The soccer World Cup is approaching, and there's nothing better than watching with people who understand the game, the excitement & the pain - and may also be cheering for your country! There are several opportunities to watch the World Cup with a German edge: The Goethe-Institut will be broadcasting live all games of the German Team — as long as they are still in the tournament! The First Round Games take place Sunday, June 13; Friday, June 18; and Wednesday, June 23.

Our end-of-school-year celebration/Abschlussfeier couldn't have been better! The program was entertaining, the crowd was large and the weather was perfect! Thank you to all who came to Walpole and to our parent event team who organized the festivities. We are lucky to have the Boylston Schul-Verein and their wonderful property to celebrate our all-family event in such joyful manner.

We received this note about An International Fair with some German flair: 
 
1st Annual International Fair at Bay Farm Montessori Academy
Performances, Arts, Crafts, Games & Food from around the World
Sunday, June 6th, 2010
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
A FREE Family Event
 
Bay Farm Montessori Academy invites families to embark on a tour of international flavor and artis tic beauty. 40 artisans from around the world will offer demonstrations, multicultural crafts, hands-on activities and games for all ages, plus performances of music, dance and storytelling.  Dunja Pechstein will be offering sample Musikgarten classes in German at the Fair.
 
COME STIMULATE YOUR SENSES!
Taste a variety of international cuisine.
See colorful costumes, traditions and dancing from different countries.
Hear the languages of the world.
Feel the rhythms of other cultures.
Touch games, arts and crafts of multicultural inspiration. At the International Fair, children of all ages can “travel the world” collecting stamps for a passport by visiting booths and learning about different countries.  Please join us as we bring the world to Duxbury for a day.  For more information, visit www.bfarm.org.
 
Bay Farm Campus at 145 Loring Street, Duxbury, MA.  Click for directions.

Hard to believe, but our school year is completed and now it's time to celebrate! Our "Abschlussfeier" will take place on Saturday, May 15 - as always this is an outdoor event on the grounds of the Boylston Schul-Verein in Walpole (8 County Road/Rte 109. For directions click here). We've outgrown the "Festsaal" inside the BSV Clubhouse many years ago, so festivities will take place under the pavilion. Many of you are "Abschlussfeier veterans" and know the drill. For our newcomers, here are few helpful tips: 

Rising college tuition costs in the United States and your general interest in German language and culture may have prompted some of you to consider sending your child to study in Germany. A representative from Baden-Wuerttemberg International will be visiting the school on May 1 to talk to interested students and parents about opportunities to study in Baden-Wuerttemberg - and how to go about that. Dr. Susanne Ziemek will be presenting to/talking with interested parents at 9.45AM in the 5th floor auditorium and at 11.45AM meet with interested students (recommended for grades 9 and higher). Baden-Wuerttemberg International's mission is to promote, attract and initiate international business, science and research development within Baden-Wuerttemberg, located in the southwest of Germany.

Registration for the 2010/11 school year is generally closed. Most lower classes are filled (K-4). If you are interested in registering a child for a higher class or to be placed on the waiting list for the 2010/11 school, please contact the registrar at registrar@germansaturdayschoolboston.org. For the future, if you'd like to know how our registration process works, this year's tuition rates and dates, please read on...

Congratulations to our teacher Bruce Mitchell and his family for the arrival of Dane Cameron Mitchell, born on April 14, 2010! Dane is welcomed by his little brother Aedan. We're wishing health and happiness and much more. Herzlichen Glueckwunsch!

The following readings by two accomplished current German authors, Alina Bronsky and Felicitas Hoppe came highly recommended to us:  
 

The Internet is an infinite resource for many things, but sometimes one doesn't even know where to start. Here are a few Web sites with a "German" angle that we are told are popular among families at our school. Check them out: 

Two former Saturday school teachers will present and perform at the "Ars Animi 2010" evening on April 29th at the German International School. Heidi Schlager, who was teaching 8th grade last year, will show her oil and acryl paintings in the gallery; Dunja Pechstein, a trained soprano and formerly our music teacher, will perform as part of the musical performance that evening. For the full program, click here.