HomeAssisted Schools...Berlin, Germany: John F. Kennedy School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

# 									Berlin, Germany: John F. Kennedy School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet							

Overseas Schools Fact Sheet

Office of Overseas Schools

October 6, 2023

## 								School Contact Information							

        -  Tel: +49-30-90299-5758 (high school) and +49-30-90299-5711 (elementary school) | Regional Education Officer: Tim Stuart 
        -  E-mail: welcome@jfksberlin.org | Website: www.jfks.de 
        -  This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. For more information, contact A/OPR/OS (overseasschools@state.gov / +1-202-261-8200) or the school directly.    

The **John F. Kennedy School,**founded in 1960, is a bilingual, bicultural, German-American, college-preparatory public school. Students of both nationalities are taught together in the same classroom with the goal of developing respect, tolerance, and understanding for each other and for the partner culture. The school year consists of two semesters normally extending from the third week in August to early July.****

**Organization**: The school is a tuition-free German public school governed under a special act of the Berlin parliament for the purpose of creating binational understanding. The Berlin Senate Office of Education is responsible for the overall operation of the school. A 13-member educational directorate – comprised of representatives from the U.S. Embassy, the Berlin government, the parent body, and the school – functions in a board of education capacity.

**Curriculum**: JFKS emphasizes academic excellence, and its curriculum combines features of both American and German educational systems. Instruction is in German and English, with English being emphasized. American students learn German in daily lessons beginning in grade 3; in the Entrance Class and grades 1 and 2, the partner language is taught informally through play and singing. The program is designed to accommodate American students who have little or no knowledge of the German language. The entire school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and offers students the possibility to attain the American high school diploma and/or the German Abitur. A comprehensive Advanced Placement program is also offered in the 11th and 12th grade. Newly accepted American students in grades 7-12 with no knowledge of German receive the majority of their instruction in English, and will also receive additional language support to accelerate their German language development. As their proficiency in German increases, their classes will shift to match our 50% model of having classes in both languages. French, Spanish and Latin are also taught as foreign languages. Religious or Life Skills instruction is required for students in grades 1-6, and optional as of grade 7. Numerous extracurricular activities are available for both elementary and high school students. Musical performances and drama productions are particularly strong features of the school’s program. Students may also become involved in various individual and team sports, in student government, and in yearbook, literary or newspaper publications. The school hosts two annual Model United Nations conferences (BERMUN). Class trips which promote German-American integration among students are scheduled throughout Europe and within Germany. Formal student exchange programs have taken place in the elementary school with Fort Collins, Colorado, and in the high school with Fort Worth, Texas.

**Faculty**: In the 2023-2024 school year, JFK has 189 total staff including 163 teachers, 77 of whom are U.S. citizens, 84 host-country nationals, and 2 third-country nationals.

**Enrollment**: Enrollment during the 2023-2024 school year is approximately 1,588.  Of the total 729 were Americans, 851 were Germans, and 8 were third-country nationals.

**Facilities**: Located in Zehlendorf, a residential area in the southwest of Berlin, the school’s six buildings house an integrated elementary and high school. The school has 135 classrooms, nine science laboratories, two library-media centers, four computer labs, modern sports facilities, a fine arts and drama annex, and a cafeteria.

**Finances**: The John F. Kennedy School is a local public school and as such, there is no tuition.

**Special Needs**: Review the Special Needs Profilefor this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

*This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and are provided by the school.*

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