GISSV.MySchool

Quicklinks
- News
- Contact Us
- Make a Gift
- Spirit Store
- WebUntis

Search

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 & 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.

Our Mission

The Saturday School at the German International School of Silicon Valley fosters language immersion as a method of teaching German as a second language. With the first day in class, from toddlers to adult learners, the Saturday School teachers use German as their primary means of instruction.

Why Bilingualism?

Bilingualism has economic advantages in life reflecting the global economic changes
Bilingualism nurtures flexible and divergent thinking
Bilingualism increases the self-esteem and the self-confidence
Bilingualism enables thinking outside the cultural box
Bilingualism opens borders and communication systems

Why German?

German is the second-most-often taught foreign language in Europe (Over 100 million Europeans are native speakers of German placing German among the top ten in the number of native speakers among world languages)
The largest concentration of German speakers outside Europe is in the United States and Canada.
Germany is one of the largest contributors to research and development in the world
Germany plays an vital leadership role economically, financially, and politically role in the European Union and the world
Germany remains powerful in the arts, literature, philosophy, and psychology

Why GISSV?

We offer innovative teaching approaches placing the needs and interests of the student at the center
We offer up-to-date teaching technologies to enhance the learning experience of German
We have designed a total immersion program in a sequential, cumulative, continuous, and proficiency-oriented grade school sequence meeting the requirements of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the German Language Diploma (DSD - Deutsche Sprachdiplom) and the German Advanced Placement Test (AP)
Our international and ethnically diverse staff is well qualified, experienced and linked to the Bay area business community and local universities (Stanford University, UC Berkeley,The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and San Francisco State University)