Akureyri Junior College

Akureyri Junior College Menntaskólinn á Akureyri Schola Akureyrensis
The oldest school building, from 1904 Virðing, víðsýni, árangur Respect, liberality, success
Location
Akureyri, Iceland
Information
School type	Public Gymnasium
Established	1880
Headmaster	Jón Már Héðinsson
Key people	Sigurlaug Anna Gunnarsdóttir, vice headmistress
Number of students	750
Song	Skólasöngur MA
Newspaper	'Muninn'
Yearbook	'Carmina'
Website	http://www.ma.is/english

The Gamli Skóli, the oldest building of the High School precinct.

Akureyri Junior College (Icelandic: Menntaskólinn á Akureyri) (Latin: Schola Akureyrensis) is an Icelandic gymnasium (secondary school). It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Iceland.^[1]

It is located in Akureyri, "the Capital of the North", and traces its origin back to the school in Möðruvellir in the valley of Hörgárdalur, which was founded in 1880. Some^[who?] want to go further back to the ancient school in Hólar in Hjaltadalur valley, founded in the beginning of Jón Ögmundsson's episcopacy in 1130.

Today the Junior College is attended by about 700 pupils every year, and on the national day of Iceland, 17 June, approximately 120 students graduate yearly. The Junior College's headmaster is Jón Már Héðinsson. Tryggvi Gíslason (born 11 June 1938) was headmaster of Akureyri Junior College from 1973-2003. Tryggvi graduated with a mag. art. degree and taught Icelandic at the University of Bergen in Norway.

The College is based on tradition. A few of these are:

• Singing: A few times each semester, students gather outside the headmaster's office to sing for him. If they sing well enough, he grants the students permission to skip the next class and gather in the auditorium to sing. (English: singing in the auditorium)
• No alcohol: All gatherings in the name of the school are alcohol free. Almost all students respect this and consider it something that distinguishes their school from others in Iceland.
• Different school year: As in other schools in Iceland this one has two terms, an autumn term and a spring term; but this school has its autumn exams after Christmas, while most other schools have the exams before Christmas.

Notable faculty members

• Björgvin Guðmundsson, composer
• Tryggvi Gíslason, headmaster from 1973 to 2003
• Páll Skúlason, philosopher
• Tómas Ingi Olrich, later member of Alþingi, Minister of Education, and ambassador to France

External links

• The school's website
• The school paper's website

References

1. ^ "Official school profile in English". http://www.ma.is/english/. Retrieved 26 Feb 2011. 

Coordinates: 65°40′35″N 18°05′40″W / 65.6765°N 18.0944°W / 65.6765; -18.0944