As an IB school we are not only committed to academic achievement, but also to the development of social emotional growth. As such we spend many hours as a staff, with students and parents to ensure this is an on-going effort. Parent, student and staff surveys helped us develop a play ground manifesto this year that is a balance between the widely differing opinions of our international community. In Middle School students have weekly advisory classes that are often used to discuss issues arising amongst the older students. Discussion circles, story books, role play and reflection sheets are only some of the tools that the Elementary and Preschool use to promote a healthy atmosphere. We used round table discussions with just students, students and parents and just parents to share grievances, opinions and use conflict resolution strategies. We also used whole school assemblies to share the message of positive engagement with each other. The 7th graders wrote and performed a play to promote anti-bullying. Grade 1 shared a story about the dangers of spreading rumors. And lastly we added focus on the meaning of each attribute of the learner profile. Some classes also use visuals to remind students of strategies they can use to get away from conflict situations as well asstrategies to help them solve conflicts (circle of choice). During lunch, grade level meetings and whole staff meetings teachers continuously collaborate and share their strategies and ideas to support each other.

For next year we are already planning to use part of the in service days to promote common rules for play ground and general behavior. Parents are asked next year to also sign a three way agreement between parents, teachers and students and will be held responsible to promote the same standards before and after school, where currently many of the unresolved
conflicts occur. "It takes a village to raise a child", so let's work
together to ensure the school continues to be a healthy and exciting place that teaches children to be respectful and responsible citizens.   

I'm Anna Freiwald and I'm 16 years old and I live in Munich, Germany. I went to GAIS 11 years ago (1999-2000) when my family  lived in Silicon Valley.  Today I went back to the Kindergarten (preschool) and it was just wonderful. My teachers Heike, Maike, Moni, Mahbu and Carol still knew me and I felt really welcomed. The Kindergarten  has changed in some ways but it will always still be the same place I loved so much as a 5-year old. Looking at old yearbook pictures with my teachers made me remember how much fun I had in that huge sandbox, how Carol made our turkey-dinner on Thanksgiving and how my mom always started crying on mother's days when I gave her a self-made watercolor picture. I'm still in touch with a bunch of my Kindergarten friends and I love to come back here and see them again. Right now I'm staying for a few days at Ruth McGee's house. Ruth and I became best friends in Kindergarten and although we can't see each other that much anymore we're still really good friends and it never feels like we've ever been seperated. Last night before we went to bed we were sitting on her couch singing  our old preschool songs. "Magdalena Hagnalena", "Wenn Der Elefant In Die Disko Geht", "Ich Schenk Dir Einen Regenbogen" and many, many more. My time in at the  German-American Kindergarten was really special to me and I won't ever forget playing in that huge backyard ( it seemed a
lot bigger to me at that time). I wouldn't be the girl I am today if I didn't play with the crazy-daisy and blow giant bubbles with my buddies. Visiting the Kindergarten meant really much to me and I hope to keep in touch for a very long time.

Follow the Child Summer Camp, run by Jay Levin, the Fifth grade English teacher, is a mobile camp for children between the ages of 6 and 12 who love to be outdoors. They go to a different exciting location each day.  Science based, Follow the Child Summer Camp runs between June 18th until August 17th, and is designed for active children that love to hike, draw, paint, write, explore, and learn. We pick-up in two locations in San Mateo and Palo Alto. If you would like to learn more about the camp please click here or email Jay Levin at followtchild@gmail.com.  

Märchen aus dem Sack geschüttelt!

Attention all 3 to 12 year olds, in particular 9 to 12 year olds!!  What would you say to 4  fun filled weeks, from June 25th to July 20th, of movement, music, theater, dance, learning new skills, and much, much more? What exactly the plan is and what we end up doing is for the most part, up to you. Can everything be decided by you? No! What is and remains is: Do it in German! Everything we do during the course of the 4 weeks; speaking, writing, reading, etc. will be done in German.
One other thing is also not up for discussion, namely Fairytales. If you think they are boring and only stuff for little kids, then you don't know much about Fairytales!
What do the above mentioned activities have to do with Fairytales? Join us for 4 weeks and find out. Do things differently, do things you may have never done before, do something for the first time, learn new moves, try out new skills which you thought you could never do. Don't be a frog, come on, jump in! Betcha, you won't regret it!
For more information please visit our website at www.gaspa-ca.org

Surely you already know that soccer is the world's # 1 sport. And you must have heard how popular soccer is in Germany and how seriously it takes its soccer history and future. 

This summer from June 25th to July 13th, GASPA is offering 3 one week camps, for ages 8-12 and 13-17, during which we will combine soccer craziness and the German language to offer an intercultural exchange; the goal being to experience a cool sport in the German language and get to know contemporary Germany.

Become a better soccer player by learning from coaches from Germany, a world class soccer powerhouse! The Camp provides the opportunity for the participants to pass the DFB-McDonalds Fußballabzeichen (German Soccer Federation/DFB-McDonalds Soccer Insignia). 

The camp is open for beginners and pros in soccer and German language, for boys and girls.
Hauptsache: Fuβball verrückt!

For more information, please visit our website at www.gaspa-ca.org