PARKSVILLE — The school district is looking for families to host international students, especially at the middle school level.
The district hosts around 150 students a year from all over the world and while most are high school age, they have trouble finding families for the small number of Grade 6 to 8 students they get.
Co-ordinator Sandi Wassbauer said they are particularly struggling to find a family for a student hoping to attend Springwood Middle School in September.
She said they get more calls from people wanting to help than they can use, pointing out they want families with students around the same age who go to the school to help give the right support and immersive experience.
She said they are always looking for host families for homestay opportunities ranging from a couple weeks to a full year and the families are provided some compensation for their kind efforts.
Students come from all over the world with a lot from Asia, Brazil, Spain and especially Germany in recent years.
Interested families should contact Sandi at 250-951-0857 or homestay@sd69.bc.ca.