Below are some additional considerations to help your host student prepare for their first day of school.
- Share the club/extracurricular listing from your school’s website with your host student to determine what interests them so they aren’t lost during a club fair or in case you need to reach out to a coach or the athletic director before school starts to get them connected to a team or sport.
- Discuss how lunch will work for your host student. Will they have an account that they use to buy school lunches, will they pack their lunch, or have the ability to do both? If your host student will be able to buy lunch at school, make sure to educate them on the different options as the à la carte options have a different cost structure than the school lunch (meal). Also, make sure to set up that lunch account online so your student can use it on the first day of school.
- If your school offers a freshman orientation or a welcome event for new or transferring students, ask the school counselor if your host student can participate. These events usually include a tour of the school and go over numerous policies and expectations of the students.
- Review your school’s immunization requirements and make sure your host student is up to date.*
*Costs associated with sports physicals and immunizations are the responsibility of the student.
For more information about preparing for your host student’s first days of school once they are physically in the United States, please refer to an article in the next section called "The Days Before School Starts".