Framingham High Students To Travel to China in April

A score of Framingham High students will participate in a Chinese exchange program in April.

The Framingham School Committee unanimously approved the out-of-country trip in 2015.

The plan is for about 20 students and 3 chaperones to travel to China between Saturday, April 9 to Saturday, April 23. Students would miss 5 days from school for the field trip.

The estimated cost is between $3,000 and $3,500 per student. Up to 3 chaperones would travel at a cost of $1,520 each.

Last year, Framingham High hosted students from China.

Framingham students will live with a host Chinese family to learn about the culture and will have to opportunity visit a Beijing high school and attend classes at Chengdu Oxford International School.

Students will also visit museums, attend an opera, and tour the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Reservation Center.

In 2013 and in 2014, Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott visited China as part of an exchange program. Framingham Chief Academic Officer Sonia Diaz also travelled to China on both trips. The two Framingham Public School District leaders also travelled to China in 2011, when they were employed with the Dracut Public Schools.

In 2013, School Committee member Eric Silverman made the trip with Scott. in 2014, School Committee member Jim Stockless travelled with Scott to China.

Framingham High now offers classes in Mandarin language.

Mandarin language classes have also been added at Walsh Middle School and at the new King Elementary School, which will eventually feed into Fuller Middle School.

Scott who was hired in 2012, said back in 2014 the Chinese trips were necessary to “sustain the Chinese Language and culture program at King Elementary School and Framingham High School.”

Mandarin was added to the language offerings at Framingham High after Scott’s Chinese trips.