About Schulzentrum Marienhöhe
Founded in 1925, Schulzentrum Marienhöhe in Darmstadt is an independent private school (Schule in freier Trägerschaft). Supporting association is Schulzentrum Marienhöhe gGmbH, an institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (public law corporation) with the educational departments Gymnasium, Realschule (Intermediate Secondary School ) and elementary school as well as a boarding school, one for boys and one for girls.
Around 700 students attend our school, about 50 youths and young adults age 14 to approx. 21 years old live in our dormitories. The day students come from Darmstadt and surrounding areas, the boarding school students from the Rhein-Main region, from all over Germany and also from abroad (China, South Korea, Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine).
We accept students - regardless of their religious denominations or ideologies - who fulfil the formal requirements for admittance in Hessen and who are willing to join the school community in accordance with the values of our mission statement by participating in the creation of the positive togetherness on our campus.
Mission statement
The foundation of learning and education at Schulzentrum Marienhöhe is the Christian image of man as it is described in the promise of the gospel: “You are loved and qualified by God.” As Christians we are aware that – through love and forgiveness – we are completely accepted, cherished and commissioned by God to live our lives in freedom and responsibility. That includes the development of talents and gifts which God has bestowed upon every single person. As a school, we want to contribute to the discovering and developing of these gifts in the framework of the general school education. This happens also in cooperation with the local Adventist church whose building is situated on our campus.
The mission statement ("Leitbild“) of Schulzentrum Marienhöhe illustrates our Christian principle and major values which teachers, employees and students as well as their parents feel committed to. These values are desigend to support a versatile character development and thus to prepare our students for successful graduation exams.
In the daily school routine, the Christian image of man substantiates itself in six character building values and behaviour patterns.
Experience appreciation
The fundamental experience in living together at our school should be appreciation: appreciation that is received from others, also from God, and appreciation that is given to others. This includes the communication style between each other: respectful, encouraging, tolerant, friendly, sincerely, humorous, ready to forgive, objective in criticism, assisting and supportive even when the school grading is currently not at top level.
Experience the joy of efficiency
Schulzentrum Marienhöhe brings forth superior graduation results: Intermediate secondary graduation and “Hessisches Landesabitur”, the university entrance diploma. These goals should be reached by a delight in efficiency, combined with willingness and ability to be efficient. We attach great importance to a motivating instruction in all school subjects which enables our students to enter a professional training or university studies. If possible, the individual life situations and learning capacities of our students should be taken into consideration.
Experience cooperation
A good cooperation cultivates the capacities of efficiency and the joy of learning and teaching. In the context of cooperative teaching methods a style of instruction can be developed that requires and supports fairness, reliability and an appropriate dealing with conflicts. Cooperation also aims at the various possibilities for all to participate in the school culture at Schulzentrum Marienhöhe.
Live the holistic way
The contents of education should also integrate abilities and skills that go beyond cognitive performance, that means to include the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions: learning different kinds of sports, being artistic or musical, to play act, studying outdoors, to act practically and morally in social and religious contexts. At the same time, we want to take care that the general conditions of instruction and learning are adjusted to the mental, physical and social needs to make a point of supporting the individuals’ health. In addition, the beauty of our park-like campus is meant to contribute to wellness and performance.
Practice sustainability
It is indisputable that our modern society has to attach importance to an ecologically effective development in order to preserve the foundations of human life. As Christians who understand nature as God’s creation and celebrate the biblical Sabbath as the day of creation, we take upon ourselves a special responsibility. Education towards an effective development (environmental education) should, therefore, obtain the significance of a fundamental, cross-curricular topic. At the same time, we seek to energize and maintain the buildings on our campus in a sustainable way.