German International School Chicago

Passing of the torch: We congratulate Gudrun Kern (left) for taking over as the new Chair of the GISC Parent Group (GPG) from Danielle Anson (right), who leaves some very big shoes to fill after years of dedication to growing the school as a pillar of our community.

We want to take the time to personally thank Danielle, who will still remain involved in GISC affairs, for her impactful work advancing the school's mission and building an engaged community. Here are some highlights and memories 📷 Thank you, Danielle, on behalf of everyone here at GISC 🙏 🏫 🤗

100 Percent 💯 That is the success rate at which all GISC alumni including our recent Middle School Class of 2024 earned their German Language Diploma (DSD 1). Last night, we officially awarded our students their certificates in a ceremony with Christina List, Officer of Communications and Cultural Affairs at the German Consulate General Chicago alongside Ulf Hennig, Head of GISC German Department, and GISC Director Ben Hebebrand.

The Deutsches Sprachdiplom I (DSD 1), first held at GISC in 2021, is an officially recognized exam that demonstrates the language skills needed to enroll in the German school system.

One of our students, Anastasia, who joined us in 6th grade without previous German language knowledge, also received the DSD 1, demonstrating that language proficiency can be attained by enrolling in the GISC Fast Track Program! 🌟 We are very proud of all our students!

All together under one roof 🏫 This year's Elementary assemblies with a focus on transdisciplinary skills kicked off by looking how to be "Socially Skilled in Shared Spaces".

Students of different grades developed essential agreements for shared spaces such as the hallway, the music room, or the playground. We also reintroduced our composting initiative and the various members of our administrative team.

Our 5th and 6th Grade students enjoyed an educational journey into the forest lands of YMCA Camp Duncan. They fostered their teamwork skills and enjoyed workshops in climbing, archery, and other outdoor activities, as well as campfires and smores 🏕

Another great showing for GISC at the annual Steuben Parade in Chicago. 🎊 We thank all the students, parents, faculty, staff, and volunteers for making this a phenomenal display of German culture in America 🇩🇪 🇺🇸

“Field trip! Field trip!” Our 5th and 6th grade students are on the road for GISC’s overnight field trip, an outdoor education adventure at the YMCA’s Camp Duncan, located about one hour northwest of the school 🏕️ We wish them a safe and educational journey and will share posts of their trip.

Water play on a sunny day 🚿 Our new learning garden is the perfect space for our Eichhorn students to spread their wings and explore nature 🪴

Our Igel students return, eager to learn 🦔 Water tables and music spark joy as they grow and explore together 🌊 🎸

The first week of school is in the books here at GISC! We want to take a moment to celebrate our and who make it all possible 🙏🏻♥️ Thanks for Giving Your Child the World 🌎

GISC families, we love when you Give Your Children the World 🌎 The Chhabria sisters took their first trip to India recently, visiting family and a bit of sight seeing. It was a hot day visiting the Taj Mahal, but they were able to show a bit of school spirit nevertheless in their GISC shirts 🤩 Please share your travel moments with us

Back to school is a wrap! Thanks to everyone for making this day an unforgettable start to the new school year 🏫

It’s a hot day for our Welcome & Welcome Back Open House but we’re staying cool at GISC 😎

Monday's the big day! School director Ben Hebebrand is ready to welcome GISC students and families for the 2024/25 school year 🤓 🏫

Our faculty & staff benefited from comprehensive First Aid training conducted by Kimberly Tranchita, MSN, BFA, RN 🏫 The team covered common school injuries, review initial actions when an injury occurs, recognize indications of an emergency and need for an ambulance. Plus, Staff was able to demonstrate proper CPR compressions on a mannequin.

Teachers are back and the team is busy collaborating to prepare for the upcoming school year. Wednesday was specifically dedicated to International Baccalaureate® (IB). This ensures that all staff members are ready to implement IB Core tenants from the first day of school 🏫

Thanks for today's visit from the team at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Chicago with our School Director, Ben Hebebrand. We appreciate the support of Consul General Michael Ahrens as well as new team members Dirk Schulz, Deputy Consul General, and Christina List, Officer of Communications and Cultural Affairs.

Welcome to our 🏫 German Consulate General in Chicago

Hot lunches are back this school year 🔥 We are excited to announce our partnership with .yay.company to bring our students nutritious and delicious meals from local Chicago restaurants. We will share sign-up information and lunch menus via email to our in the week before school resumes 🍽

Danke und Auf Wiedersehen 🙏🏻 GISC wishes Vice Consul Philipp von Dreusche and his family the very best as they move on to a new post with the German Foreign Service ( Auswaertige Amt ). Philipp has been a wonderful ambassador for our school. Auf Wiedersehen!

Calling all GISC families: We need host families for our new interns for the 2024/25 school year. Hosting Teacher Students from Europe in your family brings a native German speaker into your home and forms lifelong cultural connections. And they can help with tasks like taking kids to school 🚗 Interested? Please get in touch with our front office, we appreciate all the help from our 🌎

Hey GISC parents, it’s Archie with a quick reminder to get those school supplies 🐶 The supply lists for next school year are now available on the MyGISC parent portal📚✏️📐 Just follow the link in our story and stock up early, there are some hot deals right now 🔥 🛒

The first session of Uebercool Summer Camp 2024 at the Lycée Français de Chicago wrapped up last Friday! 🎉

Our GISC students and other participants had an absolute blast with arts and crafts, thrilling field trips to farms and water parks, and our weekly Beach Days!! 🌊🌞 A huge success all around! 🙌

We wish the campers of the next session - starting today - another three weeks full of fun!🤩

Attention Parents! 📢📝

The supply lists for next school year are now available! 📚✏️📐 Even though we're still soaking up the summer vibes, it's never too early to get a head start on preparing for a successful school year. 🌞🕶️

Check out the supply lists now and get ready to shop early! Click the link in our Story or visit our myGISCparent portal on the Website https://www.germanschoolchicago.com/ all the details.

Happy Summer and Happy Shopping! 🌻🛒

Just one week after school ended, we’re reminiscing about the amazing last days at our Preschool annual picnic and nature walk at North Park Nature Center! 🌳✨🌞🦋

Accompanied by our amazing homeroom teachers, our younger ones kicked off the day with the best part: breakfast! 🥐🍎 Everyone enjoyed their snacks while relaxing on benches under the shade of the trees. After that, they embarked on a nature trail adventure where we spotted dragonflies, water lilies, and even a deer! 🦌🌼

The fun didn’t stop there; we had a blast at the nature playground, discovering spiders, caterpillars, and other critters. 🕷️🐛

Huge shoutout to our brave, warm-hearted, and patient chaperones. Thank you for making this an unforgettable end-of-year field trip! 🌟❤️

Last moments of Staff Development Days! Clearly the best team for any soccer tournament such as the current Euro-Cup…the upcoming Olympics… or World-Cup! And definitely the best colleagues to work with! Hands-down, these are the champions 🎉 Happy summer from the GISC Team! 😎❤️

Show off your GISC spirit from anywhere in the world this summer! 🌍📸

With the school year behind us, we’d love to see your GISC pride in action during the break. Send us a photo of you or your family rocking your blue GISC t-shirts from around the globe, and you might be featured in an upcoming GISC publication!

Email your photos to [email protected]. Wishing everyone a fantastic summer full of fun and adventure! ☀️🎉

We are thrilled to share the fantastic results of our 8th graders in the DSD 1 test they took mid March this year. 🎉 Our 2024 group was our largest yet, with 9 students, and the results were outstanding. Our ZfA representative said they "could not have been better"! 👏🥰📚

The Deutsches Sprachdiplom I (DSDI), first held at GISC in 2021, is an officially recognized exam that demonstrates the language skills needed to enroll in a preparatory college in Germany. This B1 level exam is taken by about 51,000 students in over 65 countries each year. The exam is organized by the ZfA (Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulwesen) in Germany, and it includes an extensive oral examinations at GISC. 🇩🇪🌎

A special shout out to one of our student, Anastasia, who joined us in 6th grade as our first student in the Fast-Track German program with no previous German skills and has achieved remarkable success since then! 👏🌟

GISC is very proud of all our Grade 8 students! 🙌🫶

After a string of successful ceremonies, today we would like to congratulate our youngest students, the Preschool-Maxis! 🎉👏

Last Friday, they said “Goodbye” to their friend Wuppi! While they are sad to see Wuppi return to Planet Wupp, they are proud of their accomplishments. Together, they faced challenges and mastered the Ohrentraining, defeating the evil King Bӧsix forever! To honor this achievement, a special guest, her majesty the Ohrenkӧnigin (Ear Queen), awarded each child an Ohrentraining certificate and a special gift—a little Wuppi to remember their adventures. 🥰🌸

Congratulations, Maxis! You are ready for new adventures in Kindergarten! 🌟🎓

Day 2 of Graduations at GISC! Today, we celebrated two further milestones: congratulations to all our 4th and 8th grade graduates and their families! 🎓🎉🌟👏

Moving up from 4th grade to middle school marks the beginning of a more advanced and challenging curriculum, where students will strengthen their critical thinking and global awareness. Our 8th grade graduation is a gateway to high school, where we hope our students will continue to embody the IB philosophy learned at GISC, growing into thoughtful, compassionate, and knowledgeable global citizens. 🫶🌎

We wish each of them an exciting future filled with new challenges and opportunities!🤩🙌

Today at the GISC, we honored our Kindergarten with a great ceremony! 🎉🎓

These moments are more than just celebrations; they represent the beginning of an exciting journey in education and life. We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and growth. Watching them take these steps reminds us of the importance of nurturing curiosity, fostering a love for learning, and building a strong foundation for their future.

Congratulations to all our little graduates and their families!🌟 More pictures coming soon, so stay tuned!

Yesterday our 7th and 8th graders wrapped up their IB PYP Service Learning Project by helping out at Nourishing Hope pantry! This was a fantastic way to end the school year, making a meaningful contribution to the community. 🙌

Service learning not only boosts academic learning but also enhances civic and social responsibility, improve interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as empathy and ethical reasoning, making them ready for the world. 🌍📚💖

Our students have grown so much through this project, and we're very proud of their dedication to making a difference. A special thanks to our IB MYP Coordinator Megan Rich for her amazing support and guidance! 🌟