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

Navigation

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
- 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.

Deeper Learning @ GISSV

Our school is, and has always been, inspired by the transformative energy of its location–in the heart of Silicon Valley. We are constantly innovating and transforming education to prepare our students to master the challenges of the 21st century. One example of that innovation is the deeper learning approach.

This approach combines the rigor of the German curriculum with project-based learning experiences. In these projects, students learn to tackle complex problems creatively using their critical thinking skills, collaborate effectively in teams, and communicate their ideas convincingly. Our Deeper Learning units have been refined over many years, and we replace various traditional exams with "complex assignments" in which students have voice and choice.

source: Xenia Gäckle, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg | Enlarge.

Interdisciplinary Deeper Learning Project in 10th grade

One example of a deeper learning project is our interdisciplinary start-up project, where our 10th-grade students worked in teams to create a start-up designed to solve complex problems. For example, in the 21/22 school year, one group tackled the issue of diet-related diseases. They developed an idea for a start-up ("Sesamo") that uses machine-learning to gather nutritional information and recommend personalized and healthy recipes. The students created a blueprint for a hypothetical algorithm without actually programming it.

The Deeper Learning approach includes phases of (1) instruction and acquisition, (2) co-creation, and (3) presentation of learning artifacts. Based on knowledge acquisition, learners solve problems creatively, reflect on them and thus acquire future skills.

Projekt-
beschreibung
(Deutsch)

Projekt-
auftrag
(Deutsch)

Please find some of the final pitches for the project below. Two of the startup teams have even produced a video explaining their ideas in more detail.

Ape Earth Pitch

My Kitchen Pitch

Presentation on Canva

Sesamo Pitch