FAQ
Please find the most Frequently Asked Questions about AVCA below.
AMADEUS Vienna Community Association
Parent Involvement and the AMADEUS Vienna Community Council (AVCA)
All parents of students at AMADEUS Vienna are invited to join and become members of the Amadeus Vienna Community Association (AVCA). The officially and legally registered AVCA meets frequently and is chaired by a parent nominee council elected by the association members during the General Assembly. The purpose of the AVCA is to support the school in its growth and development, act as a communication medium between parents, and to provide a level of consultancy to the school. The AVCA’s primary objective is to contribute to building a stronger collective identity for each member of the Amadeus Vienna Community, namely parents and staff members. The intention is also to encourage and increase parents’ contributions to school activities, resulting in the enhancement of the school’s quality of life. Please note that the AVCA is not set up as a lobby group or designed to act on behalf of parents. Parents who have a particular concern in relation to their child or school life should address this directly with the most relevant staff member or the school leadership team.
Please email: AMADEUS Vienna Community Association at avca.office@amadeus-vienna.com if you are interested in being involved or have further questions.
In addition, during the Homeroom Evening in September, all Primary Parents are invited to volunteer for the Class Parent role. This group of Parents meets regularly throughout the school year and facilitates effective communication about upcoming events and School Development to all parents. Whilst there are currently no Class Parent roles in the Secondary School, due to its different structure and the older age of the students, Secondary parents are very welcome to join these meetings and lend their support. More information can be found below.
What does AVCA mean?
AVCA stands for AMADEUS Vienna Community Association. We are a legally established not-for-profit entity under Austrian law.
Who are we?
We are parents, students, staff, school leadership team, teachers. Amazing people who change the world. A little bit. Every day. And having fun doing it. Entirely voluntary. We are led by an Executive Board that does not receive any monetary compensation from the Association or the school for the time spent managing AVCA.
What is AVCA’s goal and role?
We enhance our students’ educational experience and well-being at AMADEUS. We are a positive example to our children, exhibiting leadership and showing that by working together we can maximize our experience in life while improving our Community.
How?
- Keeping a constructive dialogue with the school
- Supporting and sponsoring school and student-led events
- Welcoming and supporting new families
- Supporting new ideas and projects that benefit our Community
What does AVCA do to enhance the educational experience for students, teachers, parents and staff?
For students, we
- sponsor the winner trophies for the AV Mile
- provide gifts to the graduates
- support the school’s Winter Wonderland event
- encourage parents to share their professions and hobbies with our teachers and students to allow for experiential learning
- raised over 12,500 Euros for library books in Spring 2020, which was euro-for-euro matched by the Board of Trustees and became 25.000 Euros!
- facilitate the Careers Immersion Programme which is a platform to provide real-life company experience to Grade 9 and 10 students in the form of on-site company visits and/or summer internships.
For teachers and staff, we
- host Appreciation Days offering a coffee truck and fresh breakfast pastries
- Serve as a resource for teachers who may need at any time a guest speaker for their class or any other expertise available in our parent community
For parents, we
- offer opportunities to connect through parent events, including coffee mornings, receptions, a wreath-decorating event, and Heuriger events
What is AVCA doing now?
- We are holding regular meetings at school discussing the Community’s ideas, plans, and concerns, and we are sharing the results of these meetings in the respective meeting minutes.
- We are maintaining a positive and constructive dialogue with the school’s Senior Leadership Team to address any material community concerns and support the school’s efforts to provide excellence in education; Some projects which are undergoing are the renovation and reuse of the old cafeteria to become a break/party room for students and parents with coffee and snacks as well as the creation of raised flower and vegetable/herb beds to be maintained by the students and parents together.
- Welcome reception for new families: Early in the year, we welcomed families at a Back-To-School Reception.
- Sponsoring of winner trophies and plaques for the AV Mile and Sport T-Shirts for all students
- AVCA used uniform shop: AVCA parent volunteers collecting, sorting, storing used school uniforms. All the proceeds benefit our community.
- Coffee Mornings at the School to offer parents and guardians a chance to enjoy each other’s company and discuss topics of interest.
- ManageBac trainings for the parents
- Christmas Wreath Decorating Afternoon with hot wine and cookies. We also had a cozy booth at Winter Wonderland Bake Sale where we raised money for charity.
Do I have to volunteer my time as a member?
No, members should volunteer time if they want to and only in ways that they enjoy! We insist that members have fun in anything they do with AVCA.
I have an idea and want to start a new project for the school. Will you support me if I join?
It is very possible – let us know what it is and we will first discuss it at the AVCA Board level and then can help assess whether it will be supported by our Community. If so, we can help to organize volunteers and support from the school. If you are a student and do not have any experience, we can help to find a coach or coordinator for you.
I would like to become an AVCA member. What should I do?
Note: Newly enrolled families are automatically members for the first year.
For parents who are not already members, it only requires three easy steps, and they can all be done from the School Reception. There are even envelopes and forms available there and a box to put in!
- Fill out the Membership Form (can be found on the Parent Resource Page)
- Send it to us by e-mail or leave it at reception
- Pay the €40 yearly membership fee (bank transfer or put the cash in an envelope and leave in the box at Reception) / IBAN: AT154300040998935007
I am a member. Will you solve all my problems?
Probably not, but we may be able to help connect you to the right people or tools, and in some cases, AVCA will help address concerns of a general nature by maintaining a proactive and constructive dialogue with the school’s leadership team. Another way to make the most of your membership is by taking an active part in our meetings; your membership gives you the right to vote.
What are the duties of a Class Representative?
Class Parent Representatives (CPR) Guidelines
Some information to guide and help you with the CPR role. Please contact the AVCA Board should you wish to discuss or exchange your ideas and/or concerns.
A CPR represents a welcoming point of contact for families and support teachers with class initiatives/events that may benefit from parent support. He/she communicates information and facilitates discussion within the class and encourages parent attendance at School events as well as parent volunteerism at the School.
CPRs are not expected to represent parents on an individual basis, there is a general protocol to follow for addressing concerns.
We thank all Class Parents Reps for their time, we know your time is one of your greatest gifts and the AVCA Board is thankful for your contribution to our community.
Would you like to join AVCA?
We would be happy to have you on our team.
The Membership Form is available from the Parent Resource Page. To apply and become a member, please fill out the form and send it to avca.office@amadeus-vienna.com.
We welcome the opportunity for prospective students and their families to visit AMADEUS Vienna and learn more about our unique programme and inspiring school environment. Contact our Admissions team to ask your questions or schedule a tour.