Hanoi Toronto School: A world-famous curriculum for ambitious learners

Describing Hanoi Toronto School (HTS) in just five words isn’t hard for John Slipachenko. “It’s not static, it’s dynamic,” says the Deputy Principal & Director of International. As a proud faculty member of the young school in Vietnam, he stands by this statement for several reasons.

The school provides children in Hanoi with a world-class Canadian education sure to open international doors. Having grown up in Ontario and achieved the academic excellence the school strives to replicate, Slipachenko is the man for the job.

“We encompass and incorporate proven practices leveraged globally,” explains Slipachenko. “For example, our mathematics programme is borrowed from the Singapore model, which is notably successful. Of course, we adapt ourselves to the Canadian values of inclusivity and empowerment as well. Ontario is known for creating an effective learning environment for children of various backgrounds, allowing them to thrive on their own individual level.”

This is precisely why international students quickly feel at home here. Although only in its first year of operations, the school’s student body already represents 10 nationalities. As the number grows, a new flag is pinned up on campus to remind new students of their school’s commitment to making them feel at home while nurturing their development.

In classrooms, students work in small groups of three or four. Desks shift on a daily basis, depending on the objective of the lesson. In the process, children nurture enduring relationships with both their peers and teachers. There’s no overly instructional approach. Instead, teachers act as “facilitators of learning” — delivering insights from the middle of the classroom, providing timely feedback and instilling the importance of connection through individualised attention.

Such guidance is crucial when providing an internationally-acclaimed education. HTS is the first and only school in the city to offer an integrated academic programme from Primary School to High School which is aligned with the world-famous Ontario Curriculum. By following the leading Canadian educational system, students deep dive into inquiry-based, STEM-enriched, 21st century-skills-oriented academic programmes — paving direct pathways into prestigious universities in Canada and beyond.

The Ontario Integrated Programme sees students in grades one through nine deep-diving into Ontario MOE subjects taught in English for half the day. Lessons cover Applied Mathematics and STEM, English Language, Applied Science and Technology, Health and  Physical Education, Visual Arts, Musical and Performance Arts, as well as Information and Communications Technology. These topics are incorporated across disciplines and grade levels to help all students cultivate problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and collaboration skills.

These skills can be gained outside the classroom as well. Students sharpen these competencies all throughout HTS’s 1.2-hectare campus, which boasts focal points of a green, light-infused, sustainable urban environment. The collective space bursts at the seams with culture and effortlessly inspires the core values of community.

Apart from evolving classrooms, facilities include a STEM room, a Science Lab, a Food Technology lab, an Art room, an auditorium, a gym, indoor pool facilities, and outdoor sports spaces. “Our current offerings were part of the original vision of the school,” explains Slipachenko. “Everything else will come as we gauge the interests of our founding families. They know it is part of their responsibility to grow with us and help us become a successful school for their children.”

HTS admits students up to Grade 7, with plans to introduce one higher grade at a time before eventually maxing out its 1,700-student capacity and adding more vibrant flags to its wall of representation. When the time comes, students in the Ontario Integrated Programme will be working towards gaining their Vietnamese High School Diploma from Grade 9 while also obtaining compulsory Ontario Secondary School credits. They will then be welcome to progress to the school’s Ontario Optimised Programme from Grade 10 by transferring equivalent credits and working towards achieving an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

When students join Grade 11, they will be invited to Toronto for a two-week immersion excursion that entails experiencing the social and cultural highlights of HTS’s sister school, Lynn-Rose College. They will be expected to undergo the Ontario Secondary Schools Literacy Test during this time as well.

For students already in Hanoi, there is a lot to look forward to — and time flies when they’re having fun. As part of the International Schools Partnership (ISP), HTS draws from insights, practices and resources from more than 60 thriving schools in 16 countries, and counting. Students, as members of ISP’s wider international community, enjoy many enriching opportunities both locally and abroad. International Learning Opportunities for Students make this possible, through its expansive lineup of educational and cultural possibilities designed to broaden horizons.

To learn more about what Hanoi Toronto School can do for your child’s international aspirations, click here.

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