GERMAN-AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

Enrollment growth and student academic performance underscores school's continued success; Dignitaries to preside at special 20^th anniversary gala event

Menlo Park, Calif., May 7, 2009 - Twenty years after a parent-led initiative created a small bilingual program for 22 students, the German-American International School's (GAIS) student-body has grown more than 20-fold as demand for international academic programs continues to increase. Now one of nearly 1000 International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in the country and more than 3000 worldwide, GAIS is celebrating the culmination of its 20^th anniversary year at a time when the American school system is coming under increased scrutiny and many more parents are seeking educational alternatives.

As part of the 20^th anniversary celebration, the GAIS school is hosting a gala event on Saturday, May 16, at 6:30 pm. Special dignitaries presiding at the event include Kathryn Radtkey-Gaither, Undersecretary for the Office of Education, State of California, Karsten Tietz, German Consul for Cultural Affairs at the German Consulate General in San Francisco, and Hans Bachmann, Head of Chancery at the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco. An additional 25-30 alumni are expected to attend from all over the world.

"Reaching this milestone anniversary represents a significant achievement for the school, said Hans Peter Metzger, Head of School. "It underscores our success not only in continuing to evolve and grow over the past 20 years, but also, more importantly, in continuing to provide a high-quality educational program that enables our students to consistently out-perform international benchmarks in academic assessment. The combination of our bilingual immersion program and IB curriculum is designed to better prepare our students to become global citizens of the 21^st century and is a leading factor drawing new families to our GAIS community," Metzger said.

In a recent state-by-state analysis of American schools, California schools ranked nearly last in grade 8 reading and math scores. The report also noted that as kids move up grades to high school they slip even further behind internationally to an "embarrassingly low level.* "As a result, many parents are seeking new educational opportunities for their children. Since 2005, enrollments at GAIS have increased more than 30 percent.  Over the past five years, the number of IB schools has grown more than 80 percent worldwide, including more than 10 public and private IB schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The IB offers a continuum of high-quality education that encourages international-mindedness and a positive attitude to learning. The IB curriculum framework centers on key elements such as the process of inquiry, critical thinking, informed decision-making and a holistic understanding of ideas. All IB students learn a second language and the skills to live and work with others internationally-essential for life in the 21st century. Recent student assessments indicate that GAIS students out-perform international test averages in math literacy, reading and writing narrative (Source: tests conducted in grade 3 and grade 5, performing at the 90 percent level).

German-American International School - Milestones

2008-09: 20^th Anniversary

2008-09: New Facilities

2007-08: IB World School Authorization

2005-06: New Head of School -Peter Metzger

2004-05: WASC Accreditation

1995-1996: New Science Lab for Upper Grades

1994-1995: New Computer Lab

1991-1992: First Library Opens Its Doors

1991-1992: School Moves to Menlo Park

1988-1989: School Opening Day

About the 20^th Anniversary Gala Event
The gala event will be held at the Stanford Faculty Club on Saturday, May 16th, from 6.30 p.m. until midnight. Tickets are $75 per person and include a seated three-course menu, a special performance by jazz vocalist and composer Andrea Fultz and her band "The German Projekt" (www.andreafultz.com) and dancing until midnight with the help of DJ Rick.  Event location: 439 Lagunita Drive, Stanford University, CA 94305. To purchase tickets, call 650-324-8617.

About the German-American International School
Founded in 1988, the German-American International School of Menlo Park is an private non-profit school including programs ranging from German immersion preschool to bilingual (German/English) elementary and middle school through the eighth grade. GAIS students perform exceptionally well in both US and European tests and continue their education at some of the best schools in the region and around the world. The school's curriculum is designed to satisfy both California State and German foreign school guidelines, as well as the IBO program. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

* The American Legislative Exchange Council's "Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis."

Media Contact:

Jennifer Doettling

650-430-4248