Values for Life in a Time of Change

With the start of the new school year, life is returning to the hallways and classrooms of Stiftsschule Engelberg. For some students, it’s a familiar routine; for others, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, full of expectations, challenges, and opportunities.

The start of the school year isn’t just a fresh start for the students. The Stiftsschule Engelberg is also turning a new page with its new principal, Urs von Arb. New encounters, new experiences, and new perspectives are shaping the start of this school year. Together with the teachers, staff, and students, he will help shape the school’s future.

The start of the school year reminds us that learning is much more than just acquiring knowledge. It also means growing, changing, and continually gaining new experiences. That is precisely why a thought from the parish newsletter (15/26) is particularly fitting for this time of year:

“The only person who behaves sensibly is my tailor. He takes my measurements anew every time he sees me, while everyone else keeps using the old measurements, thinking they still fit today.”

This phrase reminds us not to judge people based on past experiences or preconceived notions. In a school setting, in particular, we see year after year just how much young people grow and develop. Those who were reserved just yesterday now carry themselves with confidence. Those who previously struggled are discovering new abilities. Those who started out as children are gradually growing into independent individuals.

The Stiftsschule Engelberg supports students on this journey not only through education and knowledge, but also through values that will serve them throughout their lives. Respect, a sense of responsibility, a spirit of community, and openness are just as much a part of everyday school life as academic learning. After all, school should not only prepare young people for exams, but also for life.

Perhaps this idea applies to all of us. A new school year invites us to get to know one another anew: students, teachers, parents, and staff. Not with hasty judgments or expectations, but with an openness to what lies within each person and is waiting to unfold.

We wish all students at Stiftsschule Engelberg and Gemeindeschule Engelberg a successful start to the school year.