Dear Nelson-Mandela-Community,
After 10 years at Nelson Mandela School, I will begin another posting from the 31st of August 2016 as school principal of the Paula-Fürst-Schule in Berlin-Charlottenburg.
When I first began my duties as Deputy Principal of NMS in Kastanienallee, the spirit of Nelson Mandela School was still in development. Due to the different campuses throughout Berlin, the spirit of Nelson Mandela, which we now naturally know and celebrate as something obvious, only developed gradually: a sense of togetherness, courage to try out new ideas, active inclusion of new members (parents, students, and teachers) in this community, but also the strength to tolerate contradictions and the ability to openly address them. Simply put: a place to grow together amongst all the existing composite diversity.
It really humbles me, but also gives me great joy, that I was allowed to actively be a part of this growth. The 10 years were filled with varied tasks and challenges, which would not have been as successful, were it not for the support and solidarity of my Leadership Team and so many colleagues: for example, the move from Kastanienallee to Pfalzburger Straße, the interim period without a school principal, and the building up of the Babelsberger Straße 24 Campus.
I have always perceived my duties as a teacher and Deputy Principal as a learning situation and I thank you all sincerely for your suggestions, thoughts and constructive criticisms.
The parting from Nelson-Mandela-School is, not exactly easy. I am, however, fully convinced that the school possesses the strength to meet and master these challenges, through the teamwork and support of teachers, students and parents.
As a Berliner at heart and by choice, and a passionate networker I am so glad that I had the opportunity at Nelson Mandela School to enhance and enrich my career in a bilingual and international educational setting.
The experience I have gained will now enable me to contribute via other schools and their multiculturalism, to the internationality of Berlin and to make Berlin become an ever more attractive place of education.
All the best,
Yours sincerely,
Brigitte Kather