Park City schools look to formalize French exchange ahead of Olympic years

Photo: TownLift // Rayne Moynahan

Long-running sister city programs connect Park City High School students with France’s 2030 Winter Olympic host region

PARK CITY, Utah — A decades-old student exchange between Park City and Courchevel, France, could become more formally connected to Park City School District as the two ski communities prepare for future Winter Olympic Games.

Representatives from the Park City Sister City Association and Park City High School discussed the exchange programs during Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, describing a long-running relationship that has connected local students with families, schools, and cultural experiences in Courchevel.

Park City and Courchevel have been sister cities since 1984, according to Ashley Bienvenu, who presented on behalf of the Park City Sister City Association. The two communities are each other’s only sister cities, a relationship rooted in their shared identities as mountain towns and ski communities.

The association runs two youth programs for Park City students. The first, a winter-summer exchange, began in 1989 and typically sends between 1 and 2 dozen Park City High School students to Courchevel for about 10 days during February break. Students stay with French host families, and their French counterparts visit Park City in July.

The second, an academic exchange, began in 2012 and functions more like a study abroad program. A smaller group of juniors and seniors — usually between one and five students — travels to Courchevel for up to three months, stays with host families, and attends French high school. French students then come to Park City at the beginning of the academic year.

District leaders said the program has been operating successfully for years, but should be more clearly defined. Principal Caleb Fine described the proposal as a way to formalize what has long existed in “a slight gray area,” with clearer expectations for student participation, absences, chaperones, insurance, academic credit, and district support.

The timing is also significant. Courchevel is tied to the 2030 Winter Olympics, while Park City is preparing for the 2034 Winter Olympics. Bienvenu said the association is running two back-to-back exchanges as both communities move closer to hosting Olympic events.

Fine and Sister City representatives said the relationship could also expand beyond traditional student travel. Board members discussed possible opportunities tied to Olympic preparation, including leadership, municipal government, culinary programs, snowmaking, grooming, and other professional or academic exchanges.

One of the program’s strongest selling points, presenters said, is affordability. Unlike many student travel or study abroad programs, which can cost thousands of dollars, the Courchevel exchange is largely supported through host families. Students generally pay for airfare, with some subsidies available for students with financial need.

The program’s academic exchange also carries minimal insurance costs, according to the presentation, with organizers describing the longer-term exchange as typically costing roughly the price of airfare rather than the $20,000 to $30,000 cost of some comparable study abroad programs.

No final agreement was approved on Tuesday. District officials said the next step would be to clarify the partnership’s structure through a memorandum of understanding, giving the long-running exchange a more formal relationship with the school district.

For Park City High School, Fine said the goal is to preserve a program that gives students a rare cultural experience while making sure the district has clear systems in place to support it.