Pinellas County Schools PreK-12 World Languages Department PreK-12 World Languages Department

FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT INFORMATION Application Packet Deadline for 2021-2022 School Year is June 30, 2021

Complete Packet includes:

• Agency Information and Contact Page • Agency’s Proof of CSIET • Agency’s Student Application • Agency’s Acceptance Form (for the assigned school to sign) • Foreign Exchange Student Checklist for Enrollment Page • Student’s official transcripts with English translation • Student’s proof of English proficiency • Student’s proof of age • Student’s health and immunization records • Student’s proof of health insurance • Host Family Information Page • Host family’s proof of residency

Mail completed application packets to: Pamela Benton, World Languages Specialist Pinellas County Schools World Languages Department 301 4th Street SW Largo, FL 33770 Contact Information Lisa Bergen, Foreign Exchange Assistant 727-588-6110 Pam Benton, World Languages Specialist 727-588-6066

Application Packet Deadline for the 2021-2022 School Year June 30, 2021

January 4, 2020 Dear Foreign Exchange Companies: Pinellas County Schools (PCS) welcomes foreign exchange students who come to us, for one full academic year, through an established foreign exchange company, service club or non-profit organization/institution approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). The exchange company is responsible for finding a host family for the student, in Pinellas County, and for processing a J-1 Visa. Applications are completed through the exchange company and should be submitted with all required documentation to the PCS World Languages Department by June 30 of each year. Foreign exchange students are only accepted for a full academic year in grades 9 – 11 and should not expect to be registered as "seniors" nor to graduate from a Pinellas County school. Foreign exchange students will not be admitted following the tenth day of the first semester. No foreign exchange student who has graduated in his/her/their home country will be admitted to Pinellas County Schools. Foreign exchange students are placed in the zoned schools of the host family. “Zoned” school assignment is made based on the address of the host family and seats available at the time of registration. Having a host sibling in a magnet program does not guarantee placement of the foreign exchange student in the general population of that school. The process of reviewing application packets, confirming a school assignment and notifying the assigned school will take several weeks. You will receive written/emailed updates as to the progress of the student’s file. When the student has an assigned school, you will receive a signed copy of the Agency Acceptance Letter from the school principal. Please contact my office with any questions.

Pam Benton PreK-12 World Languages Pinellas County Schools Phone: 727-588-6066 Mrs. Benton Phone: 727-588-6110 Lisa Bergen

ASL, CHINESE, FRENCH, GERMAN, GREEK, ITALIAN, SPANISH

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Book Pinellas County Schools Bylaws .

Section Chapter 5000 - Students

Title Foreign Students

Code 5114

Status Active

Adopted December 9, 2009

Last Revised December 9, 2009

FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS

Any organization intending to sponsor an exchange student(s) with an appropriate visa shall register with theOffice of World Languages, providing such information as may be deemed by the office to be appropriate for theefficient and orderly management of such a program for all concerned.

Not more than eight (8) foreign exchange students shall be admitted to any one (1) District high school in anacademic school year.

Not more than five (5) foreign exchange students from any one organization or agency may be placed in any one(1) school.

Foreign exchange students are admitted for a full academic year only. No foreign exchange student shall beadmitted to the District following the tenth day of the first semester or at anytime during the second semester ofany school year.

Foreign exchange students are not eligible to attend summer school.

Eligibility

Only students who are being sponsored by a service club or a non-profit organization/institution approved by theCouncil on Standards for International Educational Travel will be considered for placement in a District high schoolunder the foreign exchange program.

Each such student must be at least fifteen (15) years of age and not more than nineteen (19) years of age on thedate of enrollment in the program.

Each such student must have sufficient reading and speaking knowledge of the English language to be able tosuccessfully participate in regular high school classes.

Each such student must be provided with adequate medical insurance.

Each such student must be accepted by a host family.

Students who have completed high school or its equivalent as shown on a transcript in their native country shallnot be admitted to the District.

A plication

Initial application shall be made to the Office of World Languages by the organization desiring to sponsor a foreign

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exchange student.

Applications shall include the following:

A. Pertinent information about the student, his/her family, and the host family.

B. An English translation of the student's official academic transcript, including a brief description of eachcourse taken in grades 9 -12 or level equivalent by exact title of the subject (e.g., "geometry," not"mathematics"), describing the course content and the length of each such course in terms of hours spentin class; and the transcript shall also clearly indicate whether any such student has already graduated froma foreign secondary institution/gymnasium.

C. The student must supply documentation of English proficiency (e.g., score on TOEFL, SLEP, or otheracceptable examinations).

D. The student's health record/physical examination/immunization record.

E. Affidavit of adequate health insurance coverage.

F. A specific request to be granted a diploma, if applicable.

Once the initial application has been given approval by the Office of World Languages, that office will verify theschool assignment with the appropriate Family Education and Information Center, taking into consideration theaddress of the host family. The assigned school will be noted on the acceptance form provided by the exchangecompany and sent to the principal for approval, along with the complete student application packet, not less thanthree (3) weeks prior to the anticipated enrollment of the student and before the student enters this country.

Enrollment and Orientation

After the sponsoring organization and the student have been given permission for enrollment by the principal, inwriting, a representative of the sponsoring organization and a member of the host family shall meet with theprincipal, or designee, and a counselor to enroll the student and to provide appropriate orientation. Suchorientation shall be designed to acquaint the student with the American school and its environs and with the Codeof Student Conduct.

Tuition Waiver

In order to be eligible for a waiver of the $50 District's tuition fee, the foreign exchange student shall be requiredto present a 194 Card or entry permit (J-l) at the time of registration at the high school.

Grade Placement and Graduation

Course enrollment of foreign exchange students shall be determined on the basis of each student's previouscourse work. Since foreign exchange students normally return to their home country to complete one (1) or two(2) more years of instruction at a secondary institution/gymnasium, these students will be placed at a level nohigher than as a junior for their first year in the District.

All foreign exchange students shall be issued an official transcript of completed courses upon termination of theirstay in the District.

Compliance with Policies and Su ervision

Each foreign exchange student is expected to comply with the policies of the Board, including the Code of StudentConduct, and with all other legal provisions pertaining to him/her. Repeated violations of the Board's policies mayresult in the student's withdrawal from the school in which s/he is enrolled.

It is the sponsor's responsibility to resolve any problems that may arise between/among the student, the hostfamily and the school, including, if necessary, the changing of the host family or the return of the exchangestudent to his/her country, in the event any differences cannot be reconciled.

The principal shall notify the local representative of the sponsoring organization of any suspected neglect of thestudent on the part of the host family.

All school-related expenses for the student are the responsibility of the sponsoring organization/host family.

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Any request for modification of these rules shall be approved by the Supervisor of World Languages (or designee).

Athletic Eli ibility

Students are governed by the Florida High School Activities Association rules and regulations regardingparticipation in interscholastic athletics. For any foreign exchange student who wishes to participate ininterscholastic athletics, a letter indicating his/her foreign exchange status shall be included with the principal'sannual eligibility list.

FOREIGN STUDENTS

When a foreign national is physically present and seeks to enroll in a District school the following requirementsapply:

A. The student will be enrolled in accordance with formal enrollment and placement procedures regardlessof any actual knowledge of the student s immigration status.

B. The school will not request proof of immigration status, such as alien registration number, tourist visa, orstudent visa as a requirement for entry into school.

C. The school will not refer or report students or prospective students to the Bureau of Citizenship andImmigration Services for any reason.

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT PROCESS

CSIET approved company sends in

complete application to WL Dept. by June 30,

2021

Complete World Languages

processes packet and sends the forms to

Student Assignment

Student Assignment processes the forms,

makes the reservation, and sends the school assignment to the WL

Dept.

Approved

World Languages processes the forms

and sends the packet to the school.

About 1

week

1-2weeks

1-2weeks

School processes the packet, principal signs letter and sends it to

the agency. Approved

After agency receives the letter, they may register the student.

Students will be assigned to the ZONED school based on the host family address. Students may not be assigned to other schools because the host family has other

children attending that school. If the zoned school is full or has already accepted 8 exchange students (5 from one company) students may be assigned to another school.

All required documents must

be submitted before ANY part of

the process may begin

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Foreign exchange students will be assigned to a "zoned" school based on the address of the host family, on a space available basis. Upon receipt of all required paperwork (see enclosed checklist) the Office of World Languages will work with the Student Assignment Office to secure a school assignment. It is requested that copies of ELTiS test with scores, and other documentation of English Proficiency, be included with the application. As soon as the school assignment has been verified, the exchange company will be notified, and a copy of the student packet and the school acceptance form will be sent to the school principal. The school principal will review the information and sign the acceptance letter. This time of the year is very busy and this process takes approx. two weeks from the time the school receives the packet of information. Please allow the principal time to review before calling the school to retrieve the acceptance letter.

Please note that documentation of all required immunizations must be on the DOH Form 680 (Part A), and included with the paperwork. Per the attached entrance requirements, the immunization record is taken to the County Public Health Unit to be recorded on this form in order for the child to attend school. A Temporary Medical Exemption, DOH Form 680 (Part B), to receive additional shots, cannot be issued prior to the student’s arrival in this country. Therefore, any that are needed should be given before the student leaves the home country.

All documents listed on the checklist including an acceptance form provided by the exchange agency to be signed by the principal, are required and must accompany the exchange student’s application from the exchange company, before being approved by our office. It will be the responsibility of the agency to see that complete paperwork is included with the application and sent to our office at least five weeks prior to the student’s arrival in this country. This allows sufficient time for the World Languages Specialist to contact the Student Assignment Office in order to obtain the school assignment for the exchange student. Any incomplete information will not be approved and could result in a delay in the acceptance of the student.

Please note that, since board policy indicates that no new foreign exchange student will be enrolled beyond the tenth day after the first day of school in the year, no applications will be accepted in the second semester.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we trust this information will be helpful in placing students in Pinellas County Schools without delays. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Office of World Languages at 727-588-5006 .

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HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

physical signed by a licensed physician and dated within one year prior to

enrollment Documentation of immunizations. DTP – Five (5) doses required. If the fourth

dose of DTP is administered on or after the fourth birthday, a fifth dose is not required. DT (pediatric) vaccine is acceptable if pertussis vaccine is medically contraindicated. Td (adult) vaccine (a series of 3 doses) is acceptable and recommended for children 7 years of age or older.

Documentation of immunizations. Polio (OPV) – Four (4) doses required. If the third dose of OPV is administered on or after the fourth birthday, a fourth dose is not required. IPV is an acceptable alternative if OPV is not indicated. Polio vaccine is omitted from the required immunizations of children 18 years of age or older.

Documentation of immunizations. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella- for high school MMR combined one (1) dose at 12 months of age or older Measles Single One (1) dose at 12 months of age or older Mumps Single One (1) dose at 12 months of age or older Rubella Single One (1) dose at 12 months of age or older

Documentation of immunizations. Hepatitis B – Two (2) or three (3)* doses required. * For students ages 11-15 only a 2 dose series of increased strength per dose given 4-6 months apart is available through Merck Pharmaceuticals.

* History of disease is unacceptable for exemption from immunization.

For Documentation of immunizations, all appropriate doses and dates must be entered. This immunization record should be taken to the Pinellas County Public Health Unit to be recorded on the blue DOH Form 680 – Part A in order for the child to attend school.

Agency Information and Contact Page

• All required documentation must be received before the Exchange Student Application will be processed.

• Foreign exchange students may not be registered as seniors and, therefore, will not be eligible to earn a diploma or graduate from a Pinellas County School.

• Foreign exchange students are placed in the zoned schools of the host family. “Zoned” school assignment is made based on the address of the host family and seats available at the time of registration. Having a host sibling in a magnet program does not guarantee placement of the foreign exchange student in the general population of that school.

Compliance with policies and supervision • Each foreign exchange student is expected to comply with the policies of the Pinellas County

School Board, including the Code of Student Conduct, and with all other legal provisions pertaining to them. Repeated violations of the Board’s policies may result in the student’s withdrawal from the school in which they are enrolled.

• It is the sponsor’s responsibility to resolve any problems that arise between the student and the host family. If necessary, this would include changing the host family or returning the exchange student to their home country, in the event differences cannot be resolved. Sponsoring agencies must contact the World Languages Department if the host family changes any time during the exchange student’s enrollment in Pinellas County Schools.

• All school-related expenses for the student are the responsibility of the sponsoring organization/host family.

• The principal shall notify the local representative of the sponsoring organization of any suspected neglect of the student on the part of the host family.

Athletic Eligibility • Students are governed by the Florida High School Activities Association rules and regulations

regarding participation in interscholastic athletics. Any foreign exchange student who wishes to participate in interscholastic athletics must have a letter on file, indicating their exchange status, with the principal’s annual eligibility list. Exchange students who wish to participate in sports must also provide an original transcript in the student’s native language.

CONTACT INFORMATION AGENCY NAME: ___________________________________________________________ LOCAL AREA AGENCY REP: ___________________________________________________ TITLE: ___________________________________ PHONE: _____________________ EMAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________ MAILING ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP: ____________________________________________________________ SIGNATURE: ______________________________ DATE: _______________________ Please complete this form, print, sign and return with the student’s application packet

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT HOST FAMILY INFORMATION

Student’s LAST Name: ___________________________________________ Student’s FIRST Name: ___________________________________________ Date of Birth: _________ Home Country: ________________ Gender: _______________ Last Grade Completed in Home Country: ______ Grade to Enter in PCS: _______________

AGENCY INFORMATION Agency Name: _____________________________________ Agency Representative: _____________________________ E-Mail Address: _________________ Phone Number: ____________________ Representative’s Home Address: ______________________________ City, State, Zip: ______________________________ HOST FAMILY INFORMATION Host Parent #1 Last Name: ________________ First Name: ________________________ E-Mail Address: _________________________ Phone Number: ______________________ Host Parent #2 Last Name: _______________ First Name: _________________________ E-Mail Address: ________________________ Phone Number: ______________________ Address of Host Family: ____________________________ City, State, Zip: ____________________________ Other Members of the ________________________________________ Household, Ages, Schools: ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ BY SIGNING AS THE HOST FAMILY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STUDENT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOL ZONE FOR MY ADDRESS. I AGREE TO ACCEPT THE PLACEMENT MADE BY THE STUDENT ASSIGNMENT OFFICE. Parent #1’s Signature: __________________________________ Parent #2’s Signature: __________________________________

Please complete the form, print, sign, and return this form with the student’s application packet

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BIRTH CITY: _____________________________ BIRTH DATE: _______________ GENDER: ____ GRADE: ______

The following items are REQUIRED at the time the student’s application is placed. If ALL items are not included, the packet will NOT be processed. Yes NO* Item

This student, considered for placement in a Pinellas County high school under the Foreign Exchange Program, is sponsored by a service club or a non-profit organization/institution approved by the Council on Standards for International Travel (CSIET). (Please provide proof of approval with CSIET once a year.) The student is NOT a transfer student from an out-of-county or out-of-state high school. The student is at least fifteen (15) years of age and not more than nineteen (19) years of age on the date of enrollment in the program. The student has sufficient reading and speaking knowledge of the English language to be able to successfully participate in regular high school classes. The student’s documentation of English proficiency is attached. (Recommended: ELTiS test results in the 75th percentile.) Pertinent information about the student, his family and host family is attached. 2 Proofs of residency of the host family are attached. (This may be a utility bill for power, water, cable, sewer, or land-based telephone (not cellular), A rental or lease agreement, a closing document or tax statement showing homestead exemption with host parent’s name and home address on it.) A copy of the student’s official academic transcript with an English translation is attached including a brief description of each course taken in grades 9-12 or level equivalent. Students who wish to participate in sports must include an original transcript in the student’s native language. Documentation of birth (a clear copy of the student’s birth certificate and passport) is attached. (Please be sure this is translated and easy to read) A record of the student’s immunization and physical (signed by a licensed physician and dated within one year) is attached. (translated and easy to read) The student is registered for a full school year. (Please note that we do not accept students on a half-year basis.) An affidavit of adequate health insurance coverage is attached or will be presented to the school at the time of registration. This student has NOT received a diploma from the home school. Placement of this student does not exceed the International Student Exchange Programs (USIA) maximum of five (5) students sponsored by your agency in this school.

The J-1 certificate of eligibility (Form DS-2019) will be presented to the school at the time of registration.

Please complete the form, print, and return this form with your student’s application packet