American Association of Teachers of German

Schule Schloss Salem (Salem Castle School) on Lake Constance will be offering 1 summer school stipend for the next three years, starting in 2008, to a student applying for the National German Exam prize. The stipend includes 17 days at the school and international flight to Germany. This prizewinner will have a chaperone accompanying him or her.

Schule Schloss Salem is Germany's best-known boarding school for boys and girls aged 10 - 19. Founded in 1920 by Margrave Max von Baden and Kurt Hahn, Salem was conceived as part of the German boarding school tradition, one which pursues a holistic approach to education. 

Schule Schloss Salem has a great deal to offer to its students, and makes high demands of them as well. Salem seeks young people who are inquisitive, open minded and willing to make their own way within the community of their peer group. For English speaking students Salem offers the International Baccalaureate.

• Lower School Hohenfels Castle
• (grades 5 to 7, approximately 90 girls and boys),
• Middle School Salem Castle
• (grades 8 to 11 and Pre-IB, approximately 280 girls and boys), and
• Upper School Salem International College
• (grades 12 and 13 and IB years I and II, approximately 330 girls and boys).

Hohenfels Castle, first mentioned in the annals of 1292, is picturesquely situated in a hilly landscape eight kilometres from Lake Constance. The former Cistercian Abbey Salem Castle lies in the Salem Valley amidst orchards and vineyards, 12 kilometres from Lake Constance. Salem International College, with its earliest foundations dating from the 14th century, lies on the northern slope of Lake Constance near Überlingen, close enough to the school's harbour to be reached by foot. A new College campus that was officially opened upon commencement of the school year 2000/2001 is Germany's largest building for a private school. 

Salem is a state-accredited, independent, non-profit organization. It is a member of the Round Square Conference. United States ties are maintained with Phillips Academy Andover, The Athenian School in California, Choate Rosemary Hall and The Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut. 

Salem has a total of approximately 700 students, less than ten percent do not live in the boarding school. Of these students, 20% come from abroad. The student body has approximately the same amount of girls and boys. 25 % of the students have a partial scholarship. 

The basic boarding unit is the 'wing' with students living in 2, 3 or 4-bed dormitories, with their housemaster's or housemistress's accommodation adjoining. Most boarding staff in Salem are involved in the academic life of the school as well, thereby ensuring that the principle of the unity of education and teaching is upheld. Salem's international atmosphere is enhanced by staff members from the United States, Australia, South Africa and Great Britain, who teach in both the German Abitur and the International Baccalaureate programme. 

An extensive tutorial system helps students from abroad. All students have access to modern facilities, such as computer centres, science laboratories, libraries, studios and auditoriums for music, theatre and dance. Besides positions in school government, Salem offers its students an unusually large number of additional official capacities bearing a high level of responsibility, positions where they can utilise their democratic training and see the results of their endeavours. 

Young adults wanting to succeed in today's society should have access to a programme of extra-curricular activities in their secondary education, one which enables them to see the results of 'learning by doing' as well as those of academic studies. Such an opportunity is offered in Salem to encourage creativity, independent thought and co-operation among peers and adults. For this purpose the students are given access to theatre, music, art, crafts, services and various sports and political involvement within the boarding school.  

With the requirement to discover oneself, to develop one’s social, intellectual, aesthetic and athletic capabilities as best as possible and to put oneself with one’s whole personality into the service of the community, character-building in the sense of Kurt Hahn, scholastic education, the political constitution of the school and cosmopolitan attitudes are united into an unmistakably unique entity. All Students are asked to choose a compulsory Service. There are technical Services (such as Fire Brigade, First Aid or Nautical Rescue) and Social Services (such as Global Concern, Environmental Service or Care of Elderly).  

Salem forms and moulds human beings; Salem enables them to live responsibly, creatively and autonomously and to creatively meet the challenges of the future. 

Cost for Room, Board and Tuition range from 29.000 Euro to 32.000 Euro. Scholarships are awarded.  

Please visit our web-site for further information www.salemcollege.de.

Salem also offers a Summer School Program and is partnering with AATG.