The role and challenges of Paula Álvarez, the new Deputy Head of the DSM

The Deputy Head´s Office at Deutsche Schule Medellín (German School Medellín) is much more than an administrative position. It is a hub for cultures, a bridge between the Head´s Office, the teaching staff, families and students, and plays an essential role in ensuring the continuity of the educational project that makes this institution renowned for its excellence, multicultural vision and educational approach.

Since July 2025, this responsibility has been entrusted to Paula Álvarez, an educator who has grown with the school, from her first experiences as a kindergarten assistant to taking on more than two decades later, one of the roles with great responsibility within the institutional structure.

“I arrived in 2003 as an assistant teacher in what was then Preparatory School, which we now know as Klasse 1. I was a support teacher for three groups”, says Paula. What began as a temporary challenge became a sustained path of training, leadership and commitment. In a short time, she went from being a tenured teacher in Klasse 1 and 2 to Director of Grundschule, and recently, Deputy Head.

This career path speaks of professional growth and a deep understanding of school culture. "At first, it was difficult to go from being a teacher to a department head, because I felt that I no longer had a group under my wing, but then I realised that I had 330 children under my responsibility. And now as the Deputy Head, there are more than 1,100 students, as well as teachers, families and institutional processes. That is the true meaning of this role" she says.

A key role between Colombia and Germany

At the DSM, like in all the German schools abroad, the Headteacher's position is held by a person sent by the German government for a fixed period of time, which makes the role of the Deputy Headteacher important both in ensuring the continuity of the educational model and in mediating between very different cultural, pedagogical and legal realities.

“The Deputy Head coordinates. Accompanies the Head in their process of adapting to the school, the families, and the city. They are the ones who gather the institutional history, understand what is happening in the local environment, and plan for what we need to incorporate. They are like a bridge between the German guidelines and the Colombian identity of the school” explains Paula.

This role is also evident in the way the Deputy Head participates in academic, legal and pedagogical processes. From leading the academic Council, coordinating department heads, supporting the implementation of the International Baccalaureate, to ensuring compliance with the regulations of the Colombian Ministry of Education, its management is strategic. “We can say that the Head´s Office is accountable to Germany, but the Deputy Head´s Office is accountable to Colombia, and the balance between the two is what ensures that the school maintains its DNA, its identity”.

Leading with history and vision

Having held various positions within the school allows Paula to take a broad and empathetic view of the work done by the teaching and management teams. “I was also a Head of Department. I know the pace, the challenges, the doubts. And that makes it easier to work together with those who now lead each educational level” she says.

One of the focuses of her administration has been to strengthen the relationship between the head's office and the departments, especially at a time when family and social dynamics have changed so much. "Today's parents are younger, and this inexperience is also reflected in the students. We see less tolerance with frustration, more difficulty in dealing with “no” as an answer. That is why accompanying emotional development with love, but also with boundaries, becomes essential" she says.

In addition, the Deputy Heads´s Office has the task of supporting teachers, not only in their teaching practice, but also in the challenges posed by a generation of students who learn differently. "In the past, teachers were figures of authority. Today, they run the risk of being mistaken for a permissive friend. That is why we work hard on continuous training, group management, and striking a balance between closeness and leadership" she explains. In this regard, she highlights the role of the School's Centre for Training and Pedagogical Development and the implementation of strategies for classroom management and strengthening the emotional skills of the academic team.

Multiculturalism, digitalisation and new challenges

The role of the Deputy Head also involves leading processes that respond to a changing environment; the arrival of more students and teachers from other cultures, the advancement of digitalisation in the classroom, and the need to maintain the school as a humane, safe and stimulating space.

From a multicultural perspective, Paula highlights the value of children from an early age interacting with teachers who come from different countries, speak other languages, and celebrate diverse traditions. “This makes them citizens of the world. Nothing surprises them negatively. They understand that difference is not judged, it is respected and learned from”.

When it comes to the use of digital tools, the school has opted for a balanced approach. The school premises remain free of mobile phones, in the upper grades, progress is being made in the use of resources such as tablets, platforms and digital classes. “It is not a question of shunning technology, but of using it in a pedagogically meaningful way. We are supporting this process through teacher training, the design of active classes and the emotional support that this new reality requires” she says.

Down-to-earth leadership

Although her day-to-day life is filled with committees, emails, unexpected events and legal challenges, Paula maintains something that is essential to her, contact with the students. “I like to see them again, greet them, ask them how they are. I had many of them in Klasse 1 and now they are in Klasse 11 or 12. Reconnecting with them gives me meaning. If I ever forget that they are the centre of everything, I'll pack up and leave" says Paula.

Her degree in Spanish Language and Humanities, with a specialisation in Educational Management, is complemented by a pragmatic and affective vision of leadership. “No two days are the same here. But that's what makes this role so special. It's about serving, supporting, and coordinating, and above all, keeping the school's identity alive”.

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