American Institute for Foreign Study Foundation Academic

Local Coordinator 2016-2017 Academic Year Contract

AIFS Foundation/Academic Year in America | 1 High Ridge Park, Stamford, CT, 06905

Tel (203) 399-5000 or (800) 322-4678 | Fax (203) 724- 1536 | www.academicyear.org

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American Institute for Foreign Study Foundation

Academic Year in America


Please read this document thoroughly and carefully, as it fully explains the role of the Local Coordinator including responsibilities and compensation. Your information and signature are required on the last page.

Contract valid from February 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017 between Academic Year in America (AYA) of the American Institute for Foreign Study Foundation, 1 High Ridge Park, Stamford, CT 06905, which covers the 2016- 2017 academic year. Payment stipends for all 2015-2016 students will are included in the 2015-2016 Local Coordinator Academic Year Contract.

The Academic Year in America (“AYA”) program provides a homestay/high school experience for foreign teenagers under program guidelines established to comply with the United States Department of State regulations.

CONTRACT FOR SERVICES TERM This Contract (the “Contract”) will become effective on the date stated above and will be in effect until June 30th, 2017 unless sooner terminated.

NATURE OF CONTRACT Contractor agrees that they are an independent contractor of AYA, and that they have no status as an employee of AYA, AIFS, Inc., the AIFS Foundation, or any other related entity. As an independent contractor, the Contractor will exercise independent discretion and judgment, and has control over the method, time, manner, means and location of performing the services in question, as well as the sequence thereof, subject to program regulations and rules as interpreted by the Foundation.

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY LOCAL COORDINATOR

The Local Coordinator shall perform the following services acting solely as an independent contractor and nothing in this Contract shall be construed as creating an employee, agency, partnership, joint venture, or any other relationship between AYA and the LC. The Local Coordinator is responsible for fulfilling all program guidelines and, as a professional working with local resources, is expected to make the programs as culturally rewarding as possible.

1. The Local Coordinator is an independent contractor who agrees with AYA to: A. place and supervise students in the AYA program. B. complete Second/Follow-up visits for AYA placements. C. complete Local Coordinator in-home visits. D. understand and implement program rules, guidelines, and federal regulations governing the AYA program.

2. Limitations: AYA may limit the number of services to be provided by the Local Coordinator at the discretion of the National Office.

MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE & COMPLIANT STATUS

1. To be considered active, the Local Coordinator must have the following current, signed paperwork on file at the AYA National Office for 2016 by the due date determined by AYA: A. 2016 Contract B. Online Host Family Application (every 365 days) C. Six (6) required photos of his/her home (every 365 days) D. Online Background Check

2. To be considered active, the Local Coordinator must have the following current, trainings and certifications on file at the AYA National Office for 2016 by the due date determined by AYA: A. Dept. of State annual certification. B. Any required refresher trainings offered by the AYA National Office.

http://www.academicyear.org/




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C. At least 2 L.E.A.R.N (Local Coordinator Education & Resource Network) professional development sessions of the Local Coordinator's choosing, during the academic year, in addition to Department of State annual training and AYA annual refresher training(s). Any in-person, AYA-led seminars and trainings will be applicable towards the total number of L.E.A.R.N sessions completed.

3. All active Local Coordinators must: A. have access to the internet at home. B. have a personal cellular phone. C. have a valid driver’s license and vehicle. D. must not be receiving government assistance. E. be able to house a student he/she is supervising in the event of an emergency, or arrange for a vetted, emergency

family. 4. Contact Information: The Local Coordinator is required to update the AYA National Office and the online Host Family

Application if there are any changes in name, address, contact information, and/or members of the household.

PLACEMENT

The Local Coordinator will annually identify, screen and select potential host families and will place a minimum of one student per year otherwise all previously earned Bonus Points will become null and void.

1. Host Family Recruitment:

A. Families or individuals who receive needs-based subsidies may not become host families.

B. All host parents recruited must be twenty-five (25) years of age or older.

C. The Local Coordinator will not make placements beyond 120 miles of the home of an active AYA Local Coordinator authorized to act in routine and emergency matters from a student’s participation in the AYA program without prior approval from the National Office.

D. The Local Coordinator may not knowingly be party to a placement (including a pre-placement) based on athletic ability, whether initiated by a student, host family, school, or any other interested party.

E. All contents of the submitted Placement paperwork submitted by the Local Coordinator to the National Office must be accurate to the best of the Local Coordinator's knowledge. The Local Coordinator must not knowingly be a party of falsification of Placement documentation, or the Contract will be terminated immediately.

2. Host Family Screening and Selection:

A. The Local Coordinator will conduct an interview in the host family home with all household members present, take the 6 (six) required photos of the home/ family at the time of the visit, and submit them to Compliance.

B. The Local Coordinator will conduct a minimum of 2 reference checks (unless it is a Single Placement) provided by the family, neither of which may be an AYA employee or representative, host family relative, or employed by any member of the household.

C. The Local Coordinator will ensure that the host family completes an online Host Family Application (including the 6 required photos), a Background Check Release form online, and will ensure that these forms (either online or in print) are submitted promptly to the AYA National Office.

D. The Local Coordinator will ensure that all required placement paperwork is received by the AYA National Office within 2 weeks of student placement, or deadline provided by the National Office.

3. Protecting Student Information:

A. The Local Coordinator will ensure that students’ personal information including, but not limited to: last name, photo, address, phone, email or other personal information and contact details is not given to families and will further ensure that students are not contacted directly by families, schools or Local Coordinators until the placement has been vetted and approved by the National Office, and the student has been informed of the placement.





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B. The Local Coordinator must receive approval from the National Office before promoting student information in any way, including via social media and the internet.

4. High School Enrollment:

A. The Local Coordinator will place AYA students in accredited public or private schools only.

B. The Local Coordinator will meet with local high school administrators, counselors and other school personnel and brief them on the AYA program. Developing individual relationships with high school personnel is strongly encouraged.

C. The Local Coordinator will obtain a High School Enrollment form signed and dated by a school administrator for each placed student. The form must be submitted to the AYA National Office within two (2) weeks of initial placement or prior to the student’s move into the school district for re-placements.

D. The Local Coordinator will also provide the high school administrator a copy of the placed student’s AYA application, and will maintain a record of the date when this information was given to the school.

E. In addition, the Local Coordinator will obtain a written statement from the school in the event the school agrees to accept five (5) or more students in a school year.

5. Assignments: During the placement season, a Local Coordinator may commit to placing an available student with a Host Family by taking that student on assignment, per permission from the National Office.

A. If the Local Coordinator is unable to find a family within 30 days, the student will be returned to the available pool of students. Returning a student from an assignment to the available pool will result in a loss of 25 bonus points. This policy will be strictly enforced.

B. All assignments must be converted within 30 days. If not, your qualification for National Meeting will be lost and you will need to meet the goal for the next qualification deadline.

C. Assignments will be given to Local Coordinators at the discretion of the National Office, not to exceed 10 students at one time.

D. The number of a Local Coordinator’s assignments will be monitored by the Regional Director.

E. Assignments may not be exchanged for another. All assignments taken by the LC result in a commitment to placing that specific student only.

F. Assignments must be converted to full placements in order to received payment and/or any incentives offered at the time the assignment was made. Failure to place assigned students may result in disciplinary action for the Local Coordinator, including but not limited to a restriction on taking further assignments and loss of National Meeting credit, bonus points or other incentives offered.

6. Double Placement:

A. The Local Coordinator may place two exchange students with one host family, known as a double placement, only when he/she provides the written Double Placement Agreement for the Local Coordinator and Host Family.

B. The Local Coordinator is required to notify AYA if a host family will be hosting one AYA student and one student from another organization, and must provide the same paperwork. AYA will collect signed agreements from the students and natural parents.

C. Only after all paperwork has been received will the double placement be allowed per U.S. Department of State regulations. Students in a double placement cannot be from the same country or speak the same native language.

D. Under no circumstances will the Local Coordinator place more than 2 students in any one host family home.

E. The Local Coordinator must disclose information regarding any other exchange student (regardless of age, education level, or visa type) living in their home or a host family’s home in writing and ensure this information is included in the Online Host Family application.





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F. If the Local Coordinator has a double placement in his or her own home, the Local Coordinator must secure an emergency host family within 60 miles of himself/herself should the need arise to emergency host a student he/she is supervising.

7. Host Family Orientation:

A. The Local Coordinator will provide a mandatory AYA Host Family Orientation for each family prior to their student’s arrival.

B. The Local Coordinator will re-orient the host family for each year that a family hosts.

C. Local Coordinators who host an AYA student are required to attend an AYA-led Host Family Orientation.

D. The Orientation and Interview may not be done on the same day: the Orientation must only be conducted after the family has been fully approved by the AYA National Office.

E. The Local Coordinator will ensure that each household member receives the orientation information and that the required form is complete and submitted to the AYA office by September 1st, 2016 or within two weeks of the student’s arrival.

8. Placement Cancellations:

A. Student Cancellations: Should a placement be cancelled due to a student cancellation, the Local Coordinator is entitled to keep that placement payment if all required paperwork was received within 2 weeks of the date of placement, or the deadline as determined by the National Office. If paperwork is received after a student cancellation, the Local Coordinator will not be paid. The Local Coordinator will not earn National Meeting credit for a cancelled placement. However, if the Local Coordinator places a different student with the Host Family, the Bonus Points will be awarded and National Meeting credit will be awarded based on the date of the original placement with that host family.

B. Host Family Cancellations: Should a placement be cancelled due to a Host Family cancellation prior to the student's arrival, the Local Coordinator will make every effort to re-place the student with another vetted host family. If the Local Coordinator does not replace the student, the Placement stipend will not be paid. If the Placement stipend has already been paid, the Local Coordinator will return the money to the National Office, returned in full.

C. School Cancellations: All placements require high school enrollment approval prior to being approved and submitted for compensation. Should a high school choose to rescind enrollment and the student cannot be re-placed in another school, the Local Coordinator is not entitled to keep placement payment, and payment must be returned in full.

SUPERVISION/ STUDENT SUPPORT

The Local Coordinator will provide proper counseling, support and supervision for students and families throughout the year and, in cooperation with the Regional Director and AYA support staff, will resolve any problems that develop with supervised students. The Local Coordinator is responsible for all supervision for his/her student(s) until the students’ departure.

1. Contact with Students:

A. The Local Coordinator will contact each student under his/her supervision at least once every month.

B. The first contact with the AYA student must be a separate, in-person meeting within two weeks of the student’s arrival.

C. AYA requires that each subsequent monthly contact also be a separate, in-person meeting; however, if an in-person contact is impossible in a given month, a phone call, video chat, or documented email may substitute to a maximum of every other month.

D. If a Local Coordinator has made a single placement, that student needs to be seen in-person every month.

E. Each in-person contact with the student must be conducted separately from the Host Family, in an environment that allows the student to speak candidly with the Local Coordinator.

2. Contact with Host Families:

A. The Local Coordinator will contact each Host Family monthly. An in-person visit is not required, but encouraged.





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B. After the initial Host Family Interview, the Local Coordinator will visit each family in their home at least once per semester to confirm it continues to be a suitable host home.

3. Topics to be Covered During Student/ Host Family Contact:

A. The Local Coordinator will thoroughly discuss topics such as (but not limited to): academics, host family adjustment, English proficiency, ability to make friends, budgeting/spending money, overall attitude/adaptation, relationship with the host family, host family concerns, activities the student has participated in, etc.

4. Disciplinary Process:

A. The Local Coordinator must consult with the National Office regarding disciplinary action and problem solving for all AYA students. Local Coordinators must follow the recommendations of the National Office regarding situations including, but not limited to:

i. conducting Mediation/s.

ii. allowing for due process in any situation where student safety is not at risk.

5. Supervision Reports:

A. The Local Coordinator will be responsible for submitting an online, detailed monthly report to the AYA National Office documenting his or her monthly contact with each student and host family that he/she is responsible for supervising, per AYA program and government regulations.

B. A report for each student will be available on the AYA Local Coordinator Portal for each Local Coordinator to fill out and submit by the last day of each month.

C. Failure to submit timely reports may result in disciplinary action including written counseling, forfeiture of payment and contract termination.

6. Second/ Follow-Up Visits: An AYA representative other than the Local Coordinator who recruited, screened and selected the host family must visit each exchange student/host family home.

A. Second Visits: All regular semester and full year placements must be visited within forty-five (45) days following the student(s) arrival in the home.

B. Follow-Up Visits: All welcome placements must be visited within the first thirty (30) days following the student’s arrival in the home, and every subsequent thirty (30) days after the initial visit was made, providing that the given student(s) is/are still in the same home.

i. It is the Local Coordinator's responsibility to check his/her AYA Local Coordinator Portal regularly to confirm Second Visits/ Follow Up requests and complete the reports for confirmed visits on or before the deadline indicated, as required by the Dept. of State.

ii. The Local Coordinator agrees to facilitate such visits for students outside his/her area where possible, and to act in accordance with all forthcoming information from the AYA National Office regarding these visits.

C. Local Coordinators will explain the importance and protocol of the Second/Follow-Up Visit/s to their Host Families.

D. The National Office decides who completes each Second/Follow-Up visit. Local Coordinators will be supportive of any and all Second Visitors assigned to complete Second/Follow-Up visits to the Local Coordinator's Host Family home/s.

7. Student Arrival:

A. The Local Coordinator will make every effort to be present at each AYA student’s arrival to the U.S. If this is not possible, the Local Coordinator will contact the Host Family to inform them and confirm they will meet their student(s) at the airport as scheduled.

8. Student Orientation:

A. The Local Coordinator will conduct the mandatory AYA Student Orientation for each student they place who does not attend AYA’s group orientation and elects to fly directly to their host community.





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B. Orientation must be completed within 2 weeks of the student’s arrival and the Student Orientation form submitted no later than September 30, 2016 or February 1, 2017 for January Semester students.

C. Orientation content is provided by AYA for LC use. Local Coordinators are required to ensure that all students receiving orientation led by the LC view the AYA student safety video and that they answer questions as needed.

D. Local Coordinators are strongly encouraged to involve all students.

E. This is part of the supervision process and compensation is included in the total supervision payment.

9. Student Access to Communication Methods:

A. The Local Coordinator and Host Family will ensure that each student is permitted reasonable access to his/her cellular phone, and/or computer, and/or phone or Internet within the home.

B. AYA students must have reasonable access to contact their Local Coordinator, AYA National Office support staff and natural parents to request support or report concerns.

C. If the Local Coordinator or host parent limits a student’s phone or computer access due to a disciplinary concern, the Local Coordinator must ensure that the student may always have access to a cellular or landline phone in case of emergency.

10. Student Access to Documents: The Local Coordinator and Host Family is never permitted to remove or permit removal of a student’s passport or other government-issued documents from the student’s possession.

11. Prohibitions:

A. The Local Coordinator is prohibited from supervising family members, and from acting both as host family and area supervisor for any AYA student.

B. Local Coordinators are discouraged from supervising close personal friends, and should immediately report any potential conflict of interest to the Regional Director.

12. Restrictions on Authority Figures:

A. The Local Coordinator is not permitted to supervise students with whom they interact from a direct position of trust or authority (such as a teacher, principal, or guidance counselor).

B. The Local Coordinator is required to disclose his/her occupation on the host family application form, and to notify AYA as soon as possible when there is a conflict of interest.

13. Local Coordinator In-home Visits:

A. All Local Coordinators who have placed and/or are supervising a student agree to an annual, in-home visit conducted by another Local Coordinator, or AYA staff member.

B. The Local Coordinator agrees to perform in-home visits for other Local Coordinators outside his/her area where possible, and to act in accordance with all forthcoming information from the AYA National Office regarding these visits.

C. The Local Coordinator/s chosen to complete the Local Coordinator In-Home Interviews is at the sole discretion of the AYA National Office.

14. Host Family Changes:

A. The Local Coordinator is responsible for replacing students into a new host family in the same high school and/or community when a student move is deemed necessary or appropriate by the AYA National Office. The Local Coordinator will not move the AYA student prior to Compliance approval.

B. Whenever possible the Local Coordinator will make every effort to re-place a student in the same school district or within the Local Coordinators jurisdiction. Thirty (30) bonus points will be deducted from the Local Coordinator if a student is moved out of the area, except in cases where an out-of-area transfer has been mandated by the AYA office.

C. Prior to the student’s move, the Local Coordinator will communicate with the Regional Director and submit complete placement paperwork to the AYA office. The Local Coordinator will inform the high school of the Host Family change by obtaining a new signed High School Enrollment Form within 5 days of the student move, only if the student remains in the same high school.





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15. Emergencies:

A. The Local Coordinator is required to protect student safety to the best of his/her ability.

B. If the Local Coordinator comes to believe, or a student reports that he/she is unsafe in a host family home, the Local Coordinator must immediately report the situation to AYA and remove the student from the home immediately. Likewise, if any allegation of abuse, neglect or threat to the student’s safety is reported to the AYA National Office, the Local Coordinator will be responsible for removing the student from the home/situation immediately at the request of AYA.

C. Removing a student immediately from a potentially unsafe situation is AYA’s utmost priority in emergency situations.

D. The Local Coordinator will inform the AYA National Office immediately of any student and/or Host Family emergency. Local Coordinators are required to use their judgment to ensure the student is safeguarded before the National Office is called.

E. The Local Coordinator must inform AYA of the student’s emergency placement, which may only be in the Local Coordinator’s home or in the home of another host family that is already approved to host with AYA for the current program year.

F. If the Local Coordinator is already hosting a student of the same nationality or spoken language, he/she should make alternate arrangements with an AYA-approved host family when possible. In cases where this is not possible, the Local Coordinator must bring student to his or her home immediately until a more suitable arrangement can be made.

16. Local Coordinator Coverage:

A. When the Local Coordinator travels away from the community for 4 days or more, including any AYA-sponsored travel such as the National Meeting, he/she must notify AYA and arrange for supervision coverage by another AYA-approved AYA Local Coordinator, Sponsor Representative, host parent, or community member age 25 or older.

B. If AYA has not previously approved the individual in that program year, he/she must submit a Background Check Release Form with name and contact information at least one week prior to the coverage period.

C. If the Local Coordinator will be absent or unable to effectively supervise for 30 days or more, another Local Coordinator (approved, chosen, vetted, and trained by AYA) must complete the monthly supervision report and will receive payment for that report.

AYA LOCAL COORDINATOR PORTAL

All Local Coordinators must:

1) Enter new Host Family leads into their LC Portal to ensure proper follow-up of any and all leads entered.

2) Check the LC Portal regularly to view and complete required tasks including, but not limited to:

a) Supervision Reports

b) Confirming Second/Follow-Up Visits

c) Completing Second/Follow-Up Visits

d) Completing any and all required training modules

COMPENSATION

In order for the Local Coordinator to receive any form of compensation, the following items need to be updated, completed, and on file each calendar year:

(1) 2016 Contract (2) Online Host Family Application (every 365 days) (3) Six (6) required photos of his/her home: family photo, exterior, living room, kitchen, student's bedroom, and kitchen (every 365 days). (4) Dept. of State annual certification (every 365 days). (5) Annual refresher training(s) and any/all other trainings as required by AYA.





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All compensation information below applies to all 2016-2017 AYA students, including spring semester students. Please note that all 2015-2016 supervision, including spring semester students, will be compensated as per the 2015 LC Contract. Payment stipends for all 2017-2018 students will be included in the 2017-2018 Local Coordinator Academic Year Contract. In consideration of the services to be performed by the Local Coordinator, AYA agrees to pay the Local Coordinator for students placed and supervised during the August 2016 placement season as specified below:

PLACEMENT

Student Placement

Required Items Deadline Stipend

1. Online Host Family Application

2. 6 Required Photos

3. Host Family Interview Form

4. Reference Checks

5. High School Enrollment Form

6. All family members background checked (annually, regardless of previous host experience)

7. Double or Single Placement paperwork (if applicable)

Two (2) weeks after family's student selection

confirmation, or earlier, as specified by the National

Office.

$700 per student for HF lead found by

the LC

(Full-year and Semester students)

(same as above) (same as above)

$400 per student for HF lead found by AYA National

Office

(Full-year and Semester students)

Host Family Interview &

Reference Check

(per AYA's request for another Local

Coordinator who is hosting)

Host Family Interview Form/ HF Reference Check Form



office.

$50 per Interview & Reference

Check

Host Family Change

1. Online Host Family Application

2. Host Family Interview Form

3. High School Enrollment Form (if applicable)

4. All family members background checked (annually, regardless of previous host experience)

5. Double or Single Placement paperwork (if applicable)

6. Host Family Orientation Form

Note: the Host Family Change paperwork above MUST be received AND approved by the National office prior to the student's move.

Immediately after family confirmation of hosting

student

$600

If you were NOT the original

placing LC and you found a

new family for the student

$250

If you were the original Placing

LC

Local Coordinator In-Home Visit

Even though the Local Coordinator may not end up hosting, the Host Family Interview Form must be used and completed.

Specified by the National Office.

$50 per visit





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Student Extensions

Extension paperwork (provided by the National Office) Note: Student must stay with his/her current host family ad must remain in the same high school. Extension must be approved by the National

office.

December 1st, or as otherwise specified by the National

Office.

$100 per student

Student Regional Preference Placement

All Placement paperwork listed above in "Student Placement" for placing a student in their preferred region by June 1st.

Note: This program is not available in every state.



Office.

$200 per Regional

Preference Student

(to be paid in October)

STUDENT SUPPORT

Monthly Supervision Report(s)

Required Items Deadline Stipend

Submission of Student monthly Supervision repots(s) through the Local Coordinator Portal

The last day of each month

$500 per full-year student

($50 per month, per report, per 10-month

student)

$250 per semester student

($50 per month, per report, per 5-month semester student)

Second Visit

(for all semester and full-year students in permanent homes)

Second Visit request confirmed by the Local Coordinator through the LC Portal, and completed through the LC

Portal.

Note: visit must be completed AFTER the student's arrival, never before.

Provided on the LC Portal (60 days after the student's arrival

into the United States).

$100 per visit

Note: Local Coordinators will be

paid for one visit made to a given

home, regardless of the number of

students that need to be visited in the

home.

Follow-Up Visit

(for all students in Welcome

placements)

Follow-Up visit request confirmed by the Local Coordinator through the LC Portal, and completed through the LC

Portal.

Note: visit must be completed AFTER the student's arrival, never before.

Provided on the LC Portal (30 days after the student's arrival

into the United States, and each 30 days thereafter until either a permanent home for the student/s has been found,

or until the family has committed to permanently

hosting the student/s.

$100 per visit

Note: Local Coordinators will be

paid for each visit made to a given

home, regardless of the number of

students that need to be visited in the

home.





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INCENTIVES

1) National Meeting: The Local Coordinator can earn up to two (2) places at AYA’s November 2016 National Meeting for the January 2015/August 2016 placement season.

a) Assignments must be converted prior to the next National Meeting deadline AND may not exceed the 30-day policy in order to have any and all given assignments count towards National Meeting qualification/s.

b) If the Local Coordinator qualifies for the AYA National Meeting but is not able to attend, a cash option may be awarded if specified on the National Meeting Registration Form. National Meeting credits are not transferable. Cash compensation is available only in the amount indicated on the registration form and is not equivalent to value of the National Meeting trip.

c) The Local Coordinator must have an active status at the time of the National Meeting to be eligible to attend. All Local Coordinators are encouraged to attend the National Meeting to receive training and network with other Local Coordinators.

d) Please refer to “Important Notes: Placement Cancellations” for information on National Meeting qualification penalties for cancelled placements.

Deadline

STEP 1:

You must qualify

yourself to attend

by placing

OPTION A:

You can qualify a

companion to join

you by placing

OPTION B:

Or you can qualify

yourself for the

Extension Trip by placing

OPTION C:

You can qualify your NM

companion for the

Extension Trip by placing

By April 1 6 students +4 students +2 students +2 students

By May 1st 7 students +5 students +2 students +2 students

By June 1 8 students +6 students +2 students +2 students

By August 1 10 students +6 students +3 students +3 students

2) Bonus Points: Bonus Points are redeemable per the AYA Bonus Point Booklet. They may be used to purchase office supplies, electronics, airline tickets (please allow adequate time for travel/ airline requests), a spot at the National Meeting, the National Meeting extension trip, and more. a) Only a current, active Local Coordinator can earn and/or redeem Bonus Points. The Local Coordinator may maximize Bonus

Points earned by placing students early. b) Bonus Points are credited twice a year: at the end of the January and August placement seasons for payable placements

and are thereafter available for redemption. c) Bonus Points are non-transferable, and cannot be combined with cash. A maximum of 250 bonus points can be used in a

calendar year.

August Placement Season

Placements made between Bonus Points Earned

Sept 1, 2015 –April 1, 2016 15

April 2, 2016 – June 1, 2016 10

June 2, 2016 – August 1, 2016 5

In order to attend the National Meeting Extension Trip, the LC and guest must attend the National Meeting itself.

New Local Coordinators vetted after August 1, 2015 must make 4 placements to earn one place (8 to earn two places) by August

1, 2016 to qualify and must make 2 placements to earn the Extension Trip for themselves and 2 more for a companion.





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January Placement Season

Placements made between Bonus Points Earned

Sept 1, 2016 – December 15, 2016 5

3) Placement Incentives:

a) Throughout the August placement season, AYA may offer placement incentives to a Local Coordinator. b) Placement incentives will be paid in October 2016. In order to receive any placement incentive, complete placement

paperwork must be received at the AYA National Office within 2 weeks. c) Only one incentive per placement will be offered. d) Incentives are not valid for cancelled placements or unfulfilled assignments. Incentives, including National Meeting

attendance, are not transferable. Other restrictions may apply.

4) Local Coordinator Referral Program: AYA encourages active Local Coordinators to recruit new Local Coordinators they feel would be excellent candidates. By participating in the referral program, active Local Coordinators earn the following benefits (once the new Local Coordinator is vetted): a) The active Local Coordinator will be paid $300 for each new Local Coordinator she/he recruits and that makes a placement

outside new Local Coordinator’s own home. b) The recruiting Local Coordinator will be paid an additional $50 for each 2016 student placed by the new Local Coordinator

outside of his/her home (up to five students) by August 1. c) The recruiting Local Coordinator must refer any potential Local Coordinators through their LC Portal. d) The decision to vet a recruit is at the sole discretion of the AYA National Office.

IMPORTANT NOTES 1) AYA may take disciplinary action against a Local Coordinator for noncompliance with AYA policies and procedures. In such a

case, the Local Coordinator will be notified in writing. 2) The Local Coordinator contract is subject to change at any time. AYA will notify the Local Coordinator, in writing, of changes to

the contract. 3) AYA is not responsible for LC information dispersed by a third-party (ex: school districts, schools, etc.)

4) The contents of all paperwork submitted by the Local Coordinator to the National Office must be accurate to the best of the Local Coordinator's knowledge. The Local Coordinator must not knowingly be a party of falsification of any documentation, or the Contract will be terminated immediately.

OBLIGATIONS OF AYA

AYA agrees to comply with all reasonable requests of the Local Coordinator and to provide access to all documents reasonably necessary to the performance of Local Coordinator’s duties under this Contract.

LIABILITY COVERAGE

As a member of the Academic Year in America team, you are covered as an additional insured under AIFS’s comprehensive general liability policy. The scope of this coverage includes your duties related to advising and assisting students, working with host families and other tasks you perform for AIFS. Academic Year in America’s liability coverage is currently provided through the Admiral Insurance Company with excess and umbrella liability coverage provided by additional insurance companies.

TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Contract, either party hereto may terminate this agreement at any time by giving written notice to the other party. (Bonus Points become null and void upon the Local Coordinator’s termination from the AYA program.) The Local Coordinator is required to notify the AYA National Office in writing if he/ she wishes to terminate his or her contract. If the Local Coordinator has been assigned or has committed to any responsibilities (set forth by the AYA National Office), the Local Coordinator must provide a written notification within two weeks of his/her official contract termination. Any criminal charges confirmed by law enforcement agencies or disclosures on criminal background checks against a Local Coordinator are





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automatic grounds for termination. If any item of this Contract is not fulfilled, it may result in forfeiture of payment and/or disciplinary action by AYA up to and including termination of contract.

LOCAL COORDINATOR CODE OF CONDUCT/PROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR & PERFORMANCE As a representative of AYA you are expected to conduct yourself at all times in a manner which positively reflects the objectives and values of the AYA mission. You also agree to:

1. Abide by and comply with all program and governmental regulations. It is AYA’s responsibility to provide training on all regulations, however, it is your responsibility to actively participate in all trainings and understand all program and federal requirements. You must know enough to determine when to seek advice from supervisors, management and appropriate AYA personnel.

2. At all times, you must be focused on the safety and welfare of your AYA students. It is your responsibility to actively monitor each of your students in compliance with program and federal regulations, and immediately report and act on any conditions or allegations that have compromised or have the potential to negatively impact a student’s overall health or well being; this includes but is not limited to poor living conditions, health concerns, emotional duress and/or allegations of physical, sexual abuse, or neglect.

3. Conduct yourself professionally and cordially with all AYA staff and program participants, including but not limited to high school personnel, host families, students and other AYA representatives, including with all written and verbal communication and documentation.

4. You must wear and display your Local Coordinator identification badge at all times when performing all duties that are required by the AYA National Office.

5. Local Coordinators using our marketing materials to promote the AYA program must not alter our promotional materials in any way. Use of the AYA logo must have prior approval from the AYA Office.

6. The Local Coordinator agrees that all AYA literature, papers and information are the property of AYA and must be returned immediately upon expiration or termination of the Contract. Such information includes, but is not limited to, names of other Local Coordinators, overseas partners, host families, Local Coordinator identification badges, and the LC Resource Guide. The Local Coordinator further agrees not to divulge such information to anyone or to use such information in any way outside the regular course of performance of this Contract on behalf of AYA.

7. Issue no false or deliberately misleading statements or advertisement concerning the AYA program to the media, the public or any other persons affiliated with the program. This includes information transmitted via email and social networking sites.

8. As an independent contractor with AYA, any and all social media accounts and websites must professionally reflect the goals and standards of AYA. We recommend that all Local Coordinators create separate social media accounts, and these accounts must abide by all AYA Social Media Guidelines.

9. Contact the AYA National Office prior to conducting any live interviews with the media. 10. Refrain from and report any behavior that may bring the AYA program notoriety or disrepute. 11. Take personal accountability for recognizing and reporting any breaches of conduct or program or federal regulations. 12. Serve all program participants of the AYA program impartially, including AYA students, host families and staff persons. 13. During the term of this Contract the Local Coordinator, as an independent contractor, is free to accept any and all other

employment, so long as such employment does not detract measurably from the ability to perform this agreement and does not involve the abuse or misuse of AYA’s confidential information or proprietary materials and does not otherwise raise a reasonable question as to the suitability of the Local Coordinator to work with teenagers or constitute a clear conflict of interest. The Local Coordinator further agrees to disclose to AYA any other employment relationship as might affect the Local Coordinator’s ability to perform this agreement.

14. If criminal charges are brought against the Local Coordinator, the Local Coordinator must notify AYA immediately. 15. The Local Coordinator is required to check their LC Portal on a regular basis to view required tasks such as Supervision Reports,

Second Visits, training modules, and other pertinent pieces of information.

BACKGROUND CHECK All Local Coordinators and all adult members of the Local Coordinator’s household age 18 and older must undergo an annual background check according to U.S. Department of State and AYA Program regulations. Instructions will be sent via email from the National Office regarding the new background check procedures.





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INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS PAGE Please complete this page and return it to [email protected] or fax it to 203-724-1536.

LC INFORMATION

Name:

Last First Middle

Street Address:

City: State: Zip:

Home Phone: Business Phone: Cell Phone:

Fax: Email address:

Occupation:

If you currently work, or have worked, for another exchange student organization(s), please disclose the name of the other organization(s) and year(s) active:

AYA must have the above information on file to comply with Department of State regulations.

I understand that from time to time, the AIFS Foundation publicity material may include statements by its Local Coordinators and/or their photographs, and I consent to such use of comments and photographic likenesses.

SIGNATURE

I have read and agree to abide by all of the terms and conditions stated in this Contract.

Local Coordinator (please print) Field Staff Administrator

Signature Date Signature Date


mailto:[email protected]