August | Ida-Lena Zoglmann
The last school day of the school year at Schule Schloss Stein is traditionally also Parents’ Day and Summer Festival. On July 31, students, parents, staff, alumni, and friends of the school gathered to look back on an eventful school year and celebrate the start of the summer holidays.
Lilli and Maxi Höfer kicked off the afternoon by wonderfully setting the mood on the piano. Afterwards, our headmistress Veronika Koch welcomed all guests in the auditorium. Then the stage belonged to the students again: With great enthusiasm and wit, Hannes Vierling, Noel Postl, Caspar Stegmüller, Lara Postl, Frida Paulus, Isabel Abaya, and Francisco Nicolás Briseño Varga performed the play “Intermezzo mit Kugelmaß,” ensuring a cheerful start to the afternoon.
The play was rehearsed throughout the school year together with the head of the theater group and deputy headmaster Moritz Schertler, who was unable to attend that day due to a joyful family event. At this point, our warmest congratulations on the new addition to the family! Christian Matyszok spontaneously took over the accompaniment of the dress rehearsal – and as the successful performance impressively showed, the theater group was perfectly prepared and delivered a very successful show even without their director.
Afterwards, the festive company moved to the inner courtyard of the Schloss under bright sunshine. There, Franz Stettner (Abitur 2011), board member of the Altsteiner Association, welcomed the guests and spoke with great passion about the work of the association and its importance for the school community. His words once again made it clear how important the connection between former and current Steiner students is for life at our school. We were very pleased that some Altsteiner alumni found their way to Stein despite the very summery temperatures to conclude the school year with us.
Afterwards, the sports department, with Markus Koch and Andreas Meckl, took over the honoring of this year’s home champions. In cross-country running, Maria Gollasch, Lisa Linnemann, and Camila Serdan Dominguez prevailed among the girls. Among the boys, Jonathan Knapp, Francisco Nicolás Briseño Varga, and Juncheng Ren took the top places. In table tennis, Liv Erdmann and Leopold Carls were honored. The fastest female skiers of the year were Philippa Nußbaum, Patricia Casanova Cogolludo, and Liv Erdmann; among the boys, Leopold Carls, Alexander Wiebe, and Tobias Stern. The 11th grade became the football home champions; photos and the corresponding article can be found here, and the article and impressions from the swimming festival, which took place just one day before the Summer Festival, can be found here, including outstanding performances by a swimmer from the 5th grade.
Patricia Casanova Cogolludo and Carlota Casanova Cogolludo received a special honor, being named Sportswomen of the Year 2025/26 due to their outstanding athletic achievements. As a visible sign of this special award, both received the coveted white home pullover. We warmly congratulate all honorees on their achievements, especially Patricia and Carlota on this more than deserved title. In addition, Hannes Vierling and Tobi Stern were called to the stage again; they had already received their white home pullovers in October 2025 during the Altsteiner meeting for their tireless commitment to planning and creating the Fitness Outdoor Park.
Our school band provided the musical accompaniment for the afternoon, contributing significantly to the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. Led by Robert Rathwallner on the keyboard, Aaron Ortiz Diaz, Natalia Grajlich, Damian Niedersteiner, Leopold Carls, Jacqueline Nazet, and Head of School Sebastian Ziegler performed vocals on stage. They were supported by Xaver Langenwalter on drums, as well as Caspar Stegmüller and Artem Veselov on bass. Their performances accompanied the summer festival throughout the entire afternoon, repeatedly providing the perfect musical backdrop.
Erina Uhl then spoke passionately on behalf of the Association of Friends and Sponsors of Schule Schloss Stein. For many years, she has been exceptionally committed to the school community. As every year, she once again collected tip donations for the staff from the kitchen, housekeeping, and janitorial services. The guests were generous, resulting in a new record donation. We would like to express our sincere thanks for this.
Lisa Linnemann received a very special award. She was presented with this year’s Milestone for her extraordinary commitment by the deputy head of the boarding school, Christian Matyszok. With her helpfulness, dedication, and positive attitude, she enriched school life throughout the year and more than deserved this honor.
The farewells were particularly emotional. This year, we had to say goodbye to Robert Rathwallner, Katharina Kammerer, Josefina Jelínková, and Theresia Schilling.
Dear Robert, thank you for three musically extraordinary years full of passion, creativity, and unforgettable moments.
Dear Katharina, thank you for your commitment and the many valuable impulses you brought to this school year.
Dear Josefina, four years of boarding school life are behind you. Thank you for your time, your support, and your dedication to our students.
And dear Theresia: After many years during which you accompanied generations of Steiner students, saying goodbye is particularly difficult. Thank you for everything you have done for our school. For your new phase of life, we sincerely wish you health, happiness, and many wonderful adventures in your active retirement.
Subsequently, our jubilarians were honored. Sorcha MacPháidín, who has shaped life at the school and boarding school Schloss Stein for an incredible 30 years. Over three decades, she has accompanied, supported, and inspired countless students and has become a formative personality for many generations of Steiner students. Our heartfelt thanks for this extraordinary loyalty, dedication, and three decades of service to our school community. Wolfgang Bächtle can also look back on a remarkable 20 years as a mathematics teacher at Schule Schloss Stein, and Rosa Wimmer for already 10 years in the Steiner administration. We also extend our sincere thanks to you for your long-standing commitment.
It became emotional once again when all students who will be leaving our school after this school year were invited to the stage. Even though we know that some are only part of our community for one year, saying goodbye is always difficult. We thank you for the time we shared, the many memories, and wish everyone all the best for their future endeavors. Please come visit us again soon!
To conclude the official program, Anita Gnad and Jacqueline Nazet fulfilled a long-cherished wish: Together with Robert Rathwallner, they stood on stage once again and performed a song. Robert accompanied them on the piano and was then bid farewell with great applause.
Afterwards, report cards were distributed in the classrooms before overall director Sebastian Ziegler opened the traditional buffet.
However, the day was not entirely without weather whims. Rain set in precisely at the end of the main course. This did not dampen the good mood, though. The festival quickly moved indoors to the Schloss, where the evening concluded in a convivial atmosphere.
Our sincere thanks go to all employees who contributed with great dedication to the success of this special day. Special thanks go to our kitchen, housekeeping, our caretakers, and the many helping hands behind the scenes who make this festival possible year after year. We also thank our technical team Tizian Zureig and Adam Janowski, who ensured the smooth running of the event.
Above all, we thank our students for a successful school year full of commitment, community, and beautiful memories, as well as their parents for the trust they place in our school.
We wish everyone a relaxing summer holiday and look forward to seeing you again in September.
