Let’s learn: German School of Atlanta

The German School of Atlanta (an accredited Saturday Morning School for Children) has been teaching students since 1983 to improve their German language skills on 30 Saturdays throughout the year. German classes are offered to native speakers and non-native speakers beginning at pre-school age through young adolescence.

Classes are taught at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels in small classes of max 25 students and are accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission. This non-profit organization depends heavily on fund raising events and the efforts of volunteers and every effort is made to keep tuition costs at reasonable levels to encourage more students to enroll. The school offers a German library and has access to the Antolin online reading database, which encourages students to evaluate the German books they read. This is a fun way of practicing German reading and writing skills.

Saturday School

Every Saturday Morning the doors open at East Cobb Middle School for 281 students learning or improving their German language skills. “We have students starting from age 3”, states Gaby Beyer, director of the German School of Atlanta, “All students are currently organized in 25 classes run by 25 teachers and 7 assistant teachers, supported by dedicated volunteers.”

Every student has a German School passport and needs to sign in at the entrance desk each Saturday documenting regular attendance and timeliness. The school offers coursework in German Diploma I and German Diploma II and is preparing to provide AP Courses in the future. Semesters run from September until May. Tuition fees are 600 US Dollars per child, per semester.

School of Events

Throughout the school year the German School of Atlanta (GSA) offers a variety of activities and events for parents and their students. In addition to teaching the language the school also teaches about German holidays and German customs. Students have a chance to meet St. Martin and Nikolaus and dress in costumes for Fasching. The GSA is known for delicious waffles at the Weihnachtsmarkt and homemade potato salad with brats at Spielstrasse. Spielstrasse takes place at the end of the school year in May and is a fun filled day for the entire family and a fundraiser for the school. The school hosted the Annual Benefit Concert, an evening fundraising event, on March 15th at the German Cultural Center.

Atlanta Expat