New Student Registration
REGISTRATION is open for 2024/25 September
Administrators will begin calling prospective students starting in March to arrange for an interview and tour of our campus.
We do not hold applications from previous years, you must re-apply every year. Register here!
If you have any questions, please contact our administration.
For Secondary school (gr 9-12) inquiries, contact Mrs. Bennett (principal)
For Middle school (gr 6-8) inquiries, contact Mrs. Dallas (vice-principal)
From March to June, our administration team will look at the availability of seats for the following year and contact families about interviews/tours.
Our catchment school is ASIA North Poplar Elementary for Grade 5 students coming to Grade 6. Students who are currently attending North Poplar do not need to apply or re-register.
We do not hold applications from previous years. If you have registered for our waitlist for 2023/24, you will need to re-register for 2024/25.
Students from other schools in the Abbotsford District must apply online through our registration form which will open on February 1st.
Students from out of the Abbotsford district may apply but the availability of seats will be dependent on District approval, please see the information below.
Consider reading the about us section for some in-depth insight into who we are, and why we believe so firmly in the arts-integrated model of education, and look to our School Context page for many examples of our students in action.
Frequently Asked Questions for Attending ASIA Sumas
1. Do we have to be in a particular catchment to attend ASIA Sumas?
No, ASIA Sumas is a District Program. This means that we are a publicly-funded school in the district of Abbotsford but we do not have a boundary catchment. If your address is in the Abbotsford district and your child is creative and passionate about the arts, we encourage you to apply at ASIA Sumas.
2. What is going to happen at the interview and portfolio share?
When you and your child arrive at ASIA Sumas for the interview, our administrators will ask about how your child learns, creates, and collaborates with others in an artistic setting. Portfolios do not need to be extensive, but it is an excellent opportunity for students to demonstrate their creative abilities. This could include recordings of dance performances, playing instruments, singing, art sketchbooks, photography, images of Lego constructions, or anything else that demonstrates an artistic flair.
3. We currently have a student in Grade 5 at ASIA North Poplar and would like to continue at ASIA Sumas for Grade 6. Do we need to register?
No, you are already registered! We do ask that you let the office at North Poplar know that you are continuing at ASIA Sumas Mountain. We have many students wanting to attend ASIA Sumas from other schools but priority is given to students currently enrolled in the program at North Poplar.
4. Is the curriculum different at ASIA Sumas?
No to curriculum differences, yes to delivery. As a public school in British Columbia, we are mandated to follow the Ministry of Education's curriculum. We take pride in teaching the curriculum in an adventurous, hands-on, creative, and arts-focused manner. Students are pushed to convey their learning in a variety of methods, including presentations, group projects, and the use of various media to visually, musically, digitally, and dramatically demonstrate their learning.
5. Will my child have to participate in all of the arts?
In grades 6 – 8, students explore all of the arts, drama, dance, music, visual art, and digital art and are expected to take part to the best of their ability. Students work with teachers to learn new skills in each of the arts as well as integrate the arts into each of the academic classes. Once students reach secondary school, grade 9, they can then choose to focus on one or more of the arts as it fits into their timetable. Often students will take art electives they are most interested in that will help to balance out the required classes they need for graduation.
6. Are all classes taught at ASIA Sumas?
We are a small campus, with around 400 students from grades 6 – 12. Students in middle school work in PODs with 2 teachers who share academic instruction. All curriculum from the Ministry of Education is taught. When students transition to secondary school, grade 9, students begin working with the school counselor to determine the best pathway of classes for each student not just for the year, but for the span of grades 9 – 12. Course selections are carefully and intentionally planned to make sure students get exactly what they want and need for graduation.
7. I’ve heard that senior sciences and math are hard to get at ASIA Sumas.
Not at all. We offer all of the senior science classes like Anatomy, Life Science, Physics & Chemistry as well as Foundations of Math, Workplace Math, and Pre-Calculus. In saying that, classes may not be offered every semester. This is where careful planning and course selection are undertaken by our counsellor to ensure that students get the classes they need. We also have a strong partnership with the Abbotsford Virtual School to help students who are looking for other classes that don’t fit into their timetable. We do what we can to make sure all student needs are met!
8. Is the workload less academic at an arts-focused school?
The workload differs. With high standards and encouragement, our children achieve excellence academically. Students learn to gather information and display it in a variety of ways. Students may be asked to present, make projects, work in groups, take an exam, or discuss what they have learned. Students are encouraged to perform their best and to self-advocate for assistance from our staff. ASIA Sumas graduates indicate that they are more than prepared for university and do very well in the transition to post-secondary education. We believe in equipping our students with more than simply knowledge to excel in the community. We teach collaboration, communication, and resiliency to prepare students for their next steps.
9. Can we just show up and register at ASIA Sumas?
If you are interested in attending ASIA Sumas, our registration will open on February 1st. A link will be made available at this time that allows you to connect with us and leave your contact information/provide a little information about your interest in the program. We then contact you to arrange an interview and school tour based on availability and suitability for the program. As a district program, we do have a waiting list for each of the grades. This is not a first-come-first-serve waiting list but instead a working list that makes sure the needs of students are met and that each of the classes is balanced. We suggest you look through our website for examples of our Art Integration and our student work. Students thrive at ASIA Sumas if they have a passion for the arts. Students do their best here when they are connected to the arts and need a creative outlet to demonstrate their learning. We have found students with a strong portfolio, a passion for the arts, and a curiosity for learning to connect the best with our school.
10. Do you have sports teams at ASIA Sumas?
We do! Our students are involved in curling, cross-country running, and track & field. We try to field a basketball and volleyball team for each grade where possible.
11. Are there any extracurricular activities my children can be involved in?
Yes! We often have after-school programs like our drama productions, jazz choir (secondary), and jazz band (secondary).
How do we get there?
You may contact the Abbotsford school district transportation department at 604-855-5278 for more information or register online by filling in the Transportation Department Online Bus Registration. We are also very close to the City bus line and a search on the website using our address, 36232 Lower Sumas Mountain Road will help you to determine if public transportation will work for you.
OUT-OF-DISTRICT PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Are you coming from outside the Abbotsford District? Please fill in the Out-of-District Form and email it to sumasmountain@abbyschools.ca after you have completed your online application/registration. The School District (not the school) will make a decision on the acceptance of a student based on:
(1) the school's population,
(2) the student's interest and aptitude for the arts, and
(3) the school's ability to provide a suitable educational plan for the student.