Education newsletter

Startchancen program agreed - schools in Offenbach also benefit

The federal and state governments agreed on the Startchancen program at the beginning of February. The program is intended to counteract the declining performance levels of pupils, particularly in terms of arithmetic, writing and reading, and to break the link between social background and educational success. Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger described the program, which will start on 1 August 2024, as "the largest and most long-term education program in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany."

The federal and state governments are supporting 4,000 schools in challenging situations (equivalent to around ten percent of pupils in Germany) with 20 billion euros over ten years. The funds will be used to improve infrastructure and equipment to make it more conducive to learning, for needs-based school and teaching development measures and to strengthen multi-professional teams in a targeted manner. Because elementary school set the course for educational success, 60 percent of the funded schools will be elementary school.

When distributing the federal funds, the proportion of children and young people from families at risk of poverty with a history of migration is taken into account, among other things. The federal states themselves distribute funds within the country specifically to schools in particularly challenging locations. Even if the exact distribution of funds in Hesse has not yet been determined, it should be clear that schools in the city of Offenbach will also be supported by the Startchancen program.

For more information, click on the picture or the headline.

Vacation program 2024: Overview of the OF Education Office

Whether in spring, summer, fall or winter: Vacations are always a special time for children and young people. That's why the OF Education Office has once again compiled vacation offers for this year on the website www.offenbach.de/ferienprogramm. They are sorted according to all-day, weekly and daily offers, vacation camps or open offers. The offers will be updated throughout the year for all school vacations. This gives you a better overview and allows you to plan ahead. You can also use the corresponding registration link and will be redirected to the provider's website. You can also easily view and use the digital vacation program on your smartphone.

You can find the vacation program by clicking on the image or the headline.

What is the OF Education Office? Just take a look at www.offenbach.de/bildungsbuero.

Youth culture office KJK Sandgasse: Easter vacation program

The youth music camp will take place in Büdingen from April 8 to 12, 2024. Young people between the ages of 14 and 20 can take part. They will travel together to the youth hostel to take part in workshops in the fields of dance, music and rap. Participation costs 79 euros. A creative workshop will also take place at the KJK Sandgasse during this period. Here, kids between the ages of 10 and 14 can spend a week playing theater or working with visual arts. The offer requires registration and is free of charge. For the summer vacations, an art, theater and girls' camp as well as a workshop with offers from the fields of visual arts, theater and music are planned.

...and beyond: Program 2024

The Youth Culture Office is open to all young people and is always happy to welcome new faces. If young people have their own ideas, these are also welcome. For 2024, there is once again an extensive program for children and young people aged 10 and over, ranging from visual arts to theater and music. The offers are free, open to all and partly barrier-free. For example, rap vocal recording takes place on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. (by appointment), the youth theater group on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. and on Thursdays from 3 p.m. first manga and then realistic drawing.

For queries: KJK Sandgasse, Sandgasse 26, 63065 Offenbach, Irina Scelsi and Claudia Bernhard, e-mail: jugendkulturbuero@offenbach.de, telephone: 069 8065-3969

For further information click on the headline or the picture.

Information for parents in their native language: Start in May on the transition from nursery to elementary school

The German education system offers many opportunities and many paths lead to the desired educational goal. However, not everything is always easy to understand - especially for (new) immigrant parents who do not know the system from their own experience. Qualified multipliers from the vhs project "Parent-oriented educational work" offer free information events so that they can better support their children's educational pathways at an early stage.

Under the title "My child will start elementary school in 2025", there will be information events on the transition from nursery to elementary school in May 2024. Events are planned in eight languages of origin (Arabic, Bulgarian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Urdu) as well as in (simple) German. The dates will be published on the website shortly.

For further information, please click on the headline or the picture.

"Treasure Hunt" parent program: further training for daycare centers

The "Treasure Hunt" parent program follows a resource-oriented approach. The adults' attention is focused on the children's strengths and protective factors. By strengthening resilience, the children's mental well-being is promoted. In the six-day training course, educational professionals learn how to implement the parenting program safely and competently in their facilities. This includes topics such as practical methods, techniques and work aids, conducting conversations and communication in cooperation with parents and practical reflection. It also includes in-house training at participating facilities. The program was developed by the Hamburgische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Gesundheitsförderung e.V. (HAG). The next training course starts on March 7, 2024 in Frankfurt.

Further information and the dates can be found by clicking on the headline or the image.

Online portal for cultural education - Makura: Inform, orient, inspire

Makura is a nationwide online portal of the Kulturstiftung der Länder. It offers information on all aspects of cultural education in Germany. From practical reports and funding opportunities to examples of good practice and country portraits of the wide range of cultural education activities.

Click on the image or the headline to access the online portal.

Parent-child classes in Offenbach

The parent-child classes are a cooperation project between elementary school (currently implemented at the Lauterborn and Wilhelm schools), the regional advice and support center and the advice center for parents, children and young people of the Offenbach Youth Welfare Office. On ten to twelve dates each week, six to eight children meet for 2.5 hours in a room at the respective school with a trusted family member and the specialists from the cooperation partners. During this time, the aim is for parents to get to know and support their children in the context of school. The focus is also on exclusive time between parent and child. The first part of the parent-child classes is about confidence-building activities and games and about parents working together with their children on school-related goals. In the second part, the children are supervised and the parents take part in a parent counseling session in which they can discuss what they have experienced in the first session and exchange ideas within the group.

Contact: Counseling center for parents, children and adolescents of the city of Offenbach, Carola Pfeiffer, E-Mail: carola.pfeiffer@offenbach.de and Vera Dilthey, e-mail: vera.dilthey@offenbach.de

German summer: language support during the summer vacations - registrations until April 26

Both the latest Pisa study and the International Primary School Reading Survey (IGLU) have once again revealed a poor level of education among many German pupils. The city of Offenbach is counteracting this with a language promotion project that has been running for 15 years: the German Summer. From 15 July to 2 August 2024, around 30 primary school children in the third grade will improve their language skills in a playful way during German and drama lessons as well as an exciting leisure program at the Wegscheide school hostel in Bad Orb, while at the same time receiving important impulses for their personal development. After the vacations, the boys and girls can stay on the trail of the language with the German Summer Detectives two afternoons a week from September. The children are recommended by their elementary school. Registration deadline is April 26, 2024.

For more information, click on the headline or the image.

Follow-up program "Diesterweg plus" - remaining part of the educational community

In September 2023, "Diesterweg plus" was launched as a follow-up program to the Diesterweg scholarship in Offenbach. This enables Diesterweg scholarship holders, parents and siblings to remain part of the Diesterweg educational community even after their scholarship has ended and take active and self-determined responsibility for their own education. A diverse program based on the pillars of the scholarship is available for independent registration. In this way, family members can actively and precisely decide on varied educational events for individual support, to strengthen parents as educational companions and those for the whole family under the motto "Education to join in". Individual advice and music scholarships are also still available, as is the acquisition of the Diesterweg computer driving license.

For more information, click on the headline or the picture.

Start Project - a second chance for young people without a secondary school leaving certificate

The Start Project is the production school of the vhs Offenbach. Each year, 30 young people can catch up on their secondary school leaving certificate there. They are taught by teachers from the Käthe Kollwitz School and can gain qualifications in catering, housekeeping and services. They also work in the cafeteria and in the ESSbar (lunch bar) of the vhs. Theoretical learning is thus combined with practical learning in a real professional environment. Attending the vhs production school is a springboard into various fields of work and training occupations, which can be tried out in additional company internships. Experienced social education workers support the young people in their professional orientation and the development of professional, social and personal skills. It is not only possible to join the Start Project at the beginning of a new year in September, but also during the year.

For more information, click on the picture or the headline.

The Start Project is funded by the European Union, the State of Hesse and the City of Offenbach.

Primary school competition "Zukunftsflieger" - aerospace education initiative

"Zukunftsflieger" is aimed at pupils in 3rd and 4th grade who are enthusiastic about aerospace and STEM subjects. All projects that deal creatively with the topic of aerospace can be submitted, whether by working groups, teams, project groups or the whole class. Every class that submits a project will receive an award. A jury will decide who wins. The jury is made up of aerospace experts, teachers and media professionals. There are prizes for everyone: each team will be rewarded with a surprise. The closing date for entries is April 24, 2024.

For more information, click on the image or the headline.

Project:Culture funding programme - realizing alternative and unusual educational concepts

The Neumayer Foundation's Project:Culture funding program supports the implementation of artistic and craft projects in a new learning setting. The program is aimed at pupils in grades 7 to 10 and is endowed with up to 10,000 euros per school year. The projects are accompanied and carried out by extracurricular experts selected by the schools. A project takes place with all the young people in a year group and for a period of at least two weeks - instead of regular lessons. Cooperation with teachers throughout the entire process is an essential prerequisite for this.

Applications for the 2024/2025 school year are open until April 30, 2024.

For more information, click on the image or the headline.

Interested in a stay abroad? High school insider fair in Frankfurt

March 17, 2024
11:00 - 16:00
Hotel Mercure - Frankfurt Messe

A longer stay abroad in an English-speaking country offers interested young people the opportunity to gain intercultural experience, learn to stand on their own two feet and acquire a very good command of English. At the fair, interested 9th, 10th and 11th grade students will receive first-hand insider information on high school stays, student exchanges and summer camps in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Great Britain and Ireland. Representatives from schools, ministries and partner organizations from the various countries as well as former exchange students will be on hand to provide information about the opportunities and report on their own experiences.

For more information, click on the picture or the headline.

"School Reloaded": AI and everyday school life, criticism and the future of schools in transition with Bob Blume

March 20, 2024
19:00 - 20:30
Online

In this online event, Bob Blume explores the question of what an education that integrates and reflects AI can look like. Bob Blume is a teacher, but also a textbook author, blogger, web video producer, podcaster and educational influencer. He specializes in digital education and instructional design. The online event is organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Registration is possible until March 20, 2024.

To register and for more information, click on the image or the headline.

"Educational tour across Offenbach" - city tour by bike

26.04.2024, 17:00 - 19:30
Meeting point/start: in front of the Kickers fan store, Waldemar-Klein-Platz 1, 63071 Offenbach
End of the journey: Zur Käsmühle, Dietesheimer Str. 408, 63073 Offenbach

Criss-crossing the city for all OF lovers! Together with Head of Education Paul-Gerhard Weiß and author Ida Todisco, visit places of education and culture in Offenbach by bike and discover new things, such as what it's like at an all-day school, how digital teaching works, where artists' colonies or creative-culinary backyards are hidden and how adults can learn to read and write. On the second tour, we discover exciting educational locations in Offenbach-Bieber. We learn lots of stories and history about the places, the changes, current educational topics or very special offers. The author Ida Todisco shows hidden everyday beauties and unexpected things along the route and tells us about the neighborhoods and their people. This time, the Kickers performance center and the newly built Bieber-Nord educational complex are among the places included. The educational tour is free of charge and registration is required. Further educational tours, always with Paul-Gerhard Weiß and Ida Todisco, are planned.

For more information and to register, click on the picture or the heading.

Modular online training: Consultant for inclusive learning culture

Start from July 14, 2024
10:00 - 18:00
Online

The training is aimed at trainees, educators, course leaders, teaching staff, educational mediators and volunteers who support, accompany, train or educate people with disabilities or would like to do so in the near future. The training concept was developed by Bildungspartner Mainz-Kinzig GmbH (BiP- VHS) together with experts from the University of Hamburg and Behindertenwerk Main-Kinzig e.V. (BWMK) as part of the "Inclusion at Hessian VHS" project. The training consists of nine modules and will be tested at the BiP-vhs in Gelnhausen from July 14. Due to the trial nature of the course, there are no costs for participants. Participation in all modules and the creation of a dossier to accompany the training will result in a certificate as a consultant for inclusive learning culture. Registration is still possible up to five working days before the start of the trial.

For more information, click on the image or the heading.

Offenbach Education Data Report 2023 - the first report on children's media consumption

The city of Offenbach has published the Education 2023 data report. It updates key figures for the 2021/22 school year and the 2022 calendar year from various areas, from early childhood education to further education. For the early childhood sector, the data report also reports on the results of the school entry screening carried out by the municipal health department, which has been able to be carried out across the board again since the end of the pandemic. For the first time, the school entry screening surveyed media consumption, as assessed by parents. According to the survey, 60 percent of children starting school consume media (TV, cell phone, PC, tablet, games console) for 31 to 120 minutes a day. In the school sector, it is striking in this data report that fewer young people are being led to the Abitur: 18.9 percent will complete the Abitur at the end of the 2021/22 school year, compared to 30.2 percent in the previous year. The Education Data Report is compiled by the vhs Education Coordination and Advice Center.

You can download the data report free of charge by clicking on the image or the headline.

Young. Critical. Democratic: Study on young people's perspectives

The Bertelsmann Stiftung study presents the results of a survey of 18 to 30-year-olds in Germany and nine other European countries. The majority of young people in Germany have confidence in democracy and the European Union. Their trust ratings are above the average for other European countries. However, they are much more critical of the federal government and the Bundestag. The education system and science enjoy the greatest trust. The study also sheds light on young people's concerns, particularly on issues such as climate change, environmental awareness, human rights violations, the media and their own mental health.

You can download the study free of charge by clicking on the image or the headline.

Participation recommendations for a more inclusive society - also for people with intellectual disabilities

The Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities has published "Participation Recommendations". These are intended to contribute to a more inclusive society, including for people with intellectual disabilities. Central social fields are presented (work, education, health, digitalization and protection against violence) and demands are made for these in order to improve the situation of people with disabilities.

Click on the image or the headline. The recommendations can be found under "Publications", also for reading aloud.

Rediscovering the population with a migration background

The publication by the Federal Institute for Population Research presents data from the microcensus along the categories with and without a migration background. Developments in the areas of marital status, income and education are shown and the potential of the population with a migrant background, for example for an ageing society, is presented.

You can download the publication free of charge by clicking on the image or the headline.

Offenbach education conference: Unleashing potential with the orientation framework for educational development

65 stakeholders from various areas of education came together at the vhs on November 20, 2023 to discuss the update of the Offenbach Educational Development Framework (OR) and the topic of "Potential Orientation". The OR, which was adopted in 2012, presents the initial conditions, needs and challenges of education in Offenbach and identifies options for action. In 2022, the city councillors decided to evaluate and update the OR. Participants in the education conference were able to give their feedback on the results of the evaluation carried out in 2023 and reflect on their own work with regard to potential-oriented support. The Education Conference was organized by the vhs Education Coordination and Advice department, which is responsible for the process of updating the OR.

Further information and the documentation of the conference can be found by clicking on the picture or the headline.

Anniversary: 10 years of Scout

Scout is a time-out project for pupils at Offenbach comprehensive schools who have very large gaps in their learning content and/or hardly ever attend lessons (regularly). Participants in 6th and 7th grade are taught in a small group for one year and receive socio-educational support to specifically address their individual needs. The aim is to support them in attending lessons regularly and making up any gaps in their subject knowledge so that they can successfully continue their education at a mainstream school after the school year.

During the celebrations on November 21, 2023, a former participant from the first Scout year described very impressively how Scout helped her and had a lasting positive impact on her life. Today, she is a student and works in social work herself. The strong bonds that develop during the time at Scout became clear, which is why former participants regularly visit the Scout project and sometimes seek advice and support from the project staff.

Scout is a service offered by the Youth Welfare Office of the City of Offenbach in cooperation with the State Education Authority for the district and city of Offenbach am Main.

Contact: Roberto Priore, Head of the Youth Welfare Office, e-mail: jugendamt@offenbach.de

We are looking for you. With passion for Offenbach.

At Eigenbetrieb Kindertagesstätten Offenbach (EKO), more than 600 employees in 29 facilities are committed to the development of the youngest members of the city's society. We are therefore looking for new colleagues who want to get involved and show commitment:

- Head of daycare center in Goethequartier (m/f/d)
- Head of daycare center in Nordend (m/f/d)
- Deputy Head of Kita auf der Rosenhöhe (m/f/d)
- Educational specialists (crèche and kindergarten) daycare center in Rumpenheim (m/f/d)
- Educational specialists (crèche area) Kita im Goethequartier (m/f/d)
- Educational specialists (kindergarten) Kita auf der Rosenhöhe (m/f/d)
- Pedagogical specialists daycare center in Nordend (m/f/d)
- Practice-integrated training as an educator (m/f/d)

For further information on the vacancy and application, click on the headline or the image. There you will also find other interesting vacancies.