Home: Freunde Waldorf

Great developments in Brixen

In 2006 we assisted the Brixen Waldorf School with credit to bridge their financial difficulties for one year. In the mean time the school received official recognition from the authorities – meaning some kind of state subsidy is ensured and they are on their way to finding new accommodation.

Our primary school (classes 1 to 5) was given accreditation as “a school of public interest” on the 7.4.2008, this means that we can count on big financial support from public authorities, more than we originally hoped for. We have already received a contribution of 42 000 € for the first half year of 2008. This does not solve all our financial problems but we are at least able to operate economically and hope that we will be able to improve our teachers’ salaries in line with that of state schools.

We are once again applying for recognition of our middle school (classes 6 to 8) and are expecting that sooner or later we will also have success in this endeavour.

A new challenge now stands before us. Until the end of the current school year we have to vacate our premises. In our search we stumbled on a former vocational school for the training of women in “Bühlerhof” Sarns. This building stands under preservation and would meet our unique needs.

In the mean time a few meetings has taken place with the seller of the property and price negotiations are in the process. The director for aiding the acquisition of school facilities has signalled the support of the regional authorities. The community of Brixen was then approached to assist in the buying and renovation of the building and the authority for the acquisition of school facilities has ensured their support – for us, this was a completely unexpected and unbelievable turn events.

However the means for 2008 and 2009 are completely exhausted and we can only count on the payment in 2010. We need one year for the renovations but will have to occupy the building in the school year 2009.

Last year our class 7 and 8’s with a total amount of 16 pupils performed an evening filled with Shakespeare under the direction of Mr. Folkhart Walz. It was a great success and a big step for us in public relations. The profit of 1500 € was symbolically handed over to the Bühlerhof association “homeland” at a press conference as a first “building brick” to the renovations of the new school building. Five years ago this association was responsible for ensuring the preservation of this building – which meant it, did not have to make way for a big building complex.

In June of 2008 the pupils of our foundation class took the final state examinations, and successfully completed it. In the presence of the eleven state school teacher commission, the closing statement made by a pensioned middle school director “You are educating the children for life, continue with this good work”, gave our teachers pedagogical content a boost and new courage.

Michael Klapfer

Empower & donate now
Empower & donate now