International Education Pre-departure Guide - January 2021

Kennedy Catholic High School

PRE-DEPARTURE GUIDE

JANUARY 2021

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OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION (IE) Welcome to Kennedy Catholic High School!

CONFIRM PLACEMENT AND OBTAIN VISA • Students must apply for an F-1 visa with the local US Embassy or Consulate.

• Students can apply for a visa 120 days prior (September 21, 2020) to the program start date of January 19, 2021. Students will not be allowed to enter the US more than 30 days before the start date (December 20, 2020).

• Before making an appointment for an interview at the US consular office, accepted students must pay their SEVIS fee online. The wait time for an interview varies from country to country. Check the US State Department website to learn more about preparing the visa application.

• Students will then complete an interview to demonstrate their ties to their home country, ability to pay for their education, and seriousness as a student.

• Once the visa application has been approved, the remaining balance of tuition and fees will be due at a date indicated by Kennedy Catholic prior to student arrival.

IE OFFICE LOCATION Kennedy Catholic High School, 2nd Floor 140 South 140th Street Burien, WA 98168 USA Telephone: +1 206.957.9757 Website: www.kennedyhs.org/int Email: INT@kennedyhs.org Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am - 3pm Virtual Advising Hours: Monday - Thursday 7 - 9pm Emergency Contact After Hours: Housing Issues: +1 206.972.3291 Academic Issues: +1 206.972.2981 APPs: WeChat, Viber, Line, WhatsApp

Mrs. Vilai Whatsapp

Mrs. Vilai WeChat

Mrs. Vilai Line

Mrs. Vilai Viber

Mrs. Vilai Kakao

Mrs. Suttell WeChat

ORIENTATION Please be ready to be at school on the first day of Orientation Week: Tuesday, January 19 at 9am. Staff will check in with you upon your arrival to the U.S. and collect your documents. Please bring the following: • Passport and Current Visa

• Immunization Form and Records

• I-20

• Sports Physical

• New US Address and Phone Number

• Original Bank Statement

• Email Address

• Original/Official Transcripts

ARRIVAL INFORMATION Getting to Kennedy Catholic High School in three easy steps:

1

Book a Flight Book a flight to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) International Airport. Please plan to arrive on Saturday, January 9, 2021. If your arrival date is different, contact housing@kennedyhs.org for approval.

If arriving early, or if traveling with friends or relatives, please make hotel arrangements. Refer to the online Lodging Guide for local recommendations. www.kennedyhs.org/directions

2

Arrival Information If you requested homestay or dorm placement, please e-mail housing@kennedyhs.org the following information by Monday, December 21, 2020: • Date of Arrival • Time of Arrival • Flight Number • Airline Name Flight information is required in order to confirm airport greeter and transportation.

Airport Pick-Up

3

Airport pick-up is arranged for international students who apply for Kennedy Catholic housing. The service is included in your housing placement fee. Go to Baggage Claim #1 to meet your greeter.

Your host family, or airport greeter, will be at the baggage claim area (#1 for international arrival).

Friendly, helpful staff will make sure you get to your destination trouble-free. If you are delayed, or cannot find your airport greeter, please contact the housing team +1 206.972.3291 or by App (WeChat, Line, Viber, WhatsApp).

CONTACT INFO: In Vilai Associate Director, Office of International Education +1 206.972.3291 Housing@kennedyhs.org

ASSESSMENT AND REGISTRATION All new students take an assessment for math and English skills after arriving in Seattle. Your assessment scores will determine math and English class placement, and other semester courses. To learn more about the English language assessment, visit the KITE website: www.takekite.com.

Students who have completed both assessments are eligible to register for classes. Your international advisor and a guidance counselor will share more about the US education system, diploma credits, and graduation requirements before class registration.

Midway through first semester, a personal education plan will be created with the support of the advisor.

It will include major areas of interest, destination universities, and a course plan.

WHAT TO WEAR Students and faculty dress casually at Kennedy Catholic. A typical winter outfit is jeans and a pullover or shirt; in the warm summer months, many students wear short pants to class. A light jacket is good to have any time of year. A warm coat is necessary during the winter. Semi-formal attire is required on some occasions during the school year.

ATHLETICS A physical exam is required for participation.

A physical form must be signed and dated by a physician, stating the student is ‘cleared for all sports without restriction,’ and include parent/ guardian authorization for medical treatment. Students should make an appointment in their home country prior to arrival.

If you are interested in sports, email INT@kennedyhs.org and we will help explain how to complete your registration.

ACADEMIC ADVISOR After admission to Kennedy Catholic you will be assigned an advisor who will help you successfully transition to life at Kennedy Catholic. You are welcome to contact your advisor with any questions by emailing INT@kennedyhs.org.

IMMUNIZATIONS Once you receive your visa, email your completed immunization form to INT@kennedyhs.org. The State of Washington requires this to be on file for students to attend school. We recommend that all immunizations be secured in your home country, including the flu shot, prior to your arrival in the U.S. ORIENTATION WEEK JANUARY 19-22, 2021 Your team at the Office of International Education isexcited to see you. Orientation Week will provide a comprehensive introduction to Kennedy Catholic including: placement tests, class registration, campus tour, immigration, insurance, ID cards, and fun activities each day. Light refreshments are served while students meet advisors, student leaders, instructors, and staff. Attending orientation is mandatory for all incoming students at Kennedy Catholic. It is very important to attend Orientation Week to make new friends and have a successful start to your academic journey.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2020-2021 JAN SCHOOL YEAR* 9 • Dorm opens for returning students: January 2 • Returning students to school: January 4 at 8am • Arrival for new students: January 9 • Hotel Stay & COVID-19 Testing: January 9-15 Upon arrival to the U.S. and prior to housing arrival (approximately 1 week) • Orientation starts: January 19 at 9am • Second semester begins: January 25, 8am • Easter Break starts: April 2 after school / Return to school: April 12 at 8am • International Senior Graduation Dinner: June 3 • Graduation: June 4 • Year End: June 10 *Dates are tentative and subject to change.

VISIT KENNEDY CATHOLIC Please visit our website for directions and lodging information.

Lodging: www.kennedyhs.org/directions

By Air • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is located 5-10 minutes from campus

By Bus • The Greyhound bus station located at 503 S. Royal Brougham Way, Seattle, WA 98134.

• Travel time to school: 20 minutes, Distance: 9 miles (14.5 km) Public Bus Transportation • Bus #131 stops near the school (on 1st Avenue and S. 140th) • kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/ schedules-maps.aspx Sea-Tac Link Light Rail Station • Travel time to school: 5 minutes, Distance: 4 miles (6.5 km) • Closest station: Tukwila International Boulevard station

By Car • Burien is 20 minutes south of Seattle Distance: 10 miles (16 km) Three hours south of Vancouver, BC, Canada Distance: 155 miles (250 km) TRANSPORTATION Upon arrival, the school provides transportation from Seattle International Airport (SEA) to the designated off-campus self-quarantine location.

The airport, Sound Transit Link light rail, and the bus station, are all located in the city of Seatac, Washington which is just 5 minutes from campus.

Please do not hesitate to call, text, or email anytime (day or night) during your travel from home to Kennedy Catholic should you have questions or concerns.

Always contact us if you miss a flight or your arrival time changes.

BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE - BYOD BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE For the 2020-2021 school year, Kennedy Catholic will be adopting a 1:1 BYOD program. BYOD is the acronym for Bring Your Own Device.

WINDOWS

MAC

Operating System

Windows 10 or newer

OSX 10.8 or newer

Minimum Screen Size

11in

11in

Minimum Ram 4GB

4GB

Families will be responsible to purchase or provide a laptop for their student based on the minimum required specifications.

Minimum Hard 64GB Drive Capacity Recommended: 256GB or more

64GB Recommended: 256GB or more

It is our plan to offer devices at discount rates through our vendor partnership. Families should also be able to off-set costs with electronic book options – but hard copies of books will still be available and acceptable. Thank you for your patience as we adjust the process.

Minimum Battery Life

6 hours

6 hours

Anti-Virus

Windows Defender (built in)

Built-in default OSX security acceptable

Recommended Additions

Multi-year (3) warranty Accidental damage coverage Potective Case Headphones Keyboard (if Surface)

Multi-year (3) warranty Accidental damage coverage Potective Case Headphones Keyboard (if Surface)

All students will be required to have a device the meets a minimum set of requirements and specifications.

The program will include a financial model that will ensure universal access for all students. Our goal is to teach the mindful use of technology in our community so students are prepared for college and career life.

PACKING LIST

Suggested items you should pack for a more comfortable stay IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS Passport (should be valid at least 6 months from the date of the entry to the U.S.) Valid F-1 VISA (in your passport) I-20 from Kennedy Catholic High School Original Bank Statement Original/Official Transcripts Immunization Form and Records (Including record of the 2020 Flu Shot if taken in home country) Sports Physical (if you plan to play sports) HEALTH RELATED ITEMS Medications and contact lenses (if applicable) and prescription from your doctor (if you need to refill it in the U.S.) Doctor’s note in English if you have any illness (in case you need to see a doctor in the U.S.) Travel Insurance (if applicable) OTHER ITEMS * Laptop computer: Please plan to bring a computer that meets our school requirement www.kennedyhs.org/academics/technology/byod Headphones, camera, and microphone for laptop computer (review Learning Plans for updated information www.kennedyhs.org/who-we-are/ covid-19-information) * Mobile phone that works in the U.S. There is a T-mobile phone store near the school. You can learn about the phone and SIM card if you plan to use your phone from your home country: www.t-mobile.com/resources/bring-your-own-phone Dictionary/study guide in your language Photos of your family, friends, and country to introduce yourself to people in the U.S.

ational costumes/dress (Every year the school N has a cultural assembly to celebrate diversity in March. Those who bring their national costume can wear it on that day to represent their country) * Comfortable shoes (one pair dress shoes, one pair walking shoes, one pair sport shoes) * Semi-formal dress (Suit and tie for boys, dress or suit for girls) to attend a formal event * Non-jeans/dress pants to wear in school (two to three sets) * Winter coat * Sports equipment, like a tennis racket (fall sports for boys and spring for girls) and baseball gloves (spring sport), if you plan to try out.

Check out sports offerings: www.kennedyhs.org/ athletics/sports-programs * Portable musical instrument if you own one and want to play in the U.S. * Favorite polo shirts and T-shirts Debit card that is valid in the U.S. You can obtain a “CashPassport”(debit card) before arrival in your home country (limited countries) global.cashpassport.com. If you carry a CashPassport, your parents can add money in your home country to the debit card account so you can get cash overseas. No need for you to set up a local bank account. *Items that you can also buy in the U.S. upon arrival