Dr Alexandra Brintrup-Feldhaus takes over the management of the secondary school

With a PhD in history and English, she moved from Kardinal-von-Galen-Gesamtschule Nordwalde, where she had not only been a member of the school management team as Head of Department I since 2015, but was also able to incorporate her special interests into everyday school life in numerous projects. The topics of remembrance culture and historical awareness as well as lively, everyday foreign language lessons were always at the centre of her work in order to promote and challenge the talents and gifts of the pupils.

"Beckum secondary school is a school location that offers a wide range of opportunities for school development. Our staff are very committed and are not only involved in everyday school life, but also in numerous projects that enrich school life beyond that," she says about her new place of work. The school on Windmühlenstraße is a school for all children; the schools of the integrated school types are "a reflection of society with its problems, but also its opportunities and challenges". The new headmistress wants to cooperate with all stakeholders in the Beckum educational landscape and exchange creative ideas, because "only together can we make Beckum a school," she says.

As a former subject leader at ZfsL Bocholt for the subjects English and History, Dr Brintrup-Feldhaus is particularly looking forward to welcoming trainee teachers back to the secondary school from the 2026/2027 school year. "The wealth of ideas and sometimes also the carefree attitude of our young colleagues are always an incentive to rethink the status quo and try out new things," Brintrup-Feldhaus is certain.

The daily meetings with the pupils and parents are particularly important to Dr Brintrup-Feldhaus, especially in order to emphasise the positive aspects of school life. For example, there is now a "praise session" every Friday during the second break, in which pupils are praised for exemplary behaviour, helpfulness and special teaching achievements at the suggestion of their teachers. This is another way in which the triad "Together. Live. Learning" is to be filled with life again and again.

Dr Brintrup-Feldhaus is sure of the support of the school management team and the teaching staff for the challenges ahead, even if this requires a lot of patience in some cases. For now, the enrolment days are coming up and the new headmistress is looking forward to getting to know the future fifth-graders and their parents together with head of department Sarah Westhagemann.