Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools is the second-largest school district on Vancouver Island and resides within the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-Naw-As and Stz’uminus First Nations. In addition, the District is a proud community partner with the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre and the Mid Island Métis Nation.
The District boasts approximately 14,700 students and offers a full range of programs from Kindergarten to Grade 12 with additional programs for pre-school and adult learners. There are: 27 elementary schools; eight secondary schools (including Learning Alternatives and Career Technical Centre); one distributed learning school – Island ConnectEd (K-12); and approximately 2,200 employees.
The District encompasses the city of Nanaimo, the towns of Ladysmith and Lantzville, Gabriola Island, North Oyster, Cedar and many other communities which represent a population of 126,047 (2016 Census). The District’s annual consolidated budget is $159.2 million.
Study with Us on Vancouver Island!
Our classic West Coast communities have rocky shores, sandy beaches, forested mountains and clean air. We are close to the dynamic cities of Vancouver and Victoria and we are surrounded by opportunities for hiking, skiing, biking, paddling and even surfing. We offer classes for English Language Learners and direct access to a rich variety of courses with Canadian peers. Our communities are English speaking and Canadian culture abounds. International students are thoughtfully matched with homestay families and their success at school is carefully monitored by dedicated International Advisors. Come for a semester, come for a year, or stay to graduate. Our communities are large enough to have everything you need and small enough for you to feel at home.
Vision, Mission & Values
Vision –Courageous, innovative, inclusive and personalized learning community that inspires success for all.
Mission –To educate all students to become confident, curious and caring citizens by creating an inspiring, inclusive and healthy environment to work, learn and play.
Values – Student Centred, Accountability, Collaboration, Diversity, Equity, Honesty, Inclusion, Integrity, Mutual Respect, Sustainable, and Transparency.
The goals of our strategic plan are:
- Continuous improvement of instruction and assessment
- Safe, caring and healthy learning and working environment that is inclusive of the diversity of our entire learning community
- To be a leader in environment stewardship and sustainability
- Truth and reconciliation
The Career Technical Centre provides a unique opportunity for students to begin post-secondary trades and technical programs during Grade 12.
The Nanaimo-Ladysmith Career Technical Centre (CTC) offers a unique educational opportunity to students in Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools. The CTC enables students to begin post-secondary (university/college) trades and technical programs during Grade 12.
CTC students simultaneously work towards completing their high school diploma and post-secondary certification by receiving dual credits for their post-secondary coursework; that is, specified post-secondary courses earn both university and high school credit.
CTC Programs
In trades, students may pursue Entry Level Trade Training (ELTT) certification in,
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- Automotive Collision Repair
- Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician (BCIT)
- Automotive Service Technician
- Baking
- Carpentry
- Culinary
- Electrician
- Hairdressing
- Heavy Equipment Operator
- Heavy Mechanical Trades
- Horticultural Technician
- Iron Worker (BCIT)
- Machinist
- Marine Service Technician
- Motorcycle & Marine Technician
- Refrigeration Air-Conditioning Mechanic
- Welding
In the technical and non-trade areas, students may receive entry level certification in,
- Applied Business Technology
- Health Care Assistant
- Dental Assistant
- Information Technology & Applied Systems Technology
There are approximately 1,500 students enrolled in the French Immersion program, Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Students enter the Early French Immersion program in Kindergarten or Grade One, or Late French Immersion in Grade 6.
Late French Immersion
Late French Immersion is a two-year intensive program offered to students who have successfully completed Grade 5. This highly popular second language program is offered subject to space availability and the requirements of our enrolment and registration process.
Island ConnectED programs offer students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 flexible learning arrangements.
Island ConnectED matches the dedication of distance education families with the resources of Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools and is a flexible way for learners of all ages to work towards their B.C. Dogwood Diploma and/or to upgrade their high school courses.
Secondary specialized academies provide students with an opportunity to pursue their areas of interest while completing their academic studies.
If you’re already working in the automotive industry, the Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship program will give your career as a mechanic an added boost.
Developing your confidence through theory and skill, the four-year apprenticeship mixes on-the-job work with technical experience and theory.
You’ll spend 80 percent of your time with a qualified service technician in the shop. For the remaining time, you’ll be in our classrooms and shops, learning from skilled instructors and training on the same industry-standard equipment you’ll use on the job.
When you graduate, you’ll have the confidence to advise customers on work to be performed, general vehicle condition and repair requirements. You’ll have the theory behind the mechanics as well as the hands-on experience employers are looking for.
The nursing profession is one of the cornerstones of modern health care. Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge have teamed up to offer a collaborative program that offers excellent opportunities for education.
Be ready to receive a top-quality education in an environment known for producing highly qualified nurses. The student-centered nature of the program encourages learners to take responsibility for their own learning, guided by experienced faculty members. You’ll work closely with our instructors, combining theory and practice as you do. Course-related practice-based experiences in hospitals, community health-care agencies and home care agencies will let you apply your new-found knowledge in the real world. And you’ll benefit from learning through our exciting Simulated Patient Health Environment for Research and Education (SPHERE) lab.
This blended of theory and practice will help you develop skills in clinical reasoning, innovative clinical practice, leadership and the use of innovative technologies, while learning to care for people from newborns to senior citizens.
When you complete the degree program, you’ll be eligible to write the NCLEX-RN Exam, giving you the opportunity to be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Your natural caring and compassionate nature, combined with a commitment to high standards and detail, makes you an excellent candidate for the program. Contact us to find what happens next in your journey to a career in nursing!
We can help you become an integral part of the business world in our Business Administration program. Your first year will allow you to acquire basic business skills, building a solid foundation of effective business principles. In your second year, you’ll tailor your education towards your career aspirations with one of four majors.
If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, you can participate in an international exchange or continue your studies after graduation through the transfer agreements with institutions around the globe. Many of those transfers are for 2 + 2 programs, meaning you only need to put in an additional two years at university to earn your bachelor’s degree. Whatever direction you go in, you’ll be dressed for success with a Business Administration diploma.
Accounting
Put your appreciation for details and numbers to work in the accounting major. Through theoretical and practical application, you’ll develop the background needed to succeed in accounting positions and pursue an accounting designation.
Management
Prepare to lead the business world of tomorrow with a major in management. Through case studies, simulations and other engaging learning experiences, you’ll solve real business and organizational problems, gaining expertise in management, leadership and communication.
Marketing
Analyze the strategies that make a business successful as a marketing major. With a focus on practical application, we’ll ensure you’re ready for your career as a marketing professional. You’ll conduct group presentations, solve case studies, create marketing plans and even work with local businesses.
General Business
Have an entrepreneurial spirit? The general business major might be right for you. Ideal for those planning entrepreneurial careers, the major allows for significant flexibility in choosing courses; you can perfectly match your education to your career goals.
Our Culinary Careers program is as well-planned as a gourmet meal. As an appetizer, we’ll teach you about restaurant production methods before moving onto a second course in sweet and savoury techniques. For the main course, we’ll serve up a paid industry placement. Finishing off with dessert, you’ll be immersed in dining-room cuisine.
While you’re with us, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to prepare real meals for real customers, create menus, work in teams and explore your creativity. During your paid industry placement, you’ll have the chance to wow employers with your culinary skills while earning some dough. And you won’t have to worry about struggling to find employment when you’ve completed the program; our grads have a perfect record of landing that important first job.
As the ways we share and digest information and entertainment change, so do the traditional mediums we rely on. But in the evolving world of media and communications, one thing is certain: no matter how it is delivered, content is key. The importance of social media has grown and communications jobs have blossomed. What we are finding now is journalism, corporate communications, radio, video, photography and graphic production are crossing over more than ever before. Thus, we have developed the next evolution of the program to recognize industry needs.
You’ll learn how to create that content in this two-year Digital Communications and Media program. Reflecting the evolution of the industry, our program incorporates cutting-edge industry trends and the latest equipment and tools into the classroom to ensure your education remains relevant tomorrow.
In the DCM program, you will choose your assignments across the varied areas of journalism, communications, audio, visuals and production to create your own unique career path. This 'choose your own adventure' model will allow you to become a multi-faceted media and communications professional, while practicing relevant industry skills. Through a mix of teaching methods, you will be trained to conduct research, create compelling content, meet deadlines and present it all through the most current delivery methods.
At the end of your coursework, you will enhance your acquired skills through a 150-hour practicum experience working with professional industry mentors.
Living With a Homestay Family
Advantages
Families participate in typical Canadian recreational pastimes on weekends, and students who live with families have the opportunity to join the families. This helps students develop interests of their own that they can share with new friends
A Homestay Coordinator monitors the happiness of students in homestays. She acts as a liaison between student and family when required, and finds new homestays if necessary.
Students in homestays learn English very quickly.
Students in homestays experience Canadian culture.
Often the bonds that are made between International Students and their homestay families endure many years, and are maintained through letters and email.