2023-05-01 15:14:00
For Luna Mette, attending the Schloss Salem school is a family tradition, the school representative reveals to those present in her welcoming speech. Since the boarding school has existed, her family members have been visiting the facility. In an interview with the SÜDKURIER, she emphasizes: “There was never any pressure on me, I should make my own decisions.”
Luna Mette only switched to boarding school in eighth grade, having previously attended a different school. Nevertheless, for her it is as if she grew up here. “My parents met here. I live here now, have all my friends here,” she says. She can only recommend everyone to attend this school as well, it was really the best decision for her, not least because of the opportunities for social commitment that are available here. “I’d like to study medicine later and I’m in the medical service here, I’ve done my paramedic training,” she explains. On top of that, she can learn all languages here or just get a taste of them, wherever she is interested. She lists Russian, Chinese and Spanish, and she also attends the advanced Latin course.
Adrian Evers from the USA, like Mette, is in eleventh grade and, although he learns in English, has learned to master the German language perfectly here. How did he get here from New York? “A friend of my family went to school,” he says. In addition, his mother is German. “It still took some time before I felt comfortable here,” he admits. “New York is a long way away.” In the meantime, however, he is convinced that the decision was absolutely the right one: “I feel completely comfortable here .”
From curriculum to questions about the future
School rector Henrik Fass had previously welcomed those present and presented the school’s pedagogical concept: “Yes, we have a curriculum and yes, we have an educational plan. Are the skills for the future also included?” They asked themselves this question both inside and outside of the classroom, because what happens afterwards is no less important.
School rector Henrik Fass welcomes those present. | Image: Lena Reiner
However, it is also important to them that the activities outside of the classroom are not “schooled out” – this is a common mistake of all-day schools, according to the headmaster. Current issues such as war, recession and inflation are important in the search for the skills that future generations will need, such as communication, creativity and collaboration, but critical thinking is also required. “Facebook is no longer the medium of young people, some things are only about games, they move very much in their bubble,” he says. Here’s the question: “How do we get them to see that this is just part of the world?”
time to volunteer
A recent study shows that young people have less and less time for voluntary work. But volunteering is important for democracy, emphasizes Fass. That’s why he’s proud of the processes at her school: “Here, every student volunteers, we have a quota of 100 percent.”
Working with foreign languages is also a matter of course here. With a total of 45 nationalities attending the school, it is also possible to see how the students “switch” to English over lunch. In this way, the foreign language becomes a matter of course.
Guided tour of the school building
Foreign language skills are also demonstrated by 14-year-old Charlotte, who guides those who are interested through the school building. One of the families she shows everyone keeps asking questions in English. The ninth grader alternates between English and German. She also chats out of the sewing box.
In the upper school wings there is a kitchen with a stove. | Image: Lena Reiner
“I’m 14 now, but I could actually move out at home,” says Charlotte. Here at the boarding school she learned to be independent, to do her own washing and to cook for herself. She is proud of that. When she moved here six months ago, she found it a bit difficult at first. “Some write bad grades at first because you have to motivate yourself to learn and everything is new,” she says.
But it’s not the case that you’re completely on your own here, Charlotte continues. “Every morning our mentors check the room,” she says. So it is not possible to leave behind a complete mess. The only deviation from the strict daily rhythm with the bell at 6.40 a.m. and the morning run at 6.45 a.m. is on Sundays.
Cell phone use is severely restricted
Otherwise, rules and freedom are balanced here. There are televisions in the communal areas of each residential wing, computers in the study rooms, and many also have their own laptops. Mobile phone use is severely restricted – especially for the younger children. But they play a lot outside and there are table football and board games everywhere in the house.
Coco and her father Holger Philipp Hartmann from Mönchengladbach are currently doing a “casting tour” for schools. | Image: Lena Reiner
Coco Hartmann is currently on a “casting tour” with her father from Mönchengladbach to find a suitable school for her. Salem was her first stop. “I really like it here,” she says. However, she only wanted to form an opinion after she had talked to the students in more detail.
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