Who are we

I very much enjoy working in education. Inspiring people and organisations is of great interest to me. I find my inspiration primarily in the wonder of the immense diversity in which and with which people shape their motivations. Working in secondary education offers ample scope for this. I naturally adopt a curious approach: what matters truly to you and where do you want to connect your energy?

The years from twelve to eighteen are formative. Pupils come in as children and leave as young adults. It feels like an honour and a responsibility to (help) stimulate and shape that development at our school. We do this through substantive lessons and various experiences outside of lessons, but especially by talking to each other. I strongly believe in the collaboration between parents, school, and the pupil themselves. If we work well together, we achieve the best results. I hope all our pupils have the time of their lives at the HWC!

The charm of working in a school lies for me in the dynamics of daily practice combined with a focus on the future. We are standing in the midst of society with pupils who mirror and surprise us with their individuality. At the same time, we are focusing on the long(er) term: good education that contributes to the development of tomorrow's young adults. Sometimes we succeed immediately, sometimes it takes more time. In my role as deputy headteacher, I focus on questions such as: what is characteristic of the education we offer at HWC? How do we sustain the developments we have implemented and make visible what we do? I find it a great pleasure to work on this together with colleagues, based on my conviction that every child and every colleague deserves to be seen. This gives everyone the opportunity to develop further.

The majority of pupils in the upper years of VWO (pre-university education) progress to Universities of Applied Sciences and universities. It is our task as the VWO upper years team to prepare our pupils as well as possible for this. This means cherishing and occasionally stimulating their curiosity and guiding them together towards ever-increasing independence and responsibility. My team and I work every day on the development and growth of our pupils, with a focus on the individual. I find it inspiring to be part of a learning organisation that also strives for continuous development in order to bring out the best in the pupils.

Listening to others and trying to understand their perspective on reality. That's what I try to do myself and also to pass on to pupils. With this, I hope to contribute to a society where we have a little more understanding and consideration for each other. If pupils leave school not only with a diploma but also with a good feeling, then we have done a good job. We work very hard every day to achieve that, and that is the most wonderful work there is.

That at the start of the school year, stacks of books are ready for all pupils, that a locker can be rented, that the timetable is available in Magister, that everything is ready for experiments during practical lessons, that beautiful books can be borrowed from the Mediatheek. That, and much more, is all provided and organised by the OOP. This team of support staff is always willing to help and is ready for all pupils and teachers. Through collaboration, enthusiasm, and listening to each other, I hope, as a manager, to make a valuable contribution to the team. 

My mission is to prepare pupils for life in society. It's not just about grades, but also about who you are. Therefore, it's important that pupils can be themselves in a safe environment. From there, pupils can continually challenge themselves to try new things and to be amazed by the world. As a team leader, my goal is to help pupils so they can focus on their development. An important part of this is about attitude and communication. The spearheads at our school include global citizenship and personal development, which aligns perfectly with my vision.

One of the most beautiful things at a secondary school is seeing pupils grow from young adolescents into young adults. We see it as our mission to equip pupils with what they need to find their way independently in the world. We educate them to become global citizens with an open, critical outlook. For that, they also need knowledge, because without knowledge, you are defenceless in this world: how else can you distinguish reliable from unreliable information? This way, they can go out into the world as young people who know who they are and what suits them.

It is inspiring to see how young people gradually develop during their secondary school years, discovering themselves and the world around them. And if development sometimes takes a different course, it is important for schools to work together to find suitable opportunities. I believe it is important that every student is given the chance to learn and feels safe and comfortable at school. In my opinion, learning and social development go hand in hand. You learn from and with each other.

A school is all about the development of its pupils. And the beauty of it is that we, as supervisors, can also learn something new every day. From this perspective, I look at the pupils, my colleagues, and myself. You're allowed to make mistakes, because otherwise, you can't develop. It's important for everyone at school to see each other and to feel seen. I gladly contribute to this organisation, where a safe and pleasant atmosphere is so important for everyone. So that school isn't just something that has to be done, but a place where you want to be and where you can become who you are.