Common Exchange Application

Newton Public Schools

NEWTON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

457 Walnut Street

Newtonville, Massachusetts 02460

September 25, 2016

Dear Prospective Exchange Student and Family,

Thank you for your interest in Newton North High School's exchange program to Guanajuato, Mexico. Before you fill out this application, read the information included in this cover letter, reflect upon the nature and expectations of this type of program, and discuss them with your parent(s) or guardian(s). Please note that there is a section of the application that needs to be completed by your parent or guardian.

Newton North High School's exchange program to Mexico is specific in its goals and expectations. It is a school-based and family-oriented program. As such, it has been developed to provide qualified Newton North students with the opportunity to live as a member of a family and to learn about secondary school life in Mexico by attending classes at our sister school in Guanajuato.

Although opportunities to visit points of tourist interest and to socialize with peers will present themselves, please be advised that these aspects of the program are clearly secondary and should never interfere with one's commitment to the host family and the school. Ideally, although not in all cases, students who travel to Mexico in Februaryare expected to host a Mexican student for three weeks in late March and early April.

Requirements for Participation

The screening committee will be seeking applicants who can adapt themselves readily to new or different situations both in the home and in the school. They must be able to act responsibly and to think independently, to give of themselves as well as to receive, to be curious about and interested in the people and the region they are visiting. Good health is important.

Participation in this program requires good academic standing and an exemplary disciplinary record. Even if a student is initially accepted into the program, he/she will be disqualified from travelling and/or hosting if any of the following requirements are not met.

Student must be a sophomore, junior or senior
Student must be currently enrolled in a Spanish class at Newton North High School
Student must have a grade of C or better in each of his/her classes during terms 1 and 2
Student may not have an outstanding or unresolved Incomplete in any class during terms 1 and 2
Student may not have a grade of N in any class during terms 1 and 2
Any disciplinary infraction will be considered grounds for possible disqualification from the exchange program

Application Instructions and Documents

1. Please attach a personal statement to this application. In this statement:

a) Describe yourself and tell why you would like to take part in the exchange to Mexico. Remember that this is a reciprocal experience, so please describe yourself as a guest as well as a host.

b) Tell why you feel qualified to participate in this exchange and describe why you feel you can adapt to a new culture and new friends for three weeks in Mexico. What experiences have you had adapting to a living situation considerably different from your own? What specific qualities do you feel you will bring to this experience?

c) Comment on your general plan to meet your obligations to your exchange student when he/she arrives in Newton. Given that the exchange is a reciprocal commitment, how do you plan to involve your student in your life with your family and friends? Please give some idea of how you will accomplish the task of having an additional family member.

d) State which subjects may cause you the most problems in terms of keeping up with your work and discuss your plan for meeting your obligations in these as well as all of your subjects. Students are responsible for taking work with them and studying independently to complete assignments while on the exchange.

2. Fill out the student questionnaire.

3. Have a parent or guardian complete the “Information about your family” section.

4. Give the world language teacher recommendation to your present language teacher.

5. Distribute the teacher reports to all current teachers (other than language teacher), the dean reference to your dean, and the guidance counselor reference to your guidance counselor.

6. Turn in application and all application materials to:

Dr. Christopher Wood

World Language Office

Room 241

email:

Completed applications must be received by Monday, October 24. All references will be kept confidential.

Selection Process

1.The exchange coordinator will conduct an initial screening of the applications to ensure that applicants meet the minimum criteria delineated above for participation in the exchange. Applicants who fail to meet these criteria will not receive further consideration.

2.A Selection Committee comprised of members of the World Language Department will review and evaluate the applications of all qualified applicants. The review of the applications will include, among other considerations, thoroughness and timeliness of completion of the application, quality of the essay, recommendations, and commitment to study of the language. The number of spaces available on the exchange and the need for appropriate host/guest matches are also taken into account when selecting the final candidates.

3.All applicants will be informed of the Selection Committee’s final decisions by mid to lateNovember, 2016.

Cost

COST: The estimated cost for this program is $ 2,500.

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance is available through the GELF scholarship. A separate application is available and required to apply for this funding. A general outline of the financial requirements for GELF awards can be found in the GELF application. If you are unsure if you would qualify for funding or have other questions about the GELF application, you may contact Samantha Mandel . GELF information and the application can be found at the following link: GELF application is also available in hard copy in the World Language office in room 241. Please note that GELF awards are not announced until early to mid November 2016.

Tentative Dates

Newton students in Guanajuato: February 11-March 4 (includes February vacation)

Mexican students in Newton: March 25-April 16

Travel Documents

Students and their families are responsible for securing valid and current passports. Non-American citizens will need to check with the appropriate consulate as to visa requirements and inform the chaperones if he/she is holdinga green card.

Refund Policy

After families receive notice of students' acceptance to the Exchange, a deposit is made of, typically, one half of the total cost. The rest is usually paid within a month. If a student then withdraws from the Exchange, every effort is made to refund as much of the money paid as possible, but we are limited by airline policies and upfront expenses. Please note that the refund policy is the same whether students withdraw for personal reasons or whether they become ineligible due to low grades, attendance or disciplinary issues.

Typically, a small deposit (~$150) is made on behalf of each student early in the planning stages in order to reserve airline tickets. This money is not refundable.

Payments for the outstanding balance of the airline tickets are then made as soon as we are invoiced. Once these payments are made, we can issue no refund for air fare. This almost certainly happens before the end of term 2, before students receive their grades. Families may wish to negotiate with the airlines directly in order to request refunds, reschedules, etc., but we cannot issue the refund ourselves.

The balance of the program fees goes towards a variety of other expenses, including transportation (metro, train, and bus); chaperone airfare, lodging and food; excursions, etc. We will refund as much as we can, but we may not be able to refund money already put towards bookings or chaperone expenses.

STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE

PERSONAL DATA

Last, first and middle names ______

Date and place of birth ______Gender ______

Home address (apartment or house number, street, city and state, zip code)

______

Telephone (home) ______Cell: ______

Email: ______

Have you applied to participate in an exchange before? If so, when?______

Have you participated in any of the NNHS exchanges? If so, when?______

LEISURE, INTERESTS, HABITS AND HOBBIES

How do you spend your free time?

______

Outside of school, what particular interests or hobbies do you pursue?

______

In school, which academic subjects are you particularly interested in?

______

Other than academics, what activities do you participate in at NNHS?

______

STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE (continued)

Are you comfortable with pets? If not, why not?

______

What do you usually eat? Do you have any special food preferences or dislikes?

______

Do you have any allergies? Please explain.

______

What language(s) do you speak at home with your parents?

______

Information About Your Family

[To be completed by a Parent or Guardian]

Parents’/Guardians’ Names______

______

Address(es)

______

Telephone numbers

home ______home ______

cell ______cell ______

work ______work ______

Email ______Email ______

Children/Ages______

______

Please indicate below which, if any, members of the family will not be present during the foreign

student’s visit.

______

Pets______

______

Dietary Regimes______

______

Information About Your Family (continued)

Additional Information.Please provide any additional information you feel is relevant about your family or about the applicant.

______

Commitment to host: Are you committed to hosting a Mexican student for three weeks in March and April?

yes _____no _____

If not, please explain why. Please note, because the exchange is designed as a reciprocal commitment, students whose families are unable to host will be at some disadvantage in the selection process. If a family cannot host for financial reasons or for lack of space, exceptions can be made, as long as there are spaces available with host families in Guanajuato.

______

Please attach to this application a brief statement of your support for the exchange program, addressing the following questions:

What benefits do you hope to derive from it as a family?

What obligations do you sense it will impose on you and your family?

How will you contribute to the exchange?

Signatures

We have read the information contained in this application and description of the Exchange Program. We support the Program’s philosophy, understand the Program’s requirements and, to the best of our knowledge, have provided accurate and complete information.

______Parent/Guardian signature Date

______Student signature Date