Host Family Information 2012 MASTER

___ If so, what kinds___________________ Inside or outside?_______________ Transportation During School Hours Transportation After School Hours, Weekends and Holidays Yes No Are you able

Host Family Information 2012-2013

Host family name(s)

Address _

City _State _

Home phone _

Please write information in the boxes below

Who lives in your home (including you)? Please list names, relationship to host family, ages, etc below

and Gender

Relationship to Host Family (e.g., single woman, mother son, husband)

at work?

Do you use text messaging? If so, what number works best?

Do you have pets? _ If so, what kind(s) _ Inside or outside? _

Transportation During School Hours Transportation After School Hours, Weekends and Holidays

Yes

No

Are you able to provide transportation for your guest

Are you able to provide transportation for guest after school hours and/or weekends for appointments such as dentist, doctor, etc.? Yes

No

Are you able to transport guest to appointments during

Are you able to provide transportation to meetings after school?

Yes

No

Are you able to transport guest in case school is dismissed

Are you able to provide transportation for guest for pleasure trips during evening and

weekends?

No No from airport?

Will you be available July 9, 2012, to pick up your volunteer Chinese teacher at WKU? _

Will you be able attend an orientation at WKU regarding hosting these teachers? _

Do you agree to host your guest for one full year?

Do you agree to work with Logan County Schools to provide a safe and happy environment for teachers? _

We do ask that you coordinate any travel arrangements with the Dr Janet Hurt and The Confucius Institute at Western Kentucky University

List some ways you intend to do this:

_

Signature Date

Host Family Information and Responsibilities

To ensure that the expectations of hosting a volunteer teacher from China are clearly communicated, we ask that you read the following information carefully After reading this, if you have questions, please call Dr Janet Hurt at the Logan County School District (270-726-2436) If you have no questions and agree to these responsibilities, please sign below

and return this form by May 20, 2011 to Dr Hurt.

Chinese teachers are often lonely and homesick Many miss their families and friends, as well as the food they are used

to eating at home Most are only children and enjoy some time with their host families as well as some time in solitude

As a host to a Chinese teacher working in the Logan County School District, there are specific responsibilities

Host families should…

• Keep the district informed when planning to take the Chinese teacher out of town You can do this through e-mail (janet.hurt@logan.kyschools.us)

• Provide transportation to and from school, social events, doctor appointments, meetings, and other places as far away as Nashville Try to carpool as much as possible Try to do your share if you participate

in a carpool

• Attend any orientations at WKU regarding hosting a Chinese teacher

• Pick up your (NEW) Chinese teacher at WKU on July 9, 2011 Although there is a slight chance that the date could change, we don’t expect this to change You will be provided more information on this later

• Provide a happy and safe environment and make the teacher feel as if she/he is part of your family

• Provide breakfast and dinner Often the teacher wants to cook his/her own dinner Come to some agreement on use of kitchen or shared meals This is very important to the teacher

• Attend meetings, when requested, regarding Chinese teachers

• Discuss any concerns with Dr Janet Hurt

• Refrain from making negative comments or discussing personal issues regarding the teacher Remember you should call Dr Hurt to discuss personal issues or concerns

• Consider, if asked, whether you would want the teacher’s family visiting and staying in your home Occasionally, a teacher will want their family to visit for a short time Whether they stay in your home is completely up to you It is your decision You are not required to allow families to stay in your home if they visit from China If you want to invite them that is your decision

• The teachers cannot perform any jobs for additional pay They can volunteer You may ask them to clean

up after themselves

• Report any concerns or emerging problems to Dr Hurt immediately so they can be addressed before issues get larger or more difficult to solve

• The teachers cannot travel outside of the USA without special permission and jumping through some hoops with WKU

• Each teacher has her own cell phone and bank account

• The teachers do not come to the USA with a driver’s license If they have a Chinese license, it will not work in the USA

• Each teacher has medical insurance, but not dental or vision insurance

• Each teacher has the option of staying two years Therefore, host families make a two-year commitment

• Internet connection is very important to the teacher as that is how she communicates with her family in China

Important Information for Host Families

• We will try to let you know as soon as we make decisions regarding times that we need to travel or meet with teachers Please do not schedule lengthy out of town trips for the teacher without checking with Dr Hurt

• Teachers are required to attend a new teacher academy Please see the Professional Growth Academy brochure included in this information

• Nicole Meguiar is Dr Hurt’s secretary Occasionally they or someone else will need to take teachers somewhere

• District personnel will often communicate directly with the Chinese teacher So you might learn about a meeting through them If you have questions, please ask

• Dr Hurt is the program director for Chinese teachers If you need to get in touch with someone from the district, please contact her or if she is unavailable, call her secretary, Nicole Meguiar

• Remember the teacher is totally dependent upon you for transportation and often hates to ask you to take her somewhere She/he is at your mercy Please remember to ask her if she/he wants to go somewhere or encourage her to be open with you One of the main complaints from the teachers is their feeling of isolation, missing the conveniences of living in a city, and their access to immediate

transportation

• Remember these teachers are adults and should be treated that way

• The teachers can date They can go and come like respectful adults You can ask them to let you know where they are going and with whom, but if they refuse to tell you there is not much you can do This issue, if it arises, would be discussed and handled on a case by case basis

• The teachers are required to attend at least one out of state conference That is paid for by the district, but you may have to help them get to the airport Also, you may have to take the teacher to the airport

as they leave the country That will mostly likely be to the Nashville airport

I have read and understand the above information and agree to work with Logan County School District as a host family

Please contact

Nicole Meguiar

Nicole.meguiar@logan.kyschools.us

270-726-2436 (work)

Dr Janet Hurt

Janet.hurt@logan.kyschools.us

270-726-2436 (work) 270-991-3852 (cell)