The German International School of Silicon Valley, a Bay Area bilingual independent school accredited and supported by the German government, has moved its East Bay campus from Kensington to the landmark Hillside School in Berkeley.  The German school has agreed to acquire the national landmark site after 86 years owned by the public school system.  The Hillside site was declared surplus 30 years ago and has been occupied continuously by various tenants since.

The German school will open its doors August 13th at 1581 Leroy Avenue, initially housing a mixed-age Kindergarten and grades 1 through 5, to be extended through grade 8 over time. Initial restorative repairs are underway.

GISSV was founded in 1999 in Mountain View, with the Berkeley and San Francisco campuses opening in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Educating families from all over the world, the Berkeley campus unites students of diverse cultural backgrounds and native languages who are united in the desire to obtain an excellent bilingual education.

GISSV has committed itself to ensuring students reach their full academic potential in a nurturing environment that fosters critical and imaginative thinking, a passion for lifelong learning, and an appreciation for cultural diversity.

GISSV is honored to make its permanent East Bay home in Berkeley as owner and steward of the Hillside School site, and is eager to forge new friendships with its new neighbors as it creates an important new institution for Berkeley.