The John F. Kennedy School is a primary and secondary school in Berlin, Germany offering integrated,

bilingual education In bilingual education, students are taught in two (or more) languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The ...

for both German and American children.

History

The school was originally established in 1960 by the U.S. Military Government along with local Berlin authorities and parents. It was initially called "Deutsch-Amerikanische Gemeinschaftsschule / German-American Community School" to provide elementary school facilities (high school came later) and to foster cultural exchange between young natives of

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

and children from

U.S. Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

families. The school was renamed in 1963 after the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy. Most of the present buildings were built in the late 1960s with some additions in the 1990s. After Germany's reunification in 1990 and the withdrawal of the Allied Forces, the mission of the school was redefined. Originally the focus was primarily on reconciliation after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

; today, the school is a model for bilingual schools in Europe. The school caters primarily to United States Embassy staff, and dependents are entitled to guaranteed admission. Other non-German and German nationals are accepted according to available capacity, their academic qualifications and proof of English Language skills. The John-F.-Kennedy-School is a non-fee paying, bilingual Elementary and High School, governed by a special Act of the Berlin Parliament, stipulating the administrative division of responsibility between a U.S. Principal (appointed by the U.S. Embassy) and a German Director (appointed by the Berlin Senate). Subsequent changes in the Act indicate the intention to further integrate the administration of the School within the German educational system. Attempts by the Berlin Senate to fully integrate the School were postponed in 2017 after parents' protests. The School Conference and the

U.S. Embassy The United States has the second most Diplomatic mission, diplomatic missions of any country in the world List of diplomatic missions of China, after Mainland China, including 166 of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, as well as obse ...

finally agreed to the full transfer when demands for added funding (€15 M) for school repairs and increased security expenses were promised.

Grades offered

The John F. Kennedy School includes all grades from

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...

through 12th grade. Students can choose to graduate after grade 12 with the American high school diploma as well as the German Abitur.

Campus

The school has a modern campus with 135 classrooms, 9 science labs, 3 computer labs, 2 library centers, two gymnasiums, and a fine arts annex, spread out in and around its 6 main buildings. Situated in the locality of Zehlendorf in Southwestern Berlin, the school is conveniently close to bus routes, the S-Bahn, parks, and a district shopping area.

Students and faculty

Most of the 1617 students are German and American citizens. The John F. Kennedy school employs 142 full-time faculty members and 32 part-time faculty members. The school's staff, like the

student body A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...

, is made up of Americans and Germans.

References

External links

JFKS Homepage

JFKS Alumni website
* http://www.theberlinobserver.com/BAHS_History.htm * https://jfks.de/high-school/hs-student-council/

International schools in Germany

__NOTOC__ {{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, John F. School Bilingual schools Educational institutions established in 1960 International schools in Berlin 1960 establishments in Germany