By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield High wants to continue offering an international exchange student program next year, Principal Patricia Puglisi said during a recent School Committee meeting.
Puglisi recalled 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. Students are required to pay tuition to the school district they choose to attend.
“We are looking to continue with Educatius in the coming school year,” said Puglisi. “They reached out to me to ask what our capacity would be for students for the upcoming school year. Given the number of students who have come in the past and given our resources, I said five students would be the target.”
Puglisi recalled that exchange students are required to take tests at the beginning of the school year to determine their proficiency level in English and math.
“We have to screen students for their English language acquisition, and we don’t want to put too much stress on our English language learners teacher,” said Puglisi. “That is why we said five students.”
Puglisi also said the high school has decided to increase the tuition fee that exchange students pay from $9,500 per semester this year to $10,000 per semester for next year.
“We have one student who is already interested in coming to Lynnfield High School,” said Puglisi. “I will be interviewing that student, and hopefully we will have more. The students we have this year have been fantastic. We have three students, two who are enrolled for a semester that will be ending, and one full-year student. The students we received this year have strong English skills, want to be part of our community and have fit in seamlessly. I feel as though Educatius does a good job vetting students.”
School Committee Vice Chair Jamie Hayman recalled that finding host families for the exchange students has been a challenge.
“That has been a huge limiting factor for Lynnfield,” said Hayman.
Puglisi said finding host families has been “the biggest challenge” for LHS as well as other high schools looking to offer an exchange student program. She said Educatius Group has been “very responsive” to the high school’s needs.
“I am thankful for that,” said Puglisi. “My home community also partners with Educatius, and I am constantly seeing posts that they are looking for host families for students. I think that has been a big challenge.”
School Committee Chair Kate DePrizio suggested that the School Department begin informing the community that host families are needed sooner than later.
“I wonder if there is more we can do on our end with those advertisements,” said DePrizio. “I feel like we don’t see those until the last minute when we are desperate for host families. That is what has happened the last three years. Maybe there is a way where we can share more broadly that we need host families through Smores and community notifications.”
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.
Lynnfield High does not give Educatius Group students a diploma because the students would be required to take and pass the MCAS English, math and science exams in order to graduate.
The School Committee will be voting to accept up to five Educatius Group students on Wednesday, Jan. 24, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center.