AIS-Salzburg to Open Doors Earlier than most EU Boarding Schools

April 19, 2020


With Austria as one of the world leaders in the fight to rid of the Coronavirus, AIS-Salzburg is in a great position to open it’s doors sooner than most boarding schools around the globe. The video footage below we took yesterday, April 16th, is of Salzburg residents enjoying the sun after the government eased restrictions. 

“We are very optimistic that our summer school will begin in July and that the 2020-2021 school year will commence in September.  There will likely continue to be some restrictions remaining in place, however, we are planning on adjusting our programs in light of these,” said Headmaster McLean from his office on Thursday.  

“We are very optimistic that our summer school will begin in July and that the 2020-2021 school year will commence in September.

Headmaster McLean

AIS-Salzburg acted very early, sending our boarders home as early as March 10th for an early Spring Break.  This provided a much-needed period for our teachers and administrators to prepare effectively for the start of online coursework on the 31st.

“Thankfully, the Austrian government also initiated restrictions and cautionary measures very early as well.  This is now beginning to bear fruit and we are very thankful that our students are safe and sound at home and that they are able to continue their learning online.  The numbers tell a positive tale:  the quick reaction of the government and the cooperation of the citizens has resulted in a significant decline in the number of daily coronavirus cases after a peak in late March that did not threaten the ability to provide full health care for those infected,” added McLean.

“..the quick reaction of the government and the cooperation of the citizens has resulted in a significant decline in the number of daily coronavirus cases..”

Headmaster McLean

In fact, Austria acted so quickly and swiftly, that after only one month of lockdown, the number of daily coronavirus cases dropped below 100 on April 13th for the first time since March 11th. These results have Austria being praised around the globe for it’s quick and efficient action. 

Source: Google.com

Provided the population here doesn’t get too impatient and the necessary social distancing and personal protection measures remain in effect, I think we can realistically begin planning for the summer and fall—provided we prudently and thoroughly consider any and all health implications given most-likely scenarios,” replied McLean when asked about the likelihood of doors opening on schedule.  

With the early spring break imposed by AIS-Salzburg, this provided a two-week window for administration and teachers to prepare for online classes. 

One of the best decisions we made was to host all of our classes on the same platform.  This made the transition to online instruction much more manageable for our students, parents and the teachers themselves,” said McLean when asked about the of the school’s quick implementation virtual learning program.   “Being a small school with a very experienced teaching faculty, we were able to cooperatively set up the program and work out solutions to both potential and actual problems or frustrations.  The experience gained from this online instructional period will serve our staff and students in the future as well.”  

One of the best decisions we made was to host all of our classes on the same platform.  This made the transition to online instruction much more manageable for our students, parents and the teachers themselves.”

Headmaster Mclean

After three weeks of virtual teaching, feedback from teachers of AIS-Salzburg is that they now have significant amounts of instructional material that can be used in the future to supplement instruction, out-of-class assignments and homework, as well as support students who experience extended absentee periods or require tutorial assistance. 

Of course, we would rather be ‘live’ and interacting directly with our students—nothing can replace this aspect of a solid preparatory education—but until that time, we are witnessing very positive, ongoing resultsProbably the best decision we made was to host all of our classes on the same platform. This has made the transition to online learning easier for students, parents and teachers,” said McLean when asked about the of the school’s quick implementation virtual learning program.