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Annual Report 2017Deutsche Schule Melbourne

b Deutsche Schule Melbourne

Photography by Markus Weber Photography and Kima Guseva. Design by Sophie Campbell.

Deutsche Schule Melbourne 3

contents

A small school with a big vision 4

The Deutsche Schule Melbourne Mission 5

Celebrating 10 wonderful years 5

Where it all began 6

The school you know and love today 7

Preparing for our Future 8

Our Students 9

Parent Satisfaction 11

Our Teaching Team 12

Board Members 14

Our Financials 15

Contact Us 16

4 Deutsche Schule Melbourne

Unlike other bilingual German schools, DSM attracts families of all nationalities. We’ve created a vibrant and diverse community where everyone belongs.

Looking back over our journey so far, I’m overjoyed with all we’ve achieved. Although the growth we’re experiencing can sometimes be challenging, it’s allowing us to invest in our school and offer our students so much more.

A larger team, more specialisations, extended programs, renovated spaces and more facilities. These

are just some of the ways our school has advanced thanks to our growing community.

Now it’s even easier for us to support the unique needs of every student – and cater to the diverse families who trust us with their children’s education.

All this couldn’t have been possible without the support of our parents and teachers. Every day, they work hard to inspire, nurture and challenge our children to become the best they can be.

Because of you, DSM is a truly special place to learn and work.

Now stable, with a loyal community by our side, our future has never looked so certain – or more exciting.

As I stroll through our grounds every morning and afternoon, I am proud to say that I still know every child by name. I see the bright young faces that make DSM what it is today; a small school with big potential.

Please join us as we embark on this new chapter. I know the next 10 years will be even better.

Bernice Ressel Principal

A small school with a big visionAs the first principal of Deutsche Schule Melbourne, it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch the school flourish – and our children along with it.

InspIre

We inspire life-long learning by empowering students to lead their own learning journey.

We inspire our students by offering learning experiences encompassing the heart, head and hands.

We inspire our students to express themselves creatively and think critically about a world without borders.

nurture

We nurture the whole child in our vibrant German, Australian and multicultural community.

We nurture mutual respect, understanding and caring for the individual.

We nurture inclusive classrooms in which everyone feels pride and belonging.

Challenge

We challenge our students to embrace diverse perspectives through bilingualism, and by exposing them to an immersion program run by native speakers.

We challenge our students academically by teaching according to the Victorian and Thuringian Curricula.

We challenge our community to live sustainability by reducing its footprint and taking care of precious resources.

The Deutsche Schule Melbourne Mission

Celebrating 10 wonderful yearsThis year marks 10 years of Deutsche Schule Melbourne (DSM). It’s therefore the perfect time to reflect on our successes so far – and to share our vision for the future.


On 20 May 2018, we invited the community to help us celebrate this exciting milestone. We were also honoured to be interviewed by SBS German, making it an afternoon to remember.

Now, join us as we look back at our journey and all we’ve achieved – thanks to the steadfast support and loyalty of our students, parents, teachers and staff.

When DSM opened its doors in 2008, our vision was to offer an enriching learning experience to the expatriate German-Australian community. Since then however, this vision has broadened and evolved into so much more.

Today, we exist to deliver a bilingual education to all families who value the priceless benefits it offers. Our school is also designed to empower and inspire children to take part in a global network.

But like all great stories, ours began with a lot of planning – and a few leaps of faith.

Finding our homeAfter many inspections, we found the perfect building for our school nestled in the heart of North Fitzroy. Then, it was all hands on deck to bring our vision to life!

securing our fundingAs a not-for-profit venture, we couldn’t have started DSM without the financial support of our two partner churches – the German Lutheran Church in East Melbourne and St Christopher’s German Speaking Catholic Church in Camberwell.

getting the green lightAfter years of paperwork and persistence, DSM was finally registered in 2007. It was just days before Christmas – and weeks before our very first term!

Opening our doorsDSM began with just 14 students, 1 class, 1 head teacher and 3 part-time teachers. Although we’ve grown considerably since, we’ll be forever thankful to the families who believed in us from the start.

Where it all began


The school you know and love todaya leader in bilingual educationToday, our bilingual education model is acclaimed in Australia and across the world. As leaders in our field, we’re proud to share the secrets of our success.

• Ourcurriculumsatisfiesthehigheststandards of the Australian and German school systems. We also offer students all the extra support they need to succeed in their learning.

• Our‘oneteacher,onelanguage’approach means classes are taught in either English or German, based on the teacher’s native language. That’s how we better blend language learning with other subjects.

• Afteryearsofdevelopment,wenow offer internships, a German Language Certificate (DSD) program, extra-curricular activities and more.

going from strength to strengthAs DSM grows every day, we get closer to fulfilling our vision.

Over the years, we have increased our teaching hours and hired more staff. We have also built a sports ground, toilet block and new learning spaces.

What’s more, thanks to our partnership with Froebel, we are now next door to a bilingual Early Learning Centre, which is the perfect feeder into our school.

In 2018, we are proud to have 102 students across 17 ethnic backgrounds thriving at DSM.

Since day one, we have maintained a strong focus on building a warm and inclusive community – so we can grow together as one.

Many of our students tell us that DSM feels like a second home, and parents are always looking for ways to get involved. With many fun, cultural activities on our calendar, DSM is all about bringing its community together.

Below are just some of our annual highlights.

• the DsM German christmas Market: Attracting over 2,000 locals, this market is a chance to enjoy unique crafts, local talent and cultural treats.

• Working Bee: This is a fun and active way for parents to help create a safer, friendlier environment for their children to learn and play.

• Athletics Day: Brimming with energy and team spirit, this is the day where families come together to cheer on their budding sports stars.

a vibrant and cohesive community



Preparing for our Future

WhAt’s next foR DsM?DsM has exciting plans for the next 10 years. here are some goals we hope to achieve by 2028:

• Buildasecondaryschoolbased on the Mixed Language International Baccalaureate in German and English (GIB)

• SupportthefirstgroupofDSMstudents to undertake the GIB

• Createanewhubforstudents,parents, teachers and staff to meet and connect

• Consistentlydelivertwoprimary school classes at each year level

• Continuetoinspireourstudents to boost their creativity and confidence

• Maintainthevibrancyandpassion of our friendly community

a new era. a new logo.

With the evolution of our school over the last 10 years, the time had come to evolve our identity. As a first step, we asked our students to brainstorm ideas for anewlogo.Themesof‘Australia’,‘Germany’and‘children’quicklybegan to emerge. From there, Michelle Ferreira – a graphic designer and DSM parent – took this inspiration to design three logo options.

At our end of year celebration, we asked our community to choose their favourite option and hang it on an empty Christmas tree. The logo with the highest number of baubles won!

a picture says a thousand wordsOur new logo describes a journey from primary to secondary school. Incorporating the year DSM was established and a modernised crest, each aspect of the logo holds a symbolic meaning.

• the girl and boy: DSM is a co-educational school

• the younger and older child: DSM is a primary and soon-to-be secondary school

• the children’s legs hanging out of the circle: We foster creative and innovative thinking

• the southern cross constellation and gum tree: Our connection to Australia

• the buildings: Our respect for tradition

• the stars: The countless study and career opportunities available through a mixed language IB

• the inner circle and streaks: The world and the bilingual nature of our school

2028

Our students love our school and their teachers. The 2017 survey revealed that students feel safe at DSM – and comfortable to approach their teachers at any time, with any issue.

From choir to chess and more, our students have also expressed their delight in the range of extra-curricular activities at DSM.

Overall, our students feel a deep connection with their school. They also identify strongly with the Australian and German cultures – as well as their bilingualism.

sAtisfAction

Our StudentsThe heart of DSM, our students motivate us to work harder and smarter – so we can continue offering them the best learning experience possible.

Bilingual: 46 (45%)

German: 19 (19%)

English: 37 (36%)

Primary languages spoken at

home

Other: 5 (5%)Swiss: 5 (5%)

Australian: 41 (40%)

Australian / German: 35 (34%)

German: 16 (16%)

14 languagesA stuDent snApshot

102 students Foundation to Grade 6

ethnic backgrounds 17

Foundation 91.58%

Year 1 95.58%

Year 2 93.72%

Year 3 95.43%

Year 4 96.49%

Year 5 94.74%

Year 6 97.34%

2017 average 94.34%

Attendance

Ethnic backgrounds

of our students



Our Year 3 and 5 students undertake the National Assessment Program (NAPLAN) which measures their performance in these areas. Although these tests don’t cover the overall academic success of our students, they do show that national standards are met and exceeded, time and again.

Year 3 comparative results Year 5 comparative results

excellence in liteRAcy AnD nuMeRAcy

At DSM, we strive for academic excellence. That means achieving proficiency in language – and mastering general literacy and numeracy.

2015 (%) 2016 (%) 2017 (%)

Reading Above 100 88 100 At 0 15 0 Below 0 0 0

Writing Above 100 100 100 At 0 0 0 Below 0 0 0

Spelling Above 100 100 100 At 0 0 0 Below 0 0 0

Grammar & Punctuation Above 100 100 100 At 0 0 0 Below 0 0 0

Numeracy Above 100 100 100 At 0 0 0 Below 0 0 0

Participating Students 9 8 9

Language Background Other Than English (LOBTE) 6 3 6

2015 (%) 2016 (%) 2017 (%)

Reading Above * * 100 At * * 0 Below * * 0

Writing Above * * 100 At * * 0 Below * * 0

Spelling Above * * 100 At * * 0 Below * * 0

Grammar & Punctuation Above * * 88 At * * 0 Below * * 13

Numeracy Above * * 100 At * * 0 Below * * 0

Participating Students * * 8

Language Background Other Than English (LOBTE) * * 5

*There are no results listed for 2015 and 2016 because there were insufficient student numbers to meet the NAPLAN minimum of five students.


Parent SatisfactionEveryone’s ideas and opinions matter at DSM. That’s why we always welcome constructive feedback on all areas of our school. In doing so, we can keep our parents happy, our students engaged – and our community strong.

In 2017, parents were very satisfied with how DSM is run and how children are taught. Although there was little to no dissatisfaction, we have identified a few areas for improvement.

Communication frequency Some parents stated there was too much communication, and others not enough.

We also received requests for greater opportunities to chat with our leadership team and the Board. Here are a number of ways parents can talk to our school leaders:

• Onmostdays,ourPrincipalBerniceRessel is available for a chat before and after school. Formal one-on-one meetings can also be arranged upon request.

• BoardmemberPaulSouthwickisoften free at drop off and pick up times. He talks to parents regularly – and is happy to be approached at any time.

• TheAnnualGeneralMeetingandthe school’s many social events are prime opportunities to talk to our Board, school leaders and staff.

Before and after school careBefore and after school care are a priority for DSM.

In response to the high demand, we have been working hard to set these up as soon as possible. Although we still have hurdles to overcome, we have made great progress and will continue to keep parents updated.

school securityThis year we completed a major review of our school’s security. As a result, we have updated our policies and procedures accordingly.

Our Board will continue to consult with the experts who conducted the review to ensure all our policies, procedures and plans continue to protect our community to the highest degree.

All concerns from our parents are raised at Board meetings. Board members also work closely with staff on key issues. The Principal, Deputy Principal and Business Manager attend every meeting to keep the Board informed of all school activities and any concerns.

Caring, committed and passionate. These are just a few words to describe our teachers. As the pillar of our school, our highly-qualified teaching team inspires, nurtures and challenges our students to be the best they can be – every single day.

Team composition

Full time 7

Part time 5

Casual relief teachers 2

Instrumental instructor 1

No Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander staff

Leadership teamBernice Ressel Teaches Music and Religion (Principal) Subject Coordinator: Music

Christina Runs the Therapy Dog Program – with our German Remshardt Shepherd Kaya; Subject Coordinator: DSD (German (Deputy Principal) Language Certificate), GAL (German as Additional Language) and DaF (German as Foreign Language)

positions and qualifications

Our Teaching Team

ClassroomteachersLidija Tkalcec Teaches Foundation Year: Quokkas Subject Coordinator: Resiliency

Tanja Matthias Teaches Foundation Year: Bats Library Coordinator

Mandana Vogt Teaches Year 1 Subject Coordinator: German

Leon Gabler Teaches Year 2 Subject Coordinator: IT & Maths

Lars Nonn Teaches Year 3/4 Special Needs Support

Mary Gallivan Teaches Year 5/6 Year 6 Coordinator Subject Coordinator: Sports

Specialist teachersAlanna King Subject Coordinator: French, English & Integrated Studies

Jonathon Goodwin Subject Coordinator: ESL

Pia Demasi Subject Coordinator: Arts

JasmineChan Subject Coordinator: English

Total teaching staff 12Qualifications Master degrees 8 Bachelor degrees 4

CasualreliefteachersAnna Macvean Casual Relief Teacher Doris Issleib Casual Relief Teacher



attendanceIn 2017, DSM had a teacher attendance rate of 98.88% (up from 98.57% in 2016).

This rate incorporates full-time and part-time attendance as a percentage of the staff member’s total committed time.

retentionA year with little movement, DSM said goodbye to one staff member whose contract ended in 2017 – and welcomed four more!

professional development This year, we invested $29,867 in boosting the skills and knowledge of our staff. This included:

• Fourinternalprofessionaldevelopment days

• Avarietyofcoursesrunby external facilitators

• Twointernationalprofessionaldevelopment activities for our Principal, Deputy Principal and Business Manager via the Central Agency for School’s Abroad

satisfactionStaff morale is high. All teachers appreciate DSM’s commitment to staff training and professional development.

Our team has also responded favourably to the new policies introduced last year, which included:

• ProfessionalLearningandDevelopment

• ParentalLeave

• TheEmployeeTuitionFees Discount

Our Board drives the governance and performance of DSM. It oversees the management team, sets goals and develops strategies to benefit our school today – and every day after.

Board Members

florian Dehne (chair)

Co-founder DSM, Strategy Director, SEEK

penny fairbank

Science Engagement & Philanthropy Manager, University of Melbourne

paul Monkus

Finance Manager, SEEK Learning

Grit Dielmann

Linguist and Language Teacher, German Lutheran Trinity Church

Bernd Kalinna

paul southwick

Journalist, Chartered Accountant, Pilot

Ai-lyn tang

Head of Strategy, Outware Mobile

eleanor Williams

Assistant Director (Centre for Evaluation & Research) Department Health & Human Services (Vic)

Volker Ankenbrand

Technical Consultant, Church of St. Christophorus

Master of Teaching (Secondary); Doctor of Science (PhD)


For year ended 31 December 2017

Our Financials

Revenues 2016 2017

Fees, charges & parent contributions 1,022,199 1,332,364

Other private income 143,663 169,673

Gov grants – Australian 447,558 610,136

Gov grants – Victorian 43,898 57,413

Gov grants – German 55,849 149,414

Private capital income 3,000 19,080

Total income 1,716,165 2,338,080

Expenses 2016 2017

Salaries & employment expenses 837,472 1,154,564

Office & administrative expenses 219,608 272,447

Building & caretaking 198,203 288,770

Interest – –

Depreciation & amortisation 143,233 147,587

Total Expenses 1,398,516 1,863,368



contAct us

please call or visit us at any time.

Deutsche Schule Melbourne 96 Barkly Street North Fitzroy VIC 3068 Australia

+61 3 9489 [email protected]

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