Newsletter 16.05.2025
📸 GISA in Focus – Photography Team on Campus
Today, things were calm and vibrant at once: A professional photography team visited GISA and spent the day capturing special moments from everyday life in school and kindergarten – with great sensitivity and attention to detail. From classroom scenes and joyful moments in the group room to our newly designed library and the exciting progress on our new playground – many beautiful moments were documented through photos and video.
This material will now be used to create a series of lovingly produced short clips that will soon be featured on our website and social media channels, giving an authentic impression of daily life at our school. Naturally, all photos and footage were taken with proper consent. Stay tuned for a fresh perspective on GISA!
🇩🇪🤝🇬🇭 GISA x University of Potsdam – 1:1 German Conversations
A real highlight this week was the digital language exchange with Dr. Torsten Andreas and his students from the University of Potsdam. Our DaF learners participated in 1:1 Zoom conversations with the student teachers on topics such as free time, school, and future aspirations.
The goal: to create authentic speaking situations, apply vocabulary and grammar, and receive individual support. For the students from Potsdam, it was also a valuable opportunity to gain practical teaching experience and strengthen intercultural skills.
Special thanks go to our engaged learners – and to Benjamin Akrong and Bernard Boateng for their excellent guidance!
🌍 GISA at Europe Day 2025
On 9 May 2025, GISA was honoured to take part in Europe Day in Accra, following an invitation from the German Embassy. At the embassy’s stand, we had the opportunity to present our school and engage in many meaningful conversations about education, culture, and international cooperation.
A big thank-you also goes to the Universal Wonderful Street Academy, which created beautiful handmade keychains as giveaways for the occasion. We sincerely thank the German Embassy for this opportunity and all visitors for their interest! 🌍🤝
🐝 Our New Playground – Almost Ready!
We’re excited to announce that the new playground on the GISA campus is nearly complete!
This past weekend, many helping hands were at work again. Together with our volunteer supporters, designers, and planners Andre Maaß and Sheel Shetty, there was sawing, hammering, and building. A heartfelt thank-you for this outstanding commitment!
The innovative structure in the shape of honeycombs is already clearly visible. In the spirit of a buzzing beehive, our children will soon be able to explore this new space, bringing it to life with play, imagination, and community.
The playground concept is designed to foster motor skills, creativity, social interaction, and collaborative discovery. We can’t wait for the grand opening – and once again say thank you to everyone involved!
🎭 Musical “Hercules” – Premiere Next Week!
The countdown is on! On Thursday, 22 May 2025, our school musical “Hercules” will premiere at the Goethe-Institut. Rehearsals are in full swing, and our cast, tech team, and costume crew are working with energy and passion to bring ancient Greece to life on stage.
This project is a powerful reminder of what teamwork, creativity, and enthusiasm can achieve. We look forward to a truly unforgettable evening!
🔫 GISA Teen Club – Laser Tag at Cypher Zone
The Teen Club invites you to a fun and action-filled afternoon: On Saturday, 17 May 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, we’re heading to Cypher Zone in the Palace Mall, Labone for laser tag, games, and great company.
💰 Participation fee: GH₵150 – bring your energy and game face!
👕 Clothing Collection for “Chance for Children”
The GISA Teen Club is organising a clothing drive to benefit Chance for Children, a local NGO supporting vulnerable children in Ghana.
We’re collecting gently used children’s clothing (from toddlers to teens), as well as shoes, hats, and other useful items in good condition. Donations can be dropped off with the security staff at the school gate – we’ll take care of the rest. Thank you for supporting this great cause!
📦 GISA School T-Shirts – Now Available!
Our new GISA school T-shirts for students are ready to order.
🧾 Price: GH₵150 | Orders can be placed with Lucy Tamakloe at the administration office.
📆 Please note: Orders are collected monthly – there is no in-stock inventory.
⚽ Public Viewing: Germany vs. Portugal – You’re Invited!
On Wednesday, 4 June 2025, GISA invites all families to a friendly evening of football and fellowship at the Swiss Club. Join us for the Nations League semi-final between Germany and Portugal – a great opportunity to come together in a relaxed, family-friendly setting. Feel free to spread the word!
🕌 Expected Public Holiday: Friday, 6 June 2025
Due to the celebration of Eid al-Adha (Muslim Festival of Sacrifice), Friday, 6 June 2025 is likely to be a national holiday in Ghana. We will confirm this as soon as the official announcement is made.
📄 Report Card Dates at a Glance
• Report Card Conferences: Friday, 13 June 2025
• Report Card Distribution: Friday, 20 June 2025
Please note: Early distribution of report cards is unfortunately not possible.
Kindergarten and Nursery
The nursery team would like to sincerely thank all parents who made time for this week’s development discussions on Monday and Tuesday. These conversations are very important to us and help us accompany the children in their development in a meaningful way. A particularly special moment happened on Tuesday: a little chick wandered into our garden! The children were absolutely fascinated, fed it, and looked for the hen together. This lovely experience promoted empathy, responsibility, and curiosity among the children. Another highlight this week was our large tunnel in the group room – crawling through, sliding, and taking turns helped the children strengthen their motor skills, coordination, and social interaction.
In the kindergarten group, the children did a lot of crafting and painting this week. Using finger paints, coloured paper, glitter and much more, colourful artworks were created each day. The children also had their turn in the sports room this week, where they played cooperative games with the parachute. An obstacle course was also set up, which the children ran through and climbed on with great enthusiasm. Friday was finally our much-loved Toy Day again – the children were thrilled to bring their toys, present them to their friends, and share them generously.
During learning time, the children created geometric pictures using wax crayons. In another activity, they completed a “quantity puzzle” where they matched number cards to the correct number of apples. In language activities, some children practised using prepositions (on, under, next to, behind, in front of), while others began identifying first letters and matching words to their initial sounds.
In DaZ/DaF, the topic of healthy eating was deepened through a vocabulary memory game. There was also a language circle in which the children talked about their favourite foods. In the “English Club,” the children practised the A–Z sound cards. They also made their first attempts at reading the associated words. After reviewing all the sound cards together, they tried to arrange them in alphabetical order. We then explored which other words we know with similar sounds.
Primary School
Another week flew by for Classes 1 and 2! The children are becoming increasingly independent and are working responsibly on their tasks. Class 1 focused on recognising the Euro as currency and adding euro amounts. Class 2 focused on breaking down multiplication into so-called “royal tasks” – that is, mastering the 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x tables.
In English, both year groups began a new unit on “Writing Your Own Story.” The children are learning how a story is structured – with characters, a setting, a problem, and a resolution. We started with the classic story of Pinocchio, discussing its narrative elements and building our understanding of what makes a good story.
In Science (Sachunterricht), we explored the brain. The children learned the basic parts of the brain and their functions, as well as where the brain is located in the body. We concluded with ideas on how to keep our brains active and healthy, finishing the topic with a short worksheet to stimulate their thinking.
Class 3/4 had a great week, which many children acknowledged with kind words during class council. In Year 4 German, the focus was on creative writing. The children chose to write about either “A day as…” or “My secret talent.” Year 3 completed their VERA tests, and in DaZ the focus was on adjectives. Mr Boateng’s German group worked on vocabulary and sentences related to food, learning how to ask and answer questions like “What’s your favourite food?”
In Maths, we tackled written strategies for multiplication and division. Since a few children still had questions, we’ll create a summary chart of these methods next week.
English class was extra special this week as we welcomed a guest – cartoonist Nii Dromo. He taught us how to draw expressive faces showing different emotions. Before the drawing session, the children created characters and wrote stories which were then turned into dramatic performances. In P.E., we played an exciting game of frisbee that ended in a thrilling 7–7 draw – with lots of happy, tired faces. We also continued our musical rehearsals and are now looking forward to the big performance next week.
Secondary School
In German class, Year 6 is finishing the topic of fables – on Tuesday, the students will write their own fable and illustrate it. In Design & Technology (HTW), we’re starting our final project: building a miniature zoo! The preparations are complete and next week we will begin the creative work. Students will choose their roles – from architects and landscape designers to animal caretakers and planners – and design their zones accordingly.
In Year 5 Science, we explored food chains and food webs. The students clearly grasped the structure and differences between the two and showed strong understanding during oral questioning. Parents, feel free to ask your children about food webs – they’re ready!
In Year 6, dynamic group presentations demonstrated students’ strong grasp of assigned biology topics. We continued learning about human organs and body systems, and next week Year 6 will start a new unit on microorganisms. Meanwhile, Year 5 will build on their knowledge of food chains with practical exercises.
In Geography, we turned up the heat with a lesson on Africa’s climate zones and the vertical layers of the rainforest – the biodiversity amazed the students. In English, students started a unit on persuasive writing. They learned the key elements and vocabulary, then created advertisements for products of their choice to convince potential customers. These were presented in a peer-learning session with peer feedback. It was inspiring to see how passionate they were!
In Year 7, we wrapped up our youth novel unit with fun projects like radio ads and poster designs. We also launched the new unit: Being fair – discussing controversial issues. In English, we focused on grammar and punctuation this week. Students reviewed and evaluated question structures, presented complex topics, and recognised how essential punctuation and careful reading are to correct grammar. These skills will be reinforced next week in preparation for the final exam on 26 May.
In Maths, Year 7 explored inequalities, which will also feature in their upcoming test. In Geography, we discussed climate protection, in Civics the German Chancellors, and in History a summary of the Middle Ages. The class wishes everyone a restful weekend and good preparation for the final assessments!
In the Secondary DaF group (motivated learners from Years 5–7), students worked on profiles and interview questions in preparation for the online exchange with the University of Potsdam. They practised vocabulary related to school materials, school rooms, and leisure. In grammar, they reviewed accusative structures, negation and affirmation, the five main plural forms, and the imperative.
On Friday, the students completed a formative review to check their progress on these topics. Then came the big moment: for the first time, they participated independently or in pairs in Zoom conversations with assigned student partners from Potsdam. It marked the beginning of a wonderful and enriching cooperation that the learners thoroughly enjoyed.
🔜 Looking Ahead
Thu, 22 May 2025
🎭 Musical “Hercules” at the Goethe-Institut
Wed, 4 June 2025
⚽ Public Viewing: Nations League Semi-Final – Germany vs. Portugal at the Swiss Club
Fri, 6 June 2025
🕌 Expected Public Holiday: Eid al-Adha (Muslim Festival of Sacrifice)
Fri, 13 June 2025
📝 Report Card Conferences
Thu, 19 June 2025
🎉 End-of-Year Celebration
Fri, 20 June 2025
📄 Report Card Distribution
🌞 Last Day of School Before the Summer Holidays
