Livingstone Range School Division continues to be a popular destination for international students.
International student co-ordinator Jas Schmirler provided trustees with an update during the school board’s Dec. 18 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod.
“We’ve grown a little bit,” Schmirler said.
Livingstone Range has 78 international students in 2023-’24 compared to 64 last year.
That works out to 42.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) students this year, compared to 54.2 FTE last year.
The students attending Livingstone Range schools this year come from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and Turkey.
Schmirler told trustees there are various reasons for the increase in international students.
“One of the factors is that we are rural, and a lot of the countries are looking for places that are smaller, and they are also looking for safe, smaller communities,” Schmirler said.
The prairie landscape and proximity of the Rockies is also attractive to international students, Schmirler explained.
“A lot of them, when they think of Canada, they think of all those images which our division provides,” Schmirler said. “The mountains, the wide-open spaces, the wildlife. I don’t really have to try to sell our area that much.”
There are 13 international students at Crowsnest Consolidated, eight at Livingstone school in Lundbreck, three at Matthew Halton school in Pincher Creek, 13 at F.P. Walshe school in Fort Macleod, 21 at Willow Creek Composite in Claresholm, and 10 at J.T. Foster school in Nanton.
This year, Livingstone Range has three international students at W.A. Day school in Fort Macleod and two at A.B. Daley school in Nanton.
The elementary students from China are accompanied by their parents and the family will live in Canada for a year.
Where international students are placed is dependent on the number of host families in a community.
“Recruitment is always ongoing,” Schmirler said.. “We’re always looking for host families.
Schmirler said anyone can host, regardless of whether they have their own children living at home.
“We have empty-nesters who are hosting,” Schmirler said. “In some cases with empty-nesters we can place two students. They have to be from different countries and speak different languages. They become sort of like siblings.”
Program highlights this year include the arrival of students from Thailand and Brazil, and inquiries from some in Africa and the Middle East.
As well, international students competed in provincial championships for cross-country running, and a student from Turkey will graduate this year at F.P. Walshe.
International student programs goals fo 2024-’25 include:
- Increasing enrollment.
- Expanding student enrollment and diversifying language markets.
- Recruiting host families, particularly in the west end of Livingstone Range where there is a shortage.
- Creating a student ambassador program at each school.
- Creating exchange opportunities for local students.
