Auf Wiedersehen / Good bye!
Liebe Eltern, dear parents and guardians,
It is with mixed emotions that I am writing to you for the very last time prior to my retirement. Spending the last four years of my career in the building where I started my career as a teacher so many years ago has been amazing. Advocating for the German program to move into its own building and not only meeting the ‘hurdle’ of 150 students but exceeding it (there will be over 160 students in the German bilingual program in the fall), I do hope that the German program will be granted its own building at some point in the future, as well as it’s expansion to include grade 7-9 again.
During my tenure at Bowcroft, the following happened:
- The German program grew from 120 to 160+ students
- We cleaned up/out four classrooms that had been ‘graveyards’ filled with junk – and they are now classrooms
- German textbooks were purchased and German workbooks are used
- German student teachers are now supporting the German classes (and community classes), enriching the German language exposure of our bilingual students and staff members (this year, we had 10 throughout the year!)
- High quality music instruction became important and a focus
I am deeply grateful for the dedication of our staff, the partnership of our families, and the enthusiasm of our amazing students. I will miss the many hugs I received every morning.
Thank you for the memories, the milestones, and the warm community I will always carry in my heart. With deep appreciation and warm regards,
Meike Thomsen
Schulleiterin/Principal, Bowcroft School