The Avon Maitland District School Board is still looking for host families for this year's International students.
Superintendent of International Education, Laura Marotta, says they're specifically looking for host families in the Mitchell and St. Marys areas.
Despite having only about 50 international students because of the pandemic, Marotta says the home stay program is something they take great pride in.
“Kids do their research. They work with agents to find a location that suits their needs, not everyone's looking for a big city experience, some students are looking for a more rural experience and so they select, based on that,” said Marotta.
There is an effort to match the student with a family that has kids their age but that's not always the case.
“Generally families who are interested in home stay will have a room available in their home, sometimes there own kids will have left, we do provide financial support. But you do need to be, as a host family, looking to welcome a student as part of your own family,” added Marotta.
She adds one of the priorities for an exchange student is learning English, not just in school, but through social exchanges..
Anyone interested in becoming a host family is asked to contact Shaun Morton at Shaun.Morton@ed.amdsb.ca or call 1-800-592-5437 ext.130.
