Newsletter 30.05.2025
As the end of the school year approaches, we look back on an eventful and emotional few weeks. Here are the most important updates and upcoming events at GISA:
🎬 School Musical "Hercules" – Now Online!
Our unforgettable school musical "Hercules," performed at the Goethe-Institut on 22 May, is now available online! The password-protected link was shared via the parent WhatsApp groups. We hope you enjoy reliving this magical experience – or discovering it for the first time. What a great showcase of our students’ talent, creativity, and team spirit!
🕌 Confirmed Public Holiday: Friday, 6 June 2025
Please note that Friday, 6 June 2025 is now officially confirmed as a public holiday in Ghana in observance of Eid al-Adha. The school will be closed on that day.
⚽ Community Spirit at the DFB Cup Final Viewing
Last Saturday, GISA football fans gathered at the Swiss Club to watch the German DFB Cup Final between Arminia Bielefeld and VfB Stuttgart. With chilled drinks and fresh pizza, the atmosphere was electric. Despite their loss, Bielefeld – a third-division team – was celebrated for their incredible journey to the final. A big thank you to the Swiss Club for once again being a fantastic host for our cultural events.
💓 An Evening for the Heart – Gerald Asamoah Foundation at GISA
Tuesday, 27 May 2025, was truly special: The Swiss Club became a place of moving encounters and heartfelt gratitude. On invitation by the Gerald Asamoah Foundation for Children with Heart Conditions, guests gathered – including medical professionals, representatives from kinderherzen e.V., and members of our GISA community. The highlight was the screening of the short film “Paths of the Heart”, capturing the foundation’s life-saving medical mission in Accra last November. The audience was deeply touched, especially when a GISA student, whose life had been saved by one of these operations, shared his gratitude and personal story. Today, he studies at GISA on a full scholarship. We are proud of this growing partnership, which brings hope, creates new perspectives, and connects people across continents. Thank you to everyone involved – and especially to the Gerald Asamoah Foundation – for an unforgettable evening.
🌱 Project Time: Focus on Sustainability
Following the musical, our students are now diving into the theme of sustainability in their weekly project time. From upcycling clothes, creating art from waste, cooking with leftovers, eco-detective work, to fairy tales about sustainability – the projects are as imaginative as they are educational.
🧠 Active Floor Training for Teachers
This week, our teachers explored new ways to enrich classroom learning through the Active Floor, an interactive tool combining movement and digital learning. They experimented with quizzes, games, and activities that engage students physically and mentally. We look forward to integrating this tool more regularly in class to make learning even more dynamic.
⚽ Save the Date: Public Viewing – Nations League Semifinal
Germany vs. Portugal
📅 Wednesday, 4 June 2025
📍 Swiss Club at GISA
A friendly, festive football evening – open to all!
🎤 Music Workshop with ‘The Souly Bird’
On Wednesday, 12 June 2025, singer-songwriter ‘The Souly Bird’ will lead a music workshop with students from Preschool to Grade 7. Together, they will learn the new song “Grateful”, which they’ll later perform at the GISA End-of-Year Celebration. The workshop takes place during school hours (10:00–14:00).
Parental consent forms were sent home on Friday, 30 May – please return them by Friday, 7 June 2025 at the latest.
🧯 First Aid Workshops for Students
On 16 June 2025, students in Grades 1 to 7 will participate in age-appropriate First Aid workshops, organized by a dedicated GISA mother (a pediatrician), our school nurse, and another parent volunteer. In small groups, students will learn how to act in emergencies and gain a sense of responsibility and safety.
Our Kindergarten children will also take part:
- 12 June (ages 3–4): 08:15–09:00
- 13 June (ages 5–6): 08:00–09:30
Many thanks to all organizers for this valuable initiative!
🏃 GISA Sports Day 2025
Get ready to run, jump, and cheer! Our Annual Sports Day takes place on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. Students of all ages will take part in fun competitions and activities, with a focus on movement, teamwork, and enjoyment.
🎭 GISA GOT TALENT – Talent Show by Grade 7
On Thursday, 19 June 2025, GISA will host its annual GISA GOT TALENT event, organized by our Grade 7 students. The show runs from 12:30 to 15:00 for students, followed by the final round at 16:00, open to parents and families. A student jury will select the three best acts, who will then perform again in front of the larger audience. We wish all participants good luck and lots of fun on stage!
📝 Report Card Dates
Please note the official dates for report cards:
- Grade Conferences: Friday, 13 June 2025
- Report Card Distribution: Friday, 20 June 2025
📌 Please note: Early report card release is not possible.
🌞 Summer Camp in Wonderland
Looking for a creative and active summer experience for your child? Our Summer Camp in Wonderland welcomes children aged 3 to 12 for a fun-filled, magical holiday full of creativity, games, and swimming.
- Week 1: 23–27 June 2025
- Week 2: 30 June – 4 July 2025
- Time: Monday–Friday, 08:00–14:00
- Fee: 1,000 GHS per week (including lunch)
✨ Register now – we look forward to a wonderful summer adventure!
Kindergarten and Nursery
This week in the nursery was all about nature. Together, we created a leaf puzzle and discovered the different colors, shapes, and textures of the leaves. During a mindfulness walk, we observed ants and a bee – the children were very curious and asked many exciting questions. We also looked closely at leaves and described them, and even discovered an earthworm moving through the soil. The children were busy collecting stones, sticks, and leaves as well.
This week, the parent-teacher development conferences continued in Kindergarten, which meant we had lots of time for free play in our groups and in the garden. As the end of the school year is approaching quickly and, once again, some children and educators will be leaving for Germany or starting school, we have slowly started crafting our first farewell gifts. On Friday, we had our Water Day, where we transformed our slide into a waterslide and let little boats float along our water track. During learning time, we reviewed our group rules together and talked about the importance of treating each other and our toys with care and respect. We also continued practicing letters by recognizing our own names and those of our friends on leaves, naming the initial letters, and even beginning to write the individual letters and our names. Meanwhile, the younger children played games like “Chinese Whispers” and “I spy with my little eye.”
Primary school
In Grades 1 and 2, learning continued with joy and enthusiasm this week. Grade 1 completed the topic of the Euro, while Grade 2 continued working on multiplication. In science, both classes learned about the brain, its main parts and their functions, as well as its location in the human body. We also discussed ways to keep our brain active. To deepen this understanding, the students completed a worksheet and colored in a diagram of the brain. In music class, we explored the question: "Can we read music?" The learners quickly grasped the concept of the 4/4 time signature and created their own rhythms. Each of the five groups chose a band name and performed a mini-concert. They composed four bars in 4/4 time and presented them using their own chosen sounds such as clapping, whistling, stomping, or even screeching.
...and just like that, another successful week has come to an end. In Grade 4, we continued working on poetry in German class. In Grade 3, we are currently focusing on spelling. From A to J, we have practiced the 100 (some students even 300) most frequently used German words and wrote them in spelling dictations. So far, we’re doing very well, and next week we will continue with the words from K to Z. Our German language learners focused this week on the topic of fruits and vegetables – practicing sentences like “I like this,” “I don’t like that,” “That tastes good,” and “That smells good.” The students also crafted and presented their own fruit baskets. For our two newest German learners, the main topic was sports. In Math, we continued working on measurements and solved our first word problems using the method of question, calculation, and answer. In English, we practiced writing letters – including complaint letters and postcards – which will also be the topic of the next class test. We also worked on synonyms. In Science, this week was dedicated to the practical tests, which we reflected on together afterwards. The theoretical test on the topic of medicine and medication will take place next week. Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
Secondary school
In Ethics/IT, the zoo project is steadily taking shape: the fences are now completed, and the base area has been painted. The clay animals are in progress and are gradually being painted. The young architects are currently designing the houses, the playground, and the walls. The project is highly self-directed, with every decision being made by the learners themselves. By now, each student has chosen an area to work on independently. At the beginning of each lesson, the materials are brought out; students then work wherever it suits the task best, and afterward everything is tidied up and stored properly. In this way, we are practicing project-based and interdisciplinary learning. In Geography, the two major thematic units of the school year, Europe and Africa, are now being brought together. Population, culture, economy, climate, or landscapes – there are many differences to explore, but also fascinating similarities to discover. In Grade 6 German, this week we created crossword puzzles, which we plan to solve next week. We also worked on summarizing texts and will revisit this topic intensively in the final weeks of the school year. To all students: please remember the upcoming tests, assignments, and exams. If you’re unsure about anything, don’t hesitate to ask!
In English class, the students of Grade 7 completed a test on the topic "Fiction and Nonfiction," demonstrating their understanding of literary and factual texts. In Math, the new topic of percentages was introduced. To reinforce their learning in a playful way, the students created their own Active Floor game, which combined fun and movement. In History, the major era of the Middle Ages is coming to an end, and preparations for an upcoming class test have begun. In Geography, the students are currently working on creating a world map. During PE lessons, the students are developing their own choreography on the theme of acrobatics, where teamwork, creativity, and body control are especially important. Best regards and have a great weekend – your Grade 7.
The Secondary DaF class (the motivated learners from Grades 5, 6, and 7) focused this week on daily routines and telling the time. Vocabulary related to times of day, days of the week, clock times, and the corresponding prepositions was at the center of their learning. In grammar, the students worked with the past tense (Präteritum) of the verbs "sein" (to be) and "haben" (to have) and learned how to use separable verbs. As a thank-you for the first video conference with the university students from Potsdam, the DaF learners wrote their own letters and designed postcards, which will be sent to Germany in the coming days. On Thursday, the DaF group completed a learning assessment covering the topics studied throughout the week.
🔜 Outlook
Wed, 4 June 2025
⚽ Public Viewing: Nations League Semi-Final Germany vs. Portugal | 📍 Swiss Club
Fri, 6 June 2025
🕌 Public Holiday: Eid al-Adha – school closed
Wed, 12 June 2025
🕊️ Workshop with “The Souly Bird” (Preschool – Grade 7)
🩹 “Pflasterpass” First Aid Certificate for Kindergarten
• 8:15 – 9:00 AM: Session for 3–4 year olds
Thu, 13 June 2025
🩹 “Pflasterpass” First Aid Certificate (continued)
• 8:00 – 9:30 AM: Session for 5–6 year olds
📝 Report Card Conferences
Mon, 16 June 2025
⛑️ First Aid Workshops for Grades 1–7
Tue, 17 June 2025
🏃♂️ Sports Day for Grades 1–7
Thu, 19 June 2025
🎤 “GISA GOT TALENT” – Talent Show
🎉 End-of-Year Celebration
Fri, 20 June 2025
📄 Report Card Distribution
🌞 Last Day of School before the Summer Break
Mon, 23 June – Fri, 4 July 2025
🏕️ Summer Camp in Wonderland – Creative holidays for children aged 3–12 at GISA
Mon, 11 August 2025
📚 First Day of School after the Summer Break
🎊 8:00 AM Welcome Ceremony
