Dear
Parents,
We hope
that you have had an opportunity to look over the Parish Study Abroad materials
and the email that I sent on Friday. One question that arose
at the parent meeting regarding unsupervised time is addressed more fully
below.
The
students are supervised by their host families when at “home” or with their
“families” on an outing and by the school during the morning classes, at lunch,
and during the afternoon activities that TANDEM organizes 3 days a week.
On excursions, we are all together and all students are then supervised
at the same time by Mrs. Johnson and Ms. Nancarrow, as well as the SPI program
director(s). Host families will alert the chaperones and/or program
director if students are not where they should be during home times.
Many
families will bring the students to school if necessary, but most are within
walking distance and there will always be two students together. We will have
an orientation time in the city to be sure everyone has their “bearings” and
knows how to get to school and back.
Ms.
Nancarrow and I will be at the school in the morning to check roll and be sure
that all is well at their home. We will do “spot” checks of classes to be
sure students are appropriately placed and making progress with the language.
In the afternoon we will be at the school to discuss late afternoon and
early evening plans. Some may have plans with their host families (always
two Parish students), others may want to explore sites close to the school,
shop or go to the beach. All plans will be specific and must be approved
by us, but, unlike many touring programs, the whole group of students will not
all be together all the time. Those who have nothing
else planned can “hang out” with me and Ms. Nancarrow. Until we are actually
there, we won’t know other specific things that might be available, such as
festivals, art shows, singers in town, movies, flamenco dances, etc.
Students will be eating dinner with their host families.
This type
of program was specifically chosen because of the time that students would
spend with Spaniards in their homes, learning about their everyday culture,
communicating with native speakers and increasing their proficiency in the
language.
It is
important to consider the maturity level of your child. If you feel your
child is not quite ready for the responsibility needed for such a trip, please
know that Parish plans to offer similar immersion programs in the future.
Please let
me know of any other questions that may arise as you discuss the possibility of
sending your child to