Marina Rajic

Director & Teacher

I was born in Austria and came to the United States in 2007 as an Au Pair. I have always loved to work with children! Besides working in a preschool in Austria, I also was a dance and volleyball instructor for children. I have a passion for children’s books and languages.

I am teaching German to the preschoolers and it has been a joy to see how much fun they have exploring a new language! In my class we do crafts, sing, dance, listen to stories and playfully learn German along the way!

Angelika Gorman

Teacher 

I was born in a small town in Southern Germany.  While studying German and history at Stuttgart University, I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program with Oregon State University. There I got my first taste teaching German as instructor of a conversation class while getting a MA degree in history and political Science. Teaching German at Portland State University confirmed I really enjoy teaching the language. After finishing my degree in Germany, my husband and I eventually returned to Oregon to raise our family. I have been teaching German classes for many years at all language levels.  My goal is for students to have a good time and grow in their language ability. And as a bonus, there is always a dose of German history woven into my instruction. At Sophie Scholl Schule, I currently teach advanced teens who are preparing for DSD exams.

Heather Kalowsky

SPARK Coordinator & Substitute Teacher

Since I began my German studies as a high school freshman, German language and culture have influenced who I am. I have a BA in German Studies from Lewis & Clark College and an MA in German from University of Colorado. I also have an MA in TESOL from Portland State University. I have been teaching German to adults for over 20 years and to adults and children at Sophie Scholl Schule since 2013. I also had the pleasure of being the Sophie Scholl Schule school director from 2020-2023.

Imke Melles

Teacher

I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Oldenburg, in Niedersachsen. After spending half a year in Dublin as an au-pair, I returned to Oldenburg to study. I got my teaching degree in German, Art and Textile design for elementary schools at the Carl-von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg and did my student teaching in Hameln. I live with my husband and our son, who was born in 2006. As I am passionate about my language, I made it a priority to have him grow up speaking German, and I take him to Germany each summer to visit my parents and my brother. I enjoy spending time in nature (the great outdoors or my garden). I also love reading and poetry, gardening, taking pictures, crafting of all sorts, knitting, listening to music and lately I have been interested in cooking good food (as in healthy and nutritious).

IRIS NOACK

Teacher

I bring my aesthetic as a trained graphic artist to my Saturday classes as well. My students can expect readings and worksheets, but also a lot of hands-on learning: maybe we’ll write a play to go with the story we read, or crafts that tie in to the topic.

I grew up in Heidenheim, and lived in Ulm, but particularly enjoy Oregon’s natural beauty. When traveling, I always have my camera with me.

Katrin Kern

Teacher

Katrin is a native of central Germany. She attended school in Germany, has an advanced degree in social pedagogics, and a professional degree as an early childhood educator, with several years of work experience. In 2010 she moved from Heidelberg to the vibrant city of Portland. From then on she has been teaching and tutoring German to elementary students and preschoolers in German immersion preschool settings.

Working with children is one of her great passions and she is very proud to teach students her mother language and culture. Living in a different country and learning different languages have given her a better understanding of the process of teaching a foreign language. She takes advantage of her personal experience and implements it into her teaching methods.

In her spare time she loves taking walks through the neighborhood with her camera, visiting local cafes, going on hikes or epic road trips along the Oregon coast, learning new songs on her guitar and visiting art workshops.

Susan Kalis

Teacher

Originally from the Midwest, I received a PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of Loyola Chicago. I continued my post-doc research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York. I enjoyed pursuing scientific questions in the lab, but after my children were born, I found giving them creative play ideas and watching them acquire language skills even more fulfilling. After moving to Oregon in 2016, I started attending adult German classes at the German International School. I also began volunteering in the Beaverton School District, where I gave art literacy and science outreach presentations with related art and craft projects. In addition, I served two years as the Art and Culture Night coordinator at Hiteon Elementary school. During the pandemic, I dedicated myself to advancing my German language skills with multiple classes at Portland Community College as well as frequent online tutoring from native speakers. More recently, I attended intensive German language courses at Sprachschule Aktiv in Nürnberg and the Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik at Portland State University. I am excited to share my joy of learning the German language and my interest in art with the preschool class!

Yvonne Bahlmann

Teacher

Originally from Riesa, Germany, I came to the United States in 1995 where I taught at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio while earning my Master of Arts in Germanic Languages and Literature. 

After graduating, my husband and I moved to Olympia, WA where I taught German at various language levels to children and Adults and also served as a principal of the Tacoma German Language School for more than 10 years. Since my family and I moved to Oregon in 2015, I have worked as a German teacher for Berlitz and I am currently teaching at the Sophie Scholl Schule. I am also tutoring adult students in German and work as a Linguistic Tester for a Localization company.

I strongly believe that communication, a stress-free and student-oriented learning environment is key to acquiring languages. I emphasize communication as well as teaching German culture during my classes. It is important to me to make language learning a fun and enjoyable experience, engaging students in various listening or reading activities combined with structured exercises as well as discussions about current events in Germany.