BIRGIT BARBRE has been a second-grade teacher at the German Saturday School since 2003. Before that, she gained experience at the Cape Ann Waldorf School. Above all, Birgit believes that learning a language should be a fun and enjoyable activity for children. Birgit particularly likes to broaden her students’ cultural horizons, making use of the extensive resources in our school library and drawing from her own experiences.

CLAUDIA BURGGRAF joined our faculty for the 2007/8 school year. She received her teaching degree from the teacher training University of Heidelberg in Germany and has been teaching at elementary schools in Germany as well as at the German-American School in San Francisco. Claudia is teaching 4th Grade at our school this year. A resident of South Hamilton, Claudia enjoys enjoys skiing, hiking in the local parks and traveling with her family.

BIRGIT DANCKERT has been on the faculty at the German Saturday School since 1994. A certified MA teacher, she is also a faculty member at the German International School Boston. She has a dual role at our school: She heads up a first-grade classroom, and at the same time she teaches music to our youngest students, accompanying them on guitar and teaching them lyrics to favorite German children’s songs. Birgit’s experience as a teacher and parent has helped shape her classroom style: a balance of basic skills and fun, cultural topics, including holidays, customs, games and songs.

KATHARINA ELDADA has been with the German Saturday School since 2001. Born in Switzerland, she has extensive experience teaching multi-lingual children. Katharina’s teaching style focuses on balancing “serious” learning with “fun and relaxing” learning. In her free time she enjoys skiing, hiking and, of course, spending time with friends and family.

ANKE ERNST is joining our faculty “full-time” this year teaching 4th Grade after substituting a few times during the last school year. Anke graduated from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universitaet in Frankfurt as an elementary school teacher and completed her trainee program at an elementary school in Frankfurt. Since then she’s worked at the German Language School in Bangkok and lead the preschool program at the international preschool First Steps, also in Bangkok. After moving half way around the world again, she now resides in Marblehead where her two small children keep her busy when she’s not teaching.

DR. MONIKA FLOYD has been on the faculty at the German Saturday School since 2004. Educated in Germany as a German, English, and Russian teacher, she brings with her 25 years of teaching experience in Germany, England, Switzerland, and the U.S. Monika employs a content-based, student centered program which is academically rigorous and challenging – a sure-fire method to ensure progress, but which is also fun.

UTA FUCHS has been on the faculty at the German Saturday School since 1999. She holds two positions at our school: Head Teacher for the lower grades and second grade classroom teacher. Uta is also a faculty member at the German International School Boston, where she teaches 1st to 6th grade. She brings with her an impressive background in education, as well as many years of experience working with children. Uta and her family moved from Frankfurt, Germany to Chapel Hill, NC in 1994 before moving to the Boston area.

DONNA GIROMINI has been with the German Saturday School since 1989. Drawn to teaching by “a fascination with the language acquisition process of very young children”, Donna is an experienced teacher who worked with Gastarbeiterkinder at a Kindergarten in Germany. Donna uses games, crafts, music, dance and other visible, active means to encourage participation and promote positive reinforcement in her classroom.

Dr. UTE GRÖNING has been a faculty member at the German Saturday School since 1988. Currently preparing the school’s oldest students for the prestigious Sprachdiplom I and II, she is also the school’s official administrator for the Zentrale Deutschpruefung (ZDP) in the 10th grade. A particularly gifted academic, she holds a doctorate in German Literature and hopes one day to be able to offer literature courses as part of the Saturday School curriculum.

JUTTA HANDTE has been on the faculty at the German Saturday School since 1998 and is currently teaching the sixth grade. Having studied in Kiel, Germany, Jutta taught German as a foreign language before coming to the US. Jutta engages students in small learning groups and encourages them to learn as a community and help one another. An art lover, Jutta likes to bring this interest to her classroom and in her free time enjoys outdoor activities.