• How are we fostering learning beyond our regular classes? The Rilke Schule middle school program provides many supplemental activities, such as multimedia education, field trips, student exchanges, sport teams, tutoring sessions, and after-school clubs. Here you will find a basic overview:

     

    • Field trips: An overview of our annual field trip schedule can be found below (several more field trips occur during the year; the ones mentioned here are the “big” ones:
    • Sport teams: We are working towards being able to provide one team option per quarter; if a student desires to join a different sport, he/she is welcome to attend at Hanshew Middle School (transportation has to be provided by parents). For the 2022- 2023 school year, Cross-country running is offered in the first quarter. Our coach Herr Phillips will distribute information at the beginning of the year.
    • Clubs: After-school clubs are provided through RSI - check out their current offers. Furthermore, Rilke Schule’s middle school has a successful “battle of the books” team, as well as an active student council (students apply and an election is held each fall). Junior Delta Epsilon Phi (our new Middle School German Honor Society), which middle school students are eligible for once they earn 85% or better for three consecutive semesters in German and are on AB honor roll overall, is also a new addition.
    • Exchanges: Each (non-Covid-impacted) year, Rilke Schule hosts at least one group of 15 German exchange students from one of our partner schools in Germany. They are usually in 7th and 8th grade and come either in September (1st year) or in May (2nd year). Rilke Schule’s exchange coordinators send out information regarding hosting an exchange student and travelling to Germany far in advance. These exchanges provide monumental opportunities for our students, both in the cultural as well as in the personal realm. Unfortunately, not all our students will be able to travel to Germany, as there is a limited number of spaces available. However, all German high school programs in Anchorage maintain exchange programs as well. Currently, we don’t know yet what the district’s Covid policies will allow. Should exchanges become a possibility again, you will receive information as it becomes available.
    • Multimedia: We make extensive use of computers and other devices across all subjects, while still recognizing that computers are not the teacher but rather a medium that supports instruction. Different teachers use different platforms, though Canvas will remain the common denominator; you will get all necessary parent information at the beginning of the school year. Additional activities include, but are not limited to: website building, coding, presenting, typing, video cutting, etc.
    • High expectations: Excellent education needs to operate under certain rules and within set boundaries. Here you can find a brief overview of expectations that are communicated to all Rilke Schule middle school students. At the core is the Anchorage Rilke Middle School Info Booklet /// Version 1.81 Fall 2022 /// Year 2022-2023 7 | P a g e School District’s middle school handbook, which is provided to every student at the beginning of each school year. In interacting with the students, we as teachers are striving to foster the positive character traits spelled out in our R I L K E Code of Conduct. Beyond these documents, our specific expectations are as follows:

    ✓ Stay in German during German-speaking classes.

    ✓ Each student is to have, maintain, and bring a zippered binder to each class (contents can be found via the general Rilke Schule supply list).

    ✓ The middle school dress code, as spelled out in the general Rilke Schule dress code policy, is to be followed at all times (unless otherwise instructed, e.g. during certain field trips). Please check the Rilke Schule website for details.