The purpose of this brochure is to serve as a guide for new international students as they begin their educational journey at HSC. It is designed to answer some of the potential questions they may have when they arrive in Canada and attend HSC for the first time.
Hillfield Strathallan College is an independent, co-educational day school in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The academic program runs from Montessori Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. The current Head of College is Marc Ayotte. The school is divided into four schools: Montessori, Junior, Middle, and Senior School.
HSC at a Glance: hsc.on.ca/admissions
Hillfield Strathallan College was founded in 1901 by John H. Collinson as Highfield School for Boys. Strathallan School for girls was founded in 1923. In 1962, the two schools merged and moved to their current location—a 50-acre campus on Fennell Avenue West on Hamilton Mountain. HSC’s storied history has spanned five locations, two world wars and one prevailing mission to deliver excellence in education.
Please see the HSC Website for more information about our history. hsc.on.ca/about-hsc/our-history
Visit the official website of HSC (hsc.on.ca).
A very important way for students to stay connected with the college throughout the year is by visiting the school’s learning management system, called myHSC. There, you can find school news, get class updates on homework and assignments, and access learning resources.
Go to the college web page at www.hsc.on.ca. Click on the myHSC icon at the top of your screen. This will bring you to a login page. The user name will be your student ID followed by @hsc.on.ca (For example: 012345@hsc.on.ca). Enter your password and click on submit to enter the landing page. If you have any questions for your password or account name, please do not hesitate to reach out to a teacher since logging into myHSC is crucial for every student.
After logging into myHSC , you will see six different categories on the top of your screen: My Day, Classes, Groups, Resources, News and Calendar.
Upon accessing myHSC , you will immediately enter the News page. This is where you can get access to all the important announcements such as upcoming events, competition sign ups and more. You will want to check this page at least three times a day to stay up to date with major news and events.
To access the myDay page, put your cursor on the myDay icon. You will see five options on your screen. The first three options are the most important ones. “Progress” lets you see your previous report cards and also the amount of classes that you have been marked as absent or late. There is also a list of teachers’ emails under the community label if you scroll all the way down. These can come in handy when you have a question for a specific teacher and need to find their email. “Schedule” is the next option. It lets you have a quick look at what your day is like when you are in school.
For a detailed agenda, visit the “Calendar” to see the classes for the whole month. The “Assignment Centre” is where you can see all your upcoming assignments and deadlines. “Course request” will be accessible in the middle of a semester in order to select your courses for the next semester.
» The “Classes” page is the second option on the main page. Here you can access your classes for the current semester.
» Beside the name of the class, there is a button called “View Details’’. This will give you a short description of the course. The subtitle includes the full name of your teacher, the section, the block you are in and the room number.
» The “Bulletin Board” is where you can find all the live updates posted by your teacher.
» The “Assignment Centre” is the place where you can see all the upcoming assignment due dates. Under the “Date View” on the right side, choose the “Previous” option because most of your assignments should already be posted.
“Groups” is another tag under the main page. If you are in a school group such as the “International Students” group or the “AP” group, you can access all the group names under this for news and updates.
“Resources” is an important tag where students can access information for different departments or learn about services provided by the College.
Here are some of the highlights.
Most of the students attending HSC take the school bus everyday. If you want to see when and where you are going to take the bus, there is a transportation section in the last row of the resources page. Contact them if you require any information on your bus.
There is information about course materials, online orders and book returns. There is also a section called “Contact Information” where you can find the email and the number for the campus store. Feel free to contact the Campus Store if you have any questions.
A great way to make a good initial impression on your teachers is to email them before the semester begins. Please see the example below: Dear (teacher’s name)
I saw on the calendar that I am going to take your class in the upcoming semester. I am really looking forward to learning something new in this course. I am also wondering if there is anything that I can prepare for the class before the semester begins that can help me perform better in the course?
Thanks. Sincerely, (your name)
Dear Mr./Ms.(teacher’s name)
I saw on the calendar that I am going to take your class in the upcoming semester. I am really looking forward to learning something new in this course. I am also wondering if there is anything that I can prepare for the class before the semester begins that can help me perform better in the course? Thanks!
Sincerely, (your name)
Here is the Senior School daily schedule:
8:40–9:55 a.m. First period 10:00–10:30 a.m. Flex/Tutorial on Monday 10:35–11:50 a.m. Second period 11:50 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lunch 12:40–1:55 p.m. Third period 2:00–3:15 p.m. Fourth period 3:30 p.m. Early bus 3:30–4:45 p.m. After school activity 5:00 p.m. Late bus departs
HSC is currently using a semester rotation. It divides your eight courses into four courses per semester, meaning that you will have four courses in the first semester, and a different four in the second semester.
Canada is a multicultural country and is considered a cultural mosaic, meaning that people from many different ethnic groups, cultures and languages are all considered Canadian and are encouraged to celebrate their own cultural identities, while also being proud Canadian citizens. Canada has been described as “the most successful pluralist (multicultural) society on the face of our globe” (Aga Khan, 2012).
» Canada is the second largest country in the world.
» Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
» Canada has the highest number of university and college graduates in the world.
» Canada’s official languages are English and French.
» Half of Canada’s landmass is covered by forest.
If you are new to Ontario, you may find a few differences between the Ontario education system and the one in your home country. Firstly, each Canadian province or territory has its own education system, which is why there is no “Canadian” curriculum. HSC follows the Ontario Secondary School curriculum, but also offers the Advanced Placement curriculum for students who want to challenge themselves.
Although some schools in Canada still have examinations at the end of their semester or term, many schools also include projectbased and experiential learning in their curriculum. This means that students explore, research, present, and write about a topic of their interest. Students are encouraged to ask questions and to seek answers through their own research and experiences.
» Loonie: 1 dollar – “Can you lend me a loonie?”
» Toonie: 2 dollars, “ I need a toonie to buy a cup of tea.”
» Tim Hortons or “Timmies”: An iconic Canadian restaurant that serves coffee, donuts and many other foods – “Let’s stop at Timmies for a coffee and a donut.”
» The Six: Toronto’s area code is 416, so people have nicknamed it the ‘six’ in reference to the final digit.
» Klicks: kilometres– “Ottawa is about 500 klicks from here.”
» Eh: (pronounced as “ay”) – “Nice weather today, eh?”
» Beauty: Something that is great or amazing – “Beauty sweater, Tom!”
» Soaker: When you step in water while wearing boots and your socks get wet – “I stepped in a puddle and got a soaker!”
» Poutine: A dish from Quebec that consists of French fries, gravy and cheese curds. Sometimes served in Lawson Hall.
The Student Success Centre (SSC) is where students can seek help or learn from tutors, guidance counsellors and our International Student coordinator. It contains all different kinds of services including peer tutoring, course changes/planning, volunteer forms, student leadership opportunities and so much more. It is located on myHSC under “Resources” with the “ruler” icon. There, you can visit the “Topic” page to get all the detailed information about the SSC.
Seeking help from your teachers is an essential way for you to make sure they are on the same page with the rest of the class. Almost every teacher has a schedule for extra help. This is when you can ask your teacher questions regarding the homework or the previous lectures.
HSC offers several clubs where students can explore their interests. If you would like to join a club or perhaps even create your own, you can find all the new information on the “News” page or contact Mr. Marc Edgar to discuss your ideas. Clubs will send out posts at the start of the new semester looking for some new brightminded students to join their clubs. Popular clubs include Model UN, Robotics club, DECA club, and Debating.
When it comes to sports teams such as soccer and volleyball, you need to make sure that you are not missing out on the tryout day and the online signup forms. Participating in the tryout is crucial for you to get selected onto the official team.
E-week takes place the second week after school begins. The purpose is to help students learn about team-building, develop friendships, build leadership skills,and enjoy the Canadian outdoors. Each grade will embark on a different activity. Grade 9 students will stay in a Canadian-style summer campground and take part in activities designed and led by Grade 12 students. Grade 10 students will canoe into the backcountry area of beautiful Algonquin Park to learn about teamwork and experience Canadian nature. The Grade 11 students will also stay in a campground to learn about leadership. Grade 11 and 12 students will also have some post-secondary dialogue incorporated to their trip.
Every Friday, the entire College gathers together to participate in our weekly Chapel and celebrations. This is a time where we sing “O Canada”, acknowledge the original Indigenous inhabitants of the area school, listen to the latest school news, and enjoy performances from other students in the Middle and Senior school.
Canada does have cold winters, but they also have beautiful, warm summers with lots of sunny days.
International students applying to HSC are required to submit an English Placement Test in order to show that their English skills are sufficient to be admitted. Students who do not meet the standards for their grade are asked to reapply at a later date. Therefore, if you are accepted to attend HSC, your English will be sufficient to achieve success in all your courses. Our English Language Learning specialist will also assist you in building your language skills.
Through student houses, classes, sports teams and clubs, each student has multiple opportunities to connect with students who have similar interests and develop lasting friendships.
“Is Canada’s weather always cold?”
“My English is not very good. Will I face learning difficulties at HSC?”
“I won’t be able to make new friends in Senior School.”
Hanson Liu (Class of ’23) came up with the idea of writing this brochure in order to offer new international students some guidance and advice as they begin their educational journey at HSC and perhaps Canada. He hopes this brochure helps international students get oriented and understand the cultural aspect of the school and Canada.
Mr. Eric Bailey is HSC’s International Student Coordinator and English Language Learning Specialist. He is always ready to help our new international students with any challenges they have when attending HSC. He served as advisor for this brochure.
Our core mission is to develop joyful and engaged students who live life with purpose.
The best learning happens when students are happy to come to school, have opportunities to follow their passions, and participate in deep learning experiences that challenge them.
Joyful, engaged students develop strong relationships with their peers and with the caring adults who spark and support their learning both inside the classroom and beyond.
Their journey at HSC prepares students to live with purpose—to understand their world, inspire, lead, act, and make a difference in their own unique ways.