"A diverse school landscape is an integral part of this in order to meet the requirements for different educational opportunities. I expressly support the continuation of the free transfer of the municipal school building in Salzgitter-Watenstedt for the continued operation of the privately run elementary school, as it is a sensible addition to our diverse school landscape with its Protestant profile and reform pedagogical structures and also relieves the pressure on the other state elementary school in times of rising pupil numbers."
The Heinrich-Albertz-Schule began operating as an independent school in the municipal building of the former Salzgitter-Watenstedt elementary school back in 2008 on the initiative of co-founder and first head teacher Gerd Meiborg and Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel. The city of Salzgitter is therefore not the school authority here, but the school is self-governing via the sponsoring association. The financial support from the state of Lower Saxony for the operation of the school is limited to the salaries of the teaching staff in the mornings. Costs for a school building are not reimbursed by the state of Lower Saxony.
Lord Mayor Klingebiel: "At my suggestion and due to the convincing concept of the sponsoring association "Heinrich-Albertz-Schule e.V.", the council gave the municipal school building to the sponsoring association free of charge back in 2008 to support its educational work in order to establish a privately sponsored elementary school there. This decision was reconfirmed by the Council in 2017 for the period until July 2022. Due to the very successful operation of the primary school over the past 14 years, I will again propose to the Council at its meeting on May 25 that the free transfer of the municipal school building to the sponsoring association "Heinrich-Albertz-Schule e.V." be extended for a further 7 years, thus securing the private primary school operation until July 31, 2029."
The financial impact of this decision for the City of Salzgitter is largely imputed, as the sponsoring association would notionally have to pay a rent of around EUR 62,100 per year for the use of the building and the shared use of the sports hall, which the City of Salzgitter would waive. Only the operating costs of around EUR 32,400 per year are actually incurred costs that the City of Salzgitter bears. The city of Salzgitter thus supports the sponsoring association with a total of around 94,500.00 euros per year.
Klingebiel concludes: "The continuation of the free provision is money well spent, because good and varied educational opportunities are simply priceless. I would like to thank the sponsoring association, the principal and his staff for their fantastic work for our primary school children and the attractive educational landscape of the city of Salzgitter. I am proud that we have been able to push this initiative forward together and make it a success."
