Our Team
At Platanus Schule Berlin, we are proud to have created a place where people from all over the world meet. Our employees come from 12 different countries and speak 15 different languages in total. Since the challenges at a bilingual school are greater than normal and our colleagues are above-average competent and committed due to the diverse prerequisites and requirements, this is accompanied by a certain fluctuation. These people love change and challenges. In the modern world of work, it is timely and necessary to develop further through professional reorientation and relocation. The induction and integration of new colleagues into our team is a very important part of our work, which we increasingly appreciate. For us, newcomers mean professional input and new ideas. We admire and respect the different CVs, educational qualifications and competencies. For us, school as a place of lifelong learning means learning from and with one another as a team. We respect and admire the different and invaluable life experiences, educational qualifications and skills that each member contributes to our school. Being such a place also means that we learn from and work with one another as a team.
We are aware and have been working for 13 years of our school’s existence that a common understanding of education, genuine cooperation and good collaboration in a multi-professional team is a continuous process of negotiation and further development, both in the general principles and in the details of practical implementation. We are proud of the new paths we have taken, the experiences we have had and the results we have achieved as a result, and we exchange ideas with other schools about this.
At the moment, 28 Erzieher*innen care for 129 Kindergarten children. Our 460 school children and young adults are in the best hands of 51 teachers, 16 Erzieher*innen, a school psychologist, a school social worker, an integration educator and one volunteer completing her social year. Platanus owes its success to their commitment and pedagogical talent.
Fotograf: Falk Weiß Kristin Wendorf
Managing Director
Kristin Wendorf is one of the directors of Platanus Bildungs gGmbH, and is primarily responsible for the kindergarten. After completing her Abitur at the 3. Gymnasium Berlin-Treptow in 1992, she undertook studies in Education at the Humboldt University. In connection with her studies, she spent many months in Central America in order to learn Spanish. Due to her work as an individual caseworker with the Jugendamt Pankow during her studies as well as the decision from the state of Berlin to privatise social work and family help with private agencies, a decision was made in 1999, together with her school friend Sabine Schoenermark, to found the the family assistance agency ‘lara.berlin’. In 2003, the first lara.kita was opened on Hermann-Hesse Straße and was followed in 2009 with the opening of the first bilingual lara.kita on Schulstraße in Berlin, Pankow. Here, along with Sylke Mouroum-Ebeler and her language school, she developed a concept for early years bilingual education. In 2009, she and her partners founded the Platanus Bildungs gGmbH. Kristin Wendorf lives with her partner in Prenzlauer Berg.
Dr. Karen Krüger
Managing Director
Karen Krüger is one of the directors of Platanus Bildungs gGmbH, and is primarily responsible for the Primary and Secondary School. Following her Abitur, which she completed in 1992 at the 3. Gymnasium Berlin-Treptow, Karen Krüger spent many months in Indonesia in order to gain experience overseas as well as to learn the language. Following this, she studied Psychology at the Humboldt University with a focus on occupational, industrial and organisational psychology. She spent a semester abroad in New York at City College and also used her summer to undertake an internship in Human Resources at the New York University. After her studies, Frau Krüger moved to Stuttgart and worked there for almost 10 years in research and development for Daimler AG along with short stages in marketing and design. During this time she also completed her doctorate with a theme of engineering psychology. She moved back to Berlin in 2009 in order to found the Platanus Bildungs gGmbH with her friends Kristin Wendorf and Sabine Schoenermark. She lives with her husband and child in Pankow.
Sabine Schoenermark
Finances and Real Estate
Sabine Schoenermark is the commercial manager and is responsible for the area of finance. She completed her Abitur in 1992 at the 3. Gymnasium Berlin-Treptow. From early on, she placed a high value on personal and financial independence. During her studies in Education at the Humboldt University Berlin, which she completed in 1999, Sabine Schoenermark was working as a social worker for the Jugendamt Pankow. Before and during her studies, she also lived in London on multiple occasions. In 1999 she founded the family assistance agency ‘lara.berlin’ with her school friend Kristin Wendorf. Due to the constant growth of the company, to which now many kindergartens belong, she shifted the focus of her area of responsibility to management and financial planning. In 2009 she founded the Platanus Bildungs gGmbH along with her partners. Sabine Schoenermark lives with her husband and three daughters in Pankow.
Fotograf: Falk Weiß Sylke Mouroum-Ebeler
Education, German, DaZ (German as Second Language), English, EAL (English as an Additional Language), WAT (Economy/Work/Technology)
Sylke Mouroum–Ebeler has pedagogical and conceptual responsibility for the organisation. After completing her Abitur at the „Geschwister Scholl“ school in Bernau, she began her teacher training in 1979 in German and English at the Humboldt University. She started working in 1983 at the Grete-Walter-Schule in Berlin-Weißensee. Her ideas for an open minded approach to English teaching were unfortunately not fully realised there and in May 1990, she founded her own language school, ‘Sprachcenter Mouroum’. Her son and daughter were born in 1990 and 1992 respectively. Inspired by her children, the idea arose to develop a concept for early years English learning. Among her customers were Kristin Wendorf and Sabine Schoenermark and it was from this business relationship that the idea came to found a bilingual kindergarten and school. Frau Mouroum-Ebeler lives with her husband and dog in Wandlitz. Her children are now grown up and speak multiple languages.
Susanne Hofer
Head of Platanus Kindergarten
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Annett Hildenbrand
Deputy Head of Kindergarten at Benjamin-Vogelsdorff-Straße 1, Educator in the “Dragonflies” Kindergarten Group
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Kwame Agyei
Educator in the “Explorers” Kindergarten Group
Juliane Eigner
Educator in the “Detectives” Preschool Group
Maximilian Hayner
Educator in the “Bookworms” Kindergarten Group
Amelie Lachere
Educator in the “Explorers” Kindergarten Group
Marie Knorr
Early Childhood Education Studies, Educator in the “Explorers” Kindergarten Group
Shwetha Kodihalli Ramakrishna
Educator in the “Detectives” Preschool Group
Jona Castaneda Maywald
Educator in the “Globetrotters” Nursery Group
Josephine Matte
Educator in Training
Simona Pistis
Educator in the “Detectives” Preschool Group
Mara Schade
Early Childhood Education Studies, Educator in the “Bookworms” Nursery group
Irene Scorcelletti
Educator in the “Bookworms” Kindergarten Group
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Ann-Cathrine Signetzki
Educator in the “Globetrotters” Nursery Group
Hilda Veláscez Celiz
Educator in the “Dragonflies” Preschool Group
Our school leadership team – Together we are strong!
The change in values in today’s society and the advancing modernization of the working world require a rethinking towards agile leadership concepts. According to our systemic understanding of leadership, we have redesigned the leadership structure of our school. Through shared responsibility, flat hierarchies, versatile competences and experience as well as mutual support, we work together with the students and colleagues closely, efficiently and trustingly.
In the following section, we will introduce ourselves with our clearly defined areas of responsibility.
Falk Weiss Brianna Sejnoha
Head of School Lessons – Years 1 and 2, Subject Teacher Art, Head of Art Department 1-10
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Simon Gaunt
Head of School Lessons – Years 3 and 4, Subject Teacher English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
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Joana Kappes
Head of School Lessons – Years 5 to 7, Subject Teacher Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Head of Sciences Department 5-10
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Robin Zeh
Head of School Lessons – Years 8 to 10, Subject Teacher Social Sciences, History, Political Education, Geography, Ethics Head of Social Sciences Department
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Lars Lüer
Head of School Co-Curricular Enrichment Program – Years 1 to 10, Club Coordinator
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Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Dr. Rueben Okine
Deputy Head of School Co-Curricular Enrichment Program – Years 1 to 10, Class Erzieher 6a
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Our pedagogical team – Cooperation on an equal footing!
The joint and equal cooperation of educators and teachers is particularly important to us. In the primary school from grade 1 to 6, class leadership teams consisting of class teacher and class educator share the responsibility for the pupils. In addition, there are many different tasks, topics, projects and events in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities throughout the day and in all classes, which are organised and carried out together and on par with each other.
In the following you will get to know our pedagogical team.
Weiß Falk Dr. Stephanie Bachorz
Classroom Teacher 8b, German, English
Joel Barrett
Subject Teacher Physical Education
Falk Weiß Katherine Barry
Classroom Teacher 10a, Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Rebecca Bernhardt
Class Teacher 1a, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Falk Weiß Jesse Clark
lassroom Teacher 9b, English, EAL (English as an Additional Language), Social Science, History, Geography, Political Education
Falk Weiß Romy Clauß
Classroom Teacher 6a, German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Falk Weiss Kyle Daley
Subject Teacher English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Social Sciences, History
Falk Weiß Alice De Mont
Subject Teacher Art
Christoph Diekhaus
Classroom Teacher 3b, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Natural Sciences
Anastasia Dobler
Subject Teacher German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Jonathan Down
Class Teacher 7a, Mathematics
Aiden Earley
Classroom Teacher 7b, Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Lindsey Evans
Classroom Teacher 3a, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Sonja Goll
Substitute Teacher
Marla Hansen
Subject Teacher Music
Alexandra Johnson
Class Erzieherin 1a
Erman Jones
Classroom Teacher 5a, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Zarah Kedenburg
Subject Teacher German, English in training
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Inken Kölle-Bork
Child and Youth Psychotherapist (VT), Counselling & Diagnostics, Child Protection Specialist
Pierre Lacasé
Class Erzieher 3b, Coordinator Substitution and Timetable
Reno Landschulz
Class Erzieher 1b, Nature Educator
Louise Lenssen
Class Teacher 5b, German, Social Sciences, Political Education, Ethics, Head of German Department 7-10
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Megan Leong
Classroom Teacher 6b, Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, SENCO
Annika Litschke
Class Erzieher 5a
Carolina Llorente
Subject Teacher Spanish, French, Head of Spanish Department 7-10
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Rachel McCaulley
Erzieherin, Subject Teacher Art in training
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Manuel Meyer
Classroom Teacher 4b, German, Physical Education, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Falk Weiß Bryanne Minnella
Subject Teacher Music, Head of Music Department 1-10
Cristino Molina Ott
Subject Teacher Spanish, English, EAL (English as an Additional Language)
Fotograf: Falk Weiß Sylke Mouroum-Ebeler
Subject Teacher German, DaZ (German as a Second Language), English, EAL (English as an Additional Language), WAT (Economy/Work/Technology), Cofounder of Platanus Schule Berlin
Alistair Nicholson
Class Erzieher 4a
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Theresa Parr
Classroom Teacher 4a, German, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Head of English Department 1-6
Anne Pelzer
Class Erzieherin 4b, Inclusion Specialist
Matthew Perlmutter
Subject Teacher Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Physics
Sarah Qavi
Classroom Teacher 2a, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Physical Education, Head of Science and Social Studies Department 1-4
Michael Quattlebaum
Class Erzieher 2b
Falk Weiß Ray Rabe
Integrative learning therapist, Support for Dyscalculia and Dyslexia
Christian Reuter
Subject Teacher WAT (Economy/Work/Technology) in training, Substitution Teacher
Jana Richter
School Social Worker
Neema Sahebi
Class Teacher 10b, Social Science, History, Political Education, Geography, Ethics
Amy Schäfer
Subject Teacher English, Art
Quirin Schnack
Classroom Teacher 8a, German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Lena-Marie Schwarzenberg
Voluntary Social Year
Dr. Jeremy Stahl
Subject Teacher Social Sciences, History, Geography
Thomas Thieben
Subject Teacher Social Science, Ethik, History, Philosophy
Linn Udich
Class Teacher 2b, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Head of German Department 1-6
Laura Underdown
Subject Teacher German, English
Falk Weiß Neslihan Üzdiyen
Class Erzieherin 3a
Weiß Falk Lindsay Turner
Subject Teacher English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Art
Falk Weiß Alexander Ulyet
Class Teacher 9a, English, EAL (English as an Additional Language), Head of English Department 7-10
Chester Veazie
Class Erzieher 6b
Weiß Falk Livia Warrington
Class Erzieherin 5b
Falk Weiss, Weiß Falk Allison Weber
Erzieherin, Specialist for children’s rights
Weiß Falk Nathalie Weidner
Class Erzieherin 2a, Coordinator Holiday Program
Falk Weiss Ulrike Wernst
Subject Teacher German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Stefanie Wieschalla
Classroom Teacher 1b, German, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Michael Woythe
Subject Teacher Physical Education
We create the framework!
For all administrative and organizational processes and questions, we are available to our students, colleagues, parents, business partners and interested parties.
Anja Thieme
Assistant to the Managing Directors
Silke Ameti
School Secretary, Admission Primary & Secondary School
Falk Weiß Miriam Schwalenberg
School Secretary, Coordinator Substitution and Timetable
Luisa Junicke
Administration Finances & Human Resources, Coordinator Substitution and Timetable
Nadin Prüske-Strutz
Public Relations, Admission Primary & Secondary School
Nothing works without us!
We prepare meals, go shopping, keep things clean and tidy, repair, build, work, garden, have everything in view and always have a friendly word on our lips.
Antje Krause
Housekeeping in Platanus Schule Berlin
Weiß Falk Olaf Becker
Platanus School Caretaker
Francisco Cabello
Platanus School Caretaker
Falk Weiß Marc Gericke
Platanus Kindergarten Caretaker