Twenty-six students from six different foreign countries are part of our diverse student body this year. The largest number of students — 18 — hail from China, with the rest coming from Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. While the students are primarily in high school, Mrs. Hopwood’s sixth grade class gave a warm welcome this week to 11-year-old Gabriel Gombedza from Zimbabwe (pictured above right), who is in the United States for the first time and is living with a host family in Somers Point.
Admissions Director Heidi Sray works with several different agencies to arrange placement of the international students and oversees connecting them with host families. According to Sray, ACS is in its 11th year of providing an international student program. Faculty member Patti Scardilli is once again teaching several English Language Learner classes to help the students strengthen their English proficiency, joined by faculty members Anne Dice, who teaches Cultural Connections, and Dena Johnson, who teaches ELL Bible.