By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield High is going to continue offering an international exchange student program next year.
LHS Principal Patricia Puglisi said during a recent School Committee meeting that Educatius Group is a F-1 Public High School program that allows international students to attend a public high school for either a semester or an entire academic year.
“Educatius is an organization that we have partnered with for a number of years,” said Puglisi. “It allows foreign students to enroll at Lynnfield High School for either a semester or a year. It relies on host families in Lynnfield to house the students while they are here.”
Puglisi said students are required to pay tuition to the school district they choose to attend.
“The families pay Educatius and Educatius pays us,” said Puglisi. “It’s $10,000 for a semester and $20,000 per year that comes into the district per student. The student resides with a host family, and enrolls as a typical Lynnfield student. They are able to be involved in all of our extracurricular activities, athletics and academic programs.”
Puglisi said she has worked with six foreign exchange students in the 18 months she has served as LHS’ principal.
“The students I have worked with have really loved being in Lynnfield,” said Puglisi. “They loved the high school. One student this year enrolled for a semester, and she has extended that for a full-year.”
Puglisi said exchange students are required to take tests at the beginning of the school year to determine their proficiency level in English and math.
“Students need to have strong English proficiency to be accepted,” said Puglisi.
Puglisi said “the biggest hurdle” the high school has experienced with Educatius has been finding host families. While she said the high school is looking to enroll five exchange students for the 2025-2026 academic year, Puglisi said the high school was forced to enroll only three students this year because LHS was not able to find enough host families.
“In the next newsletters for all three levels, you will see information about becoming a host family,” said Puglisi. “You don’t need to be a high school family in order to be a host family. You don’t even have to have children in the schools to be a host family. It is a valuable experience for both the host family and the student.”
School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy asked if the Educatius Group is a “two-way program.”
“Are we sending kids?” Elworthy asked.
Puglisi said no.
School Committee member Jamie Hayman said it has been a challenge finding host families for the exchange students.
“The question for this has always been, ‘are we going to be able to get host families,’” said Hayman. “It has been really hard since the pandemic especially.”
In response to a question from Hayman, Puglisi said host families do receive a stipend from Educatius.
Hayman asked Puglisi if she thinks the high school would be able to enroll five students.
“I would love to see five,” said Puglisi. “We are broadening our publicity to look for host families to the other levels.”
As part of the Educatius Group program, school districts are required to obtain an I-20 form from the Department of Homeland Security, which provides information on a student’s F or M status. School districts will release an F-1 visa once a student gets accepted.
According to Educatius’ website, exchange students have to be between 14- and 18-years-old in order to participate in the program, and have yet to graduate from high school. Students are also required to be a full-time student the year before they enroll in the Educatius program. Students are also required to have passing grades in all subjects and in good health.
Puglisi informed the Villager that Lynnfield High does not give Educatius Group students a diploma because Educatius’ pact with LHS is to “enroll students for one semester or one school year.”
“As a result, we are not a diploma granting school,” said Puglisi.
The School Committee voted to approve enrolling five Educatius Group students during a Jan. 28 meeting.