REVIEW OF Canadian College Italy BY parent, Parviz Yazdani

(5) Student Experience

Our daughter really wanted to study in Europe as a part of her high school experience. The only option for her would have been to study at a Canadian-accredited high school, and without any academic interruptions. Through her own research, she came across and introduced us to CCI. After my first meeting with the principal and owner, who took the time to personally meet me for coffee, I was convinced that CCI was going to be an excellent experience for all of us. We found the entire interaction, from day one to graduation day to be personable, warm, direct, and reassuring. We all felt we were being taken care of by family. The quality of care, of the students, of the teachers, and the structure was all entirely authentic and real. Not only did our daughter make some amazing friends from around the world, but she also experienced the best academic spell of her high school journey and had a real taste of life in Italy. We recommend it to all our friends and family who are thinking of a similar arrangement.

(5) School Leadership

Excellent management and communication. Hands on and direct supervision, with an authentic attention to a sense of family. The ownership and the management team did a fantastic job of ensuring everything from the application process to admissions to universities, was carried out on time, and with minimal difficulties and obstacles. Whenever there were any concerns or roadblocks, they made sure to be involved immediately and hands-on. When we hit a snag in getting an Italian visa, because of lack of access to a consulate, they personally got involved to ensure a timely interview. And at all times they were responsive to our queries.

(5) Teaching

The scope, breadth, and depth of the quality of the instructors were fantastic. There were subject matters available that our daughter had never been exposed to, and the quality of the teaching, and the availability and accessibility of the teaching team were second to none in our experience. From all the feedback that we received from our daughter, the teaching cadre was interesting, extremely knowledgeable, accessible, and relevant. They communicated their expectations clearly and ensured engagement at every opportunity. The content was relatable, and the teaching style encouraged maximum learning and participation. While strict and demanding, there was particular emphasis on making certain that the students spent adequate time learning the material, and questions and debates and contributions were heavily encouraged. We were thoroughly impressed.

(4.5) Academics

The school strongly favours humanities and liberal arts approach to education. While all the courses that are offered are well supported and engaging, and with excellent quality, we were particularly impressed by the range and options available with a universal and global approach to education. They were courses available at Insured, our daughter was exposed to a wide range of subjects and interests and issues and approaches which you would have otherwise not been exposed to in a public high school. This being our first experience with a private school, we could not have asked for anything more. The subject matters were diverse and demanding. They were selected it seems, to ensure a well-rounded and involved future citizen. The variety of the courses offered. It was impressive.

(5) Extracurriculars

While most Canadian parents equate extracurricular activities with organized sports and performances, we were expecting and were pleasantly surprised to find out that the extracurricular life at the school was very much about involvement with the people, the community, and the culture of the local Italian people in the region. This was a truly immersive experience and the best of its kind.

(5) Students

If your expectations are that all the students in a private school are trust fund kids with a silver spoon in their mouth, you might be pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t our experience at CCI. The students are quite diverse, and while most of them come from privileged backgrounds, they all display a very down-to-earth and communal spirit. There is definitely diversity in terms of backgrounds, cultures, languages, and nationalities. The very notion of interacting with each other, in the context of a closed environment, ensured a holistic and healthy exposure to diversity with our daughter. We are a solid, middle-income family, and we were concerned that there would be excessive showing off and disparity in wealth in a conspicuous kind of way. However, both from the feedback we received from our daughter, as well as in meeting and encountering many of these young people, we realize that the family atmosphere at the school encouraged a healthy and evenhanded style of relationship. Naturally, there were conflicts and disparities, but by all accounts, a good solid spirit of camaraderie and support was evident. Students were encouraged to resolve their own conflicts and friendships were developed in a very healthy way.

(5) School Life

In our experience, and from what we could tell, the school experience was very much immersive in the life of the town where the school is located. This allows for a wholesome, healthy, and interactive student life. As much as the students interacted and enjoy each other’s company, they were also encouraged and actively pushed towards interacting with the town, people, the local businesses, and the urban landscape where they were living. Activities included, both school organized, formal trips, as well as weekend outings with strict guidelines and supervision. At all times, we were confident that our daughter was in good hands, and that she was making the best of her life in Italy. To our pleasant surprise, the Italian experience was very much integrated into the big-picture education.

(5) Community

Our daughter only attended the final semester of her high school life at the school. Our interaction with the other parents was limited. However, from the feedback that we received, it was evident that the young people who attended the school, all were closely linked and well-supported by each other. Our daughter had the opportunity to meet many of the other parents. And at the graduation ceremonies and events we also finally managed to meet some of these people in person. It is evident that parents who choose to have their children at the school, have a strong desire for a certain level of “normalcy” and their children, in the sense that they are future members of a society that they need to be involved with and contribute to.

(5) School Location

We could not ask for a better location for the school. Located in a smaller city of 30,000, the community is quaint, warm, and everything you would expect from a family-oriented Italian culture. The community was safe, the city was clean, and everything was readily accessible. We would not have felt comfortable sending our child to another country in a sprawling metropolis. Lanciano is perfect!

(5) Admissions

The Canadian education system ensures that every province has a different set of requirements for high school graduation. Our daughter attended for the second semester of her last year of high school, so her choices and selections were limited. However, because we were in regular communication with the school and the academic advisors, everything worked out, to ensure a timely graduation from high school. The admission process was simple, and the advice we received was excellent and timely. We would strongly recommend anyone who is applying to school outside of the Ontario school system, to be very forthright and engage the academic team at CCI early on, to make sure that your child is well taken care of. We found the admission process, simple, and without any major complications.

(5) University placement and counselling

Our daughter only applied to three universities and she got into all. I understand that the school was involved with the application process and the support structure, ensuring that all the students are applying in a timely matter with the correct supporting documents. This was very much a part of the CCI process. In our case, the process was simple and straightforward. And from all the feedback that we received from our daughter, the process was well supported, and students were given ample time, and encouragement, and gently nudged to ensure that the application process was carried through. In our experience, everything went perfectly in this regard. By all accounts, the school is very well-regarded throughout major international universities and is well known for the quality of its graduates. It is important for the school to ensure that its graduates attend the universities that they wish to attend and are among the best.