LYNNFIELD — Two popular student exchange programs have been extended through the 2020-2021 academic year.
The School Committee voted unanimously at its Jan. 21 meeting to continue participation in the Educatius Group foreign exchange program and also accept up to four new METCO students for the 2020-2021 year.
Up to 10 Educatius students will be accepted next year. This year, there are six students enrolled at Lynnfield High School, five from Brazil and one from Vietnam. Two have returned to their native countries as they were enrolled in half-year programs.
“Overall, the program has been really successful,” said Principal Bob Cleary. “We have had kids participate in athletics, music and drama. Overall, the program works really well and we have had some kids come back and visit after deciding to go to college here. It gives our kids a great experience, too, in that they see what they have and what everybody else has. We have even had some students who come for a half year who wanted to change to full year.”
Cleary said that the number of Educatius students attending the high school averages around seven per year and that the most popular countries are Brazil, Germany, Italy, China and Vietnam.
In response to a question from committee chairman Jamie Hayman, Cleary said the cost of the program is covered by an educational grant at no cost to Lynnfield. He said there have been minimal problems with either students or host families.
“Since Barbara Langill has taken over, she has done a dynamite job and we have a number of families still hosting multiple kids year after year,” Cleary said. “But it’s hard to predict the level of interest, as nationally the number of international students is slowing down.”
The Educatius Group says it is the world’s largest organization dedicated to high school programs for international students. The group partners directly with high schools in 16 countries to help students find the perfect foreign exchange program.
In response to a question from committee member Phil McQueen, superintendent Jane Tremblay said, while the benefits of the METCO program are obvious, expanding the number of METCO students is hampered by space limitations and class size guidelines.
“We have four new students at the beginning of every year at the kindergarten level, two at Huckleberry and two at Summer Street, mainly so it doesn’t put us over the class limits,” Tremblay said.
Hayman credited METCO Director Curtis Blyden for opening “our eyes to what is possible with METCO.
“I have also asked whether we can expand the program in the past as well,” he said. “As we start to have a resolution around some of the space issues and know where we will be able to house everyone in the future, I think (expansion) is a real opportunity we need to explore.”
Tremblay said bringing students in at the kindergarten level as opposed to first grade has made for a better transition overall.
“We found out that students who had an opportunity to be in our kindergarten program and make friends and get our very rich curriculum at the kindergarten level tends to have been more successful moving on to first grade and through the grades.”
Siblings of existing students have priority.
“This year we already have one sibling slated to come and traditionally we always take siblings,” said Tremblay. “It makes enrollment easier as the parents are already familiar with the routine and because they know the program and what the commitment is to the program.”
