Willkommen!

Welcome to the German Language School of the North Bay's school community website with helpful information for parents and students of our school. Tip: Bookmark this page. It'll come in handy! 😉

Traditional classes

Our traditional Saturday morning classes start at 9:30am and end at noon. Please note: Our High School II class has different hours - please check with the instructor. 

ARRIVAL:
It is important for students to arrive on time. When students are late it is disruptive to the learning process. PreK/K children gather downstairs next to the sign for their class and the teacher will lead them upstairs to class. All other students can go straight to class. Please be careful and drive slowly, being mindful of pedestrians in the parking lot.

END OF SCHOOL:
Please make sure to pick your child up on time (at noon). Children should stay by the front entrance while they wait for their parent. Parents should park and walk to the entrance area to pick up their child. It is important that young children do not run out into the parking lot. PreK/K children will be brought downstairs by the teacher and will stay together until they are picked up by a parent. Please be careful and drive slowly, being mindful of pedestrians in the parking lot. If you are late due to unforeseen circumstances, call us immediately at 415-897-9771.

BREAK TIME (PAUSE):
Elementary through Adult students take break from 10:45 to 11am. PreK/K takes break from 10:30-11am. PreK/K students stay together during break.

SNACK BAR (PAUSETISCH):
During break we offer snacks and beverages at our snack bar (Pausetisch) tables. Items are only $1 each. Students have the option to purchase snacks from the table or bring their own snacks. Our Pausetisch typically has granola bars, crunchy snacks, sweet snacks, fruit, and baked goods. We always offer coffee and tea as well. Water and juice are typically also available. 

Please note that our Pausetisch operates on a donation basis. We ask our parents and students to choose one Saturday per semester to contribute to our Pausetisch and sign up for a slot on our Sign Up Genius form. (Sign up to contribute to Novato Pause here and Santa Rosa Pause here.) 

What is offered at our Pausetisch depends entirely on what is donated. We are not able to monitor allergies, dietary restrictions, or preferences. The Pausetisch is fun for the kids, but it is up to the parent whether their child should purchase snacks or not.

We encourage parents of PreK/K children to send snacks and water to school with their child, since our youngest students often find it challenging to communicate their preferences and choose appropriate snacks.

PARENTS:

We invite parents and family of adult students to join us for coffee and conversation while your students are in class! Bring your laptop and catch up on work if you want to. 

Special Interest Classes

Special Interest classes are classes that take place outside of our regular Saturday morning traditional format. Also taught in German, these classes typically focus on a specific theme (e.g. grammar, culture, conversation, etc.) and are held either online or in person. These classes can start anytime throughout the school year or the summer. Check out our course catalog for current Special Interest classes.

Laternenfest:

November 9, 2024
This event will be held at a park in Novato, starting at 5:30pm. Everyone is invited to join us! Join us for our parade through the park with our lighted lanterns (flameless candles) while we sing traditional St. Martin's Day songs. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies afterward.

Winterfest:

December 14, 2024
Winterfest will be held at both our Novato and Santa Rosa campuses. Everyone is welcome to join us! In Novato, we will have a holiday market, holiday crafts, sing traditional songs, view projects and work from our students, enjoy warm beverages and festive goodies, and photo opportunities with Nikolaus who brings treat bags for the kids! In Santa Rosa, the students will choose how they would like to celebrate Winterfest.

Fasching:

March 1, 2025
Fasching is a fun, cultural event held on campus for our students. Students will have cultural activities on that day and enjoy Fasching goodies at break time. Parents of our youngest students are invited to the last 30 minutes of class to watch their children in the Fasching Parade through the school.

Easter:

April 19, 2025
We will have an Osterfest at our Novato campus for the children's classes! For the last 30 minutes of class, kids will get an Easter basket and hunt for Easter eggs. There will be crafts and games as well. Adult students at both campuses will receive an Easter basket filled with goodies!

Abschlussfeier:

May 10, 2025
Our last day of school is our graduation celebration! Students in Santa Rosa are in class until break time. Afterwards, they enjoy a festive, celebratory lunch in the courtyard. Students in Novato are in class for the first 45 minutes and thereafter there are presentations by the students and an awards ceremony. Afterwards, everyone is invited to join us for a lunch of grilled sausage, salads and side dishes, and Kuchen! Students' work will also be on display.

Other Events:

We may have additional events throughout the year and there are other events in our German community. Check your weekly Rundschreiben email to stay up-to-date. If you do not receive the Rundschreiben yet, please sign up here!