Münster ES History
Opened: Open by at least 1981
Closed: 1992
Muenster American Elementary School was located on the outskirts of Muenster, Germany. The school consistently had a student population of approximately ninety students. The school served students in kindergarten through eighth grade with a kindergarten and combination classes for grades one through eight. High school students had the option of attending an American dormitory school about 2 ½ hours north of Muenster or attending the British school in Muenster. Although the school was American, it was supported by the British forces stationed in Muenster. In fact, the building the American school occupied once hosted the largest British school population of any British school outside the British Isles. With more than forty-five classrooms, gymnasium, cafeteria, and fully equipped kitchen available, the Muenster school had plenty of room to grow.
Classes normally had students from two or three combined grade levels and the four or five teachers often team-taught depending on staff strengths and students’ needs. In addition to the traditional curriculum, daily classes in German culture were offered to grades one to five and the German language was taught to grades six through eight.
The school was originally known as Greven American Elementary School and later as Handorf American Elementary School. The first principal of Muenster was Dr. Candace Ransing. She was the principal when the school moved from Handorf to Muenster and remained at the school until the end of school year 1980-81.
The next principals were Larry Patrick, 1981-84; Steve Hain, 1984-85; and Ynez Olshausen, 1988-91. The last principal was Rosemary Lettenoff. The school was closed in 1992.
Information from DOD School Information Guides