Resident asks Jamestown board to allow out-of-district families to host foreign-exchange students

At the March 17 Jamestown Public School Board meeting, Spiritwood resident Kathy (Katharine) Scott asked the board to amend the district’s foreign-exchange student policy so that out-of-district host families may enroll a foreign-exchange student through the open-enrollment process.

Scott, who said she has hosted exchange students at Jamestown High School for about 20 years, told the board she believes the policy—drawn up in 02/2006, according to district staff—prevents some local families who live outside the district from hosting a student and enrolling that student in Jamestown schools. She offered an example of a family who lives three miles from her and whose two daughters have attended Jamestown schools since kindergarten; Scott said it would not make sense for that host family to be required to send an exchange student to Barnes County North.

Superintendent Dr. Loeck responded during the superintendent’s report that the district received Scott’s public comment and that he intends to include a specific agenda item at the next board meeting addressing the foreign-exchange policy, state law related to open enrollment, and a recommendation on whether to change the policy. He said the report will explain the rationale for maintaining or amending the policy.

Scott provided her name and mailing address on the record: 294090 Fourth Avenue Southeast, Spiritwood, North Dakota 58481. The board did not take formal action on the request at the March 17 meeting; the superintendent’s report will include a follow-up in the next board packet.