7i took fourth-graders on a journey through English history

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“A Short Ride through English History” was the title of the workshop that the fourth-grade class from the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School was able to attend at the invitation of Class 7i. It was a four-hour journey through English history, lovingly and energetically prepared by the seventh graders under the guidance of Theresa Großer.

 

A theme at each station

At six stations, the girls and boys learned about English history: The Plague, The Battle of Hastings, Roman Life in Britain, The Industrial Revolution, The Great Fire of London, and The British Empire. Working in small groups, the fourth-graders learned from the seventh-graders at each station what happened back then.

 

At the end, certificates were handed out

The children had a lot of fun learning through the visual descriptions, short texts, and presentations, as well as the short worksheets and fun games. “Everyone had to speak English, which they did exceptionally well,” says Lorraine Herrmann, the assistant principal of the Bilingual Elementary School. “It was a really good example of collaboration across grade levels and certainly an inspiration for the fourth graders in terms of what awaits them in the next Steinmühlen classes.” At the end, all the fourth graders played a game together to test their newly acquired knowledge. The fourth-grade class proudly received their certificates.

 

Personal Expectations for the Tasks

“The idea for the project came about as part of a British History unit, during which the students could choose from a range of topics,” says Theresa Großer, describing the start of the workshop preparations. They developed the content largely on their own, using books and selected online materials. In addition, they conducted occasional independent research, completing the entire project in just three weeks, with two double periods each week. And they wanted to do it really well: The seventh graders repeatedly gave each other feedback so that everyone could further refine their stations.

 

Schedule planned with great dedication

The overall effort was no small feat. The students in class 7i created all the posters, quizzes, and game ideas on their own with great dedication during class and in their free time, full of anticipation and excitement for the workshop. They planned the program for the fourth graders very professionally—complete with station cards and stamps. The idea for a certificate of completion also came from the young organizing team, which designed it themselves.

 

Linguistically proficient

The focus of the day was on English history and the English language. As a result, the seventh-graders conducted the entire workshop in English. None of the participants were deterred by the sometimes difficult terms and topics. “It was an impressive achievement by the elementary school students, who presented themselves excellently and were incredibly engaged, but also by the students in class 7i, who demonstrated real linguistic confidence,” summarized Theresa Großer.

The final feedback session revealed a great deal of enthusiasm and pride—even among the 7i students. This creates the ideal conditions for repeating a workshop like this.

Theresa Großer is the head of the International High School Division at Steinmühle. The workshop for the 4th-grade class was organized by the 7th-grade class (7i).

 

Wheelchair User Conquers the Ski Slope: Robin on a Ski Trip in Mayrhofen

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Taking a wheelchair user on a ski trip? Does that sound crazy?

The Steinmühle loves to be a little crazy! That’s exactly what we did.

Robin Richter, a student at Steinmühlen, does everything his classmates do. Well, almost everything. There was no way he was going to miss his grade’s upcoming ski trip. And so, all the necessary arrangements were made so that he could zoom down the slopes in Mayrhofen on a tandem ski.

 

“Testing the waters” in Winterberg

With great care and attention, we observed in advance how Robin performed while bi-skiing with his father in his hometown of Winterberg. Seeing that opened up new possibilities! Accompanied by his father Christian and a personal chaperone from Steinmühle, the tour bus set off for Mayrhofen, Austria, carrying our 8th-grade class and several supervising teachers. The group’s destination: our Gschößwandhaus, which has been a trusted choice for decades.

 

Down into the valley at high speed

While most of the teaching staff spent the day working on the entire group’s skiing skills—teaching the basics or refining their technique—Christian’s father and his instructor took turns gliding down the slope with Robin. Although “gliding” is only partly accurate. As various “evidence videos” show, the duo picked up an astonishing amount of speed on their descent and were easily able to keep up with many other skiers in terms of speed.

 

High praise for the Steinmühle team

Robin spent the evenings—and thus the social part of the mountain retreat—with his classmates. “Our son wasn’t just there; he was right in the thick of it,” recalls his father, Christian: “The safety and care he received allowed both him and me not only to participate in skiing with growing enthusiasm, but also to make noticeable progress. This means a great deal to both of us, and we are deeply grateful for this experience.” Addressed to Principal Björn Gemmer: “You can be proud to have such a dedicated and passionate faculty.”

 

“Trip to Expand Your Skills”

School athletic director Marcel Kalb summed it up: “This wasn’t just a recreational or fun trip, but rather an educational trip designed to develop physical and mental skills as well as social skills.”

Since Steinmühle is already home to an inclusive water sports center and a state training center for para-rowing, this event has once again underscored that all students are in the right place here with us—whether they get around on two legs or four wheels.

Angela Heinemann

The “Appreciation Week” was held at the Steinmühle boarding school for the third year in a row

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Appreciation Week took place for the third time this year. Each day featured various challenges centered on the theme of appreciation: “Give someone a hug,” “Pay someone a compliment,” “Smile at someone,” and much more. Throughout the week, small treats or kind messages can also be placed in a mailbox for all boarding school residents. Affirmations are also posted in various locations.

“The week has now become an integral part of the year, and we hope that it will continue to be just as wonderful in the years to come,” explain boarding school educators Ben Zriki and Michel Hermens, who documented Appreciation Week in words and pictures.

Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School Celebrates Its 100-Day Celebration

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“I did it,” Oliver says proudly, holding up his “special muffin” for everyone to see. He points to another pastry: “I did this, too.”

The children at the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School are overjoyed as they recently celebrated their 100-day milestone. They show their excitement with paper crowns they made themselves, bearing the inscription “100 Days as a Schoolchild.”

 

Reading, Building, Crafting

That morning is a time for learning, but also for celebrating. The group led by homeroom teachers Hannah Achenbach and Tobias Leisge goes through several stations. There’s breakfast—consisting of cereal, pastries, fruit, and milk—100 words to read, and 100 building blocks that require imagination and creativity to assemble. A garland was made from 100 paper rings.

Tobias Leisge and his three-person team—made up of interns and a participation assistant—have music playing. “Dance Monkey” is playing on repeat from the speaker, and the kids love it. The last station, “Outdoor Games,” is kept a bit short. The weather is a bit unpredictable.

This day will still remain a cherished memory for the girls and boys. And when those memories have faded a bit, the children will pick up their memory book, which was created especially for the 100-day celebration.

 

Hacker School Inspires a Love of Programming

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Over the course of two mornings, the 7th-grade class had the opportunity to dive into the world of information technology. At the “Hacker School” and through the online program of the same name via Zoom, the students were introduced to the Scratch programming language and took their first steps with it.

 

Learning Outcomes and Motivation

 

A brief evaluation of the Hacker School program revealed that almost all students had little or no prior programming experience.

Teachers Nicole Scholtes and Eva Neumann report that there were a few technical issues that will need to be addressed next time, such as staff deployment, program crashes, communication, and the use of tablets in general. However, they also note:
Almost all of the students were satisfied with the course and learned something from it. The small-group format with a coach was well received. The content—programming a game—was also very motivating for many of them.

 

 

Girls are still hesitant

 

“The project aims to inspire more boys and girls to choose computer science as a subject,” explain Nicole Scholtes and Eva Neumann. It is aimed in particular at female students who are still somewhat hesitant when it comes to choosing computer science. In fact, the evaluation also revealed that many people believe boys are better at programming than girls—a misconception.

 

 

A woman programmed ChatGPT

 

“ChatGPT was also programmed by a woman,” Nicole Scholtes notes, to make it clear that girls should feel just as included as boys. In the 8th and 9th-grade elective courses, computer science is a regular part of the curriculum.

“All in all, our impression is that the course provides many students with their first introduction to computer science and programming, thereby strengthening the field of computer science in schools over the long term.” The WU selection process will reveal whether the course has motivated students to choose Computer Science as a WU, since that course builds upon, among other things, the content covered in the Hacker School—namely, programming games with Scratch.

A New Management Team to Lead Steinmühle into the Future of Equestrian Sports

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Expertise Meets New Vision: At the start of the year, the Steinmühle Equestrian Center set the course for the future. Thomas Trischberger and Isabella Ranz have moved from Upper Bavaria to Marburg and are bringing equestrian activities at the Steinmühle up to a modern standard. The two-time Bavarian U25 champion and the experienced riding instructor are bringing not only several horses but also a wealth of experience with them. Their enthusiasm has won over the management, boarders, and riding students alike.

Buildings inevitably age, and regulations change. When the school and boarding school merged, it became clear that the Steinmühle equestrian facility needed investment. Thanks to the Buurman family, the founders, Steinmühle has been associated with equestrian sports for decades and has developed a strong reputation that extends beyond the region. Young riders—often girls interested in boarding school—have found and continue to find a new home at Steinmühle, both for themselves and their own horses, and certainly for their hobby. “It would have been very difficult for us to do without this flagship of Steinmühle,” explains Managing Director Dirk Konnertz.

 

The Steinmühlen network led to a bullseye.

Sometimes, knowing someone who knows you can lead to the solution you’ve been dreaming of. Head rowing coach Martin Strohmenger, the face of the second major sports offering in the Steinmühle portfolio, knows a lot of people. The driving force, known simply as “Stromi,” remembered Petra Stähle in southern Germany, who once learned to ride at the Steinmühle riding school near Buurmans and still practices the sport today. Through her, contact was established with Thomas and Isabella, who quickly became deeply involved with the situation in Marburg. After a meeting on-site with management, it was clear to both sides: this could work.

Once expectations and possibilities on one side had been aligned with requirements and ideas on the other, we moved right into implementation. Since early February, Tom and Isa have been working as operations managers, overseeing the horses’ housing, grooming, mucking out, farrier services, medical care, and the procurement and monitoring of feed. Three employees assist them in these tasks. For riding lessons, it’s not just the availability of suitable school horses that’s essential, but also that of riding equipment. This includes, in particular, saddles, bridles, and gaiters. And everything has to be maintained.

 

Goal: A modern, forward-looking equestrian facility

In terms of facilities, the young couple is currently making do with conditions that, while offering temporary protection of existing rights, have no future. The stalls no longer meet current standards, and the arena is not competition-sized. Tom and Isa are currently focused on making the transition as smooth as possible for schoolchildren, horses, and staff. However, such a restructuring takes time—whether it involves organizing daily routines, adapting housing conditions, or planning future measures. “Our goal is to gradually transform the Steinmühle into a modern and forward-looking equestrian facility that offers optimal conditions for riders and horses. Once this transition is complete, we will place greater emphasis on training, lessons, and athletic development.”The couple running the facility not only want to provide basic training in all equestrian disciplines and offer a home for boarders’ horses, but also to create the conditions that enable their students to participate in equestrian competitions at various levels.Several sponsors have already recognized that knowledge and skill meet ambition here—all with a shared vision.

 

The supporters’ group is open to new members.

 

Isabella Ranz took her first steps as a stable hand on the outskirts of Vienna. That’s where her journey with horses began—not as a rider on a sponsored competition horse, but through hard work in the stable, such as feeding, mucking out, and caring for the horses. This time not only taught her to treat horses with respect, but also deepened her understanding of the animals’ needs.

Eager to delve deeper into the world of dressage, she began training with the renowned national dressage instructor Tamara Brandner, who has brought numerous horses to the Grand Prix level. Her next step took her to Carinthia, where, alongside her studies, she worked for Christian Schumach—a two-time Olympian and trainer of numerous Grand Prix horses—as well as for Stephanie Dearing, Austria’s most renowned young horse rider, who also has experience training horses up to the Grand Prix level.

Isabella then went on to Munich to train with Uwe Schwanz, a recipient of the Golden Riding Badge in show jumping and dressage. With his experience as a trainer of numerous Grand Prix horses and his successes in both disciplines, Isabella had the opportunity here to further deepen her knowledge and gain valuable insights into training at the highest level. It was through him that she eventually met her current fiancé, Thomas Trischberger. This led her to decide to take a position at the Trischberger Dressage Training Center on Lake Tegernsee rather than, as originally planned, moving north to a well-known German stud farm.

 

Thomas Trischberger was introduced to equestrian sports at an early age. From the age of 8 to 15, his brother trained him. Under his brother’s guidance, he developed a solid foundation in dressage and soon learned to take responsibility for handling horses. This period laid the foundation for his passion and athletic ambitions.

At age 15, Thomas began training under two-time Olympic champion and two-time world champion Ulla Salzgeber and benefited from her exceptional expertise until he turned 18. At the same time, he was a member of the Bavarian state team from the age of 15 to 25. This period allowed him to gain valuable competition experience at the national and international levels, receive additional guidance from the country’s top coaches, and continuously expand his knowledge and skills.

After his time with Ulla Salzgeber, Tom began his professional career in equestrian sports. He completed his apprenticeship with Master Equine Manager Isabell Dehning, during which he also received training in show jumping. This phase allowed him to broaden his range of riding skills and gain valuable experience on the show jumping course.
At the same time, Thomas Trischberger was trained by Christian Lanterdinger. Under his guidance, he continuously refined both his own riding skills and the training of his own horses. From the ages of 23 to 25, he was ultimately selected for the national squad, where he received training at the highest level and demonstrated his skills on the international stage. In addition to these successes, Thomas Trischberger has always been particularly committed to passing on his knowledge, sharing his passion for equestrian sports with the next generation, and guiding them on their journey.

 

Isabella Ranz and Thomas Trischberger are also members of the newly elected board of the Steinmühle Riding Club. The board is composed as follows:

 

🔹 Petra Stähle, President
🔹 Isabella Ranz, Vice President
🔹 Treasurer, Maike Lorenz
🔹 Secretary, Sabrina Schneider
🔹 Sports Director, Tom Trischberger
🔹 Youth Director, Chiara Cordes

 

 

 

Elective classes offering activities for the body, mind, and palate

Cooking vegetarian meals? Or would you rather do research? Go rowing or do crafts? — The elective course offerings (WU) for grades 8/9 and 10 at Steinmühle School & Boarding School include just about everything you can imagine. Thanks to this wide variety, students find exactly what they’re into every school year. It could be working toward the Duke Award under the motto “You can do more than you think,” soccer, or even gardening; alternatively, they might explore elements of musical theater, work with Lego Mindstorms robots and programming, play various games, or join the “Sound & Light” team, which regularly provides sound and lighting support for events.

The portfolio also includes topics such as social responsibility, bilingual learning, digital heroes, everyday skills, the gym, and art and design. — A range of offerings that caters to personal interests while also preparing students for an independent and responsible life.

 

The Evolution of Social Values: Ethics Classes Interviewed Prof. Hanno Sauer

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What defines moral action? How do our social values evolve? Are freedom and personal fulfillment still guaranteed in a changing world? With these and many other questions in mind, the 13th-grade ethics and religion classes at Steinmühle engaged in a fascinating dialogue with Prof. Hanno Sauer, a professor of philosophy at Utrecht University and author of the highly acclaimed book *Moral: The Invention of Good and Evil*.

Prof. Sauer took the time to address all of the students’ questions and clearly demonstrated how philosophy finds answers to pressing social issues. Using humorous examples and vivid imagery, he encouraged the students to think more deeply and made abstract concepts tangible.

 

Are our achievements at risk?

After a brief introduction to his book, which examines the development of morality from the Stone Age to the present day, he turned his attention to current social debates. There was a particularly intense discussion of how concepts and discourses surrounding “wokeness” have emerged and what challenges they pose in a modern, diverse society. Prof. Sauer emphasized that our society has already made considerable progress: skin color, gender, or sexual orientation should no longer influence career opportunities or social participation. However, he also raised the critical question of whether right-wing populist movements could jeopardize these achievements. Despite potential challenges, he remained optimistic that fundamental moral progress cannot simply be reversed.

 

A Vision of a Hopeful Future

In closing, Prof. Sauer outlined a hopeful vision for the future: a world grounded in universal moral values and traditions. This outlook elicited a palpable sigh of relief from the audience, and the participants went about their day with new ideas and inspiration.

We are already looking forward to welcoming Prof. Hanno Sauer back to Steinmühle soon, especially following the publication of his new book, *Klasse*, in which he examines social class differences from philosophical and economic perspectives. With words of praise for our school and reminiscences of his own time as a student in Marburg, we brought this enriching morning to a close in the warm early spring sunshine. Dr. Stefanie Stork

Hanne Wolf works as a psychologist at Steinmühle

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A listening ear, a tip, a perspective: Hanne Wolf, a licensed psychologist, joined the staff at Steinmühle this fall. Her advice and assistance are particularly sought after at the points of contact between students, teachers, parents, and the educational team. “I’m here for all of them, but first and foremost, I want to be a point of contact for the students,” explains the psychological psychotherapist and mother of three.

Hanne Wolf’s counseling is provided on a voluntary basis. Anyone who seeks a conversation with her does so of their own free will. If there’s a problem at school or boarding school, her tips, advice, or mediation can be helpful. An outside, neutral perspective, an assessment—and often a problem that seemed insurmountable just moments before is quickly resolved.

 

Confidentiality and Discretion

The psychologist not only has an office on the Steinmühlen campus but is also part of a group practice in Marburg. She has a wide range of experience, whether dealing with eating disorders, depression, or school- or family-related problems. Hanne Wolf is bound by confidentiality. If a minor student comes to see her, the initial consultation takes place without parental consent and remains confidential—unless otherwise requested and discussed.

Hanne Wolf does not provide psychotherapy at the Steinmühle. The time frame is not designed for that. However, visiting her office in the boarding school building is a good place to discuss a problem, find a solution, or consider next steps.

Sessions with Hanne Wolf last 45 minutes each and can be scheduled via the StoneApp. This is arranged through the teacher.

 

In the future, school social work should serve as a complement

Steinmühle is also considering hiring a school social worker. This area is intended to complement the psychologist’s work in the near future. Among other things, it involves direct and preventive conflict support—for example, during class—as well as direct and preventive conflict mediation. This can refer to conflicts between students, but also to those between students and teachers. It also involves providing strategies for de-escalating deadlocked disputes, as well as counseling students facing difficult life situations. These situations may include frustration with school, bullying, conflicts, as well as problems at home, personal issues, or questions regarding sexuality.

Tolga Tokcan Wins the “Günther Blau” Special Prize from the Marburg Art Museum

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Great joy at our school: Tolga Tokcan (10B) was awarded the “Günther-Blau” Special Prize by the Marburg Art Museum. The competition’s theme was “A World Worth Living In” and was open to artistically talented students in grades 10 through 13 from across the district.

In addition to Tolga, Maxim Brockmann and Eric Dörschel also participated with impressive paintings and drawings. Cilia Evelbauer submitted a plaster sculpture on the theme. Although the grand prizes—worth 300, 200, and 100 euros—went to students from other schools, Tolga’s extraordinary sculpture impressed the jury so much that an additional special prize was created.

Inspired by an internship

His work—a lamp made of pipes, with the “light bulb head” lowered as if in a crouching position—was created in Marc Bepperling’s elective course (WU) in Art and Crafts. Tolga was inspired to create it during his internship at an installation company. The sculpture symbolizes, in an ironic and artistic way, the hope inherent in the human intellect, which takes on special significance in our times. The Friends of the Marburg Museum of Art and Cultural History (e.V.), which organized the competition, therefore decided to honor Tolga’s creative achievement with a special cash prize.

An exhibition at the school will follow

Unfortunately, the award winner was unable to attend the ceremony in person; Marc Bepperling accepted the award on his behalf. We, the art teachers, are thrilled by the talent of our young artists and look forward to displaying the works at our school after the exhibition ends.

Anyone who would like to admire Tolga’s award-winning sculpture and his other impressive works still has the opportunity to do so at the Kunstmuseum Marburg through the end of April. It’s well worth a visit!

Dr. Stefanie Stork


 
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Do you have questions about the school?

School Administration & Management

Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20

schule@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the boarding school?

Boarding School Administration & Management

Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0

internat@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the school?

School Administration & Management

Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20

schule@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the boarding school?

Boarding School Administration & Management

Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0

internat@steinmuehle.de

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