General Information

About the Deutsche Samstags Schule

The Deutsche Samstagsschule was created 24 years ago to foster German language education and culture in children. The school meets on Saturday morning at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Rice Village. Classes offered include Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary Level through High School. In addition, we offer adult classes on Saturdays and during the week on Tuesday. 

Many of our students have successfully taken the AP, the AATG Exam, and das Deutsche Sprachdiplom. For adults we offer the “Zertifikat Deutsch” and the “Goethe-Zertifikat B2” of the Goethe Institute of Germany.

We observe traditional German festivals and celebrations in the German style, including German Reunification Day, Saint Martin’s Day, Christmas and the Christmas Market, Karneval, Easter, and an end-of-the-year party.

Our mission: 
Promoting German language and culture
    for children, teens, and adults.

School Year

The school year at the Deutsche Samstagsschule consists of 30 Saturdays per year. Please see the school calendar for dates, activities, and holidays. Your child will be notified of any schedule changes.

Daily schedule at the Deutsche Samstagsschule
Morning Class starts at 9:00 a.m. sharp and consists of 3 classroom hours:
Regular Dismissal:          Kindergarten Dismissal  Spielgruppe:	11:45 a.m. 11:30 a.m.   9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Afternoon Class:
Kinderkreis I, II, III  German Beginner ages 9-13    Beginner Adult	12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Registration:

Students interested in taking classes at the Deutsche Samstagsschule may send an application at any time by filling out the form on our website (www.deutschesamstagsschule.org) and by paying the application fee of  $ 30.00. Registration for all students is held one week prior to the first day of school. Forms and tuition are due at that time. Late fee may apply if payment deadline is not observed.  New students will take an informal placement test and Kindergarten children will have a visiting day. Classes will be formed and new students will be accepted as spaces become available.

Classes offered at the School:

Things to bring:

Please bring all supplies, including books, workbooks, and paper and pencil, that your teacher requests. Please note that there will be one recess of 15 minutes and students are encouraged to bring a snack and drink.

Arrival and Departure:

There are two parking lots available for our families. One is accessible from Rice Boulevard, next to the church, and should be used for short-term parking and drop-off. The second parking lot is south (behind) of the church buildings accessible from Greenbriar Drive. The Rice lot is also available but you have to pay for parking with your credit card.

Morning Classes:

Arrival:  Students should arrive at school no later than 8:55 a.m. and check their names off on the sign-in sheet in the entrance hall so we know who is attending class. Children must walk up the stairs to the second floor and are not allowed to take the elevator.Class will start at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Please be on time. If you are late, your child will miss important instructions and disturb the class.

Departure Kindergarten:  Dismissal is 11:30 a.m. for Kindergarten children.  Parents come to the Kindergarten classrooms and sign out. Please pick your child up promptly.  The teachers have to prepare the classrooms for the afternoon session and also need a short lunch break.

Dismissal for all other students is 11:45 a.m.  Lower-grade-age children should be picked up promptly from their classrooms at 11:45.   All other children must wait in the entrance hall and parish hall. Older students are allowed to wait in front of the entrance.

Afternoon Classes:

Kinderkreis I ,II, III and German Beginner meet 12:00 Noon - 1:45 p.m. Students should arrive at school no later than 11:50 a.m. and check their names off on the sign-in sheet in the Parish Hall so we know who is attending class.

Departure Kindergarten: Parents come to the Kindergarten classrooms and sign out. Please pick up your child promptly.

Dismissal German Beginner:  Parents come to the classroom and sign out.

Students are not allowed to wait in the parking lot.

Report Card:

Report cards go home two (2) times during the school year to each family.

Library:

Students can check out books and cassettes from the school library for two (2) weeks.  Please encourage your children to study German with our library materials. We are starting a Kinderkino, movies for children to rent. This is a project of the Elternbeirat (PTO).

The Samstagsschule gladly accepts donations to the library, especially children’s books. Please contact Frau Eisele.

Examinations Offered at the German Saturday School:

• AATG National German Exam:  Level II, III, IV
• AP Exam:  Advanced Placement Test for College Credit
• Das Deutsche Sprachdiplom A2, B1, C1 are recognized and graded in Germany. Das Deutsche Sprachdiplom C1 demonstrates that the student has the required German level to study at a German university. This exam requires serious studies and is most difficult.           
• The “Zertifikat Deutsch” and the “Goethe-Zertifikat B2“ of the Goethe Institute of Germany  are offered for adults.

Preparation: The teachers at the Deutsche Samstagsschule will prepare the serious student for these exams. The student will sign a contract in order to be accepted into the program. The exam fee is not included in the school tuition.  There will be a mandatory meeting for students and parents in October.

Parent Meetings:

1) A first and mandatory Parent Meeting with the Principal will be held the second Week at the Parish Hall.

2) Within the first three (3) weeks of the school year, there will be a parent meeting in your child’s classroom.  Your teacher will inform you about the date and time. It will also be posted on the message board.

Coffee Break: 

All parents are welcome to stay for coffee in the Parish Hall.  This is a good opportunity to meet other parents and share tips about teaching German to your children. Donations are accepted and baked goods welcome. Please sign up for it.

Communication:

The best way to keep up to date with calendar and events is to visit the webpage www.deutschesamstagsschule.org on a regular basis.

Homework:

Students will be given homework after every class.  In order to foster contact between the teachers, students, and parents, all teachers will e-mail parents the assigned homework.  This way, students who missed class are able to keep up with class assignments.

How much homework is there per week? (approximate)
Kindergarten:          1½ hours (15 minutes per day)
Grundstufe:              1 hour
Mittelstufe:               1 hour
Oberstufe:               1½ hours 

Missed Classes

Please inform the teacher by e-mail if your child is going to miss a class or will not be able to attend.
Students must bring a note from a parent to their teacher the Saturday prior to or following an absence.If the student does not bring a note, the absence is counted as unexcused. Children are required to make up any work they miss. A child having 10 or more unexcused absences will not receive a final report card.

If you have further questions, please contact:
Dr. Eisele at (713) 666-8125 or eisele@deutschesamstagsschule.org
Herrn Kirsch at (281) 471-4829 (Office: Cargo Control) or kirsch.samstagsschule@yahoo.com
School Fax: (713) 666-8178.