De Molenwiek is a non-profit foundation, which is led by a school board that is formally responsible for the policy of the school. The director is responsible for the day-to-day management and manages the teachers.
Vision
Maintaining the mother tongue abroad is not only essential in connection with a possible return to the Netherlands or Belgium, but also because growing up bilingually strengthens the child's cognitive development.
In addition, children continue to feel connected to family and friends in the home country and a possible return to the Dutch or Flemish school system becomes easier. After all, Dutch and Flemish children are ambassadors for the Netherlands and Belgium in America! Keeping track of language and culture is therefore indispensable.
General information
De Molenwiek provides Dutch Language and Culture lessons (NTC education) for students in primary and secondary education and adult education. The same teaching methods are used for this purpose as are common in Dutch primary and secondary education.
Cultural education is also closely linked to current affairs and events in the Netherlands and Belgium.
In order to guarantee the connection with education in the Netherlands, we systematically evaluate learning performance by means of tests.
For children who have a lesser command of Dutch, we focus on acquiring oral skills and expanding vocabulary.
Finally, the school has a number of principles that are important for its identity:
- Respect for any religion or philosophy of life
- Equality of all students
- No discrimination or expression of racism
The Molenwiek does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
A piece of history………..
We are in the year 2002 and the first school year (2002-2003) of the Molenwiek starts under the leadership of director Simpha. A handful of students and teachers gather at Mount Bethel Church in Marietta, GA during the week after school. The toddlers on Friday morning, the toddlers and group 3-8 on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
'Say, would it be something if you could give Dutch lessons to our children?' This question lays the foundation of the Molenwiek. Jeanine Ritter asked Simpha Savelsbergh this question, knowing that she studied Dutch and is interested in teaching children.
Simpha, however, thought beyond tutoring and set out to investigate. Her search brought her into contact with the NOB Foundation, where she got all kinds of ideas to start a Dutch school in Atlanta.
Behind the scenes, a board is formed under the leadership of chairman Jeannine. Issues that the new school has to deal with are: whether or not to go to school on Saturday and a suitable place for new locations.
In its second year (2003-2004) the Molenwiek also opens its doors in Alpharetta at the Baptist Church on Academy Street. Unfortunately, the Peachtree City location has too few students to continue and is closing again. Over the years, the Molenwiek has tried various locations (remember Acworth and the basement of the Swaak family!) and from the third school year 2004-2005, the Molenwiek will have a Thursday afternoon location in Alpharetta and a Tuesday afternoon location in Dunwoody/Sandy Springs. Since 2015, de Molenwiek has been teaching in the premises of St. Davids Episcopal Church in Roswell. Every year, the Molenwiek welcomes about 60 students and 10 teachers and teaching assistants. Expat families come and go, bringing new students and teachers with them. Saying goodbye after a few years is always hard… The long-term settle down in the city and suburbs and for them the Molenwiek is a fixed beacon during the week.
School year no. four, 2005-2006, stands out because of the visit of the NOB Foundation for 'money and good advice' and the board and teaching team proudly show the school. The fifth school year (2006-2007) is a year with highlights: the inspector's visit results in an 8+ on the school report and the Molenwiek celebrates its first lustrum in May 2007. We have now celebrated our 15th anniversary and we hope to year to celebrate our twentieth anniversary.
