Our Team
We are proud to have created a place at Platanus Schule Berlin where people from different countries, cultures and educational backgrounds come together. Our staff come from 13 different countries and collectively speak 16 languages. This diversity shapes our school community and enriches our daily educational work.
Working at a bilingual all-day school is both rewarding and demanding. It requires a high level of professional expertise, commitment, flexibility and teamwork. As in many modern working environments, professional development, career changes and, occasionally, relocating to a different place are part of our colleagues’ professional journeys. At the same time, we see change as an opportunity: new colleagues bring valuable perspectives, professional expertise and fresh ideas to our school. Welcoming, introducing and integrating new team members is therefore an important part of our shared work. We value and respect the diverse life experiences, educational backgrounds and skills that make our team unique. For us, seeing school as a place of lifelong learning also means learning from and with one another.
We recognise that developing a shared educational philosophy, building trusting relationships and fostering effective collaboration within a multiprofessional team are not things that happen automatically. Rather, they are part of an ongoing process of communication, reflection and continuous development. This applies both to our shared educational principles and to their practical implementation in everyday school life. Since the founding of our school, we have continuously developed the way we work together, reflected on our experiences and learned from what has proven successful. We also actively exchange ideas and experiences with other schools and educational institutions and share our insights into new and established approaches to teaching and learning.
Currently, 22 educational professionals support our 99 kindergarten children. Our 563 students are taught and supported by a team of 71 educators and teachers, including a school psychologist, a school social worker, an integration educator, a learning therapist and a coordinator for individual support and differentiation. Their commitment, professional expertise and educational talent are a vital part of Platanus’s success.
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.
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.
Kristin Wendorf
Founder and Associate
After completing her Abitur at the 3. Gymnasium Berlin-Treptow in 1992, Kristin Wendorf 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 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.
Susanne Hofer
Head of Kindergarten
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Annett Hildenbrand
Deputy Head of Kindergarten, Bezugserzieherin Preschool Group Astronauts
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Corinna Domnick
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Racoons
Arne Düsterhöft
Bezugserzieher Pre-Kindergarten Group Ravens
Hanna Hildenbrand
Bezugserzieherin Preschool Group Astronauts
Shwetha Kodihalli Ramakrishna
Bezugserzieherin Kindergarten Group Globetrotters
Esther Kroll
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Racoons
Bonita Löwe
Bezugserzieherin Kindergarten Group Painters
Jona Castaneda Maywald
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Ravens
Catrin Orgel
Bezugserzieher Kindergarten Group Globetrotterss, Sport Coordinator
Priyanka Raghuvir Gaonkar
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Racoons
Laura Rankin
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Ravens
Irene Scorcelletti
Bezugserzieherin Kindergarten Group Painters
Angie Stöbener
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Ravens
Liza Theron
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Ravens
Sandra Thiele
Bezugserzieherin Pre-Kindergarten Group Racoons
Akua Timm
Bezugserzieherin Preschool Group Astronauts
Jennifer Vater
Bezugserzieherin Kindergarten Group Painters
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.
Brianna Sejnoha
Head of School – Primary Level 1 to 3, Subject Teacher Art
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Simon Gaunt
Head of School – Primary Level 4-6, Subject Teacher English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
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Joana Kappes
Head of School – Secondary Level I (7-10), Subject Teacher Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Head of STEM Department 5-13
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Robin Zeh
Head of School – Secondary Level II (11-13), History, Ethics, Philosophy, Political Education, Geography
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Jonas Lühmann
Head of School Co-Curricular Enrichment Program – Years 1 to 13
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Annika Klemke
Deputy Head of School Co-Curricular Enrichment Program – Years 1 to 13, Class Erzieherin 2a
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.
Dr. Stephanie Bachorz
Classroom Teacher 7a, German, English
Joel Barrett
Class Teacher 11a, Physical Education, Head of Sport Department 1-13
Femke Becker
Subject Teacher Natural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry
Rebecca Bernhardt
Class Teacher 3a, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Can Caylakoglu
Class Erzieher 6b
Sherlyn Chew
Class Teacher 7b, Biology, Chemistry
Romy Clauß
Subject Teacher German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Kyle Daley
Subject Teacher English, Science & Social Studies, Social Sciences, History, Economics
Marta Delgado
Class Teacher 10a, Spanish, Englisch, Exchange Program Coordinator
Alice De Mont
Subject Teacher Art
Christoph Diekhaus
Classroom Teacher 6b, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Natural Sciences
Jonathan Down
Subject Teacher Mathematics, Tutor Upper School
Lindsey Evans
Class Teacher 2a, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Head of Science and Social Studies Department 1-4
Emma Folan
Klassenlehrerin 9a, Englisch, EAL (Englisch als Zweitsprache)
Katy Förster Olson
Elective Course Ceramics
Liane Försterling
Class Erzieherin 1a
Marla Hansen
Subject Teacher Music, Head of Music Department 1-13, Tutor Upper School
Maximilian Hayner
Class Erzieher 3b
Christopher Kaminski
Class Teacher 8a, Physical Education
Osas Kessington
Class Erzieher 6a
Inken Kölle-Bork
Child and Youth Psychotherapist (VT), Counselling & Diagnostics, Child Protection Specialist
Pierre Lacasé
Class Erzieher 4a, Coordinator Substitution and Timetable
Louise Lenssen
Class Teacher 11b, German, Social Sciences, Political Education, Ethics, Head of German Department 7-13
Megan Leong
Subject Teacher Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology
Tu Queen Ly
Upper Secondary Coordinator, Subject Teacher French, History, Political Education, Geography, Head of Social Science Dept. 5-13
Andrea März
Class Erzieherin 4b
Scott McBane
Class Teacher 10b, English, EAL (English as an Additional Language)
Rachel McCaulley
Class Teacher 8a, Art
Bryanne Minnella
Class Teacher 5b, Music
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
Alicia Navarro
Subject Teacher Spanish
Katherine Newport-Forbes
Subject Teacher Computer Sciences, Natural Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Biology
Dr. Rueben Okine
Class Erzieher 2b
Theresa Parr
Classroom Teacher 1a, German, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Head of English Department 1-6
Anne Pelzer
Class Erzieherin 1b, Inclusion Specialist
Matthew Perlmutter
Subject Teacher Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Biologie, Chemistry, Physics
Sarah Qavi
Subject Teacher English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
Ray Rabe
Integrative learning therapist, Support for Dyscalculia and Dyslexia
Jana Richter
School Social Worker
Neema Sahebi
Class Teacher 8b, Social Sciences, History, Political Education, Ethics, English
Andrea Schätzchen
Class Teacher 6a, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Social Sciences
Anneke Schmidt
Class Teacher 5a, German, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Social Sciences
Quirin Schnack
Subject Teacher German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Dr. Jeremy Stahl
Subject Teacher Social Sciences, History, Geography
Thomas Thieben
Subject Teacher Social Science, Ethics, History, Philosophy
Timo Twachtmann
Subject Teacher Sport, Swimming and Assistent Teacher History, Social Sciences
Linn Udich
Class Teacher 1b, German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, Head of German Department 1-6
Alexander Ulyet
Class Teacher 9b, English, EAL (English as an Additional Language), Head of English Department 7-13
Stefanie Wachholz
Assistant Teacher German, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Ulrike Wernst
Class Teacher 4b, German, DaZ (German as a Second Language)
Stefanie Wieschalla
Classroom Teacher 2b, German, English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Neslihan Üzdiyen
Erzieherin
Chester Veazie
Erzieher
Nathalie Weidner
Class Erzieherin 3a, Holiday Program Coordinator
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
Authorized Signatory – Human Resources, Finance, Administration and IT
Allan Dietz
School Secretary
Julia Ehling
School Secretary
Ulrike Herzog
School Secretary
Luisa Junicke
Administration (Finances & Human Resources)
Nadin Prüske-Strutz
Admission Primary & Secondary School, Public Relations
Miriam Schwalenberg
School Secretary, Admission Primary & Secondary School, Coordinator Substitution and Timetable
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.
Olaf Becker
Platanus School Caretaker
Elliot Corr
Platanus School Caretaker
Annett Gebert
Housekeeping in Platanus Kindergarten Berlin
Marc Gericke
Platanus School and Kindergarten Caretaker
Antje Krause
Housekeeping in Platanus Schule Berlin
Robert Thomas
Chef in Platanus Kindergarten