English

The upper secondary school of Austur-Skaftafellssýsla or FAS was established in 1987 by the Icelandic state and the municipalities of Austur-Skaftafellssýsla.  For the first 15 years the school was housed in Nesjaskóli in Nesjahreppur but it moved to Nýheimar in Höfn in Hornafjörður in the fall of 2002.

The role of the school is first and foremost to offer basic academic studies but at the same time emphasis is placed on vocational training based on  current demand of such studies.  The school has three main courses of study towards matriculation: humanities- and social science, natural and physical science and electoral studies.  As well there are upper secondary school program, mechanical engineering and mountaineering studies.

The school is divided into two semesters per year.  Fall semester starts around the middle of august and ends in the middle of december. Spring semester starts early in january and ends in the middle of may.  The school does not have final examinations but uses uses interviews at the end of term that every student attends.

Teaching in general is at three places: academic studies are taught at Nýheimar, basic health science and sports are taught at the sports hall and at Vöruhúsið art studies are taught.

Social activities are part of studing at FAS and students get credits for participation in school social activities.   The student association elects a president and vice president each spring term and then there are presidents of school clubs that form  said student association with the elected president and vice president as well as as a observer representative of SÍF.

We put emphasis on good cooperation with local businesses and authorities, as well as other educational institutions. We support life -long learning for our staff and encourage the concept of the school as a professional learning community.