific group's needs. The whole-language approach is taken in the classroom integrating listening, speaking, reading and writing with an emphasis on grammar and pronunciation. Students are encouraged to develop and improve conversational skills and functional language using a variety of interactive methods and techniques daily warm-up activities, group and partner activities and discussions, games, role plays and dialogues, songs/jazz chants. Students are given contact assignments and journal assignments to improve their use of English outside of the ESL classroom. Based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), our curriculum is designed to offer students maximum language improvement within a short period of intensive practice and application. All students are assessed on the first day for level placement. Five levels are available, from the very elementary (Level 1) to the highly advanced (Level 5). Upon completion, all students receive a "Certificate of Participation" from the NCDSB. In addition to this formal ESL class, the NCDSB is going to provide supplementary ESL lessons after school, possibly 2 hours from 15:30 to 17:30 during week days at the John Centre. 5 certified ESL teachers will be interviewed and employed by the NCDSB to provide specially tailored lessons to the Korean students this fall. School Integration Program All Korea students will have a fully integrated school experience in local schools with the NCDSB. The students will receive 100% regular studies from 08:45 to 15:00 from Monday to Friday from pre-selected schools including 8 high schools and 2 elementary schools in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. The participating schools include Blessed Trinity CSS, Denis Morris CHS, Holy Cross CSS, Lakeshore CHS, Notre Dame CS, St. Francis CSS, St. Michael CHS, St. Paul CHS, St. Anthony ECS and St. Denis ECS Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School Denis Morris Catholic High School Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School Lakeshore Catholic High School Notre Dame College School St. Francis Catholic Secondary School Saint Michael Catholic High School Saint Paul Catholic High School Proposal for Diversified Extra-Curricular Activities Date Day Proposed Key Activity Programs March 2 Sunday Arrive in Toronto , Transfer to St. Catharines March 3 Monday Orientation, Tours to downtown, City Hall March 8 Saturday Niagara Falls, Imax Theater, Maid of Mist, Birds Kingdom March 9 Sunday Welland Canal , St. Catharines Museum , Brock University March 12 Wednesday Hockey Night at City Arena March 15 Saturday Visit Toronto , CN Tower, Science Centre, ROM, U of T March 16 Sunday Niagara-on-the-Lake, Inniniskillin Winery, Fort George March 19 Wednesday Movie Night at Pen Centre Shopping Mall March 22 Saturday MarineLand, Sky Thrilling Rides, Niagara Zoo March 23 Sunday Pen Centre Shopping, Golf Lessons by Gold Instructors March 28 Friday Farewell Party with host families March 29 Saturday Leave for Seoul Program Fee: C$ 2,550 The fee per student for the school integration program will be C$2,550 in order to cover all costs including tuition, homestay fee, ESL studies and recreational activities, local transportation, excluding medical insurance. This Price Includes the Following School tuition for regular classes by the NCDSB Certified ESL teachers by the NCDSB All homestay fees with 3 meals a day Program Coordinators Activity Assistants Instructional materials Certificate of Participation” from the NCDSB Airport pick-up and drop off Local transportation from and to all activities and host families Tours to Niagara Falls, MarineLand, Niagara-on-the-Lake Tours to Toronto including the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Science Centre Visits to museums, winery and golf lessons, movie and hockey night Farewell party with host families on the last Friday. 4 escorting chaperones from Korea (* The above plans are subject to local conditions and situations) This Price Excludes the Following International airfare and medical insurance Long distance telephone calls by Korean students and chaperones Conditions A $600 deposit per student is required upon the acceptance of this offer and the balance of payment should be made in advance 3 weeks before students arrive. Each student is required to prepare and submit his or her own personal profile and introduction letter to the NCDSB as soon as possible. Education in Niagara is among the finest in Canada. Niagara has two post-secondary institutions: Brock University in St. Catharines and Niagara College in Welland, with campuses in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake. The District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board operate elementary and secondary schools, and numerous private institutions offer alternatives to the traditional education systems. District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) The District School Board of Niagara provides high-quality education to more than 44,000 elementary and secondary students. The Board has jurisdiction in Fort Erie, Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham, Port Colborne, St. Catharines, Thorold, Wainfleet, Welland and West Lincoln. "Education that works" is accomplished by the Board through the provision of a learning atmosphere that encourages personal growth, productive citizenship, lifelong learning, academic success. Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) Catholic Education in the Regional Municipality of Niagara has a proud heritage, dating back to 1854. The Niagara Catholic District School Board strives to maintain its mission to preserve and strengthen the spiritual character of its schools and its commitment to the pursuit of excellence in an environment that focuses on the building of a Christian Community. The mission statement of the Niagara Catholic District School Board is based on the development of our Catholic community of learners. The Mission of the Niagara Catholic District School Board as a Catholic Community of learners, is to ensure that all students develop the knowledge, skills and values to reach their full potential, with Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Light. Fact Information on 2 School Boards Description DSBN NCDSB Total Elementary Schools 98 52 150 Secondary Schools 22 8 30 Total Schools 120 60 180 Elementary Students 28,000 15,000 43,000 Secondary Students 16,000 8,000 24,000 Total Students 44,000 23,000 67,000 Elementary Teachers 1,500 900 2,400 Secondary Teachers 1,000 500 1,500 Supporting Staff 1,300 600 1,900 Total Teachers 3,800 2,000 5,800 Niagara is located in Southern Ontario between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The Niagara region covers 1896 sq. meters, is made up of 12 local municipalities. Niagara has a population of 45,000 people, who lives in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the Lake, Welland and West Lincoln. Niagara is the spectacle of Niagara Falls. Niagara is the aroma of ripening grapes and the taste of succulent fresh fruit. Niagara is the world’s most famous destination with 18 million visitors annually. Niagara presents the great place to live with over 40 golf courses, 50 wineries, 30 campgrounds and parks in the region. Economy of Niagara is fueled by diversified industries such as tourism, winery farming, mineral mining and education. Rich soils and mild climate has contributed the best farmland in the world, producing the word reputable wine. In the past, the Niagara Region used to best be known for Niagara Falls, which is truly spectacular. But these days, a visit to this region is certainly about more than this natural wonder. You can Journey Behind the Falls, visit the Butterfly Conservatory, check out the White Water Walk, wander through the City of Niagara Falls’ Museums, or Ripley’s Believe it or not. View Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks, the Great Canadian Midway and all the other Clifton Hill attractions, The Movieland and Rock Legends Wax Museum, Marineland. When you are ready to venture out of Niagra Falls, marvel at the gigantic freighter going through the locks of the Welland Canal or watch a play a the Shaw Festival or visit wonderful wineries and fabulous Georgian and Victorian-styled buildings in the Niagara-on-the-Lake, the old capital city of Ontario. An excursion to Niagara Falls offers more than you could imagine. Niagara Falls has often been called "the world’s most famous destination." While the Falls is certainly our most visited natural attraction, the rest of Niagara is a rich, varied, and rewarding experience, too. Niagara Falls, and the surrounding Niagara Region, has evolved and grown into one of the world’s foremost travel destinations. Nearly 18 million visitors a year agree. Niagara’s fascinating history and rich, cultural heritage is the foundation for many interesting discoveries today. Our past sets the tone for our present, and you will find many places to see and things to do, giving you memories to last a lifetime. The internationally renowned wine region is home to more than 50 world-class wineries and has gained an appreciative audience, while our culinary expertise, flavoured by our agricultural heritage and regional cuisine has added to the rich dimension of Niagara as a wine and food destination. Niagara past will keep a history buff captivated. There are archeological remnants of the people who lived in the Niagara area thousands of years ago. Villages from the ancient Iroquois culture reveal an agricultural subsistence, a relationship with the land than even now characterizes much of Niagara. European explores and missionaries arrived in the New World at the beginning of the 17th century, but did not make their homes here until the War of 1812. This was a turning point in the history, when the fledgling US army fought British Loyalists who fled America for the new lands that would become Canada. Contact Person Danny Huh President Marco Polo Korea Phone 1-905-641-2288 Cell 1-289-241-7677 danny@marcopolokorea.com www.marcopolokorea.com Copyright© 2002-2007 Marcopolo Korea, All rights reserved. 14 Chessington Street, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3J3 Phone Number: 905-641-2288 Powered by SureMaster