Events & Celebrations

Family Day at Steinmühle Boarding School

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

The weather was on our side for the annual Family Day at Steinmühle Boarding School. The families of all boarding school students were invited to spend a few pleasant hours together in a relaxed atmosphere. A variety of activities kept everyone entertained: from canoeing on the Lahn to finger painting for young visitors, bull riding, and bubble balls, all the way to box climbing—everyone had a great time while the sun shone brightly. The day concluded with a barbecue buffet, where the chefs showcased their skills.

This traditional event focuses on general interaction. For parents and families, the gathering always offers an opportunity to get to know one another and network.

7. June 2019

At “Bands on Stage,” the Steinmühle celebrated 20 years of the Stonemill House Band

Art, Music & Theater, Events & Celebrations, News

The students have graduated—but the band is still here. And has been for 20 years. Frank Wemme, educational director at Steinmühle, is the man behind the StoneMill House Band. Naturally, the educator and passionate musician didn’t miss the chance to host the evening himself at the Steinmühle music group’s anniversary concert—featuring many musical guests.

“Whenever something went really well, they graduated from high school,” he announced to the audience in the packed hall. To outsiders, it all seemed like a smooth transition over the years. That alone is worth celebrating. And a concert, of course.

The program kicked off with a performance by the 5th and 6th-grade band. Their singers demonstrated just how powerful even young performers’ voices can be. The following performance by Katharina Filin, accompanied by Olaf Roth, inevitably brought to mind the British rock and pop singer Bonnie Tyler. It was an impressive performance.

Talea and Fynn Konnertz surprised the audience with “Talk”—not a conversation, but an original composition by the guitarist and the singer, whose voice really shone in this piece. The duo also performed “Slow dancing in a burning room” and “Apologize,” accompanied by host Frank Wemme on drums and keyboardist Dirk Konnertz. In his “day job,” Dirk is the executive director of the Steinmühle School Association. But he’s also a musician at heart.

A little high, a little low: The Marburg Music School’s saxophone ensemble, conducted by Jörg Eichberger, provided one of the evening’s highlights with their performance of Queen’s ballad “Bohemian Rhapsody,” delivering a detailed rendition of the three parts of this legendary piece.

Following the *Rent* project—the distinctive follow-up to Talea Funk’s widely staged *Hamilton* project—the audience was left with goosebumps: Music teacher and concert tenor Daniel Sans, accompanied by his wife Marie on piano, Fynn and Dirk Konnertz on guitar and keyboard, Bodam Lee on violin, and Frank Wemme on drums, sang “You Raise Me Up” to the audience.

Following this impressive performance by the sextet and a rhythmic set by the jazz ensemble, the curtain rose on the birthday celebrants. Although the StoneMill House Band—currently consisting of 15 members—hasn’t actually been around for the entire two decades, the members were happy to be celebrated and performed their latest songs. Being part of this school band is truly not a matter of age, as their drummer, a seventh grader, impressively demonstrated.

Dressed in white, the upper-level choir, directed by Daniel Sans, bid the audience farewell after a varied evening of music. But not without first performing Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” In true style—at a school. Because that’s exactly where the lyrics belong.

10. April 2019

Great costumes and music: Lower School Celebrated Carnival

Events & Celebrations, News

Being able to really let loose, running around the gym in costumes to cool music, playing games, and burning off some energy—that sounds like the Steinmühlen Carnival for grades 5 and 6. The atmosphere among Steinmühlen’s youngest students couldn’t have been better, even in a traditional Carnival stronghold; it’s hard to believe that the whole thing took place in Central Hesse.

After getting dressed in their costumes and applying makeup, two appropriate costumes were selected per class for the Carnival Costume Story. The young revelers made their entrance to the polonaise at 2:00 p.m. After the presentation of the Carnival Costume Story, the Carnival Olympics began with a biathlon. The program included running, target throwing, and a three-legged race. This was followed by a disco and the much-anticipated Carnival snack, complete with French fries.

As usual, WU Sound & Light and its team provided the best music. Sam Kempkes and his team were swamped at times as people tried to get as many song requests as possible to them.

We would like to thank the teaching staff led by Frank Wemme, as well as Jasmine Weidenbach, chair of the booster club, for their flawless coordination and for actively helping to shape this “crazy” afternoon with their own original costumes.

5. March 2019

As they entered the atrium, the European anthem began to play

Events & Celebrations, News

“We enter, filled with fire, O Heavenly One, into your sanctuary…”—the Steinmühle leadership team had been working toward this moment for a long time, and Principal Bernd Holly even had the European anthem played. Together with his colleague Björn Gemmer and Managing Director Dirk Konnertz, he waited—megaphone in hand—for the students in grades 7 through 10 on Monday around 8:30 a.m. in front of the new middle school building.

They streamed in, laden with their school supplies, due to the move from the main building—which was undergoing renovation—to the “Atrium.” Gently, they wiped their shoes, and then headed to their assigned classroom. There was something special about that moment.

In his usual style, Christian Plaum, owner of the company Lichtwerk, filmed the scene. Up the stairs, astonished glances at the imposing seating arrangements. It took a moment to get your bearings in the building’s vast spaces. “Oh my God, this is so cool,” one student blurted out. There was no need to ask the students what they thought of the new building. The comments came spontaneously.

School classes fan out

“Awesome” – “So modern” – “Looks really cool” – “And an elevator, dude.” — Sometimes youth slang describes it best. “I think this is sooooo cool,” “All blue and red, how awesome,” “Check this out!” It was really impossible to miss that the furnishings and design also appealed to young people’s tastes. “The classrooms are much bigger,” “So many windows,” “Plants—ah, how cool.” During the long break, they set off on a bigger exploration. “Huge seating areas for a ton of people—you can sit there in massive groups.” When asked specifically what they liked best, they also had compliments for the bathroom designers: “What do I like best? The bathrooms!” —Yeah, why not.

“The interactive whiteboards are really great,” teachers Jennifer Bernhart and Julia Riemenschneider agreed. From the teachers’ perspective, this equipment paves the way for forward-looking, modern instruction.

While school operations are now in full swing, the atmosphere at the Gade construction company—for its managing director, Jochen Schröder, and his staff—is still one of hard work. The outdoor areas aren’t quite finished yet, and inside, small details such as soap dispensers and trash cans on the floors are still missing, as is the entrance grating. Caretakers Oleg Koch and Viktor Grenz can be seen darting back and forth. Their skills are in high demand until these final details are completed shortly.

Balanced Energy Budget

For architect Thomas Oesterle, the tension has eased somewhat, but it’s not quite over yet. There are still a few remaining tasks to be completed. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel—after all, a lot is supposed to happen this week. Then the heating plant will also be handed over to the building maintenance staff.

The designer is proud that he can present effective solutions even for key issues. “Doesn’t all that glazing consume a lot of energy?” Thomas Oesterle explains that triple-pane glazing, combined with thicker walls, compensates for heat loss and restores the energy balance. He also benefits personally from the electricity generated by the building’s photovoltaic system.

For an experienced planner, it goes without saying that all fire safety guidelines have been implemented using the most up-to-date methods. “There are escape routes to the outside from every room on each of the three floors.”

1. February 2019

Inauguration of the new middle school building: a showcase project built on a solid foundation

Events & Celebrations, News

Just 36 months ago, the Steinmühle Marburg School Association didn’t even own the land; today, the new Steinmühle middle school building has already been officially opened. Nearly 100 guests came to Cappel for the official dedication ceremony, and several of them spoke: expressing their amazement, gratitude, and enthusiasm.

The “Atrium,” as it has been named, stands as an impressive entrance right at the entrance to the Steinmühlen campus. It features 8,800 cubic meters of enclosed space and 1,780 square meters of usable and ancillary space. Twelve classrooms for grades 7–10 have been created here, featuring eco-friendly building technology and modern, future-oriented facilities. Egon Vaupel, chairman of the school association, summed it up: “All the conditions and foundations for successful learning are met here.”

Indeed, the atrium leaves nothing to be desired. It features a group room and a storage room for each grade level, as well as a flexible, divisible space, a kitchen, and a teachers’ lounge. Interactive smartboards with multi-touch systems have long since heralded the end of the chalk era. The view from every window is outstanding: to the south, you look out over the Lahn Valley; otherwise, the view is toward the castle. “It makes you want to go back to school”—that’s what someone said in the auditorium. Guests from the worlds of politics, business, and administration were in attendance, along with the teaching staff—and many others who contributed to the project’s success.

Expertise and Competence

The project didn’t just fall into their laps. As an independently operated school, the Steinmühle cannot automatically rely on public funds. The project, which had a total cost of 6.5 million euros, required the school to provide its own funding. Over 150,000 euros were donated, with 35,000 euros alone coming through the Friends of the School Association. A guarantee from the Marburg-Biedenkopf district supported the portion of the capital requirements covered by loans. The fact that costs remained within budget and completion was on schedule is a testament to the expertise and competence of those in charge. The school association chair said, “Everything was done right.”

Special thanks today went to Managing Director Dirk Konnertz. “He has achieved extraordinary and outstanding results; without him, we wouldn’t have made it,” Vaupel explained. Konnertz highlighted the support and first-rate teamwork he received from school principals Björn Gemmer and Bernd Holly. Working hand in hand, they made what we see today possible.

“The Steinmühle is very persuasive”

“School should be a place where people feel comfortable—in terms of how we treat one another, the atmosphere, and even the visual environment,” said Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies in his speech. He noted that fostering personal bonds is particularly strong at Steinmühle, which is a positive sign. “We’re also pleased about the bilingual elementary school,” the mayor said on this occasion, even though it’s important to keep an eye on the potential impact on enrollment at public elementary schools. The new program, which will launch at Steinmühle at the start of the 2019–20 school year, expands the city’s educational offerings, “another attractive educational building block.” The school sets standards for the education sector, from which everyone ultimately benefits. Spies remarked appreciatively: “The Steinmühle’s appeal is strong.”

Help in Developing One’s Own Personality

“Schools are naturally in competition with one another to develop the best educational approaches,” agreed Marian Zachow, First Deputy District Administrator. Education should change perspectives and ways of thinking and help students develop their own personalities. The Steinmühle fulfills this mission to a high degree.

Georg Ritter, managing director of Steinmühle GmbH & Co. KG— the organization that operates the Steinmühle Boarding School —had words of praise for the school association’s achievements and its projects. The increased collaboration between the boarding school and the school, which was recently put on a solid contractual footing, is already proving very fruitful and is focused on the future: “We still have a lot planned together.”

With local companies

Architect Thomas Oesterle concluded his assessment of the new Steinmühle building from a structural perspective. He noted that the building had been constructed to be future-proof in every respect. Soil improvements achieved by incorporating gravel to a depth of up to four meters had provided a solid foundation for the building, which is located in a flood zone. The project, which was managed by Gade Schlüsselfertigbau GmbH, was completed without any construction accidents, within the prescribed timeframe, and—with one exception—using only contractors from the district. Oesterle remarked with pride: “A showcase project.”

These words certainly fit the musical opening of the event, performed by concert tenor and Steinmühle music teacher Daniel Sans. Accompanied on the piano by concert pianist and wife Marie-Gabrielle Sans, he proclaimed in a powerful voice: “Today is the most beautiful day of my life.” There was certainly some truth to that—at least from Steinmühle’s perspective.

29. January 2019