Host Family FAQs

Students are in the U.S. for the 10-month academic year. However, international students at Harvey are here to study for at least a year or up to four years of high school. Some are intending to graduate high school from Harvey.

Yes. All our international students have been interviewed online or in person to ensure that they have the necessary qualifications to succeed at Harvey. Their English will be satisfactory for them to attend all their classes at Harvey that are taught in English.

It is likely that there will be some language barriers upon their arrival, but you will witness improvement in their English speaking skills of leaps and bounds over the course of the academic year!

Prior to your student's arrival, host families must attend a mandatory orientation.

During a student's stay, you should provide:

• Three meals each day or as applicable during time in your home, including one hot home-cooked meal.
• Transportation to The Harvey School. Pick-up on Friday afternoon after the last school activity (last class or extracurricular) with return Sunday night after 6:30 p.m. or Monday morning in time for the first class of the day.
• Bedroom (private, if possible) with bed, dresser, closet, desk with reading lamp, chair in a quiet place to study, and washer/dryer access.
• English speaking environment.
• Making periodic contact with IS Residential Coordinator.
• Under extenuating circumstances. home care for the student if they cannot be in the dormitory during the weekday.
• Transportation to and from medical appointments and pick up of medicines.
• Weekend homework oversight and attending required Harvey meetings.
• Knowing the whereabouts of your student at all times that they are in your charge.

For 2021-22, compensation of $5,000 per student is provided to families to cover costs incurred when hosting. In addition, families are provided with support during integration and in case of emergency, bilingual conflict guidance and mediation, and training on protocols and cultural sensitivity.

The stipend is intended to cover three meals a day, transportation to and from school each week, and general living costs (heat, electric, water, Wi-Fi).

The student is responsible for their own personal expenses. Host families should not pay for an incidental expenses. If your family decides to take a trip or extended vacation during the time that the host student is intended to be within your care, it is up to your discretion to cover the costs of including the student, or you may find an appropriate person to cover their care. The International Student Program directors at Harvey are here to assist you in these cases.

Yes. Hosts are contracted to provide the service of hosting an international student. All hosts are required to submit a W-9 and are issued a 1099 form at the end of the fiscal year. The stipend is taxable over two years.

For the 2021-22 school year:

• There are 33 weekends and some short holidays that The Harvey School observes during which your international student will live with you.
• The first weekend will be September 10-12, 2021.
• The last weekend will be June 3-5, 2022.
• The short holidays are:
  • Yom Kippur - September 16, 2021
  • Columbus Day - October 11, 2021
  • Parent Conference Days - October 25 & November 1, 2021
  • Veterans Day - November 11, 2021
  • Thanksgiving holiday - November 24-28, 2021
  • MLK Day - January 17, 2022
  • Presidents Day - February 21, 2022
  • Good Friday - April 15, 2022
  • Memorial Day - May 30, 2022

* Faculty Professional Development Days - several throughout the school year, still to be determined.

No. During Winter Break (December 17, 2021 through January 2, 2022) and Spring Break (two weeks in March 2022), international students will typically return home to their native countries.

No. You should expect the same behavior from your host student that you expect from your own children. During the host family orientation, we will review expectations and communication techniques to ensure that students understand host families' rules and expectations and adhere to them.