Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I come to your school in Saskatchewan? Aren’t other larger cities in North America such as Vancouver or Toronto more popular? Their popularity is exactly why you should be coming to a school in Saskatchewan. Even if you assume that another school was comparable to Praxis International Institute, there are significant advantages to living in a smaller centre in the middle of Canada. For example, if you’re an international student, chances are that one of your primary goals is to learn English. There is probably no better way to learn English than in an English immersion environment. But what we’ve learned from many past international students who attended school in a large city was that because of the rather large community from their own homeland in that city, the student could spend his or her entire day speaking his or her own language, and because of that, the student never really learned to speak English. While Saskatchewan is still very ethnically diverse, because of its small size it is difficult to immerse yourself in any single language other then English. Saskatchewan has many other advantages as well including lower real-estate prices and a general lower cost of living (meaning lower tuition and other living expenses), cleaner air and drinkable tap water, less traffic and almost no traffic jams, free healthcare, a safer environment with more open space and a learning environment that will put you in touch with nature again, but without the earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes/typhoons, volcanoes, tsunamis, flash floods or terrorist attacks of many other locations around the world. And if that isn’t enough, just think of a place where you can go outside at night, look up and actually see the stars with your naked eye. And trust me… the open sky is magnificent. What will the food be like at Praxis International Institute? We understand that food is much more important than simply nutrition. Food also carries with it ties to one’s own culture and a high degree of comfort with ones surroundings. That’s why we make a great effort to learn about and serve foods indicative of the home countries of our students. We’re becoming very good at ethnic cooking from many different lands. Additionally, Praxis International Institute has a policy of promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle. This means that where possible, we shop for locally grown fresh organic foods. And because that hasn’t always been easy to do, starting in the spring of 2010, we will be planting our own garden and building the first of many of our own greenhouses. This will allow us to harvest many different fruits and vegetables that might not normally grow in Canada, but which are a staple for different cultures around the world. This also means that our meals will be tastier and healthier with very little “processed” and over packaged food. Can students enter directly into the Grade 11 or 12 year in your school? Yes, at Praxis, students can apply for entry directly into Grade 11 or 12. However, international students whose first language is not English are reminded that most universities admissions departments require at least three full years in an English school in order to waive any English Proficiency exam. Do you have an entry level English exam before entering your high school program? Students applying to Praxis do not take an English exam to determine their English level. Instead, students will be asked to complete an application project. This project can be about any subject the student desires, and be done in any media of their choice, but should be done in English. Additionally, and at the discretion of the application committee, an interview “may” be requested. The project, interview as well as transcripts from the student's school will be used to evaluate the student's English proficiency. Do you offer an ESL program? Yes, and in addition to offering a strong ESL program to regular students inside the school, Praxis also offers several additional ESL programs for students or adults looking for an opportunity to learn English and also see Canada. One program that many international students will find useful is a summer ESL emersion camp [GBK1] . Students with low English skills might consider enrolling in a summer camp prior to starting their regular high school experience at Praxis International Institute. What are your teachers' qualifications? Teacher's at Praxis are all required to have their Bachelor of Education degree, a Saskatchewan Teacher’s Certificate as well as have a criminal records check. Teacher accreditation is strictly controlled by government regulations. How long will it take for Canadian embassy to process the Study Permit (visa)? Permit processing times vary from country to country and families are advised to send their visa application in at the earliest opportunity. To help expedite the process, Praxis recommends that documents needed for the application are gathered prior to the acceptance letter from the school (this is so the visa application may be sent once the acceptance letter is sent) Can you help with visa application? Praxis will do its utmost to help families with their visa application wherever possible, but please realize that visa issuance is not under our control. Can a student come into Grade 11? Or must they repeat Grade 10 again? International students must submit their academic records to the Province of Saskatchewan's Department of Learning. The government will determine whether or not the student's courses meet the province's standards. It is therefore possible that international students will be required to repeat a grade. What is the advantage of Praxis over a public high school? Public high schools do an adequate job of teaching students; however public schools continue to teach in the traditional style using textbooks and memorization. This method assumes that all students learn in the same manner and does not allow for practical application of the theories learned. At Praxis, students will take on a number of projects that will give them skills and knowledge that can be applied to real life situations. Additionally, at Praxis, we have a habit of working with real practicing professionals in areas that we are studying. For example, when studying art, music and drama, you will work with real practicing artists, musicians, and actors; when studying creative writing, you will work with professional authors. It is our intention to not only give a sound theoretical background, but a strong working knowledge of how that theory is put into practice. What are the admission requirements? Please see application page. How many teaching buildings do you have? In Canada, it is most common for all schools up to and including secondary levels to be housed under one roof in one large building. These single building campuses have multiple classrooms, science labs, library/resource rooms, computer labs, gymnasiums and industrial arts labs. Many also have specific music rooms, theatres for drama, cooking labs for home economics, art rooms complete with pottery wheels and kilns, and a few even have an indoor swimming pool. While Praxis International Institute is currently building an entirely new campus whose leading designs are all governed by “green” building and environmentally sustainable practices, currently our campus structures follow the normal single building structures similar to other schools in this country. How big is your playground? Praxis International Institute is situated on almost 30 acres of land in a predominately rural setting in central Canada. Additionally, for both curricular and extra-curricular activities we take advantage of other nearby recreational facilities the local community has to offer. This includes a beautiful grass-green golf course, an ice skating and curling rink, and a regional park with a lake that’s over six km long. The lake can be used for fishing, swimming, and water-skiing etc. in the summer, and cross-country skiing, skating, and wind boarding in the winter. What if my child is not able to catch up with the study program because of a language weakness? Praxis International Institute spends most of its recruiting energies recruiting international students from countries where English may not be their first language. Because we specialize in international students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and countries, we are well aware of issues and struggles faced by these students. As such, we make an extra effort when studying the English language, and when studying WITH the English language in other classes. Teachers really do make the commitment to guarantee that lessons are understood by all students. Also, one of the things that make us special and unique even by Canadian standards is our hands-on, “learning-by-doing” practical approach and our commitment to adapt our teaching style to match the learning style of the individual student. If the students are studying in another country, can they transfer to Praxis and continue their high school education mid-year? The short answer is yes… with a provision. When dealing with different educational systems, we have several options available depending on the requirements of the student. One is simply giving a placement exam to determine what Canadian class the student should be in. The second is a more customized approach. We recognize the fact that not all countries’ curriculums are the same and one of the tools we have at our disposal is to compare the curriculum from your country with our own and come up with an “equivalent.” As an example, some countries’ math programs are actually more advanced than Canada’s and as long as the student can prove they understand the work here, we give credit for that section and move on to more challenging topics. In subjects where the Canadian curriculum is the more advanced, we either do extra work with that student, or offer a credit in a lower grade. This is actually quite common in Canada. In order to be granted the Saskatchewan Grade 12 diploma a student requires a minimum of 24 credits from grade 10, 11, and 12 in various configurations of 10, 20 or 30 level courses. Students often take classes in several levels in any given year of their high school career. Some believe private schools are not as reliable as public schools. They are afraid of being cheated. How about your school, especially since Praxis is a comparatively new and a small-sized school? We understand this is a concern, particularly in light of some private school closures a few years ago in both Toronto and Vancouver. Although Praxis International Institute is a relatively new and small sized school, its parent company, Global Infobrokers Inc. has actually been in operation since 1990. Over the years they have risen to become one of Canada’s premier educational institutes specializing in business and entrepreneurial training. Their programs have extremely high success rates largely because their curriculum is based on practical applications and information and concentrates on adjusting the teaching style to match the learning style of the individual student, not making the student adjust to fit the teaching style of the school. Over the years Global Infobrokers has worked very hard to make its programs and teaching style available to younger and younger students. In 1995, Monica Kreuger, the VP of Praxis International Institute began offering the program through the University of Saskatchewan and did so with tremendous success for over 10 years. They then partnered with the Canadian Youth Business Foundation to provide access to financing and mentorship, winning the national award for their work in 2008. In 2003 they laid the groundwork to establish “Praxis International Institute” so they could offer their successful programs through a high school setting. Praxis International Institute’s program design and delivery is actually built on the success factors and “best practices” of their many other programs. So as you can see, even though they are a relatively new school, they still have rich history of educational success. Also, in addition to our over 20 years of private educational institute history, in Saskatchewan, the Government closely monitors all private schools that offer a Saskatchewan grade 12 diploma. Since our high-school does offer that diploma, our school is also closely monitored and inspected yearly. We are externally accountable and have been approved every year by the government. Hopefully, this information will go a long way to appease the fears of parents dealing with Saskatchewan’s private education in general, and Praxis International Institute in particular. I am not familiar with the place where your school is located. Is it cold and remote? These are very common questions, but the answer to both is no. Praxis International Institute is located about midpoint between the province’s two major cities, each with a population of approximately 240,000. This may seem small by some countries’ standards, but both cities have world class facilities and have international reputations with easy access to many national and international destinations. As far as the cold is considered, Praxis International Institute is actually about the same degree north latitude as London and Warsaw and much further south than Moscow. But being in the middle of a large land mass, we don’t have the ocean currents to moderate our weather. Consequently, we have what is called a continental temperate climate. This means that we have a fairly large difference between average daily summer temperatures (22 degrees Celsius) and average daily winter temperatures (-22 degrees Celsius). But it also means that it’s much drier here so the hot doesn’t feel as hot, and the cold doesn’t feel as cold. As long as you dress for the weather, it is very comfortable. Indeed, many people who live in warmer and damper cities, like Toronto or New York often feel much chillier in the winter then they do in Saskatchewan even though it is considerably warmer there. And remember, in our climate, our housing is designed for all four seasons as is our transportation. With central heating and cooling, our houses heat up when it is cold and cool down when it is hot. We also like to say that we have four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) and we enjoy them all. And while most people find it easy to list enjoyable spring and summer activities, we also enjoy hockey, curling, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, skating and wind-boarding (a cross between wind surfing and snowboarding) as popular winter activities. And we wouldn’t be doing that if it was cold, now would we? Do I need to bring warm clothes? Packing long pants, sweaters and a spring jacket etc. is a good idea but it is sometimes very difficult for many students to bring appropriate outside winter clothes. If you are coming from a tropical or temperate climate, there may not be suitable warm clothes available for purchase where you are. Also, we recognize that sometimes airlines have strict regulations regarding the amount of luggage you may travel with. Because of this we recommend that you don’t worry about packing winter jackets and ski-pants etc. We will organize shopping trips here where students can purchase suitable clothing with the aid and advice of school staff. You talk about other activities. Can you tell me a little more about what types of other activities are available to me? Praxis International Institute incorporates many activities into it core curriculum. But because we treat things more holistically, sometimes the boundary between curricular and extra-curricular seems to blur. As an example among other things our Physical Education program includes such items as golf, cross country skiing and dance. Because we don’t believe that learning only takes place during school hours, some of the activities you will be required to participate in may be evening activities. We also have belief in a strong multicultural education. Therefore; blending these philosophies into real practices means that activities such as drama, martial arts and/or, cultural dance are all part of the package. In addition to the more traditional dance forms such as jazz, tap and ballet, there are a number of other dance forms available. For example, Egyptian, Ukrainian, and Chinese dance, are but a few of the choices that are taught locally, usually by instructors from those cultures. There is never a shortage of activities to keep you occupied and with many indoor facilities available; most can be enjoyed all winter long. There are just too many to list them all here but a short list of activities available to you will include; Golf, Skating, Swimming, Skiing (Downhill and Cross-country), Dance (Various Kinds), Theatre, Curling, Martial Arts (Various Kinds), Music. See Campus What will my room be like? See Campus Are pets allowed? While it would not be practical for all students to be able to bring their favourite pet to school, Praxis International Institute does have its own collection of pets and other livestock. There are horses for both riding and grooming and many people develop strong emotional bonds with them as well as a dog has become somewhat of a mascot and student favourite.