Shannon Behan had no time for jet lag as she started her new job as principal of one of BC’s offshore schools in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Behan, School District 47’s district principal for international education, arrived in Beijing on Monday, August 25 and leaped straight into her new duties welcoming and orienting the rest of the school’s administrators that day.
She has spent the past four years as vice-principal at Brooks Secondary School, but was recently named district principal. Behan goes to the PRC with a primary goal of increasing the numbers of Chinese students coming to Powell River as part of their high school education.
“The way I’ve explained it to people is that I still work for the district, but I just have a longer commute to work,” said Behan in an interview. “We do have declining enrollment, and [BC offshore] students must take at least one semester in a BC [on-shore] school, so why not come to Powell River and study here?”
Behan said that she has committed to spending a year in the Chinese capital and brought along her son, Linden, who will complete his grade 11 year at one of Sino Bright’s schools.
“We’ve signed ourselves up to do some Mandarin lessons, but the big learning will be about settling into this new city and making new friends,” she said, adding that she thinks the transition will go smoothly because the school she’ll be administrating is accredited with the BC ministry of education and should be organized like any school in the province. “If it’s not, then it’ll be my job to bring it in line.”
Over the past five years, SD 47’s overall enrollment has dropped by more than 250 students. While the provincial government has implemented measures to protect funding levels from also dropping rapidly, school districts have been encouraged to look at more entrepreneurial ways to increase the number of fee-paying international students.
The district and Sino Bright, a private company which operates BC offshore schools in China, entered into a partnership earlier this year that would increase the number of international students for longer-term study and create, when student numbers increase, a campus of the school in this community.
Powell River is a great for international students from all countries, Behan explained. When they first arrive, they are concerned there may not be enough for them to do here, however, after settling in both students and their parents recognize that because of fewer distractions, it is a really good place to study.
Last year Powell River had 25 international students registered for study at Brooks during the year and administrators hope the partnership will increase that number to 100 or more.
Another factor which puts this community ahead of cities, like Vancouver, in attracting international students is Powell River’s homestay system, Behan said.
She added that parents prefer to have their children live with Canadian families where they will be treated like one of the children in the home, instead of a boarder.
Behan said that as the numbers of students increase, so too will the numbers of families required to provide accommodations for these students. She asked families interested in opening their home to an international student to contact the district office at 604.485.6271.
Behan said that she is excited about her new position. “It’ll be demanding and challenging, but also rich and rewarding,” she added.
Behan has been to Asia a couple times already, a PRC trip earlier in year and an extended stay teaching English in Taiwan before starting her career in BC’s public school system.
“I have a bit of an idea of what to expect,” she said, “but everything’s going to be new—the sights, smells, language and people.”
She said that she hopes her expat experience gives her new eyes.
“Last time I was there, it made me look at our own education system through different lenses,” she said. “When you’re away in a different culture from Canada you realize how much you really love [home]. I know this will afford me the opportunity to look at this country with a new perspective.”
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