German International School Boston

What attracted us to the GISB were high teaching standards, emphasis on independent and group learning, as well as the opportunity to obtain American and international diplomas. Beyond that, we want our children to grow up in a multicultural setting where they interact with innovative, cosmopolitan role models every day. It's a creative learning environment that is establishing a great track record.

We enrolled our oldest daughter at the GISB seven years ago, back then there were 74 students enrolled. Since then we have seen the student body grow more than twice its size, we have seen the school extend to 12th grade (the first DIAP - Deutsche Internationale Abiturpruefung - was written last year ), saw it awarded the title of "Excellent German School Abroad" (exzellente deutsche Auslandsschule) by the Bund-Lander-Inspection and most important of all, we see our daughter, our son and now since fall 2012 our little one thrive at this school. Not only academically, but also in terms of self confidence and social intelligence. The teachers are young and motivated, the principal does not only have visions but really pulls through with them and the atmosphere is always friendly and like a big family. Our kids love this school and so do we.

Our children are attending the German International School and so far, we are very pleased with the academic program and the culture of the school. GISB is a unique school offering a bilingual education in German and English, and is one of only 140 "German Schools Abroad" that are supported by the German government. Notably, GISB has received an award of excellence from the German government! The school curriculum and educational philosophy are sometimes difficult to appreciate by some parents coming from a non-European background, but there are many families of various backgrounds who are highly satisfied with the school. So far, our children are very happy at the school and are developing as self-reliant learners and confident individuals. The school has a close-knit parent community and there are plenty of opportunities to interact with other parents, teachers, and administrators through participation in social and academic events. At any given year, GISB students can represent over 15 nationalities, and our young children are already aware of cultural, religious, and ethnic diversities, and are being trained as global citizens. Like any other school, GISB will not fulfill the needs of every parent and every student, but it is a perfect school for our family.

We moved to Boston a year ago. Coming from Germany with experience in the rigid school system of Bavaria we were very pleased with the multi-cultural environment at GISB. Small class sizes where every kid gets a high level of attention and individualized support helped our teenager son to make a smooth transition within short time. Maybe more importantly, he quickly became part of the community and likes going to GISB a lot. We perceive the quality of teaching as very good. The kids have a tough schedule but are carefully guided. The approach of the school is exceptional and training is focused to grow kids with personality and skills that will help them to meet the challenges of a globalized world. Getting bi-lingual education and training in two additional languages is definitely a plus. Not to forget the Deutsches Abitur and the US High School Diploma. Of course there is always something you would like to improve. However, the community is strong, involved and committed and the cooperation with the school administration very close. In summary: We are very happy with the decision we made and would encourage everyone interested to have a closer look at this school.

Both my husband and I are German but both our kids were born here. Our older child has been going to the Vorschule (Kindergarten) for 8 months now and it has been a great experience for all of us. Her German has improved tremendously. Despite the less rigorous curriculum compared to public school Kindergarten, she is learning to read, write and do math but with a healthy dose of self-motivation while still being given ample time to follow her creativity and imagination. It is also great to have such a tight school community where parents and teachers support each other and parents can have an influence on the development of the school if they want to.