Host families are needed for the Atlantic Education International program.
Hundreds of students from other countries will be welcomed into New Brunswick in the fall to attend local schools.
Anglophone East District Administrator Pam Sheridan says they’ll welcome their first student from Denmark this year but there are many other countries involved as well, “Our longstanding partnerships have been with Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Mexico and Columbia and Brazil have been with us for quite sometime.”
Students range in age between 12 and 18.
Host families are required to provide a private bedroom, access to the Internet, meals, snacks, and transportation, but Sheridan says they should also have an interest in welcoming an international student into their home.
“A home stay coordinator is assigned to the high school and one for elementary schools as well. We ask that everyone in the family is on side with welcoming a student. You also need a criminal background check and a home visit. The coordinator will come to the house and have a tour and meet the family. The application will go over what the routine of the family is and how available they will be. They set up a relationship right away,” Sheridan says.
Host families can apply year round, and Sheridan says they are always look for new and interested families to join the program.
“We’ll welcome in the fall approximately 600 students to the province and between 150 and 200 of those students will come to the Moncton area. This is a vibrant opportunity for our schools and homes. These kids provide energy and positive cultural awareness. It is an opportunity to get to know a corner of the world that right now you wouldn’t be able to visit and want to learn more about. Many of our students have chosen to stay here after graduation and go to university or college here. It’s a great way to welcome full time residents.” Sheridan says.
For more information, visit the AEI website.
