Summer in Switzerland: Learning and Having Fun in the Alps

As of January 2013 we are fully staffed for Summer 2013.

At this time, if you are interested in applying for a position with SIS for Summer 2014, you should do the following:

For applicants with a non-EU/non-Schengen agreement passport, please wait for the 2014 application, which will be posted here in September 2013.

For applicants with an EU/Schengen agreement passport, either wait until September 2013 for the new application or send an email to pmagnuson@las.ch indicating simply where your passport is from, which position you plan to apply for in September 2013 for Summer 2014, and which languages you speak. You will then receive a reminder from us in September when the staff applications are posted to this site.

Note that our staff return rate is well over fifty percent and that we receive multiple applications for each available position. In other words, competition for job openings is stiff.

Summer in Switzerland (SIS) at the Leysin American School is for students ages 7-18. SIS is designed for students who want to learn, have fun and meet peers from all over the world. During the summer, there are students from approximately 40 different countries in the program.

The majority of the students are in the Core Program, which includes morning academic classes (including French, Spanish, English, math, art, photography, computers, music, theater, SAT and TOEFL preparation, and many more), a variety of sports and recreation activities in the afternoons, and large group games and activities in the evenings.

The English as a Second Language (ESL) program is an intensive course for students who want to improve their English writing, comprehension and speaking skills. Students have intensive but fun classes during the morning, and they then use what they have learned with other students in the general program afternoon and evening activities.

In the French Immersion Program students learn French through work and play with occasional morning excursions in francophone Switzerland to make the language come alive.

Students can sign up for Cultural Trips between the two sessions. For the younger students, ages 7-11, a trip in Switzerland with overnights in youth hostels or hotels is planned. For older students, ages 12-18, the Cultural Tours are an opportunity to travel outside Switzerland. Students enrolled in these excursions learn about their destination before their tour (if enrolled in Session 1); they do not have classes during the trip. Students choose in 2013 from trips to England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, and Switzerland.

SIS is a place to learn much more than academics. Students learn about international awareness, cultural tolerance, community-living skills, independence, leadership and much more during their time in Leysin. SIS is a truly remarkable international summer program.

Jobs 2013

We welcome applications starting during September and October 2012 for Summer 2013. Candidates with an EU passport or who live in a country that is part of the Schengen agreement are preferred. Multilingualism is a plus; we are particularly interested in speakers of Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. 

Due to the great interest in working at SIS, as of November 7 we are not soliciting applications from non-EU staff applicants. Applicants who are from the EU (or a country with a Schengen agreement) are encouraged to apply on an ongoing basis.

Staff members who worked at SIS in 2012 are encouraged to indicate their intention to return to SIS by November 1, 2012. Starting in November, new staff members will be interviewed and potentially hired for positions occupied by former staff members who have not indicated they are returning.

Questions may be directed to Paul Magnuson at pmagnuson@las.ch regarding staffing for summer 2013.

These summaries of job descriptions may change according to programmatic needs. This list should be used as a guideline only. More complete job descriptions will be sent with the contract and Conditions & Terms of Employment.

Alpine Adventure and Alpine Exploration/Alpine Challenge Combined Positions

  • Office Manager

    Answers all phone calls and deals with phone messages, either answering questions or passing on calls/messages to the director or other relevant staff. Maintains database and generates lists from SIS Enrollment Database (Filemaker Pro). Organizes and supervises all arrivals and departures of SIS students/staff, interacting with the LAS travel office. Maintains cell phone list and related responsibilities. Reports to the director.

  • Driver

    Primary job is to drive the stick-shift 17-seater school vans (no buses!) transporting students to and from the airport (1½ hours each way) and other events as needed. When no driving is required, this person will be part of the recreation staff. Must have relevant driving license, such as CDL in U.S.A. or D1 license in Europe. Reports to the office manager and director.

  • Nurse

    Supervises all health issues at SIS. Maintains health records and reviews all health forms from students, suggests changes to minimize injuries and poor health for SIS students and staff, organizes two nurse duty rotations to ensure 24-hour coverage. Reports to the associate director.

Alpine Adventure (working with students ages 7-11)
Director: Mary Field Keenan

  • Elementary Teachers

    Serve as primary teachers for 10 to 15 students 8-12 years old on all mornings, five days per week. During the mornings, specialist teachers do some of the teaching (French, ESL, drama, environment), and if they have specialties in these areas, they will lead these. If not, they will assist the specialist. Some afternoons, evenings and weekends they will supervise the students on excursions and activities. The director of AA ensures teachers at least a full day off per week, as well as other free time. Teachers report to the director.

  • Recreation Staff

    Primary job is to design and supervise afternoon and evening activities, as well as day and half-day excursions. The director of AA ensures at least a full day off per week and other free time. Some recreation staff members are also specialist teachers, meaning teaching one period in the mornings of computers, environmental education, French, ESL or drama. Recreation staff report to the director.

Alpine Exploration and Alpine Challenge (working with students ages 12-18)
Director: Paul Magnuson

  • Dean of Academics

    Supervises teachers in the Core and Speciality programs. Responsible for scheduling, curriculum review, resources, course content, sections offered, teacher assignments, teacher evaluations, academic program evaluation, program certificates, high school credit students. Reports to the director.

  • Teachers

    Instruct four class periods (50 minutes each) each morning. One to two afternoons available for prep time; go on afternoon activities with students two to three afternoons a week. Dorm duty up to three times each week, which includes some afternoon time and evening hours. Be on duty a maximum of one day each weekend plus all opening and closing days and weekends. Report to the dean of academics. See Teens 13-18 for subjects taught.

  • Dean of Activities

    Organizes all afternoon and evening activities, as well as weekend and half-day excursions. This includes the Red Frog (student rec. area), and organizing which activities will be offered when, assigning staff for activities and excursions, content and quality of each activity, making reservations, preparing students for excursions and preparing resources for excursions. Needs to use SIS Enrollment Database (Filemaker Pro). Is also responsible for the discipline of the students in this area. Reports to the director.

  • Assistant Coordinator of Recreation

    Assists dean of activities and excursions in all duties. Maintains transportation schedule and vehicle usage records. Needs to use SIS Enrollment Database (Filemaker Pro). Reports to the dean of activities.

  • Recreation Staff

    Plan, design, organize and supervise all afternoon and evening activities. One afternoon and one evening free each week. On duty a maximum of one day each weekend plus all opening and closing days and weekends. May have dorm duty one to two evenings of each week. Also responsible for the Red Frog, as a group. Reports to the dean of activities.

  • Dean of Residential Life

  • Dorm Head

  • Responsible for the dorm and dorm supervision schedule. Ensures that there is a positive environment for all students. Organizes evening activities for the dorm. Dorm heads report to the dean of residential life.

Staff Applicant Forms

Thank you for your interest in Summer in Switzerland. We can promise you the most fun—and intense—eight weeks of your life. You will make friends from around the world, teach and learn with students, and test your ability to work long hours.

If you would like to apply for a position in summer 2013, please print the appropriate staff application from the links in the right hand margin, scan the completed application, and email the application with relevant documents (see the application itself) to sis@las.ch. It is best to apply early as staff positions are highly competitive.

New staff please note! Only applicants with EU/Schengen passports can be considered after December 31, 2012.

Staff members who worked Summer 2012 please note! Your intent to apply for summer 2013 must have been made clear to SIS by October 31, 2012, to hold a potential position for you for summer 2013.