German American School
German International School is an independent, International Baccalaureate (IB) World School located in Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area. Founded as an elementary school, it has operated in Beaverton for several decades and expanded to include a middle school in 2023. The school delivers a single core curriculum across multiple languages, offering immersion tracks in German and Mandarin alongside an English-focused track available within German International Middle School.
History
[edit]German International School was established in Beaverton, Oregon, as a small elementary school with a focus on German-language instruction. For most of its history, the school served students through the elementary grades only. In 2023, following a decision by the school's board to expand its program, German International opened a middle school division, becoming a preschool-through-8th-grade institution. The middle school enrolled its first graduating class in the 2025–2026 academic year.
Programs
[edit]German International School offers a range of programs spanning early childhood, K–8 day school, athletics, enrichment, and community language education for teens and adults.
Two's Program — an early childhood program for two-year-olds. Prekindergarten (ages 3–5) — a mixed-age preschool program. Kindergarten — full-day kindergarten. Grade School — elementary instruction for grades 1 through 4. Middle School — grades 5 through 8 (see German International Middle School).
Athletics and extracurriculars
[edit]- Athletics — the school's athletic teams compete in the Metro Christian League (MCL) alongside other independent and parochial schools in the Portland area. - Extended Programs & Clubs — before- and after-school programming and student clubs. Community language and seasonal programs
In addition to its full-time day school, German International operates community programs open to students and adults from outside the day-school community:
- Summer Camps — language- and theme-based camps offered during the summer months. - Teen Language Programs — German and Mandarin language instruction for teens. - Adult Language Classes — German and Mandarin language instruction for adult learners. - Weekend Programs — supplementary weekend instruction, often in language and culture.
Academics
[edit]German International is an International Baccalaureate World School. The school delivers one rigorous core curriculum across multiple languages, with a stated focus on creative and innovative thinking, environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and place-based learning. The IB framework structures the school's day-school curriculum from the early grades through 8th grade. Language tracks
The school offers three pathways for students: - A German immersion track for students with strong German-language skills. - A Mandarin immersion track for students with strong Mandarin-language skills. A- n English-focused track, in which the full program is delivered in English, for students who are not already bilingual.
All students, regardless of track, learn a new language from native-speaking teachers. Language teachers collaborate to develop units of study that are consistent across each of the program's languages.
Place-based learning
[edit]A central feature of the school's pedagogy is place-based learning, in which students engage with their local environment and community as part of the academic curriculum. Projects are grounded in real-world issues, and student work has included activities such as restoring local green spaces, meeting with community leaders, and designing solutions to environmental and civic challenges. Arts and music Music and the visual arts are integrated into the school's core curriculum rather than offered solely as electives. The school's arts programming is aligned with the IB Learner Profile and emphasizes creative risk-taking, identity exploration, and cross-cultural connection. Campuses German International School operates across three campuses in the Beaverton area: Main campus — 3900 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005. Houses Prekindergarten through Grade School, along with school administration. Middle School campus — 14200 SW Brigadoon Ct, Beaverton, OR 97005. Home to the middle school division, established in 2023. Two's Program campus — 16860 SW Blanton St, Beaverton, OR 97007. Houses the school's program for two-year-olds. In 2025–2026, the Middle School campus underwent a construction and renovation expansion to accommodate continued growth in the middle school program. Furniture for the expanded spaces was donated by Nike, Inc., which is headquartered in Beaverton. Outcomes The middle school's first graduating class, which completed 8th grade in spring 2026, placed into a range of independent secondary schools in the Portland area.
In 2011, the German-American School opened its SolarLab and solar panel displays to the public.[1]
See also
[edit]- German language in the United States
- Bonn International School, an Anglo-American school in Bonn formed by the merger of two American schools and one British school
- German American
References
[edit]- ↑ Dominique Fong (May 4, 2011). "German American School of Portland opens solar exhibit to community". OregonLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2012.