REVIEW OF J. Addison School BY student, Zaimuran Tuerhong

(5) Student Experience

I am a 9th-grade student at J Addison School and I was originally born in Beijing, China. In 2021, I came to J. Addison School as an international boarding student and I have been at the school for almost a year. Within my first year at the school, I felt an immense sense of care from dormitory staff, teachers and school administration. The environment of J. Addison School is extremely clean and very tidy. I must acknowledge that the cleaning staff does a great job ensuring that my living environment is well sanitized. Additionally, I am also very satisfied with the facilities that the school offers, such as a large indoor air-conditioned gymnasium and a beautiful cafeteria that serves diverse quality meals. In addition, the school's security measures are also very good. For example, the school and dormitory are monitored 24 hours a day and there are surveillance cameras on the school property. Another aspect of my student experience at J. Addison School that I like is the medical services that are easily accessible to boarding students. For example, when I am sick, the dorm staff makes arrangements to take me to the clinic or hospital at any given date and time and provides needed support, if there is a language barrier. Above all, I really like living in the dormitory with my friends and taking part in various activities hosted by the dorm staff, such as shopping, visiting tourist attractions like Niagara Falls or going to the movies. Overall, my student experience at J Addison school is very good!

(5) School Leadership

From the inception of the school year, the school leadership team at J. Addison is formally introduced to the student body. With this in mind, every student is made aware of the clear expectations and responsibilities of senior leadership, faculty and other administrative staff. I have a tremendous respect for every staff member at the school as they all contribute to building a strong school community and helping every student to succeed. At J. Addison School, we have a principal, dean of discipline, residence supervisor, senior guidance counsellors, board of directors and a school manager who are responsible for the daily operations of the school and the dormitory. For example, if there is a student behavioural issue in class or if a student violates a school rule, then the dean of discipline will have a meeting with the student privately to verify what has transpired as well as meet with faculty or staff, then render a form of discipline. If there is a dorm-related incident, then the residence supervisor will meet with the student to find out what has occurred and then discuss forms of progressive discipline that may be deemed fit. I think that the dorm staff does an exceptional job in making sure that boarding students be held accountable for following proper hygiene, completing their academic assignments, keeping the dorm spaces tidy and creating a positive structure where dorm students can lead.

(5) Teaching

In terms of teaching, J Addison school has amazing teachers! Every teacher in the school has a very rich educational background and teaching experience. I must state that the teachers at J. Addison school foster individualized learning which is beneficial to meet the diverse needs of each student. Moreover, teachers are extremely helpful. I feel that I can ask my teacher for help as much as I like, without them feeling frustrated or annoyed. In actuality, the attitudes of the teachers are very happy and nice. However, the teachers at J. Addison School have high expectations for each student and believe that students can live up to those expectations. I feel that the interactions that I have with my teachers have allowed me to believe that I can academically succeed, even if I encounter some sort of failure. For example, I remembered in my ESL class, my teacher told me that "failure is the mother of success."

(5) Academics

The academic programs at J Addison School have different requirements based on the student's grade level. When I came to J. Addison School in Grade 8 as an international student, I was given the opportunity to study many academic courses such as English, Math, French, Geography, History, Health as well as English as a Second Language. To be honest, the subject of French for myself was a difficult challenge as I have never learned French before, however, there was always additional support from the teacher to help me succeed. On the other hand, Mathematics was a course that easy for me to understand. I think what I have learned throughout my courses at J. Addison School will help my life, such as ESL and French as they will help me to communicate effectively as I continue to live in Canada.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

J. Addison School offers various extracurricular activities that students can join, however, my favourite one is the basketball club, which truly makes my spare time meaningful. Another aspect of the athletics program at J. Addison School is that we have 3 basketball teams, which are renowned for being the best in the country. Hopefully, one day at J. Addison School, I wish that they can offer a football program, as that would be really fun! Nevertheless, I think everyone's spare time is very meaningful at J. Addison School, and they have the opportunity to be a part of diverse extracurricular programming.

(5) Students

The students of J. Addison School come from all over the world. At J. Addison School, we have students from Spain, Africa, China, Canada, and Iran, just to name a few. There are various languages being spoken at J. Addison School amongst staff and students. I love learning other languages from different students and staff. For example, my roommate is from Peru and he speaks Spanish. I also have another roommate from Guinea and he speaks French. I believe that the students who do well at J. Addison School must enjoy being in a multicultural environment, have the proper insight to follow the school rules and must demonstrate a level of self-discipline and willingness to succeed. J. Addison School has about 280-300 students attending the institution and it is constantly growing, however, the school environment still feels like a small town, where everyone knows your name. As I have noted previously, there is a small number of students that love to stay in the dormitory and socialize within those confines that may not wish to travel outside, which I feel might serve as a detriment in gaining new insight into the outdoor environment in Canada, but I can understand why they may enjoy being in the dorm space all the time as the environment is relaxing, positive and fun. Also, there is a level of comfort with dormmates and staff that also makes it quite enjoyable. Nevertheless, the school and dorm environment is inclusive and safe for all students.

(5) School Life

The first place that I would suggest to someone who is planning on visiting J. Addison School is to view our school's indoor gymnasium. The indoor gymnasium can be described as "high quality" with large-scale windows that show the scenic views of the Markham community. Simply breathtaking! Secondly, one should visit the classrooms as the layout is very beautiful with vibrant wall paint colours. Thirdly, the cafeteria is one of my favourite places to visit as I enjoy the delicious meals prepared by a diverse group of culinary staff. Without a doubt, the chefs' cooking skills are superb and they offer warm hospitality. Apart from this, I would suggest visiting the dance room and the dormitory. I love the dormitory as it is a key point for those who wish to be a boarding student. The dormitory room comprises of at least 4 people of the same gender living together with an independent bathroom. It also has large windows, a heating and cooling system, individualized beds, desks, closets and secure room access. For example, each student is given a personalized fob key to access the school and dormitory in a secure manner. Finally, the on-site dormitory also has a common room area, laundry facilities, kitchen, luggage storage room, 24/7 dorm staff office and a sick room. My favourite part of the dormitory is the common room area, where you can watch tv, play chess and engage in other recreational fun. The most important thing about the dormitory is that Wi-Fi available!

(5) Community

When I first came to J Addison School and Canada, I felt overwhelmed leaving my home for the very first time and wanted to return immediately. However, with the help of teachers, dormitory staff and my fellow classmates, my living abroad experience quickly changed. For example, I was able to engage in a wide range of social activities with my boarding peers that made me feel so comfortable, such as going to the movies, attending birthday parties, playing boarding games in the dormitory and visiting tourist attractions like Canada's Wonderland. Honestly, I felt a sense of belonging living at J. Addison School like being a part of a big family. Indeed, I feel that J. Addison is such an accommodating school, but also fair to every student.

(5) School Location

From a boarding student experience, we have the opportunity to sign out with a dorm staff member and go off campus to places such as Tim Hortons (coffee shop), the local library or even a community park to play outdoor basketball. In addition, someday and boarding students participate in clubs or community service initiatives that are planned by dorm staff. On the weekends, boarding students have the opportunity to go out shopping, take part in fun activities planned by dorm staff, or simply socialize with their peers at a local restaurant. Furthermore, some boarding students' families usually pick them up and sign them out for the day to do essential things. I must note that a small number of boarding are sometimes reluctant to leave the dormitory or go home as they may not be fond of socializing in a different setting due to their comfort level, which I understand.

(5) Admissions

While living in China during my 7th year of school, my parents made the decision for me to go to boarding school at J. Addison as they wanted me to improve my linguistic skills in the target language of English. Apparently, my parents googled J. Addison School and contacted their affiliated agent in China. According to my parents, J. Addison's Admissions Department requested them to submit proof of my current school attendance, vaccination certificates, passport and transcripts from the last year's two years of academic study. In addition, they had to fill out an online admission form. One thing I must note, if you plan to apply to J. Addison School, I would suggest that you have an academic average of a "B" or higher, participate in extracurricular activities and take part in community services. Also, please note that you may have an interview with the principal to ensure that if you are the right candidate to be a part of J. Addison School. When I applied, I wasn't under a lot of pressure, but I was a little scared that I would not be accepted, so I took an English proficiency test during the admission process and I was really happy and excited when I received an admission letter.