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Preschool-12 Dual Language Education in
Two Locations in the Bay Area

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About
- Welcome to GISSV
  The German International School of Silicon Valley is an independent, nonprofit preschool–grade 12 school with two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Learning in German and English
  Our high-quality dual-immersion education helps students reach their full potential in a stimulating environment that fosters critical and imaginative thinking, a passion for lifelong learning and an appreciation for cultural diversity.
Admissions
- Meeting Students’ Needs From Preschool Through High School
  GISSV welcomes students of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We serve students from two to eighteen years old.
- Enrollment
  The enrollment period begins during the months of January and February of each year for the upcoming school year. We also accept new students throughout the school year based on availability. Knowledge of the German language is required for all children who enroll after 1st grade (See also our German Fast Track Program).
Learning
- Nurturing Holistic and Individual Development
  Our well-balanced program provides rich project-based and differentiated learning experiences, fostering interests across all subject areas as well as social-emotional competency, critical thinking, artistic expression and physical motor skills.
- Safe and Stimulating Learning Environments
  We provide highly qualified teachers, small class sizes and an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. Our engaging and ambitious curriculum is enhanced by comprehensive science and technology resources.
School Life
- Rich Experiences in the Classroom and Beyond
  At GISSV, we are instilling an appreciation of life, music, sports, culture and arts among our students. We take responsibility and action for ourselves, others and our planet.
- Strong Sense of Community
  GISSV has a vibrant international school community thanks to our small class sizes, cohesive, dynamic preschool–12 structure and enriching events that involve all our students, teachers and parents.
Campuses & Camps
- Serving Families Across the Bay Area
  GISSV has campuses in Mountain View and San Francisco. We also connect our students to their local environment by exploring the cultural, natural, academic and entrepreneurial destinations the Bay Area has to offer.
- Two Campuses, One School
  All GISSV programs are bilingual and based on the German curriculum of the state of Thuringia, which is known and respected for its well-rounded educational approach
Support GISSV
- Enhancing the GISSV Experience
  Family and community support is a vital part of GISSV. Voluntary contributions of time, resources and expertise are key to our success.
- Every Gift Matters
  Donations are essential to preserving and advancing GISSV’s exceptional educational programs. Tax-deductible contributions enable us to realize our most important current and long-term priorities, preparing our students for the world ahead.

Extracurricular Activities

As part of our commitment to providing a well-balanced education throughout the grade levels, we offer a variety of extracurricular activities in music, drama, art and sports that enable our students to explore and pursue their interests and talents.

Music

Orchestras

JUNIOR ORCHESTRA

This non-competitive group is for beginning string and wind players who have had one year of instrument instruction. The junior orchestra performs at school concerts as well as various public events such as our annual German Holiday Market in Mountain View. The group explores all genres and is led by Marie-Louise Catsalis.

SENIOR ORCHESTRA

This non-competitive group is for intermediate to advanced players who have had three or four years of instrumental instruction. While its main focus is on baroque and early classical music, the senior orchestra also plays arrangements of pop and rock as well as film music. The group performs at school ceremonies, official ceremonies of the Consulate General of Germany in San Francisco, as well as various events throughout the Bay Area. Its members are comprised of GISSV students, parents and teachers as well as members of the broader Mountain View community.

Choir

The GISSV cross-campus choir is open to middle and high school students as well as to parents, teachers and members of the wider community. The project-based choir performs at school ceremonies and in opera projects in cooperation with the music department at Stanford University. It studies and performs choral arrangements of contemporary pop and rock music and musicals as well as baroque choral music and is led by Marie-Louise Catsalis.

Sports

Our student soccer and volleyball teams are playing in the Bay Area's Small School League. Over the past few years, our sports department has built up teams that are capable of successfully participating in competitive leagues where they are playing against other school teams. We also have an elementary soccer team that plays in the Sunnyvale Alliance league as well as a basketball team, and we participate in cross-country running events.