{"id":3318,"date":"2020-07-03T15:05:01","date_gmt":"2020-07-03T13:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/our-school\/mission-statement-and-history\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T18:05:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T16:05:04","slug":"mission-statement-and-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/our-school\/mission-statement-and-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Mission Statement and History"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"3318\" class=\"elementor elementor-3318 elementor-23\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-568e036 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"568e036\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba341b3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ba341b3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcb9e73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fcb9e73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our School<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34e63fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"34e63fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Mission Statement and History<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e48d693 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"e48d693\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h3&quot;,&quot;h4&quot;,&quot;h5&quot;,&quot;h6&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-angle-right&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;},&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;Es wurden keine \\u00dcberschriften auf dieser Seite gefunden.&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tContents\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__e48d693\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c71a57 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7c71a57\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Support<\/h3><p><strong>We support one another and honor our agreements<\/strong>. <strong><br\/> We share expertise and teaching materials.<\/strong><br\/>We learn from one another by observing each other\u2019s classes.<br\/>We help new colleagues integrate into school life.<\/p><h3>Fairness &#038; Respect<\/h3><p><strong>We treat each other fairly and respectfully<br\/><\/strong>We resolve disagreements through face-to-face discussions.<br\/>We contact parents and training partners promptly when problems arise.<br\/>We expect parents and training partners to first inform the relevant teachers of any problems and only then contact the school administration.<br\/>We take the initiative to foster a strong class community.<br\/>As homeroom teachers, we bear a special responsibility for our class.<br\/>We ensure cleanliness, order, and a pleasant learning environment.<\/p><h3>Transparency<\/h3><p><strong>We ensure transparency<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>when planning teaching loads,<\/li><li>when assigning credit hours,<\/li><li>in the allocation of budget funds,<\/li><li>regarding the requirements for classroom visits,<\/li><li>in grading and performance assessment,<\/li><li>regarding the availability of the media.<\/li><\/ul><p>We make conference minutes available to all colleagues.<\/p><h3>Performance &#038; Commitment<\/h3><p><strong>We expect a willingness to perform and a commitment to learning<\/strong>. <strong><br\/> We teach according to the principle of \u201cchallenging students to help them succeed,\u201d because we firmly believe that hard work pays off.<\/strong><br\/>We are particularly committed to supporting students who are struggling academically.<br\/>We prepare students for both professional and social challenges.<br\/>We use conversations as an important tool for motivation and guidance.<br\/>We solicit feedback to improve instruction.<br\/>We ensure the best possible exam preparation through student-centered, up-to-date, and performance-oriented instruction.<br\/>We maintain close communication with our partners outside the school.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e40d1d9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e40d1d9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>History<\/h3><div><div><b>From the \u201cChalk Era\u201d to the \u201cDigital Age\u201d\u2014The Bad Mergentheim Business School Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary<\/b><\/div><div> <\/div><div>When you walk through the main entrance of KSM today, students, teachers, and visitors are greeted by screens; as you continue into the classrooms, you see students hunched over their iPads, using their Apple Pencils to copy the teacher\u2019s board notes, which the teacher transmits to the digital whiteboard via AirPlay. Students immerse themselves in virtual worlds, gain experience in digital simulation games, or engage in face-to-face discussions with their peers about topics such as the opportunities and risks of globalization. A school experience that no one could have imagined 100 years ago, but which is already a reality today. Chalk sticks have been replaced by Apple Pencils, slate boards by tablets, and overhead transparencies by digital elements. Making copies is now only necessary for class tests. And let\u2019s not forget: we live in a democracy; freedom is the highest good, and everyone has the right to an education.     <\/div><div> <\/div><div>When the Bad Mergentheim Commercial School was founded 100 years ago, it happened to be at a time when the young Weimar Republic was in the throes of a severe crisis, Germany\u2019s economy lay in ruins, and the state was bankrupt. But one thing has not changed: from its founding to the digitalized school of today, the \u201cKSM\u201d is still shaped by the same spirit\u2014great openness, respectful cooperation, and a lasting motivation for change. Challenges such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic or the upheavals of the past have left their mark on the KSM, which currently is home to about 1,200 students and approximately 60 teachers. The school\u2019s bright, highly digitized building on Wachbacher Stra\u00dfe was occupied in 2003. A look back at its history reveals the development of the school\u2019s location in Bad Mergentheim.    <\/div><div> <\/div><div>Four years after its founding in 1923, the business department of the Bad Mergentheim Trade School, along with its first specialized business classes, was housed in the premises of the Deutschorden Castle. Interrupted by the Nazi regime of terror, classes were able to resume there in 1945 with just one teacher. With the introduction of the two-year business school in 1967 and the business-focused high school in 1969, the district was forced\u2014due to a shortage of space caused by the establishment of the two vocational high schools and the vocational schools, as well as by the increase in enrollment at the vocational schools\u2014 the district had to begin construction work on the school building\u2019s extension at the vocational school center as early as August 1972. After the school\u2019s administrative authority transferred from the Mergentheim district to the Main-Tauber district in 1973, the expanded vocational school center and the new vocational college were inaugurated a year later. The laying of the cornerstone for the new school building in 2002 marked another milestone for KSM. Last year, the current building was fully equipped with digital whiteboards to usher in a new era: the transition from the chalk era to the digital age. The foundation for the digital school was laid in 2017, when the pilot project using iPads in the classroom began. This is why one-on-one instruction could continue even during the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014albeit via online conferences. Today, KSM is an Ambassador School of the European Parliament, is committed to internationalization, and always has its finger on the pulse of the times. Respectful interaction, social engagement, and peaceful coexistence have been and remain our guiding principles\u2014principles that have not changed in 100 years and will never change.         <\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b0feb6 elementor-hidden-mobile e-con-full elementor-hidden-tablet e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8b0feb6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b0aba5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"5b0aba5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h3&quot;,&quot;h4&quot;,&quot;h5&quot;,&quot;h6&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-angle-right&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;},&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;Es wurden keine \\u00dcberschriften auf dieser Seite gefunden.&quot;,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tContents\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__5b0aba5\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our School Mission Statement and History Contents Support We support one another and honor our agreements. We share expertise and teaching materials.We learn from one another by observing each other\u2019s classes.We help new colleagues integrate into school life. Fairness &#038; Respect We treat each other fairly and respectfullyWe resolve disagreements through face-to-face discussions.We contact parents [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3313,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3318","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"meta_box":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3318"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3534,"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318\/revisions\/3534"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ks-mergentheim.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}