Crafting afternoon: Make your own lantern for St. Martin’s Day
Author: German School of Madison
Game day!
About 25 board game fans got together today for our first ever Spielenachmittag. Judging from the sound level, everybody had a great time. Let’s do this again soon!
Let’s play!
Dear GSoM families and friends,
There will be no school on October 15 (the church needs our rooms for another event), but that doesn’t mean we can’t get together and have fun in German.
- Please join us for our first German Spielenachmittag / Board Game Afternoon on Sunday, October 16, from 3-5 pm at Panera West, 3416 University Avenue.
Feel free to bring you favorite game (games that do not require lengthy introductions work best). We will also have games available (e.g., Das magische Labyrinth, Die Maulwurf-Company, Geister, Geister, Schatzsuchmeister, Sagaland, Qwirkle, Qwixx).
The more, the merrier!
Please note that while Panera will not charge us for the use of their community room, they ask that we consume food in the amount of $50. This only seems viable if at least 10-12 people come, willing to buy a cup of coffee and a cookie. Therefore, we ask those of you who would like to join us to notify the organizer of the event, board member Anja Wanner (anja.wanner at gmail.com), by Friday, October 14, or respond to our announcement on Facebook.
If there is not sufficient interest in the event, we will cancel it (you will be notified by email either way).
We hope to see you there!
First day of school
We hope everyone had a great first day of school. It was fantastic to see so many new and familiar faces. Our new location finally allows us to hold all classes at the same time. It also has a (wifi- and coffeee-equipped) communal space where parents can chat or get work done while their kids go to class. Please check your welcome folder for important information about upcoming events and volunteering needs. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Happy new school year!
Welcome Letter 2016-17
Dear GSoM Families,
A warm welcome to all of you from the Board of Directors! We hope you all had a wonderful summer and are as excited as we are to start the new school year at the GSoM!
Over the past two years, the school has seen many changes and we are very grateful for your continued support and enthusiasm about being part of our school’s community. Apart from switching all our classes to Saturdays, and making changes in our curriculum, we have also found a “new home” at Lake Edge United Church of Christ! With all these changes behind us, the Board is confident that our school will continue to thrive as a school that serves both American and German families in the greater Madison area. We are also very happy that the German class for adults is finally becoming a reality. Thanks to all who have signed up!
“Behind the scenes,” a few changes have taken place as well. In an effort to become more professional and reduce the workload of our all-volunteer Board, we have used Active.com to handle our registration. We are also continuously working on streamlining administrative processes and becoming more efficient. This is very important because it allows us to focus on other important issues such as expanding our community outreach, offering varied community events, supporting our teaching staff, and serving you, our families, better. We always welcome your feedback and encourage you to share your thoughts about the school with us!
In the school year 2016/17, we will continue to offer a number of exciting family-friendly events. For details and updates on upcoming events, please visit the calendar on our website or our Facebook page. Please note the following dates:
- October 15 (Saturday): No classes (rooms are needed for a church event)
- October 16 (Sunday), 3-5 p.m.: Game time! Join us for round of German board games at Panera West, 3416 University Avenue.
- November 6 (Sunday), 3-6 p.m.: Get crafty! Make your own Laterne (lantern) for our St. Martin Fest. Location: Neighborhood House, 29 S. Mills Street.
- November 13 (Sunday), 4:30-7:30 p.m.: St. Martin Fest with lantern walk and community potluck. Location: Shorewood Hills Community Center, 901 Swarthmore Court. (Volunteers needed.)
- November 26 (Saturday): No classes (Thanksgiving recess)
- December 10 (Saturday), 2-5 p.m.: No classes (rooms are needed for a church event). Instead, we will enjoy a visit from St. Nikolaus, along with Christmas Carols and a community potluck. Location: Shorewood Hills Community Center, 901 Swarthmore Court. (Volunteers needed.)
- December 24 and 31 (Saturday): No classes (winter break)
Last but not least, we would like to thank all our volunteers past and present – without you none of this would be possible! If you are interested in volunteering or have a special skill or talent to share, please speak with one of our board members or send us an email!
I am looking forward to a wonderful year ahead of us!
Herzliche Grüße,
Catrin Weimbs
President, Board of Directors
Tschüss, Sommer!
This is what German Sommercamp looks like.
Our kids had so much fun learning German songs and games. Who wouldn’t like to sing about a grandmother who rides her motorbike in a chicken coop (“Meine Oma fährt im Hühnerstall Motorrad…”) and go home with a Schultüte filled with treats?
Our thanks go to our extraordinary counselors and teachers: Bernie, Christine, Delaney, Sebastian, MaryGrace, Chris, and Jonathan. Thanks for making learning German fun! (Pictures are from our August session, but we also had a great camp session in June.)
We had a great time! See you next year — if not earlier. School starts September 10!
Meet & Greet on Sep. 10
All families registered for the fall are cordially invited to a Meet-and-Greet on the first day of classes (9/10, 2-5 pm)! Come and pick up your welcome folder and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a sweet treat while chatting with our board members and other families!
We are also urgently looking for classroom helpers for some of our classes! If you are interested in volunteering your time, either regularly or several times throughout the year, please contact our office!
Wait lists for most classes
The registration deadline for the 2016-17 school year has passed. We are happy to report that our classes for younger students have all filled and that spots are only left in our Eulen (5/6th grade), Möwen (7/8th grade), and adult class. For all other classes, you can still get on a wait list.
We warmly thank all new and returning families for their support. You will soon receive information about a meet & greet on the first day of school. It’s going to be a great year!
German School of Madison 
You must be logged in to post a comment.