Lisbon school board has opted not to allow any foreign exchange students in the district for the 2022-23 school year.
Lisbon superintendent Pat Hocking said that he and other administrative team members have been asked by the programs offering foreign exchange students if Lisbon would be returning to the program.
Secondary principal Aaron Becker said the district has offered slots for one or two students per year in the past, but had stopped the process due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hocking said the district does not receive additional funding for hosting a foreign exchange student. It is the responsibility of the program to locate host families if Lisbon were to agree the program were to return.
Board member Abbe Stensland said that while the foreign exchange student program is a good experience for both Lisbon students and those attending school from abroad, with the district’s current struggles of catching their kids back up in instruction they missed in COVID-19 and filling staff at all levels, her vote was no as Lisbon needs to focus on their own students first.
Board president Jen Caspers agreed, saying it was not something the district should pursue this year, but bring back to the table for discussion for the 2023-24 school year. Caspers said she had been contacted by one of the companies at her place of work.