Golden Hills School Division provides international students the opportunity to live in a safe, secure environment with a Canadian family while attending school. Host families are carefully selected through an interview process. Once approved, homes are inspected and our accommodations coordinators plan frequent visits . We develop student profiles and family profiles based on application information provided to us. This helps ensure we match the student with the best possible family to meet their needs. The student's parents are sent the family profiles as well as photos of the family and home so they can feel comfortable about the home we've selected for their child, however the student's parents have final approval about the home we place their child in.
All of our families:
- have had a thorough interview to determine suitability
- have had a homestay inspection
- have had references checked
- have passed a police record check
- have passed an Alberta Child Welfare check
- are enthusiastic to receive international students
Our Accommodations Coordinators meet with students and homestay families throughout the year to address any questions or concerns either may have. The coordinators are always available to help and support our students, their parents, and the homestay families. They also provide reports to agents informing them of how their students are adjusting to life in Canada. We encourage all parents and agents to communicate with the Accommodations Coordinators regarding their child's homestay accommodations in order to ensure all of your child's needs are met.
Students living with homestay families usually arrive in late August and stay for either one or two semesters. Homestay parents will pick up their student at the airport and welcome him/her into their home providing all the support and guidance they would for their own child. They also supply the student with their own bedroom, desk, dresser, bed and provide three meals and two snacks a day.
Students are responsible for all of their personal expenditures such as clothes, books, personal supplies etc. If they wish to take part in an activity like hockey, these additional costs are the responsibility of the student.