MILLINOCKET, Maine — Stearns High School’s Chinese tuition program began with a trickle of three total students in its inaugural class last year.
And although they’re not expecting a flood this fall, Millinocket school officials are expecting to see a wave perhaps more than triple the size of last year’s enrollment.
“We’re not sure how many total students we’ll have, but we have five right now and I think we could see a much higher number than that,” said Ken Smith, Millinocket’s superintendent of schools.
School officials’ optimism stems from a class of 26 Chinese students and three teachers who enrolled and took part in a new, weeklong intensive English and environmental sciences summer program at Stearns High School.
“The idea is to help them get settled in, show them the area, immerse them in the school system, and then, hopefully, they would come back as early as [the fall of 2013], not this fall,” said Smith, who said current high school students helped out with the program. “They had a chance to see the stars, which a lot of them had never seen before because smog is so bad where they live. A game warden came in and did a presentation.”
Students’ afternoons were jammed with outdoor activity such as hiking nearby blueberry ledges, exploring the Ripogenus Dam and kayaking Togue Pond.
If the students’ reactions when leaving Millinocket is any indication, they’re likely to return.
“The feedback couldn’t have been better from the students, and the homestay families, and the teachers,” Smith said. “The students were crying when they left. They didn’t want to leave.”
Smith said the state sets the tuition rate — based on class time, teacher salaries and other factors — for students attending Stearns from outside the communities the school system serves. Last year, that rate was $13,000 per student for the year. Those requiring room and board paid another $11,000.
“It’s a significant revenue stream for our school system and the member communities, and once you get things flowing, it can really make a difference,” said Smith, who explained that foreign students are usually housed via a “homestay” arrangement with host families in the Millinocket area.
The Chinese students, ages 15-17, will arrive this fall and start classes in September.
These next two months will be a whirlwind of activity. Smith will be traveling to China later this month to help set up a Millinocket sister school in China as part of the dual diploma program established in cooperation with U.S. State Department and Chinese national and school officials.
“We’ve had this in the works for a little over a year,” Smith said. “The class sizes for this school, which will start classes this fall, will be capped at 100.”
There is currently no cap on enrollment for Chinese students at Stearns.
Presque Isle High School, with assistance from University of Maine at Presque Isle, also is starting up a cooperative program with schools in China, Smith said.
“We had students last year from three different communities and provinces in China, so it was a slow start, but I think everything with this program has gone far better than I would have anticipated,” said Smith. “You would have expected some glitches, but it’s been quite successful.”
Influx is an interesting phrase to use. Smith is off to China once again and the people of Millinocket didn’t pass the last budget? I guess they want more money for him to travel? “Significant Revenue stream?” I hope it is at high tide.
The last trip Dr. Smith took to China, he paid for it himself Bruce!!
Last thing I heard from that trip is that he wants to be re-imbursed.
The Chinese students I have met are real good kids. Believe it or not I got a hug from 16 year old last week because he missed his family so much. I guess I was his momentary father. These kids are genuine and touch your heart.
an influx of 2 maybe more whoo hang on folks
The best thing for Millinocket to do is consolidate with east and the next thing to do is fire Smith. If he wants to go to China, have hime get a job there. The school board can’t draw up a budget and the school is a mess. Now we have Arnold Hopkins and je see’s right thru Smith and he will be a great assest to the town of Millinocket.
We have tried to consolidate with East for years…..it isn’t gonna happen….they don’t want to consolidate. I think Dr. Smith is doing a great job. At least he’s thinking outside of the box…something this Town needs! Keep up the good work Dr. Smith!
Millinocket is not the problem on cosolidation, Medway and East have and are.
Millinocket is the problem. They don’t offer the same level of education that East is offering. No AP classes, higher drop out rate and haven’t met AYP in years. I believe East would consolidate now just to get away from Medway. Greg and his cronies are a little full of themselves.
Maybe if they consolidate that would change, but Medway is especially the problem. I think and it is my opinion if they did consolidate, the could start AP classes and other needed classes . I see Greg got his way this year with all the hearsay in the area about Medway coming to Millinocket. It sure put East in their place. It is not just the AP classes, it is attitude. I am in East and Medway enough and have listened to the talk, and it is very seldom about classes or academics. In the vast majority of cases, they do not want to send their kids, because it is Millinocket. Millinocket has bent over backwards in trying to talk to Medway and East. Their comes a point when people simply do not want to listen. We have to remember also that Millinocket’s kids would be going to Schenck for Middle School. As to why not go to Schenck, let and independant firm examine the two facilities, though we know what would be said their. Again an AP class can be started, their is no valid reason (excuse) not to consolidate. I have no problem with the Chinese coming here either. If Dr. Smith wants to go to China, let him pay for it.