The committee “Staatliche Europa - Schule Berlin” (AG SESB) run by the Europa-Union Berlin is an interest group, recognised by the Berlin senate, which promotes the solidarity and the development of the 31 (+2 planned/ March 2017) bilingual locations of the SESB with more than 7000 Berlin schoolchildren. It is a community of SESB founders, teaching staff, educators (Erzieher) and parents.

The first activities to found a European school for the people of Berlin date back to 1978. In 1986, the commitee “Internationale Schule für Europa” (AG ISFE) was created on the initiative of the Europa-Union Berlin. The AG ISFE first made the draft for the SESB implementation model. As of 1991, it supported the founding and development of the SESB. In 2011 the AG ISFE was renamed and founded as the AG SESB. Originally, the SESB was designed to be a cross-district state bilingual primary and comprehensive school with a special pedagogical focus from pre-school through to school leaving certificate. The idea was to improve communication between foreigners and Berliners. And it should also prepare Berlin children, regardless of their nationality and social background, for the multi-lingual working environment in Europe.

The SESB is a state-run school which consciously does not regard itself as an elite school. It rather aims to enable a social mix and consistent bilingualism for all its pupils through to completion of the secondary school. According to the mother tongue principle, foreign students should continue to learn the language of their parents and German children should, due to the equal footing of the other language (partner language), learn this language both naturally and more intensely. School timetables, class and teaching staff composition should, in line with the parity principle, be made up of 50% German and of 50% from the partner language. Selection should not be made with regards to a talent for language or any previous knowledge. The SESB is now, after 20 years, successfully established. Members of the AG SESB want, with their commitment, to publicise this school form and thus ensure and expand the school’s existence.

The new Board was elected by the members meeting in November. The new chairperson is Ms Schmidt-Lucke, deputy chairperson is Ms Liebscher. The AG-SESB meets regularly to be well informed and also up to date in order to facilitate the exchange of information amongst the SESB locations, as well as with interest groups in government, in the senate administration and other associations. It enables this school form to have a voice in the political field and ensures that the key elements of the SESB are maintained as the founders intended. As the mouthpiece of the SESB, it has a close personal contact with the individual locations.