EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS

At Hautlieu School, we have always placed immense importance on fostering cultural exchange and personal growth in our students. In line with this goal, we recently launched the Jersey exchange programme in partnership with the Oregon International School (OIS.) This initiative involves Hautlieu students spending four weeks with American host families and attending classes alongside their American peers. In turn, American students have the opportunity to spend the same four weeks at Hautlieu School and experience life in Jersey. The programme has already proven immensely beneficial to our students, who participated in the inaugural year of 2022. Hautlieu Editor Lynne Magowan had the privilege of speaking with Jamie Barton, Assistant Principal at OIS and the founder of the programme, to gain insights into the advantages of such international school exchanges. Images courtesy of Lee Campbell and Kris McKadam.

I started by asking Jamie about her teaching background and to explain to me how she got involved in setting up the Jersey/Oregon exchange opportunity.

“I currently hold the position of associate principal at Oregon International School which is part of the Baker school district here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Prior to this, I spent 20 years teaching high school history.

Over the years, I have also led around 15 or 16 international trips for students. Given my experience and expertise, I was approached by the school to organise the first trip for Oregon International School. Although I work for the institution, I had not planned to accompany the students. However, the school suggested that I lead the trip and set everything up. I agreed and worked with Hautlieu Assistant Principal Lee Campbell to make all necessary arrangements.

“I’ve previously worked with a different school and have had the opportunity to take students to six out of the seven continents. Our destinations have included Australia, New Zealand, Morocco and Egypt, among others. However, with this experience, we were more selective in choosing sister schools for a more permanent educational exchange.”

To this end, Hautlieu School seemed alike, an excellent fit for us in terms of its size, curriculum, and educational approach.

I then asked how the initial visits had gone for both the American and Jersey students.

“I work with a colleague in Oregon who oversees the inbound programs and ensures that kids from Jersey who are going to Oregon are well taken care of and have a wonderful time. I heard that they recently visited Walmart over the weekend and had a blast. It’s not uncommon for Europeans to be fascinated with Walmart due to its massive size and wide range of products. It’s a unique concept for some, but it’s definitely a one-stop-shop for everything you could possibly need! Joking aside, the students from Jersey had the opportunity to explore an unfamiliar cultural and geographical landscape in this part of the Pacific Northwest. This vast and untamed region is incredibly different from their everyday lives with its towering mountains, and lush forests populated by grizzly bears.

The region is a natural paradise, which also features a rich cultural tapestry of diverse influences from the indigenous tribes that have lived here for centuries to the waves of immigrants who now call it home. The diversity of the region is evident in everything from the cuisine to the music, and the art and literature created here. And yes, your students really took the opportunity to immerse themselves in it when they could.

For our (American) students, the focus was not only on formal education, but also on experiential learning, such as pushing boundaries and exploring Jersey’s amazing coastline. In my opinion, this is where experiential education plays a vital role in shaping confidence. Young people mostly learn by pushing boundaries and exploring. Baker City is a small rural town – a bit like living in Jersey, but instead of being surrounded by sea you’re surrounded by forest and wilderness – so for some of them, getting in the sea proved to be a challenge, and one or two were terrified of getting swept away. However, they soon learned that it is all about trusting yourself and being aware of the surroundings. By staying in safe spots and avoiding riptides, you can enjoy the sea without fear.

We have also observed our students becoming more confident because of going on to visit places in the UK, like London especially, since public transportation is not readily available for kids in our small hometown of Baker City.

As a result, they have had to learn to navigate their way around, which has proven to be an excellent opportunity for growth and learning. This experience has equipped them with valuable life skills that will benefit them moving forward in their lives.

I went on to ask Jamie about the difference between the American and Jersey educational system and how this exchange programme might benefit students studying on them.

When we talk about US high schools, we have two options: IB [International Baccalaureate] or AP[Advanced Placement] and both are equally good for getting university credits. However, Baker High School does not offer IB, but that doesn’t mean AP is any less challenging or rigorous. It’s important to note that “college” and “university” are used interchangeably in this context.

As a part of my job, I have the opportunity to bring in students from all corners of Oregon to study abroad. We are exploring the possibility of collaborating with an International Baccalaureate school or sending IB students. Our aim is to identify a way to involve our AP students who have a stronger inclination towards IB courses in special projects in the future.

For instance, they could work together on a biodiversity project, researching and studying it in both locations. Even if they aren’t there at the same time, they could still collaborate remotely.

There are numerous avenues for growth and development in this regard.

Finally, I asked Jamie what her and her students enduring memory of Jersey would be, and she returned to the concept of the sea.

It has been an exhilarating and enlightening experience for many students who have not had the chance to interact with the sea before. This experience has proven to be an excellent opportunity for personal growth and valuable life skills development. In short, this fulfilling and enriching experience has left a positive impact on everyone involved and we can’t wait to come back!

Forging A New Partnership

On April 26th 2022, a signing ceremony took place at the Baker School District 5J’s District Office in Baker City, Oregon, where representatives of the Government of Jersey and Hautlieu School joined representatives of Oregon International School to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that solidifies their sister-school relationship.

In addition to signing the formal MOU, representatives signed a Certificate of Appreciation and Partnership that read, in part:

“This certificate commemorates the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the students and educators of Baker School District 5J and their new sister-school partners at Hautlieu School of St. Saviour, on the Isle of Jersey. The undersigned stand committed to a long-lasting collaboration between our schools; one underpinned by our common commitment to the academic success of all students as they prepare to take leadership roles in an ever-connected global community.”