International Students: Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of school is Rockway?

• It is a private school (it does not receive any money from the government)
• It is a church - school. Rockway is operated by Christian people from the Mennonite Church in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

Who are Mennonites?

• They are Christians who have chosen to follow the way of Jesus.
• They believe that God created and loves all people.
• They believe in living peacefully with all people and that war is wrong.
• They believe that Christians should live out their beliefs in their daily lives and that caring relationships with one another create meaningful community that is very important to their faith.

How old is Rockway?

• Rockway was started in 1945 by people who wanted their children to have excellent teaching encouragement to live loving and faithful lives and to have a strong connection to families and churches. They wanted to ensure that their children would have many opportunities for study in university and college after graduating from high school.

How many students attend Rockway?

• About 300 students from grades 7-12.
• About 18% of the school’s population are International Students who come from around the world (various countries in Asia, Europe, and South America).

What do students do at Rockway that they would not do at other schools?

• They take classes in Religious Studies. In grade 11 and 12 students at Rockway are encouraged to take optional courses in World Religions and Philosophy.
• All students in grades 7-12 attend Chapels every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
• Many of our students take part in optional choirs and instrumental groups which sing at school in churches and that tour around to perform in other places.
• Many students are involved in service projects to help others in our community.

What else should I know about Rockway?

• Rockway has a cafeteria that serves snacks and hot lunch meals every day. Students who choose to do so may buy lunches at the school.
• Rockway has an International Student Club that does many things together each year. They go on retreats, downhill ski, cook together, and travel to Niagara Falls and other places of interest together. International Students also have a representative on our Student Council.
• All International Students live with Canadian Host Families.
• Rockway has a strong Guidance Department which helps students achieve success in their studies and assists students with their university or college application process.
• Rockway has had International Students studying here for over 35 years. We have helped many International Students adjust to Canadian culture and be very successful in their studies in high school and in university.

What do I need to know about studying at Rockway?

• Excellent Teachers!  You will be supported in your learning by excellent teachers who care about each individual student.
• Rockway has 5 periods each day. Each period is 71 minutes long and is offered every day. The school day goes from 8:20 am to 3:25 pm.
• Rockway has a semestered school year. Students take up to 5 courses from September to the end of January (Semester 1) and then they take up to 5 different courses from February to the end of June (Semester 2). In total students can earn up to 10 credits each year.
• Students must attend classes each day. If students do not go to classes they may be removed from the course.
• Students earn 1 credit for every full course (110 hours of study) that they pass with a minimum 50% grade. Students who fail courses will often have to take them again until they pass.
• All students must earn at least 30 credits to graduate from high school in Ontario.
• Most International Students from Asia who have already graduated from Grade 12 in their home country are given 24 credits when they arrive at Rockway. This means that they must earn a minimum of 6 more credits to graduate from high school in Ontario (minimum total of 30 credits required for graduation).

How can students earn credits to go to university?

• Of the 30 or more total credits they must earn students must have at least 6 credits at the 12U (University) level in order to apply to university. (Rockway offers 3 Math courses, 3 Science courses, 3 English courses, plus 8 additional courses -- all at the grade 12 University credit level.) Students must choose a minimum of 6 of these seventeen 12U courses for university entrance.
• In addition to earning six 12U credits students must earn excellent grades in these courses for acceptance into various university programs.
• All students must take 12U English as one of their six 12U credits.
• International students must earn a minimum of 10 hours of community service in each of their years at Rockway. This is a graduation requirement. International students fulfill part of this expectation by volunteering in the community on the Rockway Envirathon Servathon Day - a community service day for the entire school in November.
• International students must write a Literacy Test (a test of their English reading and writing skills) in the spring of each year. They also have the option to take a Grade 12 Literacy Course (offered in the 1st semester) in order to graduate from high school in Ontario.
• All International students going to University must write and do well on the TOEFEL, IELTS or other test of their English ability.

How do I decide which courses I should take?

• The Principal Vice-Principal or one of our Guidance Counselors will assist students with course selection. Students choose courses that will be important for their acceptance into the university program in which they are interested.
• It is important for students to have an idea of which university program they want to enter following high school. Does the program require strong Mathematics and Science courses? Does the program require strong Arts courses? A combination of both?

How will Rockway help me develop strong English skills?

• Rockway has 4 courses in English as a Second Language (Beginner, two different Intermediate, and Advanced). Depending on the English skill that you enter the school with you will take one - and perhaps two - of these levels in your 1st and 2nd year of study. Students must get at least 75% in ESL D (Advanced) in order to move into 12U English - a course that they must have for graduation from high school.  Wherever you begin in the 4 ESL courses, you will finish the series. 
• Students must remember that nothing is more important than developing English speaking, reading, and writing skills as they begin their study.

How long will it take me to graduate from Rockway?

• Most International Students require 2 years to graduate with high enough grades for university entrance. Why? Because learning in English can be very difficult and because many 12U classes have challenging expectations. A few of the very best students from Asia graduate from Rockway in 1 year, and some in 1 and a half years.

Do I need to write an “entrance test” when I come to Rockway?

• Each International Student must write Rockway’s English Placement Test and Mathematics test when they arrive at our school. Results on these tests will help place students in courses that are appropriate for their English and Math ability.
• Most students in Grade 12 do not take 5 classes in each semester. Students may take a “spare” period each semester. During this spare they do not go to any class. Instead they go to the Library to study and work on their homework.