HOSTING OVERVIEW- WHAT TO EXPECT

                What is hosting? 

Each school year, ISM hosts various exchanges and tournaments involving sports, arts and cultural activities. During these events, we ask ISM parents and families to host visiting students in their homes. For IASAS events, our visitors stay for 4 nights and come from International School Bangkok, Intercultural School Jakarta, Singapore American School, Taipei American School or International School Kuala Lumpur. For AMIS and ISTA festivals, the range of schools is more varied. Our students directly benefit from the same hospitality when they travel to other schools and participate in similar events. Hosting provides our students with the opportunity to meet families from other schools, cultivate new friendships and significantly reduces the cost of travel for everyone involved.

Who can host and what are the hosting expectations at ISM? 

Any ISM family with the space and time can host! We have had wonderful host families who have had none of their own child participating in events take visitors because they simply want their children to benefit from this wonderful experience. Due to child safety rules, hosts need to take a minimum of two guest anyway, so an age gap is no barrier to hosting. 

That said, while any ISM family is welcome to host, there is an expectation that all ISM students who participate in these programs need reciprocate when ISM is hosting. If students are chosen to represent the school on a team or in a group, the expectation is that their family will host visitors for events held in Manila. For example, if a student is selected to represent ISM at IASAS MUN in Bangkok this November, they need to either house a student for IASAS Art and Film in November OR IASAS Basketball in February. 

What if our family can't host? 

Occasionally, after being selected, a student may find their family is not able to host. In these instances, it is the participant's responsibility to find an alternative family to host on their behalf. The participant will need to let the ATAC or Fine Arts Office know who is fulfilling this responsibility on their behalf and also ensure the hosting form is completed. This is taken very seriously and will be followed up on by the Activities offices to ensure fairness. Often families imagine barriers to hosting that aren't necessarily based on the reality of what is required so reach out to either Mark Pekin or Marsha Hillman to discuss possible barriers if you are unsure. 

What does hosting involve? 

The students typically spend most of the event days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) on campus at ISM participating in the tournament or convention. You will receive a basic pick up and drop off schedule prior to the event, but it is best to have clear communication with guests about their individual schedule to ensure you are all on the same page. Generally schools arrive on Wednesday afternoon or evening and depart on Sunday mornings. IASAS Curfew is 9pm and all students must be at the host's home by this time. Host parents should not allow students to leave the house after curfew for any reason and it is not ok to take students out beyond the curfew time. If students ask, say NO!

IASAS HOSTING TIPS/FAQ’S

Below are some common questions and suggestions about IASAS Housing that experienced IASAS host families think would help a new host family. The IASAS conference, which benefits our HS students immensely, cannot happen without host families.  Thanks for considering this opportunity!

Q- What are the general responsibilities? Transportation, food, a place to sleep and a WARM welcome. Simply treat your guests the way you would wish your own children to be treated when they are hosted.

Q-How do guests get to our homes when they arrive on Wed and depart Sunday? Please plan to meet and pick up your guest on arrival day as taking luggage on the school bus is challenging. The Fine Arts Office will send the information to you via email with pick up times and general schedule. On Sunday please have a plan for dropping them at the ES playground according to the time indicated on the information you have received so they can meet their bus to the airport. On other days, it is fine for the studenyt to arrive and leave with your own child. 

Q- What should I organize on the first night students arrive? Students may be hungry and shy on arrival; please have a meal and or snack ready for them at your home. This helps break the ice and gives you a chance to talk with them about the coming few days. Some key things to arrange include establishing meeting points on campus each day for your child to connect with the host students and discussing the timings of the schedule. Please give them access to house wifi to help them be in contact with their own parents, team mates and coaches. Check with students how their coach intends to do curfew calls. Some schools have set up What's App groups while others will call your landline. 

Q- How do my guests get to and from school each day during the event? As a host it is your responsibility to arrange this. Guests can ride the school bus with your own children when it fits the schedule, but often they are staying on campus too late to catch the late bus home. Students can ride in grab taxis but only in pairs and in the company of an ISM host student or parent. Please do not send guests in taxis by themselves…this is not allowed and a safety risk for students not familiar with Manila! If you live nearby in BGC, students can walk home with you or your chid. However, a guest student should not be left to walk home alone. 

Q- What sleeping arrangements need to be provided? A comfortable place to sleep is needed, but it does not always need to be a bed. A mattress, sofa bed, or inflatable mattress on the floor is fine,  as long as it is comfortable for a good nights sleep.  A separate room is preferable where the guests can close the door and have some privacy in the evenings, but sharing a room with your child is also fine as well as long as each person has their own sleeping space. As many guest rooms in Manila are set up with double beds, I ask if this is the only option on the housing form. I then only place students who are happy sharing a bed with their housing buddy in those rooms. 

Q- Must a parent always be home in the evenings? Yes, a parent must be home by curfew time of 9pm to ensure guests are in for the evening. After 9PM, visiting students should receive a curfew call from their coach to check that they have made it home safely. This used to be done on the house landline and sometimes still is. However, What's App groups are becoming more common and sometimes a fun photo challenge is used:) Either way, expect some form of communication from coaches. Occasionally, parents might know they will be a little late on one of the nights and will let the AD know at time of registering so they can assess whether this is still a suitable housing situation. In most cases, parents make alternative arrangements to have an adult in the space such as a grand parent or other ISM parent.  Household staff are not considered parents and should never be the sole adult in charge overnight. 

Q-What about Laundry? Generally, the only thing students might need cleaning for a Cultural trip is the travel uniform they arrive in. Asking them on arrival if they would like this done would be much appreciated. Of course, you can just show your guests how to do their own laundry and they can do it quickly themselves (some kids have never used a washing machine and actually find it fun to do their own laundry!)

Q- If guests arrive home after curfew of 9pm what to we do? If they have been in contact, they are ok and it is only a minor traffic delay don’t worry, but do tell the coach when they call that they were late home. If you have not heard from them and you are concerned call/ text the ISM AD to report it and let the coach know when they do the curfew call. If they arrive home, let the ISM AD know immediately. The contact number to  the Convention Director will be on the hosting information sent out prior to the event. 

Q- In case of unacceptable behavior or problems who do I contact? Call the ISM Convention Director immediately to let them know so the situation can be rectified ASAP! If you cannot contact the AD, then ring the ISM Principal. 

Q- In case of a medical emergency, who do I call? Call the ISM Activities Director (AD) in charge (Mark Pekin for Athletics or Marsha Hillman for Arts and Cultural events). If you don't get an immediate response when calling the AD, text them a message stating the issue so they contact you ASAP. If the matter is extremely urgent (i.e. the student has not arrived home and you can't contact them or the student needs medical attention), then call the ISM Principal. All visiting coaches stay at the Seda BGC Hotel near school so you can also ring the reception there and leave a message for the student's coach to call you if you can't get a hold of the AD. All phone numbers suggested here will be on the guest information form you will receive the week prior to the event. 

Q- How do we make guests feel welcome? Some ideas from experience host families include: Encourage your own children to engage with the guests, give them a quick tour of the house on arrival, show them the bathrooms, refrigerator, where the towels are etc. Encourage them to relax and feel like they are home. Show them the TV room and get their devices hooked up to wireless internet so they can contact their parents to let them know they are ok. Ask about washing. Upon arrival, all students are given detailed schedules so go over this. Discuss transport arrangements so they are clear how they wil be getting to and from school each day. Some families like to go out for dinner one night, but this is not and expectation. 

Q- Can we take them out for dinner or sightseeing in the local area? Yes of course, but they must be home by curfew of 9pm. Occasionally, the Convention Director can call a later curfew if a schedule runs late, but no individual requests are entertained. Guest students cannot be left by themselves in public spaces such as mall; they must be accompanied by you or your child who is familiar with the space. Some families like to team up with other host families so a group of studnets can meet up for dinner. Again, this is fine as long as A) your child is with your host students and B) this is feasible to do and still be home by curfew. If host students asks to go by themselves without your child to meet up with other students from the convention, tell them NO. 

Q- Are students allowed to leave the house after curfew? NO, not under any circumstances.

Q- Is there a procedure if a student or household member shows signs/symptoms or tests positive for CoVid 19? Yes the IASAS AD's/Principals/Superintendents have approved a document of protocols to follow should this happen. To summarize, the school will have standby rooms to shift students to if they tested positive whilst here. In the past, some families have been lucky enough to have a separate space to isolate the student, which has been much appreciated, but is not an expectation. 

If you have any questions, please email the ISM Arts Director, Marsha Hillman (HillmanM@ismanila.org) or stop by the Fine Arts Office (next to the AMR) to speak to her in person.