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Doctor Stage outlines 'Bridal Across Borders' Wales exchange; board approves settlement and routine business
Summary
Doctor Stage presented an EITC-funded cultural exchange pairing Athens fifth-graders with a small Welsh school and outlined travel, selection, insurance and spending deadlines; the board also approved a settlement agreement and routine financial, personnel, contract and policy items.
Doctor Stage presented a plan called “Bridal Across Borders,” a cultural and global education exchange funded by an Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) grant of approximately $34,000 that would pair Athens fifth-graders with students at a very small school in Abercrave, Wales.
Stage said the program will select eight Athens students (targeting fifth graders) through a mixed committee and a near–blind review to avoid name-based selection. Selected students would meet virtually twice a month with Welsh peers beginning this fall; a culminating cultural immersion trip to Wales is proposed for June 21–30, 2026, and the district would host Welsh students at Roe Middle School in October 2026. "The ultimate goal is to bring all of their students over," Stage said, adding that families would need to commit to attending social events and field trips when guests visit.
Stage described risk-mitigation steps: he said the district is partnering with EF Tours for travel logistics and umbrella insurance, plans a 1:4…
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