We want to share with you some significant changes for the next school year — and the thinking behind them.

 

When we attended the AGM last Fall, none of us had planned to be on the PTV Board. In fact, more than half of us were brand new to the school. But when we heard that the entire previous board was stepping down, we stepped up. It’s been a big adventure!

The past year was marked by connection, collaboration, and a strong sense of community. We had the privilege of working with inspiring individuals, forming meaningful friendships, and spreading joy through our events.

 

But it’s also been exhausting.

To be frank: we just can’t keep going at this pace. The amount of time and energy needed to sustain everything we’ve taken on has been overwhelming. In the lead-up to major events, each board member worked an average of 30 hours per week, on top of jobs, families, and other commitments. We’re just really, really tired.

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And we know we’re not alone in this. Many of you have also given so much of your time and energy as Reps and volunteers. It’s clear to us that this isn’t just a one-time situation or a “this year” problem. It’s a structural one — and it’s been affecting board after board.

After aligning with several members of the School Board and the entire Senior Leadership Team, there is a broad understanding and acknowledgment that the PTV Board members carry too much responsibility. After careful thought and consideration — and while staying true to our values and mission (see here for a reminder: https://www.ptv-mis.de/board), we’ve made a clear decision:

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Starting next school year, the PTV will own and organize only two major events: the Staff Appreciation Lunch and the Frühlingsfest.

 

This decision doesn’t come from a place of giving up, but from a desire to improve how we work and create more clarity and joy for everyone involved.

We believe this shift will allow us to:

• Focus on quality over quantity

• Plan with more lead time and less stress

• Be clearer about what we’re asking of parents (just two events needing volunteers or donations)

• Help avoid burnout and support sustained engagement in our community

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The reasons we chose to focus on Frühlingsfest next year include:

• Winterfest is much easier for the school to take over, since there is already a winter concert planned each year, as well as the 8th grade winter market. It is a much more natural transition than the school taking over Frühlingsfest would be.

• Holding the big community event in June gives us more time to plan and prepare, easing the workload and allowing for better coordination. With ample lead time, the experience will be more enjoyable for everyone involved

• We’ll move the International Food Court to Frühlingsfest, making it the central celebration of our school’s rich cultural diversity.

 

 

What about Winterfest?

We understand that Winterfest is dear to many of you (and to us!).

Rest assured: the school is working on creating something wonderful for the kids, and it will not disappear entirely — it will just look different.

We’re confident this change will bring fresh energy and allow the PTV to focus its efforts in a way that’s more sustainable long-term.

 

 

What about MOC?

Next year, the Junior School is planning to integrate Mosaic of Cultures into the Earth Day celebration. The format and level of parent involvement are still to be defined, but we’re happy to support the school in whatever way makes sense — without leading the planning ourselves.

 

What about the Raffles?

We’ll have one raffle next year — at Frühlingsfest. To divide responsibilities fairly:

• Nationality Reps will focus on the Food Court

• Grade Reps will coordinate raffle prizes

• This reduces the overall number of tasks and makes sure we’re asking less of everyone.

 

 

What will continue?

Plenty! Our core structure and community-building activities will remain:

• Grade Reps, School Section Reps, and Social Groups continue as before

• Classlist will simplify communication and remove manual group maintenance

• We’ll continue to run the New Family Buddy Program, support Orientation Day, host Coffee Mornings, and more

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With the increase of bandwidth that these changes afford us, we will also have time and energy to dedicate to other ways of building and strengthening the community, and strengthening the organizational standards and processes of running a Verein.

 

And as always, we welcome your ideas and energy in this regard!

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished this year, and more than anything, grateful to you — for your time, your ideas, and your commitment. These changes are rooted in our desire to preserve the spirit of our work while making it healthier and more joyful for all involved.​

 

We welcome your thoughts and are always here for conversation or questions.

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Warmly,

Your PTV Board

 

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