Roland and Martina Arnold PARAVAN Foundation supports the purchase of a nine-seater Ford Transit for school transport at the Peter Rosegger School in Reutlingen.
Beaming faces at the PARAVAN mobility center when the cheque was handed over. Principal Tobias Tomberger also brought along a pupil as well as representatives of the school and the Friends' Association. He had approached the Roland and Martina Arnold PARAVAN Foundation for support for the purchase of a new school bus. The second bus will make transporting pupils to the special educational and advisory center with a focus on mental development much easier and more efficient. This means a shorter and therefore more relaxed journey for the pupils, who are educated at seven different locations.
“It is important that pupils can be brought to lessons quickly and reliably and are not left behind due to a lack of transportation. That's what we mean by inclusion in practice,” says Martina Roland during the donation handover. “Children in particular need to be supported so that they can participate in social life at all,” adds Roland Arnold. For the Arnold couple and the foundation, it is important to provide support in this area in particular.
At the beginning of the 2023/24 school year, the Friends of the Peter Rosegger School set out to find sponsors to purchase a new school bus. “Our “old Peterbus” was no longer sufficient for the ever-increasing number of pupils and the last few years of use were clearly showing signs of wear,” reports principal Tobias Tomberger. “Two buses are necessary to ensure that a varied school day, courses and cooperation with our external branches can function well and, given the size of the school, are in constant use.”
The Peter Rosegger School is the largest state special education and advisory center with a focus on mental development in the district for the Tübingen State Education Authority and the Tübingen Regional Council. In the coming school year, around 245 pupils will be taught by 80 to 90 teachers at seven locations, with numerous inclusive services in the city and district of Reutlingen. “Thanks to donations, the school's support association will finally be able to purchase the long-awaited second bus this year - especially as it is uncertain how long our old Peter bus can still be used,” says the principal. The second bus will make school transport much easier and more efficient, which will also make everyday school life easier for many pupils.
“It is particularly important to us to support projects for affected families and their children, as they often miss out,” says Martina Arnold. “We want to make a small contribution to this and help close gaps.” Families with disabled children in particular, but also the facilities that support these families, are dependent on help when it comes to mobility. In this situation, it is also important for an educational institution to be able to act flexibly in order to enable pupils to participate in life.
