The residents of the Steinmühle boarding school clearly had a great time at their Halloween party. As Michel Hermens from the educational team reports, the evening began with a lavish buffet and continued with a small costume contest, during which the students were able to show off their costumes in the dining hall. Afterward, the party continued long and lively in the tea room. “A wonderful and entertaining evening,” Michel Hermens summarized, and sent the following photos:
As is tradition, the parents of the elementary school students created fantastic decorative “eye-catchers” in the open trunks of their cars for “Trunk or Treat.” It was really fun to walk around the schoolyard and take a closer look at the decorations, many of which had been elaborately prepared.
The event, organized by the elementary school parents, was supported by parents of Class 5i—our youngest international high school class.
Not only the children, but also many parents dressed up that evening, so you really had to look twice to recognize everyone. On top of that, there were all kinds of treats and drinks for everyone, so the evening can be described as a complete success.
The Steinmühle would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work. Our youngest participants had a wonderful time—one they’re sure to remember for a long time to come!
It wasn’t exactly a golden autumn day, but at least the weather held steady on the last Saturday in September, when Steinmühle celebrated its annual fall festival. The Steinmühle administration’s overall assessment of the event is positive: The festival brought people together who, in some cases, hadn’t seen each other in a long time—and alongside the fun, artistic, entertaining, and athletic presentations by the current classes, that was definitely the most important aspect of this “holiday.”
“The overall atmosphere was outstanding”
Principal Björn Gemmer: “It was a very peaceful celebration. The overall atmosphere that evening was outstanding. Graduating classes from 1975 to 2025 had fun together, sitting together in a convivial atmosphere, laughing and dancing. I met many parents with their adult children who were celebrating with each other or with friends. — The Steinmühle served as our common gathering place.”
“Another step toward mutual understanding”
Information About the Friends of the School Association
Steinmühle also uses the Fall Festival as an opportunity to share information about the school and boarding school. Members of the school administration are on hand to answer questions from visitors. At the same time, the Friends of Steinmühle, led by Chairwoman Jasmine Weidenbach, are available to anyone considering membership. What does the Friends Association fund, and where does it provide financial support? — The Autumn Festival provided the answers in person.
The same goes for the school parents’ council. There, Chairwoman Bianca Zenker and her team shared a bit of information with everyone.
The boarding school and the school shared responsibilities
Amazing: Parents pitched in
Take another look at the beverage concept
This aspect should not be overlooked, but it is by no means the most important one: “The Steinmühle has shown itself to be a professional, cosmopolitan, and cheerful community, and we are delighted about that.”
Angela Heinemann
For those who couldn’t make it to the Steinmühle Fall Festival or didn’t get to visit all the booths, here are a few photos to give you a glimpse of the event:
For many, no distance is too far: Every year on the last Saturday in September, current and former students gather at Steinmühle for the Fall Festival to reminisce about their time together—over a drink or two and some delicious food. This day is also a family day—not only for our “Steinmühle community,” but also for anyone interested in learning more about our school and boarding school, while children can take part in the many hands-on activities on our campus. We therefore invite you to join us starting at 3:00 p.m. at Steinmühlenweg 21 in Marburg-Cappel, and we look forward to seeing you there!
The end of the school year at Steinmühle is also the time to say goodbye to colleagues who are retiring. It is a traditional event, marked by a sense of reflection, but also by joy for the employees in question, who can now shape their lives beyond the daily school routine according to their own wishes. As is the case every year, the farewells took place as part of the joint summer party, to which Managing Director Dirk Konnertz invites all staff members from the school and boarding school on the last Thursday evening before summer break.
Decades of Work
When someone has been a teacher for several decades, their colleagues have so many memories of that person that it is impossible to do justice to their contributions here. With art teacher Dr. Sabine Kraft (25 years), physicist Dr. Rainer Nietzke (math and physics teacher, 33 years) and Almut Sersch, a German and religion teacher (36 years at Steinmühle), we bid farewell to long-serving teachers who not only left their mark but also shaped Steinmühle through their personalities.
Principal Björn Gemmer paid tribute to the work of Sabine Kraft, a certified architect and urban planner who holds a master’s degree in art history and a Ph.D. (Dr. phil.) earned in 2000. Publications, lectures, and teaching assignments characterized Sabine Kraft’s work until she left academia in 2001 to join Steinmühle, where she taught art with great dedication to students in all grade levels.
“You were always focused on the issue”
Rainer Nietzke began his teaching internship at Steinmühle in 1992 and later became the school’s data protection officer as well as chair of the physics and computer science student councils. “You were my mentor; I learned a lot from you,” recalled Principal Björn Gemmer, while also praising Rainer Nietzke for his clarity, his steadfast commitment to his values, and his competence, “which was always focused on the matter at hand, never on yourself.”
Almut Sersch studied Protestant theology and German language and literature, and completed her teaching internship at Steinmühle, where she earned an “excellent reputation among teachers and students” (Gemmer). Almut Sersch was known for her ability to handle conflicts at school; she worked as a school mentor, student council advisor, and works council member, and served as a mentor to numerous teachers in their pre-service training—”…and was always open to innovation,” according to the principal.
The three teachers also received recognition from Managing Director Dirk Konnertz—for their decades of dedication and for spearheading specific activities that are inextricably linked to each of them and will remain so. Special mention was also made of Tobias Leisge’s departure from the Bilingual Elementary School; he is seeking a career change, and his “calm demeanor and great patience” were always regarded as important and helpful. Speaking on behalf of the works council, Nicole Hohm expressed her gratitude to the departing employees. Heartfelt and personal words were also offered by the department representatives and, on behalf of Tobias Leisge, by Lorraine Herrmann, the deputy principal of the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School.
A warm welcome to all newcomers!
As the new school year begins, we also welcome new colleagues. Following Janine Küster’s departure, Julia Daube is now taking over as principal of the Bilingual Elementary School. Niki Johnson and Sophia Fleißner are joining the faculty at the Bilingual Elementary School. In the high school division, Steinmühle is also welcoming Philipp Knaack and Olaf Roth for the new school year; Roth will be teaching a greater number of music classes.
The weather was perfect, and so were the other conditions: Marcel Kalb, the school’s physical education director, and his team of teachers were greeted at the traditional spring run for grades 5 and 6 at the Steinmühle School & Boarding School by cheerful students who, with a healthy dose of ambition, ran the same course as generations before them.
“All in all, it was another very exciting event with lots of positive energy and plenty of sportsmanship,” said Marcel Kalb happily. “It’s truly gratifying to see how a sporting challenge can motivate a young community and drive them to achieve their best!”
Oliver, Caroline, Abraham, and Anouk were the fastest in their age group
Oliver Mand and Caroline Hecker (both in 5c) were the fastest in the 5th-grade division. Abraham Sow and Anouk Sedlmayr (both in 6a) posted the best time in the 6th-grade division.
The fastest relay teams were from classes 5a and 6b.
The results in detail:
5th Grade Boys – 1st Oliver Mand, 5c (4:39m), 2nd Samuel Pacho, 5a (4:46m), 3. Kai Gundlach, 5b (4:53m)
Grade 5 Girls – 1. Caroline Hecker, 5c (5:18m), 2. Marlene Jerrentrup, 5b (5:28m), 3. Dana Gorr, 5a (5:53m)
Grade 5 Relay – 1. 5a (3:47m), 2. 5b (3:51m), 3. 5c (4:01m), 4. 5i (4:03m)
6th Grade Boys – 1st Abraham Sow, 6a (4:40m), 2nd Philipp Leont, 6b (4:49m), 3. Leo Niederhöfer, 6c (5:00m)
Grade 6 Girls – 1. Anouk Sedlmayr, 6a (5:19m), 2. Alea Stübner, 6i (5:24m), 3. Clara Koch, 6c (5:29m)
Grade 6 Relay – 1. 6b (3:44m), 2. 6a (3:46m), 3. 6i (3:49m), 4. 6c (3:50m)
“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.
The costumes worn by the students in grades 5 and 6 at the joint Carnival celebration in the new gym were a testament to their vivid imaginations. Following a meticulously planned schedule, teachers and students were all involved in the festivities. Nothing was missing: decorations, lighting, seating, food—and even a Carnival Olympics featuring the biathlon and three-legged race were held. The disco and, later, the traditional Carnival snacks were also met with enthusiastic responses. The numerous teachers who participated set a good example not only during setup but also during takedown and cleanup, so that helping with cleanup, sweeping, and trash removal became second nature for the children.
Steinmühle would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, big and small, for the dedication you have shown. Many thanks to teacher Rieke Marie Schüßler for sharing her photo collection.
It’s still quiet in the classroom, but out in the hall, the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School’s Carnival party is really getting into full swing. Whether they’re dressed as princesses, the Easter Bunny, or magicians—everyone is celebrating together with their teachers, who have also slipped into costumes to mark the occasion.
The students form a circle. “Anyone who has anything red on their clothes, please come to the center,” asks Lori Herrmann, assistant principal of the Bilingual Elementary School. The calls are repeated, naming different colors. And so, everyone gets a turn in the spotlight on this early afternoon.
The Carnival party with you students was great! And we say: See you next time!
A lot of preparation put into it with heart and soul, countless details, one final check: Then it’s time for the Christmas party at Steinmühle Boarding School. With around 250 people in attendance, the entire boarding school community celebrated this event, which began in the Forum and concluded with a festive meal in the dining hall. The students showed great enthusiasm and dedication in their task of decorating the entire campus for the holiday. The InnoClub Deko was particularly active in this effort. It was their first event since the club was founded—and they passed with flying colors.
The students entertained their guests with a 75-minute stage program full of variety. Some of those in attendance—including parents—were experiencing the boarding school’s Christmas party for the first time! The relaxed program impressed with its diversity. From classical pieces to self-produced films and dances, there was something for everyone, and the young people were delighted by the high level of appreciation for their performances and arrangements.
After a series of visual and auditory highlights, it was Lukullus’s turn. The festive menu featured goat cheese crème brûlée as an appetizer, followed by a choice of venison goulash or vegetable ragout with potato noodles or croquettes, served with red cabbage and Brussels sprouts. An exquisite chocolate dessert capped off the meal. The Steinmühle kitchen received wonderful feedback and enthusiastic applause as the team lined up for a group photo.
A lively atmosphere, animated conversations
To pass the time between courses, the students had organized two Kahoot games, which participants played in groups at their tables. The lively atmosphere and animated conversations were further signs that the parents—some of whom had traveled a long way—were enjoying themselves. The Secret Santa gift exchange organized by the boarding school council provided quite a few little surprises.
High Praise for Educational Staff
The boarding school council had high praise for the work of the house teams. The students also expressed their appreciation to the teachers. Boarding school director Anke Muszynski likewise expressed her gratitude to the staff. Among other things, she received the lovely compliment that “this evening brings the hustle and bustle of Advent to a standstill.” After the event, a Christmas party kicked off in the tea room with many cheerful people, featuring fun and dancing that lasted well into the night.
Sie haben Fragen zur Schule?
Schulleitung & Geschäftsführung
Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Telefon: 06421 408-20
Sie haben Fragen zum Internat?
Internatsleitung & Geschäftsführung
Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Telefon: 06421 408-0
Sie haben Fragen zur Schule?
Schulleitung & Geschäftsführung
Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Telefon: 06421 408-20
Sie haben Fragen zum Internat?
Internatsleitung & Geschäftsführung
Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Telefon: 06421 408-0
