For
the Inbound Student Counselor
Recruit
Host Families
Inbound
Student Assigned to Your Club
Caution!
Communicate
With Your Rotary Club
Involve
the Entire Exchange Student Committee
Prior
to Student Arrival
Arrival
of the Student
The
First Few Days
Hard
and Fast Rules
Be
a Facilitator
Be
a Guide
Be
a Friend and Confidant
Assist
the Student in Preparing His/Her Rotary Programs
Prepare
for the Return Home
Follow
Rotary Protocol
Recruit
Host Families
Host families do not have to be Rotarians but they must be willing
to participate in Rotary Youth Exchange programs:
- Participate
in Rotary discussion sessions regarding parenting of exchange students.
- Attend
the Exchange Student Orientation session in August.
- Attend
several Rotary meetings with the student. Always make it possible
for the student to attend Rotary meetings or other Rotary events when
given sufficient notice.
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Inbound
Student Assigned to Your Club
- Receive
and process the student application with the local high school.
- Provide
the High school counselor with a complete photocopy of the application
including school transcripts.
- Write a
letter introducing yourself to the student and family.
- Advise
the student to obtain a copy of his/her school transcript to assist
in scheduling classes.
- Provide
the inbound student with the appropriate immunization record form
to be completed and returned prior to student's arrival.
- Remind
the student that they will be doing a program regarding their home
country, town, school and family. Suggest they bring slides.
- Send local
tourism brochures and pictures of the school. Tell them about the
weather in the area, the town population, when school will start and
any other information that you would wonder or worry about.
Be sure you paint a realistic picture.
- Give the
student a list of the host parents, their addresses and phone numbers.
- Give the
student the name and address of the Inbound Counselor.
- Give the
host parents the student's application so they can begin to learn
about the student.
- Encourage
the host parents and the inbound counselor to write, call or FAX the
student . Send pictures of the family, house, pets, etc.
- Provide
host parents with an orientation session prior to the arrival of the
inbound student (refer to District Chair for assistance).
- Advise
the student of our district's medical insurance requirements. Refer
to District Chair for required insurance information.
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Caution!
If the student
exhibits displeasure with his/her assignment to your country, region,
city or rural area you must bring this to the attention of all parties
concerned and consider reassignment. Almost all exchange students have
a "Hollywood" image of California. They may show signs of disappointment
but most will be able to adapt. If you foresee a conflict
with the intended inbound student discuss the matter with your District
Chair. Exchange students must demonstrate flexibility or risk surrendering
the opportunity of international exchange.
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Communicate
With Your Rotary Club
- Photocopy
the front cover of the student's application and "photo" page to distribute
at club meetings. Read the student's letters to the club, share pictures,
etc. This will encourage membership involvement.
- Keep the
club aware of the student's arrival date and encourage them to be
at the airport. Encourage club members to plan the student into their
activities, both personal and in Rotary during the upcoming year.
- Remind
all club members that protocol dictates that the host parents must
always be consulted prior to inviting the student on a trip, to dinner
or any other activities.
- To violate
this fundamental rule of courtesy will put the student, the host parents
and yourself in an embarrassing position. The student will have to
decide whether to attend the family plans or go with you. This will
do nothing but create unnecessary resentment. Make NO exceptions to
this rule!
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Involve
the Entire Exchange Student Committee
- Ask committee
members to assume various responsibilities:
- One member
to select arrival gift.
- Another
member to select birthday gift.
- Ask a member
to select a gift to send to the sponsoring club.
- The creation
of welcome banners and acquisition of the student's native flag can
be one committee member's responsibility.
- Urge committee
members to plan to take the student to lunch, dinner or to their home
for a weekend.
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Prior
to Student Arrival
- Plan to
attend and arrange for student to attend the District Exchange Student
Orientation that is held in late August. Student attendance is mandatory.
- Form a
welcoming committee. All Host Parents, Counselors and as many interested
club members as possible should plan on meeting the student at the
airport.
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Arrival
of the Student
- The welcoming
committee should be at the airport with flags, flowers and fun.
- Introduce
yourself to the student. Ask the student how to pronounce his/her
name. Quickly introduce the remainder of the reception committee.
Present a club roster to the student, underline your name and the
host parent's names.
- Instruct
the student to contact his/her natural parents to assure them of a
safe arrival.
- The host
family should then take the student home.
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The
First Few Days
- Allow two
days to pass so the student can overcome "jet lag."
- Call the
student to confirm "All is well."
- Confirm
that the Host Parent and student have discussed "first day rules".
- Confirm
that the student has secured the appropriate medical insurance.
Coverage must be secured no later than 30 days from arrival.
- Secure
the student's airline tickets and passport. These must be stored
in such a manner that in the event of an emergency they are accessible
by more than one person.
- Call the
school and schedule an appointment with the counselor, coordinate
that appointment with the host parents. When scheduling the curriculum
remember the course load must include: US History, Government and
English. Beyond that try to enroll the student in courses that are
interesting and will give the student opportunity for social interactions.
Do not load the student to the maximum; this is as much a cultural
exchange as it is an educational exchange. Classes such as "Yearbook",
"Drama" and sports expose the student to increased interaction with
American students and more cultural information.
- Avoid enrolling
the student in his/her native language. This will complicate
their process of learning to think and dream in English.
- Remember
that the student may be eligible to graduate. Most will want to.Thus,
review the courses that would be necessary for graduation. Do not
encourage illegitimate manipulation to graduate a student that does
not meet standard local qualifications. Participation in the graduation
process in an "honorary" manner is encouraged and is often an acceptable
option.
- Have grades
sent to your address. Be certain that school generated information
and mailings are forwarded to the student during the year. The student
will be moving 2 or more times, but will have only one counselor for
the entire year.
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Hard
and Fast Rules
- In the
event that the student will be traveling out of town for more than
48 hours it is mandatory that the Host Parents contact the counselor
and provide an itinerary and contact phone number in the event of
a home country family emergency.
- Host Parents
or other responsible adults must have medical consent release forms
signed by the Club President in their possession at all times when
traveling with exchange students under 18 years of age.
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Be
a Facilitator
- Assist
the student in establishing a local bank account. Have the bank
statement sent to your address so that you can review it to be sure
the student is not overspending.
- Monitor
the disbursement of the monthly club stipend; student
must come to the first meeting of each month to receive stipend.
- Assure
that the student is participating in Club and District activities.
- Assure
that responsible committee members have arranged for periodic student
gifts in a timely manner. i.e. Christmas, Birthday, etc.
- Coordinate
transportation to all District Rotary Youth Exchange events:
- Inbound
Orientation (August)
- San Francisco
Trip (October)
- Shasta
Ski Trip/Outbound Orientation #1 (Jan./Feb.)
- Eureka
Spring Outbound/Parent Orientation #2 (April)
- District
Conference (May)
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Be
a Guide
- Be certain
that the host parents are advised of mandatory Rotary events well
ahead of time. Prepare a calendar of events no later than July and
provide this to all interested parties.
- Assure
that the student is responding to District communications.
- Assure
that the club has paid the district fees for your student.
- Assure
that the student is filing quarterly reports.
- Assure
that the student files a change of address with District Chair.
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Be
a Friend and Confidant
- Call the
student at least once every two weeks. Express to the student that
he/she can always confide in you if there are difficulties in the
host home or school.
- Always
confer with the host parents prior to inviting the student to lunch
or for dinner, etc. Don't compete with the host family for the student's
attention or affection.
- Do not
discuss the student's welfare or degree of acceptance in the home
while in the presence of the Host Parents. Give the student an opportunity
for confidential discussion.
- Know the
Cycle! The student will go through periods of emotional highs and
lows. Help them through the tough times illustrated by our graph.
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Assist
the Student in Preparing His/Her Rotary Programs
- Six to
eight weeks into the exchange year the student should present a 10-15
minute program to the host Rotary club.
- Coordinate
the timing of the student's program with the Club President
and the Program Committee Chair.
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Prepare
for the Return Home
Rotary exchange
students are expected to provide their home club with a program about
the community, school, family and Rotary Club they visited. Help
the student assemble a series of slides that represents our end of the
exchange.
Confirm that
the student has booked transportation home 90 days prior to scheduled
departure date.
Often students
will want to have mini-visits with former host parents or club members
prior to departure. Advise current host parents of this and discuss
preparations with the student. The student may want to have all
major packing done several days prior to departure thus allowing time
for these visits.
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Follow
Rotary Protocol
- Communicate
privately with the host parents at least once every two weeks.
- If a challenge
arises, discuss with all parties: Student, Parent, Principal
(if applicable), Youth Director and Club President.
- If a challenge
arises worthy of discussion it should also be brought to the attention
of the District Chairperson.
- Do not
wait until the challenge is beyond recovery before involving the opinion
of the District Chairperson.
- Follow
the protocol and do not circumvent the Youth Director or the Club
President before you go to the District Chairperson.
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