Page 28 - StudyTravel Magazine April 2022 Issue
P. 28

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         destInAtIon


         With fewer inbound travel rules and
         restrictions, education providers in
         the USA anticipate a very different
         operating year to the last, as Nicola
         Hancox reports.

           lAnguAge     secondAry     tertiAry


















              ince our last report in the   the last two years. Florida Prep www.  mtbluersd.org/mbc in Farmington, ME,
              November/December 2021 issue   flprep.com in Melbourne, FL contin-  this past school year and enquires for
         Sof ST Magazine, travel restric-  ued to enrol and teach international   the upcoming school year continue
         tions to and from the USA have eased   students in 2020 and 2021, notes   apace, says Lisa Dalrymple. “Parents
         considerably, and there is a growing   Jeanette Middleton. “Florida remains   are more open, as compared to last
         appetite for study in the country.  at the forefront of the ‘Return to the   year, to the idea of sending their child
           Students can now enter the USA   Classroom’ movement in the USA with   abroad to study.”
         from anywhere in the world provided   schools in our area closing for only a   When restrictions were at their
         they are fully vaccinated, produce a   short period of time during the final   highest, several high school provid-
         negative PCR test before travelling   quarter of the 2020 academic year.”   ers, like Wisconsin Lutheran High
         and have a valid visa where necessary.   Far from losing students, the school is   School www.wlhs.org/international in
         “It is much easier for international   experiencing new interest and robust   Milwaukee, WI, taught students online.
         students to join us now than a year   growth, particularly from the EU.  “For a two-month period during the
         ago,” relates Caralyn Dea from the   High school exchange specialist   Spring 2020 semester, the school
         Frederick Gunn School www.gogunn.  Student Management Group https://  moved to an all-virtual environment,”
         org in Washington, CT. Nevertheless,   student-management.com success-  notes Eric Duwe. “At that time inter-
         the school has welcomed international   fully welcomed over 2,000 students   national students either continued
         students throughout the pandemic.   on its programmes in 2021/22 and the   to live in the dormitory or with their
         “Some students returned earlier than   next academic year is looking strong,   local host family, or flew back home.”
         others and there were only online   relates SMG’s James Mann. “We are   The virtual option rolled into the next
         classes for the winter semester   anticipating welcoming the most   academic school year, says Eric, but
         of 2021. But in the fall of 2021 we   students in our 40+ year history in the   a majority of students (75 per cent)
         returned to life “as a new normal”.   2022/23 academic year. Restrictions   opted for in-person tuition as soon
         Our campus remains buzzing with   are easing, especially for vaccinated   they could. “For the 2021/22 school
         students and faculty,” says Caralyn.  travellers, so we are very encouraged   year, the school has returned to a fully
           Indeed, the secondary and high   and optimistic for the future.”  face-to-face environment,
         school sector in the USA has fared   All classes have been taught face-  with virtual accommodations
         considerably better than others over   to-face at Mt. Blue High School www.  made at times when a student


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