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Dear AIS-Salzburg Community,
Today marks another phase in Austria's road back to normalcy as accommodation facilities and recreational operations open their doors to the public which will result in young people flocking to swimming pools and fitness studios everywhere.
As our graduating class of 2020 begins the next chapter of their lives, we at AIS-Salzburg are busy turning our sights towards the 2020-2021 school year in anticipation of what it will look like. One thing is clear, that it will not be a 'regular' school year with the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus.
The positive news is that we just wrapped up seven weeks of online instruction which went surprisingly well and our teachers have already voiced that regardless of where our students are, whether at home in their bedrooms or sitting in our classrooms, online instruction and communication will be a major part of the way we teach in the future.
We hope you enjoy this week's newsletter.
Newsletter Staff
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Our Unique Setting Facilitates International Understanding
On average the AIS-Salzburg student body represents 25 nations in a single school year. With a student body usually hovering between 80 and 100, the intimacy that comes with living in such a small community facilitates international understanding. When you also factor in our two excursions, the Junior Habitat for Humanity trip, numerous international sporting trips, and the culturally rich surroundings of Salzburg, our graduates are well prepared for the global world of today.
In recent school years, the nationality mix of our student body has averaged 30-40% Eastern European (mostly Poland/Serbia/Latvia/Ukraine/Bulgaria), 15-20% German-speaking,10-15% Russian, 10-15% North American (Mexican and American) and about 10% make up a number of other nationalities from around the world including China, Japan, and Australia.
The following video helps to illustrate the international diversity within our school and the many cultural experiences offered to students throughout the school year.
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Teacher Spotlight: Vida Long
Vida Long has been teaching since 2010 and on the AIS-Salzburg teaching faculty since 2014. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, Vida is primarily an English teacher and is also utilized for her fluent German skills as a German 1 instructor. Vida is best known for her ability to teach our senior students the necessary skills to write a college-level paper.
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Hidden Salzburg: In the Middle of the Collegiate Church
Near the center of the Altstadt of Salzburg, you'll find the Collegiate Church, otherwise known as the University Church. It was constructed at the start of the 18th century (1707) as a new house of worship for the Benedictine University of Salzburg, established in 1620. The most renowned architect in Austria at that time, Fischer von Erlach, created this masterpiece of Italianate Baroque, helping give Salzburg a couple of its nicknames, the 'City of the Baroque,' or, 'Rome of the North.'
What most don't know about the church interior is that on the nave floor at the crossing is a large, dark stain in the marble. This is not the result of any recent mishap. In fact, the darkened area of stone was made by Napoleon's troops in 1800 following the Battle of Walserfeld just outside the city. As the troops moved into the city center in occupation, they used the Collegiate Church as a stable for their horses(!). Since the horses had to be watched and guarded, the men assigned to this built a fire in the church to warm themselves night after night.
After all these years, you can still see, beneath the graceful, decorative plasterwork and the four patron saints of the academic faculties (Thomas Aquinus, Ivo, Luke, and Catharine), a place where lonely, cold soldiers warmed their hands and made themselves comfortable.
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News & Upcoming Events
AIS-Salzburg Now Conducting English Testing to Prospective Students via Zoom
The old saying "Modern times call for modern measures" could not be any more applicable than it is today. As a number of students seeking entrance to international schools for 2020-2021 are restricted from traveling for admissions testing, AIS-Salzburg has adapted by now offering online English testing via Zoom.
Virtual Tours Now Offered
In response to ongoing travel restrictions, we are now offering a personalized virtual tour to prospective students and their parents through video streaming. Tours can be arranged through Whatsapp, Zoom or Skype for any students who wish to visit the school but are restricted from traveling to Austria.
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