Orientation Resource Page

Please click on one of the following links to access the student handbook.

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Look here for answers about 

• International Program Staff
• Emergency Contact information
• International Student Liaisons (ISL)
• Communicating Your Concerns
• Cultural Adjustment 
• International Program Rules and Policies
• School Life
• English Language Learner (ELL) Service
• Secondary School
• Applications to renew / extend
• Passport Renewal
• Consulates
• Medical Insurance

• Banking 

  and much more... 

Remember to follow us on Instagram to see events and activities in our schools and community!

Need to know what is happening when? 

Click here to see our school calendar

This guide is intended for non-emergency medical care. In a medical emergency, call 911 immediately

Medical Emergencies

• Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.
• Go to the nearest Emergency Department for serious illness or injury.
  Abbotsford Regional Hospital: 32900 Marshall Road, Abbotsford

Need Care today?  Urgent but not an emergency?

Visit the Abbotsford Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC)

Go here for: infections, cuts, burns, minor injuries, worsening illness

• Address:  #100-2692 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford
• Phone Number: 604-870-3325
• Open daily: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Non-urgent Medical Care

Visit the Glenn Mountain Medical Clinic

Best for: minor illness, health advice, follow-up appointments

• Address: #104-2596 McMillan Road, Abbotsford
• Phone Number: 778-314-1194
• Open Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Same Day Walk-in Care

Visit the NewGen Medical Clinic

Best for: same-day medical concerns, minor illness, and family practice care.

• Address: #103-2493 Montrose Avenue, Abbotsford
• Phone Number: 604-621-0841
• Open Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

TLC Medical Clinic (**Mission, outside of Abbotsford)

Best for: same-day medical concerns, minor illness, and non-urgent medical care when there are no appointments available in Abbotsford.

• Address: #201-32818 7th Avenue, Mission
• Phone Number: 604-286-0222
• Open Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Not sure where to go?

Call HealthLink BC 

• Call 811 for free health advice from a registered nurse.
• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Translation services are available in many languages.
• Can help you decide whether to visit a clinic, urgent care centre, or emergency room.

Need a Doctor online? 

Before booking an appointment:

• Students who have been in BC for longer than three months are usually covered by MSP. Check your insurance card to confirm your coverage.
• Newly arrived students are covered by StudyInsured.  Register for StudyInsured Student Portal Click here
• Have your BC Services Card or StudyInsured card available when booking.
• If you are unsure where to go for medical care, please contact the International Program Office at international.medical@abbyschools.ca or 604-851-4585.

Virtual healthcare services for students with STUDYINSURED

Maple

• Phone, video, or online chat appointments.
• Covered by StudyInsured
• Services: Medical consultations, prescription renewals, referrals, sick notes, and follow-up care.

Register for Maple Please go to "Sign up / Login" button and enter your StudyInsured Member Policy Number

Virtual healthcare services for students with Medical Services Plan (MSP)

TIA Health

• Phone or video appointments.
• Free with BC MSP.
• Services: Medical consultations, prescription renewals, referrals, sick notes, and follow-up care.

Book an appointment with TIA Health

Viva Care

• Phone or video appointments.
• Free with BC MSP.
• Services: Medical consultations, prescription renewals, referrals, lab result reviews, and follow-up care.

Book an appointment with Viva Care

Telehealth BC

• Phone or video appointments.
• Free with BC MSP.
• Services: Medical consultations, prescription renewals, referrals, sick notes, and follow-up care.

Book an appointment with Telehealth BC

CloudMD

• Online appointments.
• Free with BC MSP.
• Services: Medical consultations, prescription renewals, referrals, sick notes, and follow-up care.

Book an appointment with CloudMD

If you have any questions about how to register, contact your ISL

Save the trees, but if you really need a paper copy of the info above click here

Abbotsford schools and the community offer many different activities throughout the year.  

In your Schools...

Sport Teams: Keep your eyes and ears open for notices and announcements about upcoming sport opportunities.  Some teams will have signups and tryouts in the first week.  Ask your ISL or at the main office at the school if you are not sure.  

First semester: Boys soccer / American Football / volleyball / basketball / wrestling / cross country running

Second semester: Girls soccer / rugby / track and field 

There are competitive teams as well as "just for fun" lunchtime (intramural) teams.  Grab some friends, choose a great team name and sign up.  There are opportunities to play volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer, dodgeball, badminton, sometimes European Handball... 

There are also community teams and sports available.  Keep in mind that you will be responsible for getting to and from games and practices, so consider where and when the team practices and plays...

More info on community sports here Sports | International

Theme Days / Celebrations

All through the year there are MANY activities and events in our schools! Be sure to follow your school's Instagram account and look for notices in the school.

• Theme days.  Often they involve dressing up: Twin day, Sports Jersey Day, WhiteLies Day, Pajama Day, Ugly Christmas Sweater, grade colours...  
• Celebrations: There are big celebrations at Valentines Day, Halloween, Christmas... Cultural Celebrations of Vaisakhi, Lunar New Year...   
• And we can't forget PEP RALLIES!  These high energy events bring the school together while providing competition between the different grades. Music, games, awards... Part performance, part competition, part celebration, and lots of fun. 
• Towards the end of the year schools have year end festivals.  Bateman Bash, Mouat Mudder, Canada Day in May, Storm the Wall...  Students compete in obstacle courses and carnival games on the sports fields while enjoying bbq, sweet treats, and summer music.  
• The final celebrations are the Grad festivities.  These are available for Grade 12 students only.  The year starts with a Grad cruise (sign up early or you'll miss the boat!), followed by Grad movie nights and events, of course the prom dinner and dance, and finally the actual graduation ceremony (for officially graduating students only!). 

Clubs

Usually in the second week of school there will be a Clubs Day.  Al the different clubs in your school will have a table and club members who can explain what they do, when they meet, and why you should join.

Why should you join?  Because it is a great way to meet people!  Even if you may not be super interested in the club activity, it is another way to get connected with local and other international students.

Volunteering

All schools have volunteer groups who give their time to help around the school, or in the community.  If you are looking for good people doing good things, this is where you will find them!  

School Trips

Each year there are opportunities to travel with your school.  Sport teams and music classes often compete and perform in other cities.  Our Outdoor Education Classes (more info here Outdoor Education | International) provide opportunities to explore the great outdoors around Abbotsford, and farther afield.  

Abbotsford is not a large city, but we have many of the same things that you can find in a big city, and some things you can't! 

• Shop: 2 shopping malls, all the brands.  Smaller shopping areas throughout the city, and in the old town center
• Climb: reach for the top at the climbing gym
• Escape: 2 Escape Room centres to challenge your friends;
• one centre has actual rooms, the other centre has virtual chambers
• Play: Board Game Cafes, virtually reality game centre, amusment park, paintball centres, drop-in court sports...
• Explore: Lakes, rivers and mountains all around for hiking, rafting, paddle boarding, skiing, camping, canyoning...
• Dance, play and sing: Multiple music and dance schools nearby
• Eat: Fine dining, international, bakeries and burgers, deluxe ice cream, bubble tea, high tea...so much good food, so little time!
• Ride: Challenging downhill mountainbike trails or easy urban pathways, BMX and skateboard parks, horseback trails...
• Watch: Multiplex IMAX theatre for all the latest shows, concert venues, live theatre, gallery productions...
• Exercise: Public Recreation Centres, swimming pools, skating rinks, gyms, athletic tracks, yoga studios, martial arts clubs...
• Cheer: Professional Ice Hockey, concerts, school teams
• Participate: Multiple community and school events through the year: Halloween, Christmas, sports, 5K runs, weekend markets, obstacle courses, festivals, tulip fields, corn mazes, pumpkin patches...
• Wander: Check out the old downtown centre street murals, boutiques and coffeeshops, or follow the many kms of trails that criss cross the city
• Fish: Catch the excitement of a fighting salmon or giant sturgeon in our nearby rivers

There are several Instagram Sites that will keep you up to date with what is happening in the community, follow them so you don't miss out on events and activities
https://www.instagram.com/abbotsford_international/

Looking for shops, escape rooms, virtual reality game centres, movie theatre...?  Click here

Click here for nearby Outdoor Activities 

Need some really good food?  Restaurants | International

Do you want to work out, join a Yoga class, swim or try ice skating?  Community Sport info can be found here Sports | International

If you want to see more of Canada, check out the tour options for highschool students provided by DC Tours DC Tours Travel Options

Please note that these trips are NOT operated by the School District.  DC Tours is a private tour company that operates tours specifically for International Highschool Students.  For any questions about trips please contact DC Tours directly.

students@discovercanadatours.com

Ready to start exploring?

Click these links to access bus routes, the Transit App  or Google Transit