Convoy International Secondary Academy (CISA) is a private high school located in Essa, Ontario, which enrolls both Canadian and international students from grade 9 to grade 12. Convoy offers a high school curriculum based on the Ontario Ministry of Education expectations both in-class and online. Students can obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), which allows them to gain an edge in their pursuit of higher education in Canada and across the world.
Our Essa boarding school campus is located 100 kilometers away from Toronto, covering a picturesque area of 22 acres. Our campus is equipped with such amenities as student dormitories, Wi-Fi, cafeteria, sports field, tennis court, gymnasium, library, recreation room, and media center. It also provides 24-hour residential supervision and security services to provide students with a comfortable and safe learning and living environment.
We enhance academic achievement to prepare all students for university and beyond. We have kept a 100% university/college admission, with 80% of the graduates having received partial or full undergraduate scholarships.
Teachers at CISA are specialists in their field of study and are certified Ontario of College Teachers (OCT). They are passionate about education and are dedicated to providing every child with an all-around learning approach. Their kindness and understanding of each student's need and strength have helped our graduates receive full or partial scholarships to Yale University, University of Toronto, University of Manchester, and many other universities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Convoy International Secondary Academy envisions offering the best high school education in Ontario centered around the 21st century demands, such as the development of academic, social, emotional and moral competencies.
We aspire to realize this vision through dedicated and motivated teachers, who focus on core Canadian values, research on recent educational studies, consideration of individual student strengths and areas of growth, instilling cultural awareness, cooperation with students and implementing innovative teaching pedagogy.
Students are inspired to reach their highest academic potential through an innovative curriculum that encourages them to become effective global citizens, innovators, and leaders. The inclusion of Higher Order Thinking skills helps to deepen their knowledge, enable inquiry, innovation, and creativity, and allows students to become reflective thinkers, problem solvers and confident, effective communicators and leaders.
We firmly believe in an education that combines academic knowledge with that of personal growth. We have established objectives to ensure that each student has an optimal opportunity to develop:
Intellectual Skills: We encourage and guide our students to learn beyond the basic bodies of knowledge, to learn independent and critical thinking skills, to become curious about the world they live in, and to be creative in expressing their thoughts.
Social Skills: We encourage and guide our students to have a better understanding of who they are as individuals. We celebrate our students’ achievements, motivate them to take initiatives, and help them develop a sense of social responsibility and respect for the beliefs of others.
Career Skills: We believe that secondary education plays a crucial role in the evolution of young individuals into productive and contributing members of society. We encourage our students to become forward thinkers about their career objectives. We assist them in developing work habits and skills that match the ever-changing workplace.
Our faculty and staff are dedicated, experienced, and committed to students’ growth both inside and outside of the classroom. Each student is appointed an Advisor who helps monitor social and academic progress. Learning strategists work in conjunction with faculty to help students develop the tools and confidence needed to excel.
With an average class size of 15, students and teachers develop close bonds. We emphasize individual attention and collaborative learning. Every two weeks, we evaluate each student's participation in class through the Effort Ratings. In addition to class time, teachers are also available for extra help during evenings and weekends.
Our students are equipped to succeed. Our University Advisor works with each student to find universities and programs that match their interests, abilities and aspirations. We prepare students for IELTS/TOEFL, SAT and other standardized tests.
The credit system is adopted in Canadian high schools. Students begin to take university preparatory courses in the third year of high school to prepare for the university curriculum in North America. The OSSD is recognized by most countries in the world, especially in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and the United States.
Residences – Our residences provide a safe living and boarding environment. Houseparents and residential staff provide structure and care, often becoming a second "Mom" or "Dad." We offer seven-day boarding, meaning all boarders participate in our weekend programming. Day students often join in as well. Students develop lifelong friendships and learn to take care of themselves. Each room is shared by two or three students and includes a workspace and storage. Residences feature a common room and internet access.
Boarding life, trips and activities – A variety of fun activities are organized each weekend and students also have access to the fitness room, hockey rink and our beautiful wooded campus. From sight-seeing to white-water rafting, to attending a hockey game or an opera, students regularly enjoy cultural, recreational and sporting events in the area on weekends and during breaks.
Sports – Athletics are an integral part of daily life at CISA, with all students participating in team or individual sports five days a week. Competitive sports (hockey, soccer, basketball, swimming, etc…) and non-competitive sports (adventure training, ski and snowboarding, climbing, etc…) are offered by season. Weekends are often used for competitions on and off campus.
Facilities – Our sports facilities include one full-size basketball court, three soccer courts, tennis courts (building) and several kilometres of wooded cross-country trails. We also have access to local golf club within walking distance.
Students with a passion for the arts have no shortage of opportunities at CISA, and students who have not yet discovered their passion have a place to learn and explore. The Visual Arts program focuses on creativity and studio work, as well as art history and theory. Drama students can work both on and off the stage, writing and performing both short plays and film scripts, as well as creating longer film projects.
We have a strong culture of student leadership and are committed to helping students become well-rounded individuals who feel empowered to assume leadership roles.
Our leadership volunteers share their professional skills and networks to create all ways in which our students can learn to become active, contributing members of society.
The Admissions team is here to answer your questions. We'd be happy to schedule a visit or walk you through the application process. Please visit the Admissions page for more information
Convoy International Secondary Academy is a private English-language boarding and day school for grades 9 to 12 in Ontario, Canada.
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Dear Student,
Today is the last day of school until we come back in the new year on January 3rd! In-class and Zoom classes will not be going on during the holidays, however, students will still have access to Moodle. This is a great time to catch up on missed work, or get ahead and read future course materials to get a deeper understanding. We are wishing everyone, happy holidays and we hope you enjoy this well-earned break!
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