Garbsen is home to a beacon of knowledge. That beacon is the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium. It is also known as JKG. This school is more than just brick and mortar. It is a place of growth and learning.
The Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium has been around for quite some time. Since its construction in 1968, it has been expanded to meet the needs of its students. In 2006, an addition provided a dual-purpose space. It serves as both a canteen and an aula.
The Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium is a four-track school. There are some exceptions. It also welcomes students with special educational needs. Since 2014, it has offered a special language learning class. Thomas Göhmann has been the school’s headmaster since 2018.
The main building of the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium houses classrooms 5 through 12. In early 2013, four fifth-grade classes and two sixth-grade classes moved into newly created rooms in the old library.
Sports are an important part of the school. There is a large sports hall with a tribune. It is about the size of a handball field. There is also a smaller hall. The outdoor sports facilities of the Garbsenes SC can be used.
The aula and cafeteria are heavily used by the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium. This has been the case since the 2006-2007 school year. Hot lunches are served there. Musical instruction takes place there. Concerts and theater performances are held there.
In grades 5 and 6, there is a music class. Students get enhanced music instruction. They learn to play an instrument. In 6th grade, students can choose French, Latin, or Spanish. Students in grades 7 and 8 can choose a bilingual subject. History is offered in 7th grade. Biology is offered in 8th grade. Students in grades 6 through 10 can participate in the KeplerPowerCamps during the Easter holidays. Students teach students in small groups.
In the 11th grade, classes are reorganized. Students from other schools are welcome to enroll. Spanish is offered as a new foreign language. There is also a traditional trip to Berlin. In grades 12 and 13, all profiles are offered. These include linguistic, artistic, social science, natural science, and sports. In the 13th grade, students take a class trip.
The Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium is an open all-day school. After the lunch break, students in grades 5 and 6 can participate in homework supervision. They can also get remedial lessons. They can participate in working groups or open activities. The working groups include football, handball, Lego robots, orchestra, choir, creative, Japanese, and computer science.
Class trips take place in grades 6, 8, 11, and 13. There is also the possibility of participating in exchange programs. These take place within the framework of the Europaakademie. There are school partnerships with Walled Lake Central High School in Detroit, USA. There is also a partnership with Lycee S. Allende, Heroville St. Clair, France. Voionmaan Lukio Jyväskylä, Finland, is also a partner. Finally, there is IES Diego Marín Aguilera, Burgos, Spain.
There is a lively exchange program with all four partner schools. The oldest partner school is Walled Lake Central High School. The exchange with this school has existed since 1975. It is usually repeated every two years.
In February 2023, the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium welcomed students from Burgos, Spain. German students prepared a city tour of Hanover in Spanish. A trip to Bremen’s Universum was a highlight. The students were so close that they extended their stay when the airport staff went on strike. German families welcomed the Spanish students. In April, the German group visited Burgos, Spain.