News – Page 57 – Steinmühle

Outdoor Reception: A Warm Welcome to the New Boarding School Residents!

How fortunate that the outdoor facilities on the Steinmühle campus are so spacious. And how wonderful that the weather was so perfect on the day the boarding students arrived. As a result, restrictions, social distancing, and hygiene measures did not dampen the welcome afternoon on Sunday before school began. Instead of gathering in the dining hall as usual, the new boarding students and their families took their seats at flower-adorned tables outdoors—well sheltered from the warm sun and treated to a cake buffet set up by the kitchen team, complemented by cold drinks and fruit. Soft music played in the background.

“We’d like to introduce our team,” said boarding school director Anke Muszynski as she welcomed the 23 new students and their families.

Parents—and in some cases grandparents and many siblings—had traveled with the students to get a feel for Steinmühle Boarding School. The system in the residential groups has also been changed: Steinmühle Boarding School now relies on a mixed-age structure, so that students in grades 7 through 13 live under one roof. The residential group in the Steinmühle Biohaus is an exception; there, the very young students live together among themselves.

Steinmühle is an international company

China has long been a common country of origin for students at Steinmühle Boarding School. This is also the case this school year. However, places were also eagerly filled by children and teenagers from the United States, France, Switzerland, and Russia. Many parents from all regions of Germany also chose to send their children to Steinmühle Boarding School. “We know our son is in good hands here,” explained one father.

The students and families who have been familiar with Steinmühle Boarding School for some time greatly appreciate this professional care. When the “long-time” residents began arriving at 3:00 p.m., there was great joy at seeing the staff and fellow residents again, while saying goodbye to their families was more of a routine matter. By 6:00 p.m. at the latest, family members had to begin their journey home.

Only time will tell how the start of the school year will actually go under the current COVID-19 regulations; “But we are confident.” That same evening, the children and teenagers received a briefing on the current COVID-19 safety guidelines for the start of the school year.

The number of new students equals the number of graduates

But there is also news that is entirely positive. After more than 20 students graduated from Steinmühle Boarding School at the end of the school year, 23 children and teenagers have already been admitted for the 2020–21 school year: “We were able to guide our graduates safely through the Abitur despite the pandemic. The fact that we had practically the same number of new admissions speaks volumes about Steinmühle.” Several new employees who have chosen Steinmühle Boarding School as their employer are sending the same positive signal. They are strengthening the educational team in the residential groups.

These encouraging updates are complemented by the news that tablets are now available for every teaching team. This ensures that Steinmühle students in the tablet classes receive the best possible support. At the same time, this measure advances the ongoing process of digitization.

Despite all the challenges, Steinmühle Boarding School is looking forward to the new school year and is confident that together, we will overcome all obstacles!

Steinmühle Boarding School is extremely confident that it can fully meet the challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A role model for the students is the graduating class, which left the boarding school at the end of the school year. They did not allow “Corona” to limit their performance.

18. August 2020

High School Prom at the Boarding School

Events & Celebrations, Life at Boarding School, News

Farewell Ceremony for High School Seniors and high school graduates against a cinematic Hollywood backdrop

On June 20, the big day had finally arrived. After 13 years of school and the rigors of the Abitur exams, which took place under very unusual circumstances, the “school” chapter finally came to an equally special end for the class of 2020. After it had long seemed as though SARS-CoV-2 would ensure a quiet and subdued farewell—after all, the school’s graduation parade, the school’s graduation ball, and all other festivities had to be canceled—it was all the more delightful that an in-house graduation ball could be organized on the boarding school’s own sports field. Not only did this ensure compliance with social distancing rules, but it also provided the setting for a farewell ceremony that our graduating seniors undoubtedly deserved.

What began weeks ago as a stopgap measure ultimately turned out to be an absolute stroke of luck and a unique event that will remain an unforgettable memory for all guests, all high school graduates, and the entire teaching staff at Steinmühle.

An elaborate production

Right from the start, the guests were treated to a sight that left many of them in awe. The flawless planning (thanks once again to Luise Schneider and Celina Traser) and the incredibly thoughtful and elaborate staging by Edeltraud Buurman created breathtaking impressions even before the evening had officially begun.

Under the open sky, nestled in the beautiful natural surroundings on the outskirts of Marburg and with the setting sun casting its glow over the treetops of the adjacent forest, the guests were treated to a backdrop that felt more like the set of a Hollywood movie than a high school prom. With pleasant summer temperatures, the atmosphere that emerged could not have been better planned and more than lived up to the occasion.

Graduation Ceremony for the High School Seniors

Inspired by this unique setting, the guests enjoyed pleasant conversations while savoring the culinary delights of the barbecue buffet prepared by our kitchen team, sipping the occasional cool drink, and taking in the evening’s program—which had been planned by our “Abis.” In addition to the young ladies’ grand entrance in ball gowns, musical performances, and the equally skillful and humorous hosting by our “Abis,” the official send-off for the graduating class was the highlight of the evening.

When, in true “” style and in keeping with the school’s tradition, each high school graduate was bid farewell with a personalized tribute—some very funny, some very emotional—that captured the wonderful memories that had been created over the course of so many years, and it wasn’t just the graduates who shed a few tears.

On the banks of the Lahn, all the participants celebrated and danced to the music of a DJ well into the early hours of the morning, when the prom finally came to an end.

Thank you very much for your support

In closing, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this evening: Without the dedication of Edeltraut Buurman, Till Buurman, the entire kitchen team, and the many volunteers, this wonderful finale would not have been possible.

One last time, the entire teaching staff at Steinmühle Boarding School would like to thank our graduating seniors. Not just for this evening, but also for all the wonderful moments that led up to it and that we’ve shared together over the past few years. Good luck on whatever paths may lie ahead of you. Take care—and see you at next year’s Fall Festival. We’re looking forward to it…!

9. July 2020

Mathematicians Once Again Succeed at the Pangea Mathematics Competition

Contests & Awards, News, STEM

The participation of numerous students from our school in the annual Pangea Mathematics Competition, which takes place in several countries, has become a true tradition and shows that mathematics is a subject that can inspire many people.

This competition consists of 20 multiple-choice questions of varying difficulty, which students must solve within 45–60 minutes without a calculator. These are not traditional math problems from the classroom, but rather a combination of logic and brainteaser problems, such as those sometimes found in various aptitude tests for career orientation. Scoring is done centrally, and typically the top 500 participants in each grade level from across Germany are invited to the intermediate round.

This year, too, several students performed exceptionally well and made it into the top 500 in Germany (and the top 50 in Hesse).

5th Grade: Carlos_Toshira_Beato_Del Rosal

6th Grade: Sophia Rogosch and Teresa Dinges

7th Grade: Timo Wienbeck and Yewon Jeong

9th Grade: Joshua Wieder; Paula Auschill; Susanna Just; and Velten Schulz

We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to our students on this achievement.

(Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 situation, the remaining rounds of the competition have been canceled this year.)

(from left to right) Joshua Wieder, Sophia Rogosch, Teresa Dinges, Yewon Jeong, Susanna Just, Timo Wienbeck, Paula Auschill, Carlos Toshira Beato del Rosal, Velten Schulz

17. June 2020

Successful Young Researchers at the IJSO

Contests & Awards, News, STEM, Talent Development

For the second time, Hanna Schmidt-Dege (7a), Sabrina Ben Amor, Julius Henkel, Thorben Heß, David Immel, Luca Krantz, Max Posingies, Marvin Preis, and Joel Rucker (all 7c) took part in the International Junior Science Olympiad, which this year had the theme “All About Ink.” In this competition, children and teenagers up to age 15, under the supervision of a teacher, can work on various competition tasks either alone or in small groups. The most important part of each task is an experiment that must be conducted, documented, and evaluated. This year, for example, the students investigated what happens to ink when it is “erased” with an ink eraser, and they made their own ink using various recipes. In two additional experiments, they used ink to examine water transport in flowers more closely and to visualize particle movement in liquids of varying concentrations and temperatures.

The students were able to conduct the experiments during their regular physics classes and thus also make use of the school’s resources (e.g., the student lab, physics equipment collection). The results show that everyone learned from last year’s experiences and acquired a high level of experimental competence.

Marvin Preis (7c), who not only participated in this year’s Olympiad but also successfully competed in the “Jugend experimentiert” contest last year, advanced to the next round of the competition. There, he had to answer a total of 24 quiz questions on various topics in the natural sciences that went far beyond the school curriculum for his age group. Marvin rose to this challenge as well and qualified for the next round—a written exam—which will take place in June, and we wish him the best of luck.

17. June 2020

Further Support for Education from the Chemical Industry Fund

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, STEM

Every three years, secondary schools can apply to the Chemical Industry Fund for financial support for experimental science instruction. Steinmühle regularly applies for these grants. In the spring, another €2,500 was approved. With these funds, the school has since been able to purchase new molecular building sets and magnetic applications for modeling chemical processes and concepts, as well as additional specialized literature. With an attachment for carbon dioxide cylinders designed to compress dry ice tablets, small amounts of dry ice can now be produced right at the school. Experiments with dry ice are among the most popular activities among the students. Additional experimental materials for student experiments have also been purchased and will be gradually added in the coming weeks.

Experiments with dry ice are fascinating

Models make it easier to understand chemical structures and reactions

Smart sensors, when used in conjunction with a tablet or smartphone, enable the measurement of various parameters over time

Conductivity can be measured very easily using LEDs

17. June 2020

“Abis” with Heart

Events & Celebrations, News

Bottle and Can Collection Drive to benefit of young victims of domestic violence

To provide relief where it is most urgently needed right now, the high school seniors at Steinmühle Boarding School have launched a fundraising campaign over the past few weeks. Their goal is to do their part to foster a spirit of solidarity.

The effects of the COVID-19 crisis are a test for society as a whole, but during economic crises, it is often those who already have very little who suffer the most. Independent social service organizations are particularly hard-hit by economic downturns, as they are only able to make limited financial provisions. The loss of revenue then particularly affects clients who are in urgent need of financial and social work support.

The plan was quickly made

The idea was as simple as it was successful: If everyone contributes just a small part, but the number of participants is very high—so the simple equation goes—the result will also be very large. So our high school seniors called on the entire boarding school community to donate their personal returnable bottles and beverage crates to the fundraiser. To make it as easy as possible for everyone to participate, they didn’t even have to take the empty containers away themselves. A “pickup service” organized by the graduating seniors ensured that all the empty bottles and crates were collected from the doors of the boarding school students’ private rooms and apartments over the course of two weeks.

Overwhelming Success

Since all the students, the entire teaching staff, and the boarding school as an institution were happy to respond to the call for donations and participated in this wonderful initiative in an exemplary manner, the graduating seniors were able to collect so many empty bottles and cans over the course of two weeks that transporting them required the use of a bus and an additional car. After more than an hour of redeeming the bottles, it was finally clear that the initiative had raised more than 300 € for the donation fund, which was subsequently donated to “Frauen helfen Frauen e.V.” and the Counseling and Intervention Center Against Domestic Violence. It didn’t take long for the thanks to come…

Dear Ms. Muszynski, dear high school graduates,

Thank you very much for your donation to the children’s and youth program at the Marburg Women’s Shelter—we were very happy that the children living here were remembered in this way !

The womenat the women’s shelter have often witnessed or even experienced violence themselves. It is therefore important for them to be able to enjoy a time here at the women’s shelter that is as carefree as possible .

Since summer is just around the corner and we hope that outings will soon be possible again, we’d like to use the money for those kinds of activities (e.g., going out for ice cream, visiting the zoo, etc.).

I’ve attached a little note from the children.

Once again, thank you so much to you and the high school graduates, and all the best!

With warm regards from the women’s shelter,

Jasmin Worseg (Music Therapist, M.A. // Children’s and Youth Services at the Women’s Shelter)

14. June 2020

We’re excited about the school reopening!

News

This morning, about 450 students returned to Steinmühle. It’s a wonderful feeling to have life back on our school grounds after nine weeks of school closures. A big compliment to all students and staff who are adhering very diligently to our hygiene guidelines and social distancing rules. We’re thrilled! Special thanks go to our two principals, Bernd Holly and Björn Gemmer, who worked—in some cases through the night—to get this extraordinary reopening plan off the ground. We’re confident that we’ll be able to stick to our plan until summer break: Grades 5 through 8 will attend school in half-classes on a weekly rotation, alternating between in-person instruction and homeschooling, while grades 9 through 12 will be at Steinmühle continuously until the summer break. Our elementary school is permitted to resume operations on June 2!

18. May 2020

Easter Break at Boarding School: Relaxation, Learning, and Fun

Life at Boarding School, News

In March, the COVID-19 pandemic brought massive disruptions to our personal, academic, and social lives and required great sacrifices from all of us. As the Easter break approached, the boarding school was therefore committed to offering the children a restful and carefree vacation and, in doing so, providing some relief to their parents. And so, the boarding school students were given the opportunity to spend the entire Easter break on the Steinmühle grounds—under the constant supervision of the on-site educational team, safe and secure with no contact with the outside world, enjoying a wide range of recreational activities on the spacious campus, homeschooling, and special projects.

Take some time to focus on your personal interests

In addition to the daily recreational activities and support with homework while working from home, the opening of special project rooms was primarily intended to allow students to pursue personal interests that often take a back seat during the regular school year, or to broaden their horizons beyond the classroom.

The students interested in technology took their first steps in programming by working with the Arduino microcontroller and taking online courses on artificial intelligence offered by the University of Helsinki. This is a skill that is already in high demand today, but will be particularly sought after in future societies.

Learn a Foreign Language or Become an Office Pro

There were also extensive opportunities for anyone who wanted to develop their practical everyday skills. The program included learning another foreign language, as well as professional training in all Office applications and improving touch-typing skills. Our high school graduates in particular—who, despite all the challenges, had taken their written exams in a nearly heroic manner before the break and most of whom will be heading to college—showed great interest and dedication in these programs.

All athletes had the opportunity to train for the German Sports Badge, hone their basketball skills under the guidance of a basketball player, earn their C-level fitness trainer certification, or take a closer look at currently very popular fitness apps to assess their user-friendliness.

Anyone who wanted to hit the dance floor was in the right place in the boarding school’s mirror hall. Under the guidance of Timo, one of our 12th graders, students learned the rhythms of disco fox and cha-cha-cha, as well as the elegance of the tango, so they can cut a fine figure on any dance floor in the future.

My Own Creations on the Sewing Machine

Creative talents should also be given the freedom to flourish. In a hand-lettering class, the young people were able to practice their calligraphic skills and learn “the art of beautiful writing.” With Easter just around the corner, it was the perfect opportunity to send greeting cards and Easter wishes.

Upcycling projects—the processing and reuse of waste materials—have been very popular for years, especially when it comes to creating new furniture from old pallets. So, some students at the Westfalenhaus “armed” themselves with pencils, hammers, and paintbrushes to enhance the garden for the coming summer with a garden lounge, where future students will also be able to enjoy Marburg’s sunny days.

In addition, thanks to the active support of Corinna, one of our housekeepers, the boys and girls were able to showcase their talent at the sewing machine. Old clothes were transformed into new, original creations, and by sewing face masks, they rose to the challenge of the current situation.

Easter Break at Steinmühle: Perhaps the most enjoyable way to comply with stay-at-home orders…

30. April 2020

Environmental Sustainability Project: Class 10b Planted an Orchard Meadow

Ecology and Sustainability, News

Unlike project-based learning in grades 5–9, where students typically work on three projects per semester, grade 10 features two major semester-long projects. In the first semester, each group chose a topic related to environmental sustainability, which consisted of a research phase, a project, and a presentation on the topic and project they had selected. In this context, we—Calvin, Clemens, Felix, Jan, Lukas, and Simon—from class 10b focused on CO2 emissions.

Since trees have the ability to sequester CO2, they are indispensable for protecting the climate. Upon closer examination, it quickly becomes clear that this ability not only ensures sustainability over many years but also continuously counteracts CO2 pollution. So, in order to take action ourselves against this CO2 pollution and to improve the local ecosystem in a sustainable way, we have decided to plant trees and create our own orchard meadow.

Since the school still needed to implement a compensatory measure for the new middle school building, our idea fit very well with the school administration’s plans. As a result, a suitable meadow area was quickly made available to us for planting, specifically behind the middle school building. Following a corresponding application by the school, the Giessen Regional Council provided 1,156 euros to cover the material costs for the orchard meadow—on the condition that the school take responsibility for maintaining the trees.

A home for thousands of animals and plants

An orchard meadow is beneficial not only because of the environmental benefits provided by the trees. It is an unfertilized meadow where fruit trees grow; it also serves as a habitat for over 5,000 animal species and more than 3,000 plant species. For example, the red-backed shrike, which needs both open space and trees, can settle here. And the orchard meadow is also an ideal habitat for the nightingale, the chiffchaff, the yellowhammer, and otherwise endangered bat and insect species.

Now we had to decide where to place the trees on the selected area. To do this, we first staked out the meadow and marked the tree locations with sticks. We decided to arrange the trees in triangles. This made sense because the trees had to be spaced a certain distance apart, which was easy to achieve with a triangular pattern. A few days later, the trees arrived at the school. Since they still had bare roots at that point, we had to dig them in temporarily. Then the day of planting arrived. We received help from an expert on orchard meadows, Mr. Moll; Steinmühlen teacher Carmen Bastian; the landscape gardener; and Mr. Schäfer, a teacher at the boarding school.

How to Plant Trees

First, holes were dug for the trees, and in the center of each of these holes, another, deeper hole was dug. Next, a wooden stake was hammered into the ground at the edge of each hole. Finally, a wire was placed in the deep hole to protect the tree. Next, the tree, along with its root ball, was placed into the hole and the whole thing was covered with soil. Finally, we tied the tree to the stake with a thick string. This provides the tree with support during the initial period. We used this method for all 15 trees. We made good progress, and even though it started to rain after a while, that didn’t dampen our motivation.

For environmental reasons, we planted not just one type of tree, but three different fruit varieties: mainly apple trees, but also a few plum and pear trees. We also decided not to arrange the trees randomly, but to group them by fruit variety. So the two plums and the two damsons are on the left side, while the apple trees are in the center and on the right.

Clemens Gerhardt (Class 10b)

27. April 2020

Career Guidance: The Geva Test Points the Way

News, Politics, Business & Responsibility, Surveys & Studies

For the third time, Steinmühle gave a graduating class the opportunity to assess their own abilities through the geva test before they were finally placed in advanced courses. The test requires students to work through a test booklet containing various tasks within four hours. A limited amount of time is allotted for each task. Once the results are evaluated, they reveal the students’ aptitudes and interests and suggest which careers might be suitable for them in the future. This is particularly helpful for students who do not yet have a specific career path in mind. “Our partnership with the geva Institute is a key component of our career guidance activities,” explained Dr. Claudia Röder, who also serves as the coordinator for school-based internships.

27. April 2020