A 20-year deal linking Oxford Schools with the Weiming Education Group for a dormitory to house 200 international students was approved in a 5-1 vote on a renewed agreement between the two entities at the Feb. 11 regular meeting.
Trustee Joyce Brasington was opposed and Trustee Kim Shumaker was absent.
Brasington said she opposed the deal for a few reasons including: how 200 more students will impact the high school as whole, the professional development of teachers as they integrate that large population into their classrooms, as well as the time staff members spend on global initiatives compared to the everyday teaching and learning that should take place in the classroom. She also noted concern about the length of the contract.
“What could possibly happen in our state Legislature and the communist government of China? I don’t know what 20 years holds,” Brasington told this reporter.
With that said, Brasington noted that while she voted ‘no,? now that it’s over she will stand in support of the majority of the board.
President Jim Reis pointed out that not all 200 students will be coming when they plan to open the two-level dormitory in Jan uary 2016.
‘It won’t be 200, boom! Soon as we go on this, there aren’t 200 (students) coming over,? Reis said. ‘I believe next year we’re going to have 60, then the following year 120 maybe to 150 and then by 2017 be 200.?
‘Then you also have to keep in mind that there are eight additional classrooms that are in this agreement now that we’ll be able to use in the international residence hall, plus a dance room and the commons area,? he added. ‘It’s going to create an area where we can have blocks of classes, so it won’t be every time the bell rings there is going to be 200 International Academy to Oxford High School pushing back and forth.?
For and against
As far as the crowd that attended the meeting, opinions were mixed between those who were for and against the project.
Roger Sovis shared two stories as to how having foreign exchange students had impacted his family through cultural exchange.
‘What a wonderful experience for my kids firsthand to hear about all these different cultures, to experience what the Chinese share with us, it’s a great program,? Sovis said. ‘I want to thank (Superintendent) Dr. (William) Skilling and this school board for providing that opportunity for me and my family.?
Jeremy LaValley, a counselor at the high school, said he’s in a unique position because not only does he get to work with some of the foreign students at the school, but his family has hosted three year-long exchange students.
‘It’s just been an overwhelming positive experience. My two boys love playing with James and Jason (from China) who lives with us now. Jack who lived with us previously still stays in touch. He attends Central Michigan and comes to our family’s house for Thanksgiving, Christmas and he still asks about the boys. He’s still very interested and invested in them,? LaValley said. ‘It’s just been a great experience all around. I just hope that James and Jason have enjoyed it as much as my family has.?
Resident Brian Meixell said they’ve enjoyed the exchange program from the opposite perspective as his daughter is the first student from Oxford to go to China for a year and it’s been a positive experience, but he also hit it from a business perspective. Miexell who works for General Motors said he’s on the phone almost every night with China and, according to him, they need help being able to communicate with each other, which is why he sees the current program as such an advantage to Oxford students.
‘I think it’s good for the community, relative to the businesses, I think it’s good for our students to be around the Chinese and I think it’s (good) for us relative to our students for learning the Chinese language and getting the correct dialect and so on,? he added. ‘I see nothing but positives out of this.?
However, not everyone was gung-ho about the project.
‘I think these are great stories. Exchange students have been around for years and it’s a wonderful thing for those people who host them and the kids, but you’re talking about one out of every four kids will not be from Oxford,? Derek Meyers said. ‘Are you sure what you’re doing here is correctly going to impact our kids in this community?
‘Have you actually asked the community what they want to do? You’re affecting a lot of things here,? he continued. ‘I’m not against foreign exchange students. I think it’s a wonderful thing, but one in four is a bit much.?
It was later pointed out that the ratio would be closer to one-out of every eight students would be Chinese.
Resident Charlie Stevens also had concerns about the 200 students.
‘Though the percentage of total population is not 20 percent, if you have 100 students in the eleventh grade and 100 in the twelfth grade and you assume 400 is one of the total number in one of the graduating classes that is 20 percent of that class,? he explained. ‘That is really going to shift to a a large degree of the focus of what our teachers are being asked to educate . . . If there is a language barrier the teacher needs to spend more time to assist students, especially with this large number of students who may have a language barrier that is going to impact our students.?
Stevens said he could see the benefit to Oxford students if the number of students coming was limited to 10. He also thinks that housing them in a dormitory, instead of with host families will cause those students to miss out on the ‘American experience.?
‘I don’t think there is going to be that cross (exchange) benefit, but it will be interesting to see how that all works out in the long run,? he said.
Overall, Stevens just doesn’t see it in the best interest for Oxford, especially with a 20-year agreement.
‘Twenty ears is a big long ‘chance,?? he said. ‘That’s not a let’s see if it works this year or give two or three years. This is 20 years.?
All said and done
Trustee Mike Schweig was originally against the project when he was running as a board candidate last year. But he’s seen enough changes to satisfy his concerns.
‘Over the past few months, we’ve gone from a 75-year lease and building it on school grounds to a 20-year lease and it’s being built on private property,? Schweig said. ‘Overall, I think that is a benefit and a move in the right direction. Personally, I feel that was advantageous.?
However, Schweig pointed out he is still concerned about better integration between the foreign students and Oxford’s own.
‘There is some revenue that is produced (from this agreement), which I think is important and that helps the district, but the benefit to Oxford kids directly is the interaction they have with these students while they’re here. I think we need to maximize that as much as possible and I would love for us to do that in the future.?
According to Oxford High School Principal Todd Duckley, they will be planning fun social activities to encourage that interaction such as movie night, game night, going to the mall, canoe trips and similar activities.
Like Schweig, Board Secretary Mark Stepek was concerned at first but he too, believes this is heading ‘in the right direction.? And while there is risk in taking a 20-year agreement, he looks at it as preparation for what’s going to be a ‘different world? for future generations.
‘I think when you’re plowing the path for a program like this, you have to take (a) risk and you have to look at what (the) overall benefits can be to our world,? he said. ‘Not quite as important as landing on the moon maybe, but I think it’s a great step forward and I’m in favor of it.?
Board Treasurer Dan D’Alessandro agreed the world is changing and even though he can’t think what it’s going to be like 20 years down the road, he knows he doesn’t want to rely on the state to bail them out financially when they need it.
‘They’re not going to front us the money. They’ve got other things to worry about,? D’Alessandro said. ‘So, we as a board, as a district have decided we have to figure out a way to move forward and not being relying on anyone else and this is the way we chose to do it.?
Vice President Carol Mitchell said she still remembers the first agreement they had with one of their other Chinese partners a few years ago and since then Oxford has continued to get better.
‘I don’t want it affect our kids in a bad way because we’re bringing Chinese students in. I just feel yes we are paving and plowing a road, but I don’t think people understand how much Oxford is sought out because we are paving the road,? she said. ‘They want to get in on it.?
‘We are the ones that are bumping along. We’re making the mistakes, learning and correcting. They want in on this,? she continued. ‘Don’t fool yourself, if you don’t think one community around here surrounding (Oxford) doesn’t want this. They’d give their left arm to have it. We’re very fortunate.?
Having had foreign exchange students in his home, Reis related to the stories given by some of the families.
‘We’ve talked about this being outside of the box and stepping outside of the box, trying to find new revenue streams,? he said. ‘And for me, it’s always been the priceless cultural experience for myself and my family.?
However, Reis said that people can’t expect Weiming to build a dorm for millions of dollars and only try it out for six months.
‘It’s basically a business deal. We’re making a business deal for an International Residence Hall and no one in their right mind would build a $6 or $10 million building for a trial period of year to see if this works or not,? he said. ‘It’s a give and take both ways. It’s a risk on their part and risk on the school district’s part because we’re thinking outside the box.?