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JFAC - International Students

Falmouth High School (FHS) provides opportunities for international students to engage with Falmouth students in serving as ambassadors for their countries, learning about foreign cultures, participating in rigorous academic programming, and socializing with students from around the world.  The ultimate goal of these experiences is to enrich the lives of all students at Falmouth High School and better prepare them for the global society they will be entering following high school.

Definitions:

International Students: This term pertains to those students of foreign nationality who visit this country for a specified period of time (usually limited to one year) and who are enrolled in an American school with a J-1 Cultural Exchange Visa or F-1 Foreign Student Visa.

 J-1 Cultural Exchange Visa: This visa is issued for no more than one academic school year to students who will participate in a United States Information Agency designated Exchange-Visitor program. This visa is only authorized for one-time use. The student must have a home in a foreign country to which he or she will return after the stay in the United States

F-1 Foreign Student Visa: This visa is issued to students who will be studying at a school authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to allow foreign students to attend. The student must have a home in a foreign country to which he or she will return after a maximum stay. Before students can obtain an F-1 Visa, they must pay in full all established fees for the period of the student's attendance.

Immigrant: An "immigrant" is a person who has been legally admitted to the U.S. as a permanent resident alien. The immigrant usually has been issued an alien registration receipt card (INS Form I-551) generally referred to as a "green card." The immigrant has the choice of becoming a citizen of the U.S. after residing in the U.S. for a period of five years and passing an examination.

Refugee: A "refugee" is a person who is unwilling or unable to return to his or her country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular group, or political opinion. Refugees do not hold an alien registration receipt card, but they will possess an arrival/departure card (INS Form I-94) annotated "parolee-indefinite stay."

Enrollment of J-1 Cultural Exchange Visa Students at Falmouth High School

  1. FHS will only review applications for enrollment of J-1 visa students who are sponsored by organizations that meet the requirements and are registered with the Maine State Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, or the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel.

  2. It is highly recommended that sponsoring organizations notify the FHS principal by June 15th regarding enrollment applications for potential J-1 visa students for the following school year.

  3. The total number of J-1 visa students at FHS allowed in a particular year will be determined by the FHS principal based on projected or actual enrollment. This limit does not preclude groups of students from making short-term visits as part of language, cultural and/or other school-related activities.

  4. The length of stay for J-1 visa students is limited to a maximum of one academic year.

  5. J-1 visa students must be no older than 18 ½ years of age on the date of enrollment in the district.

Students who have graduated from high school in their home country may be enrolled as J-1 visa students at FHS.

Enrollment Guidelines for J-1 Visa Students:

  1. J-1 visa students are enrolled as full-time students.

  2. J-1 visa students are enrolled in a grade level corresponding to that of their home country.

  3. J-1 visa students receive grades but are not granted a high school diploma.

  4. J-1 visa students enrolled as seniors may go through commencement and receive an "Honorary Recognition Diploma".

  5. J-1 visa students are not included in any class ranking lists.

  6. J-1 visa students enrolled as juniors are not required to take the Maine High School Assessment nor are they included in school counts for Adequate Yearly Progress reporting purposes.

  7. J-1 visa students must have at least a 70 grade point average at the end of the first semester to remain in good standing at FHS.

  8. J-1 visa students may not be enrolled in college classes.

  9. J-1 visa students may not receive financial assistance from Falmouth Public Schools.

  10. J-1 visa students are responsible for school fees and expenses on the same basis as local students.

  11. J-1 visa students are accorded all the rights and privileges of local students during their period of enrollment except as noted in this policy.

  12. J-1 visa students are subject to the same policies, rules, and regulations as local students.

  13. J-1 visa students are eligible to participate in co-curricular clubs, teams, and organizations as governed by school policies and Maine Principals’ Association regulations.

  14. J-1 visa students are not provided tutorial assistance beyond the typical assistance available to all students.

  15. J-1 visa students must acquire and maintain a medical health insurance plan from an American-based medical insurance company for the duration of their enrollment at FHS.

  16. J-1 visa students must have had complete medical and dental physicals no less recent than one year prior to enrollment at FHS.

  17. J-1 visa students must have had all immunizations required by Maine state law prior to enrollment at FHS.

Sponsoring Organization Requirements:

An organization that wishes to sponsor a foreign and/or domestic travel-study program shall submit a request that provides a complete program description, including name, address and telephone number of the local representative, to the FHS principal.  This is a one-time requirement.

1.     Each request for enrollment at FHS must include the following:

  • Name, birthdate, country of origin, grade level of the student;

  • Name, street address, and home, work, and cell phone numbers of parents/legal guardians;

  • Name, street address, and home, work, and cell phone numbers of the contact person of the sponsoring organization;

  • Name, street address, and home, work, and cell phone numbers of host family; (The host family must reside in the Falmouth Public Schools attendance area. If a student changes host families, new information regarding the host family must be submitted to the school.)

  • Letter of application in English in student's own handwriting;

  • Verification of health and accident coverage;

  • Immunization and health records;

  • An English translation of student's transcript for previous three school years showing all courses completed (this should include current school year) accompanied by an explanation of the grading system used, number of clock hours of instruction per week per subject, and the length of the school year;

  • If requested, verification of English Language Proficiency demonstrated by score of 360 or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 45th percentile or above on the Secondary Level English Proficiency Test (SLEP), or another means of demonstrating English proficiency to the district, or minimum of five years of formal English instruction and/or attendance at an English-speaking school;

  • Two letters of recommendation (one must be from the student's English teacher); and

  • Signed international student contract.

2.     Each request shall be reviewed by the FHS principal and/or designee. Notification of approval or denial of enrollment shall be issued in writing to the program representative no later than July 1st.

3.     J-1 visa students and host parents must register in person at FHS prior to the first day of school.

Sponsoring Organization Responsibilities:

  1. Each sponsoring organization of J-1 visa students must meet current U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidelines and Falmouth Public Schools policies and regulations.

  2. The sponsoring organization is responsible for appropriate host family placement.

  3. The sponsoring organization must provide J-1 visa exchange students an orientation to the host family, the school, and the community.

  4. The sponsoring organization must comply with the established timelines for notification, acceptance, and registration of the student.

  5. The sponsoring organization will provide tutoring if a student is not as proficient in English as was stated or implied on the application.

  6. Should the assurances or documentation provided by a sponsoring organization prove invalid, further acceptance of J-1 visa students from that organization shall be terminated for the remainder of that academic year, the next academic year, and thereafter until proof of compliance acceptable to the district is provided.

Enrollment of F-1 Foreign Student Visa Students at Falmouth High School

  1. FHS will only enroll F-I visa students who meet the entrance requirements.

  2. An F-1 visa student may not have attended one year of school in the U.S. on either an F-1 or J-1 visa.

  3. The length of stay for F-1 visa students is limited to a maximum of one academic year.

  4. F-1 visa students must have completed the 8th grade in their home countries.

  5. F-1 visa students must be less than 19 years of age on the date of enrollment in the district.

  6. F-1 visa students who have graduated from high school in their home countries may be admitted to FHS, but they must be less than 19 years of age at date of enrollment.

  7. F-1 visa students must provide proof of financial ability to meet all expenses including tuition and room and board.

Enrollment Guidelines for F-1 Visa Students:

  1. Each request for enrollment at FHS must include the following:

  • Falmouth High School F-1 Foreign Student Application;

  • Falmouth High School F-1 Foreign Student Financial Certification Form;

  • Copy of the student’s most recent middle or high school transcript (showing courses and grades) translated into English;

  • Copy of the student’s Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Junior score report; Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) score report; or Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) score report; and

  • Two letters of recommendation in English (one from an English teacher and one from a math or science teacher).

  1. F-1 visa students are enrolled as full-time students.

  2. F-1 visa students are enrolled in a grade level corresponding to that of their home country.

  3. F-1 visa students receive grades but are not granted a high school diploma.

  4. F-1 visa students enrolled as seniors may go through commencement and receive an "Honorary Recognition Diploma".

  5. F-1 visa students are not included in any class ranking lists.

  6. F-1 visa students enrolled as juniors are not required to take the Maine High School Assessment nor are they included in school counts for Adequate Yearly Progress reporting purposes.

  7. F-1 visa students must have at least a 70 grade point average at the end of the first semester to remain in good standing at FHS.

  8. F-1 visa students may not be enrolled in college classes.

  9. F-1 visa students may not receive financial assistance from Falmouth Public Schools.

  10. F-1 visa students are responsible for school fees and expenses on the same basis as local students.

  11. F-1 visa students are accorded all the rights and privileges of local students during their period of enrollment except as noted in this policy.

  12. F-1 visa students are subject to the same policies, rules, and regulations as local students.

  13. F-1 visa students are eligible to participate in co-curricular clubs, teams, and organizations as governed by school policies and Maine Principals’ Association regulations.

  14. F-1 visa students are not provided tutorial assistance beyond the typical assistance available to all students.

  15. F-1 visa students must acquire and maintain a medical health insurance plan from an American-based medical insurance company for the duration of their enrollment at FHS.

  16. F-1 visa students must have had complete medical and dental physicals no less recent than one year prior to enrollment at FHS.

  17. F-1 visa students must have had all immunizations required by Maine state law prior to enrollment at FHS.

 

Adopted:  April 28, 2014