October 16, 2015 Dear Students, th​
th​
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We are very excited to announce an incredible opportunity available to 10​
, 11​
or 12​
grade students who are in Spanish III or above. As you know, several years ago we began an exchange program with Real Colegio Alfonso XII, a private school run by the Augustinian fathers located in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain. Usually three or four of our students travel to Spain in January, and we in turn host girls from Spain in March or April. We have been communicating with the director of the program at the colegio, Susana Cascajo, and are ready to plan for the seventh year of the exchange. This year four or five of our Notre Dame students will travel to Madrid on January 2 or 3 and will remain with host families in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (about an hour away from Madrid) until January 23. The ND girls will be able to see firsthand the celebration of Reyes Magos (the feast of the Epiphany). They will then be able to attend school with their host sisters before returning home. We would make special arrangements for our students to finish their school work and exams for the first semester at ND. San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a fascinating town in and of itself. The Colegio is actually located in the main attraction of the locale, the monastery/palace complex built by King Philip II in 1584. The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The town's close proximity to Madrid will afford the Notre Dame students with the opportunity to explore Spain's enchanting capital. A member of our faculty will accompany the girls for the first week to help get them settled with their host families in Spain. Current students who have previously attended classes at the Colegio, senior Emily Brown and juniors Derby Allman and Erin Mongeluzi, have graciously agreed to answer any of your questions. Please do not hesitate to contact them. The families whose daughters participate in the exchange will in turn be expected to host students from Spain. We cannot guarantee that the students will be from the host families of our girls. Be assured that the Colegio has a careful selection process for participants in the program. The tentative dates for the Spanish girls’ stay with us will be April 2 or 3 to April 23 or 24. The cost of this program, depending on fluctuating air fare, etc., should range between $2600­$2800. If you are interested in being one of the participants in this program, you will need to do the following: ● Write a 100 word essay in Spanish explaining why you are interested in participating in a Spanish exchange program. ● Write a 150 word essay in English describing how you and your Spanish guest would spend time while she is in the United States. ● Sign the form agreeing to host a Spanish exchange student. ● Sign the form agreeing to uphold the expectations of a Notre Dame student that are outlined in the ​
Student Handbook​
. ● Meet the following deadlines: o Submit application with 2 essays by Thursday, October 26. o If selected, pay for half the trip by November 13 and the final half by December 5. Sincerely, (Ms.) Jennifer Nobles, Dean of Students (Mrs.) Rosemary Guarino, Head Spanish Teacher Application Form for Exchange Program Please detach and return this form with your two essays to Ms. Nobles by Monday, October 26. The essays should not be on the same page. In consideration of the educational opportunity offered through the Spanish Exchange Program between the Academy of Notre Dame and El Escorial, we request that our daughter___________________________ be considered as a candidate for this program. If she is selected, we agree o to host a student from El Escorial for 3 weeks in April.
o to offer this student opportunities of enrichment through some local trips, such as ballgames, historic Philadelphia, the shore, and/or New York or Washington. o to meet our Spanish guest at the airport on her arrival and bring her to the airport for her departure o to arrange and pay for private tutoring if our daughter has difficulty making up missed work o We also agree to pay for half the trip by November 7 and the final half by December 5. __________________________________ Parent Signature Date ************ If I am selected for this opportunity, I agree o to uphold the expectations of a Notre Dame student that are in the ​
Student Handbook o to be in contact with my ND teachers on a regular basis so that I can work on assignments while in Spain o to see each teacher on my return from Spain and arrange to make up all missed work within a 2 week time frame of my return o to escort my Spanish “sister” to all my classes unless arrangements with Ms. Nobles have been made for special accommodations o to plan for another hostess for my Spanish “sister” if I am absent from school o to plan for my Spanish sister to be occupied when I have a sports or co­curricular activity in which she may not participate __________________________________ Student Signature
Date