Lewis-Palmer School District understands and appreciates the cultural and language contribution to education made possible by the interaction of students from other countries with our own students, and authorizes a limited number of non-immigrant foreign exchange students to attend our high schools each year.

If you are a local representative for a high school foreign exchange program, please note the following:

• Each high school reviews the applications and accepts a limited number of foreign exchange students each year. Please contact the appropriate person to initiate the process.

  • Lewis-Palmer High School, Email Bill Benton or 719-867-8009

  • Palmer Ridge High School, Email Tia Fisco 719-867-8040

• All foreign exchange students attend our high schools as 11th grade students.

• Students attend for an entire academic year starting in August. We do not accept foreign exchange students to start later in the academic year.

• A copy of the student's visa and passport are required for enrollment. This is a state requirement.

• Host families must complete the normal new student enrollment process.

• Host families who do not reside in the attendance area for the high school the student attends must complete a Choice Enrollment application to show they understand bus transportation is not available from the district.

Students must be enrolled prior to attending classes. Enrollment is completed online. The student's passport and visa are required to be uploaded, along with immunizations and the host family's address verification. The link to the online enrollment can be found on the Student Enrollment page.

Once enrolled, the student will meet with the appropriate high school counselor to get a class schedule:

Lewis-Palmer High School: Email Bill Benton or 719-867-8009 

Palmer Ridge High School: Email Tia Fisco. 719-867-8040

Interested in hosting a student?  You will need to go through one of the exchange organizations.  A current listing is available on the CSIET website.

Foreign exchange students wishing to attend school in Lewis-Palmer School District must be sponsored by an approved exchange organization recognized by the Council on Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET).  Host families must be approved by the exchange organization. Approximately five students per high school are selected in the spring for the upcoming academic year.

Privately sponsored foreign exchange students may not enroll in Lewis-Palmer School District.  Our district is not permitted to authorize a "Certificate of Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic Language Students" or the I-20 form for foreign students not associated with recognized foreign exchange programs.  Students in the United States on a visitor (B-2) visa who are under temporary guardianship of a resident of the district are not entitled to enroll in the schools of this district.

For more information, please see Board of Education Policy JFABB - Admission of Exchange and Non-Immigrant Foreign Students.

Taylor, Jim
Student Services
District Registrar
District Administration

Email Jim Taylor
(719) 488-4701