News for Parents

GERMAN UNITY DAY AT IGS: A DAY FULL OF ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURE!

Posted on06 Oct 2024

On Thursday morning, we held a special school assembly at the German School Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the Day of German Unity. 🇩🇪✨ Our 4th and 5th graders kicked off the event with a powerful rendition of the German national anthem, a moving moment for many. Following that, our IB students gave an insightful presentation on the historical significance of this day, explaining why October 3rd is celebrated as a symbol of unity, freedom, and togetherness. 

One of the highlights was a beautiful performance by one of our dedicated interns, who sang the “Ode to Joy,” accompanied by violin and cello. 🎶 This moment truly brought the festive atmosphere to life, creating goosebumps for everyone in the school community. An unforgettable morning full of emotions and proud memories! 

#DayOfGermanUnity #SchoolAssembly #Community #JoyOfLearning

Helping Together: IGS Fundraising for Typhoon Yagi Victims

Posted on17 Sep 2024

Typhoon Yagi has caused significant damage in northern Vietnam, leaving many families in need. During a school gathering in the forum, we discussed with our students the importance of coming together and helping others in times of crisis. The IGS community now invites everyone to join our #Fundraising effort to support those affected.

Our school principal, Mr. Wollenweber, has already set a great example by making his donation to the collection box in the school office. Hopefully, this will inspire others to get involved as well. Every donation, no matter the size, helps.

How you can help:
There is a donation box in the school office where you can place a small donation in an envelope. All contributions will be forwarded to the Tuoi Tre News Fund, which is coordinating relief efforts on the ground.

The fundraising campaign runs until Friday – we appreciate every bit of support!

Thank you for your generosity!

🎓 Celebrating our Graduation Class of 2024! 🎓

Posted on05 Sep 2024

We are thrilled to announce that every student of our Class of 2024 who applied to university has been accepted into their universities of choice. Each graduate has worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone, and their dedication has truly paid off.

As they prepare to embark on their next academic adventures, we celebrate their achievements and wish them all the best as they pursue their dreams. Congratulations to all our graduates on this outstanding accomplishment.

We are super proud of you and wish you all the best for your future. 

Your IB teachers

 

 

Name: Phan Xuan Phu

Accepted University: University of Queensland, Australia

Field of Study: Biotechnology

Start of Studies: February 2025

 

Name: Phuong Cat Luong

Accepted University: TU München, Germany

Field of Study: Mechanical Engineering

Start of Studies: October 2024

 

Name: Lê Anh Khôi

Accepted University: TU Darmstadt, Germany

Field of Study: Informatics

Start of Studies: October 2024

 

Name: Nguyen Mau Khoa Minh

Accepted University: RWTH Aachen, Germany

Field of Study: Electrical engineering and information technology

Start of Studies: October 2024

 

Name: Nguyen Huong Giang

Accepted University: KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Belgium

Field of Study: Multimedia and Creative Technologies

Start of Studies: September 2024

 

Name: Adrian Anh Kỳ Dolejschka

First-choice University: Singapore Flying College 

Field of Study: Singapore Airline Ab Initio Cadet Pilot Program

Start of Application: January 2025

 

Name: Nguyen Dang Binh An

Accepted University: Universität Stuttgart, Germany

Field of Study: Mechanical Engineering

Start of Application: October 2024

 

 

Water fun and holiday atmosphere

Posted on25 Jun 2024

In both houses in the U6 area, the topic this week is saying goodbye. While in House G, the children are still busy experimenting, in House D the “Fun Week” is in full swing. Here they bake, celebrate, do crafts and even go to the cinema. 
The highlight of the week is the big water fight, for which all the children arrive with water pistols. The whole morning there were water games and wild chases outside, in which even the soaking wet teachers were not spared. At the end of the week the parents are invited to end the kindergarten year together. 

Tinker Adventure Park

Posted on25 Jun 2024

On Friday, the school year ended for the children in the school entry program with a final trip to Tinker Adventure Park.
All the children arrived at school on time and well prepared, and were of course very excited. After a long bus ride to D7, the children were amazed when they entered the park. After we had gotten a quick overview of the park together, the children were allowed to go off by themselves. 
They immediately started on the first suspension bridge, which led to other bridges at a higher level. At first, the children had to gather some courage to cross the wobbly bridges and obstacles, but they showed team spirit, cheered each other on and helped each other.
But there was not only an obstacle course at lofty heights. The children also tested their skills in archery, building houses and on the bouldering wall. They could dig for gold and dinosaur bones in a sandpit. A small highlight was the zipline over a small pond. It was great fun and was used extensively. 
In between, the children snacked on sandwiches and talked about their brave successes. Since all the children had great fun and exceeded their own expectations, they returned to school very tired but with big smiles.

Visit to the orphanage

Posted on22 Jun 2024

Last week Saturday some of the Class 10 and 11 students left bright and early to visit the orphanage on the bus laden with many donations of clothing, toys and some non-perishable foods from IGS community and the French community.
We arrived to see the excited group of girls aged from around 3 years to 17 years old waving with happy faces to welcome us to their ‘home’. We then started the programme with the children in a circle playing musical bumps. Lots of laughter and fun was had. At first some of the little ones were a bit shy but everyone soon got into the experience and laughed happily when they were chosen to come to the middle of the circle.
We had prepared some wonderful crafting activities for the children, weaving bracelets with coloured thread, making a beautiful poster with cut out hearts, flowers and stars that the children pasted their photos on. They were so excited to find their photos and enjoyed decorating the poster. There was also a group outside playing ball games even though it was extremely hot
After the games, we were served a delicious Phở for lunch, with banana ice lollies and crispy apples. We then walked up the road to see the new place where the children will hopefully move to in the near future.
Thanks to Ms. Hughes for her invaluable contribution over the past years and particularly for the successful Art auction that raised a fantastic amount for the orphanage. The sister from the church looking after the children was so touched by the very generous donations of money and the parcels they received, and everyone is very grateful for the kindness shown by the IGS community and everyone that contributed – a huge thank you to everyone!

Last Parent Play Date of the Year

Posted on22 Jun 2024

This school year, several special playdates took place. For the end of the year, the parents from the U6 area wanted to get involved and organized an afternoon of play. In addition to physical and board games, a basketball hoop was even set up. With great dedication from the parent representatives, a colorful afternoon was created where both young and old had a lot of fun together.
Now, the U6 area is also quickly approaching the summer holidays. The preschool children had their final outing this week, and the last playgroup of the school year also took place.

Music concert

Posted on14 Jun 2024

Concert at IGS
After many months of preparation, the final day of the double-feature concerts broke upon the singers, musicians and dancers of the combined IGS Community Choir. Some Schubert, various folk songs, an evensong from Africa and the wonderfully performable “In a Persian Market” by Alfred Ketèlbey were performance ready. What was left was the unbearable unknown factor – would there be an audience?
Well, the overwhelming attendance was totally unexpected as the IGS community certainly came in droves. There was a wonderful sense of excitement at each performance and appreciative applause throughout.
Some highlights of the performances were Julian Nguyen’s performance of “Liebesfreude” by Fritz Kreisler in which he managed to produce the Viennese swing to a very difficult waltz, the consistently brilliant accompaniment of Mr Dang Tri Dung on the piano and the excellent flute accompaniment from our own Class 4 student, Anna Fraahs.
The school owes a big thank you to all the performers who gave their hearts and minds to the performance and hours of preparation time in advance:
Ha Mi Tran(K10), Viet Nguyen (K 10), Yu-Jo Lin (K 10), David Kolbe (K7), Nico Radic (K 7)
Hai Thanh Tran (K5), choir members and Sophie David (K6), Helena Turner (K5) and Trịnh Khánh Ngọc (K 5) dancers.
A special thanks goes to all the teachers and other supporters who helped to make the choir such a success. This will not be forgotten.

The Last Soccer Game of the School Year

Posted on14 Jun 2024

One last Dance – Guided by this motto, the last game of the school year for our boys’ soccer team took place on Sunday, June 2nd. It was also the final game for four of our players who have now graduated from our school: Luong, An, Minh, and Adrian – the team thanks you for the dedication that you have shown in both training and games over the past two years. A special thanks goes to captain Minh, who not only helped organise games but also contributed significantly to the existence of the official soccer team, the IGS Selection. 
The last game was played against Horizon International Bilingual School, against whom we had played three times before. This time, the final score was 10:2 in our favour! After scoring four goals, captain Minh was substituted two minutes before the end of the game amid applause and handed over the captain’s armband to his successor, Karel – congratulations on the new position! 
We hope that the team will continue to train with joy and ambition next year and compete against other schools. The coaching staff wishes the departing players all the best and hopes that they will continue to play soccer diligently.

My house is too narrow and too small!

Posted on13 Jun 2024

The daring explorers will become actors this week: In keeping with the picture book “My house is too narrow and too small”, there will be a play in the U6 area this week. In the story, Aunt Agatha realises that her house is too small. A wise man helps her with advice and support and, whoosh, a chicken, goat, cow and pig are suddenly in the room. 
The children designed the set themselves, made costumes and decided: we’ll record this and show it to our parents as a film! A cinema poster was quickly made and the film premiere is now upon us. 
How exciting!

Art Auction

Posted on13 Jun 2024

Last Saturday the IGS community gathered together to celebrate the creative achievements of our students at our summer concert and charity art auction. 
The students have worked incredibly hard to prepare art for this event, creating unique pieces to put on display, alongside their work was art from guest artists and members of staff. The money raised from this event will go to the Suoi Sao Orphanage, an organisation that our school works closely with and will visit this upcoming Saturday.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the artists that took part in the auction and all that attended and made such generous bids.  

Penguins discover Vietnam

Posted on12 Jun 2024

Over the last few weeks, the Penguins (students in Class 4) have been working on an exciting project. As part of their science class, the young explorers were able to create travel brochures for various places in Vietnam. This creative task gave the children the opportunity to expand their research skills, express their creativity and deepen their knowledge of Vietnam.
The trip began with an introduction to the country’s geography. The students then each chose a place in Vietnam that they wanted to learn more about. From the vibrant metropolis of Hanoi to the historic city of Hoi An to the picturesque beaches of Phú Quốc – the selection was diverse and fascinating. With great enthusiasm and zeal, the students set about gathering information. They researched the sights, the local cuisine, the geography and the special features of their respective places. The design of the travel brochures was the creative highlight of the project. The students used bright colours, self-painted illustrations and photos to make their brochures appealing and informative. Each brochure became a small work of art that reflected the uniqueness of each place in Vietnam. At the end of the project, the students proudly presented their works to the class. The presentations were a great success and offered an exciting insight into the diversity of Vietnam.
This project was not only a wonderful opportunity for the students to expand their knowledge, but also a journey into the fascinating world of Vietnam. The travel brochures are an impressive testimony to the students’ commitment and will certainly be remembered for a long time.

Graduation ceremony for graduates May 2024

Posted on08 Jun 2024

Last Saturday, the International German School proudly bade farewell to its seven graduates. The graduation ceremony was held at MCafe and the theme was “The Oscars,”. Teachers, friends, and families gathered to celebrate and acknowledge this milestone. In an atmosphere full of excitement, wishes for the future were expressed, and the graduates were encouraged to continue making their own life films, in the commonly-used metaphor which dominated the evening.
School life was aptly compared to a Hollywood production, marked by action, drama, and comedy. The graduates were encouraged to continue playing the lead roles in their own films. After all, in this world, we need action heroes who drive change, dramatic moments that help us grow, and comedic moments that bring smiles to our faces.
We are confident that our graduates, thanks to their solid education and personal development, are well-equipped to forge their own paths and make a positive impact on their environment. We wish them all the best for their future and are confident that they will achieve their goals with flying colours.

IB Mocks M25

Posted on08 Jun 2024

Last week, Class 11 completed a so-called mock week. During this time, exams were taken under conditions similar to those they will face next school year in May 2025. 
The goal of this week is not only to prepare the students for upcoming exams but also to provide a realistic assessment of their performance level. We are pleased to see that our students are approaching these exams seriously and with focus. This allows the coming ten months to be used effectively for targeted preparation. 
We wish our students all the best in this practice exam!

Class 3 Cities in Vietnam

Posted on08 Jun 2024

With summer approaching fast, we all soon are heading to beautiful destinations for vacation. Class 3 together has done some amazing research on cities in Vietnam that you could think of for exciting holidays. It’s either a busy city like Ho Chi Minh or a land full of sunshine and beautiful beaches like Da Nang or Phu Quoc, our Koalas will show you what to do and where to get great food. 
Let’s go!

IGS HCMC – Excellent German school abroad

Posted on25 May 2024

The International German School in Ho Chi Minh City (IGS) has passed the Bund-Länder Inspection (BLI) with flying colors, impressing with its outstanding learning environment, which is conducive to both academic and social development for its students. The inspection results highlight the exceptional quality of instruction, the dedication of the teachers, and the innovative school development.
The inspectors were particularly impressed by the open learning landscapes in the STEM areas (Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology) as well as in the primary school, which are considered the school’s flagship projects. These modern learning environments not only foster the students’ enthusiasm for science and technology, but also enable cooperative learning arrangements that enhance teamwork and critical thinking.
Another highlight of the inspection was the high level of German language proficiency among the students. Particularly in the primary school section, the German ds is taught and used to a very high standard. The teachers do remarkable work here, imparting not only language skills but also a deep cultural understanding to the students.
The excellent work of the teaching staff was also acknowledged. The teachers at IGS are distinguished by their high level of expertise and their dedicated approach to teaching. Their tireless commitment and innovative teaching methods significantly contribute to the supportive learning environment that prevails at the school.
The work of the school leadership team was especially positively highlighted in the inspection reports. Through effective teamwork and active developmental efforts, the school leadership succeeds in continuously implementing improvements and leading the school with a progressive outlook. This collective effort is reflected in the high quality of daily school life and the strategic orientation of the IGS.
Another important aspect praised by the inspectors is the future-oriented media education, which is firmly embedded in the school culture. The students are trained in the use of modern technologies, which prepares them well for the demands of the digital world.
The successful Bund-Länder Inspection confirms the high quality of the International German School in Ho Chi Minh City and underscores its commitment to excellent education and holistic student development. The IGS will continue to work on strengthening its position as a leading educational institution in the region and supporting its students in their educational journey to the best of its ability.

Sirens in the schoolyard

Posted on24 May 2024

This week there was a special surprise for the children from House G: the ambulance came! But don’t worry, no one was hurt. The Family Medical team came to our youngest children as part of the “Professions” project and showed us how the ambulance works, what it contains and what happens when it is called. The children from House D were also able to take a look inside the car. Afterwards, Dr. Linh showed the explorers how patients are examined and talked about his everyday life as a doctor.
We would like to thank you very much for this great morning!

Stories of pilots and pirates

Posted on24 May 2024

There was a lot going on in the U6 area last week! In House G, airplanes were built and the profession of pilot was explored in detail. On Friday the planes finally took off. After the call, “Crew, get ready for takeoff!” the explorers flew their planes through the entire school. While the turbines in one house were still being checked, the anchors in house D had already been hauled in. The resourceful researchers became pirates and hijacked the previously built ship. Cannon shots were fired and the corner of the building was retaken. 
What a start to the weekend!

IB exams and graduation party

Posted on22 May 2024

This year too, the graduating class of the IGS took part in the examinations of the International Baccalaureate Organization. The four-week examination phase came to an end last week. During this intensive time, our students did their best to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they had acquired in the IB upper school. Now all that remains is to wait until the results are published on July 6, 2024. We are keeping our fingers crossed for our students for excellent results.
The focus is now on the graduation ceremony on June 1, 2024, which will be themed “The Oscars”. We look forward to celebrating the end of this important phase of life at the school and the beginning of the next one together with the students and their families.
With the GIB/IB diploma, our students have fulfilled excellent prerequisites for a fulfilling life and an international career.

Art mural

Posted on18 May 2024

We are thrilled to present our new mural in collaboration with Canadian artist and muralist, Ilana Pichon, and our Class 4 students.
This mural features 7 colourful compositions on the wall, each of which frames the representation of a container with an open neck, and graphic shapes on the outside of its walls.
These shapes come from a workshop that Ilana hosted with the children, where everyone was free to create using coloured paper and a pair of scissors.
We began by reflecting on what represents our origins and what the children associate with German identity.
Our students have varied roots and come from many different cultures and communities. Using a simple graphic language that everyone can understand, Ilana wanted to represent this variety in the mural.
The seven shared colours, inverted throughout the elements of the mural, show that knowledge is something to be shared. She also wanted to emphasise the fact that children grow, learn and acquire future qualities and skills that can be added to the container they represent.
We have greatly enjoyed hosting and working with Ilana over these past few weeks and are so grateful to her for her hard work and dedication. During their lessons, and sometimes their break periods, the students have been eager to assist her in painting the mural, and now we have this lasting memory of a wonderful experience.

Parents’ evening for jellyfish

Posted on17 May 2024

The school year is slowly coming to an end. This means that a big milestone is approaching for our school starters – starting school.
In order to prepare parents for this important phase of their child’s life, a parents’ evening took place on Thursday. The parents were welcomed with a small champagne reception and then invited into the current Class One classroom. Here they not only received all the important information for the first school year, but were also able to become active themselves on our so-called “letter path”, slip into the role of their children and get to know the “A” with all their senses. At the end, fortified with a small snack, they designed their child’s school cone according to German tradition.
We are very excited and are looking forward to welcoming our little Jellyfish in the summer!

Model building

Posted on16 May 2024

In the natural sciences learning environments of Class 5 and 6, students had the opportunity to demonstrate their craftsmanship. Using toothpicks, wooden sticks, and clay, they were tasked with creating a structural model of a muscle. Surely, some might wonder how this is to be accomplished. The muscle is a true marvel of nature, composed of numerous bundles of muscle fibers, each containing up to 12 fibers. Each of these fibers is a small but powerful motor that enables us to move.



Sleepover Class 2

Posted on11 May 2024

Last Thursday,  the long-awaited overnight stay took place in the library. Everyone was very excited and full of anticipation. 
First, football games and board games were played. After the delicious pizza, everyone set up camp and slowly got ready for the night. We borrowed books from the library and browsed through them a bit. 
At 9 a.m. all the children lay on their mats and we looked at the starry sky. We went on a dream trip so that everyone could slowly find peace after all the excitement. One or two children still had something to say, but, in the end, even the last whispers slowly died down. 
The next morning we were awake at 5 a.m. and started the day with books. After slowly waking up, all the children tidied up their sleeping clothes and got ready school day. A shared breakfast gave us the energy we needed for the new school day.

Girls’ soccer match

Posted on08 May 2024

Germany Against France – a true classic!
A match that we may be able to marvel at in our own country in a few weeks at the European Football Championships took place last Saturday between the students of our IGS and those of the Lycée Français International Marguerite Duras. Both teams were highly motivated and were cheered on by numerous supporters – no wonder, for such a match! It was to be a real goal festival, with the French girls ultimately proving to be more accurate. The final score was  11:5.
The IGS, however, is not giving up so easily and is already preparing for revenge.

Bookface Challenge-Projekt

Posted on08 May 2024

On the occasion of World Book Day which is celebrated on April 23rd every year.Our students from class 6 to 11 had completed a project “Bookface Challenge” during their library hours.
Here is how to take this challenge: The library is a great place to start!
The student will align their face or body so that it matches up seamlessly with the image on a book cover and then take a picture of the resulting mashup.
We wanted to promote the enjoyment of books and reading for our students, as they also had so much fun and were incredibly creative to take the pictures through this project.
Let’s take a look at some favourite pictures from our students!

From marine engineers and other professions

Posted on07 May 2024

The U6 pupils are currently exploring the topic of “careers” which is being worked on in all groups. The children learn what a career is and what their parents actually do all day when they are “at work”. We also find out what one can do when one grows up. While the children in House G are researching different careers and will learn in the coming week what you need to be able to do as a cook, the children of the Resourceful Researchers have already dived into other areas: here we are particularly interested in any career that involves building vehicles. We are building a ship ourselves out of large cardboard boxes and are wondering how many different skilled workers it actually takes before you can go to sea. We can already say that you need a lot of clever children’s minds for such a big cardboard ship!

Announcement of the Federal Inspection

Posted on07 May 2024

The IGS is pleased to announce the upcoming Federal Inspection (BLI) from May 20th to 24th. As a school actively dedicated to the development and enhancement of quality, we welcome not only the expertise of our team but also the external support from the team at the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA). This inspection will provide us with important insights and valuable feedback for our school development.
Planned activities include classroom visits as well as interviews with students, teachers, and parents. On the final day of inspection, there will be a joint conclusion with the entire team, process facilitators, and the inspection team. We eagerly anticipate this opportunity and look forward to the insights that will help us further advance our educational goals.

Excursion to the Cat Café

Posted on27 Apr 2024

Last Friday 19th April, the Grade 6 students accompanied by Ms Hughes and Ms Pienaar, went on an outing to the Kin Neko Cat Café in Thảo Điền. They have been studying the Cat Poems by TS Eliot in their English lessons and the outing was to add a richness to their experience of the poems. We enthusiastically set off on the bus after breakfast. It was a very special outing and the children loved stroking the cats. It was heartwarming to see how peaceful and calm the children were. They were gentle when petting the cats and enjoyed playing with the more adventurous cats. Five happy children returned to school in time for lunch. After lunch they had their Art lesson and there the experience was further enhanced with creative activities. The children used clay to model cats looking at the photos taken at the Cat Café. A lovely time was had by everyone. 

Kangaroo Competition

Posted on27 Apr 2024

This year our students in grades 3 to 10 also took part in the annual kangaroo competition on April 19th. They were able to demonstrate their knowledge and logical thinking in the mathematical multiple choice test. Around 6 million participants in around 100 countries worldwide simultaneously wrote the exam competition in schools under supervision. This event is intended to support mathematical education in schools, to encourage people to enjoy working with mathematics and to promote independent work and work in class by offering interesting tasks. The evaluation will take place at the end of June and we look forward to the results of the competition.

University fair

Posted on26 Apr 2024

On April 12th, 2024, classes 9 to 11 attended a vibrant and informative university fair, welcoming representatives from 63 prestigious universities across the globe. This event provided an invaluable platform for students to explore their higher education options and connect with renowned institutions. 
The fair bustled with activity as students eagerly engaged with university representatives, seeking guidance on admissions procedures, program offerings, scholarships, and campus life. 
Universities from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and many others participated, offering students a truly international perspective. From STEM fields like engineering and computer science to humanities and social sciences, the fair showcased a wide spectrum of academic programs, catering to a variety of student interests. University representatives provided personalised advice and insights, helping students navigate the complexities of the application process and choose the best-fit institution. Furthermore, information on scholarships and financial aid options was readily available, enabling students to explore funding possibilities and make informed decisions. 
The event epitomised a commitment to supporting students in achieving their academic aspirations and preparing them for global success.

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