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The Saugus – GaoXin Number 1 High School Exchange
HistoryDuring the summer of 2004 Wm. S. Hart Union High School District then-Superintendent Bob Lee traveled to China as part of a seminar for school administrators. While there he visited GaoXin Number 1 High School in Xi’an and was very impressed by what he saw. Through meetings with Madam Jiao, the Principal of the school and in discussions with She Ying Mr. Lee saw that an exchange between schools in our district and GaoXin would be enriching for all parties. Upon his return he spoke with Saugus Principal Bill Bolde about the possibility of starting an exchange. In order to become knowledgeable about organizing the exchange Saugus Principal Bill Bolde and China Program Coordinator/World Languages Department Chair/French Teacher Patty Stephenson traveled to the Boston area to visit Brookline High School where an exchange with GaoXin already exists. They also visited with the wonderful staff of the China Exchange Initiative, an organization that helps schools to organize exchanges with China. Following this fact-finding trip Mr. Bolde and Mrs. Stephenson presented a slide-show and information regarding the possibility of a school-to-school exchange to the Wm. S. Hart School Board. After a second presentation to the Board the exchange was approved. In March of 2005 Mr. Bolde and Mrs. Stephenson travelled to China to meet with Madame Jiao, the principal of Gao Xin No. 1 High School and with Madame Wang, the assistance principal. An agreement was signed to begin exchanging students in the fall. During their trip to China Mr. Bolde and Mrs. Stephenson also met with officials at the U. S. Embassy in Beijing to get tips on how to make the visa process go smoother. In the insuing months Mrs. Stephenson worked on the SEVIS application which would allow the school to grant visas to Chinese students as part of our new exchange, and in May final approval was granted. At the same time Gao Xin selected their students and the teacher who would accompany them. Mr. Bolde and Mrs. Stephenson then began to look for host families to welcome the Chinese students into their homes. Five outstanding families were selected and we began to make plans for the arrival of our new Centurions. |