German Language School of the North Bay: Classes, Tuition and Registration

Ch. 1

The Story

We are a nonprofit Saturday school and community that carries the language, culture and customs of German-speaking countries to our local community. German is spoken in our classrooms as much as possible, and class time is supplemented with German movies, lectures and music. Over the school year, students gain the tools to speak, read and write German with confidence.

Families seeking to preserve the German language and cultural heritage founded our school in Novato in 1967. We were the German Language School of Marin and changed our name to the German Language School of the North Bay to better reflect the counties we serve. Our Santa Rosa campus opened in 2014.

We have about 100 students at our Novato campus. Our members are the parents of enrolled students and all adult students, and an all-volunteer Board of Directors, elected each year by the members, runs the school. Most of our teachers are from German-speaking countries and hold teaching credentials. We are a member of the German American School Association of Northern California (GASANC).

Ch. 2

When We Meet

Our traditional classes meet on Saturday mornings, September through May, excluding holidays.

i.

Days

Saturdays, excluding holidays

ii.

Hours

9:30 a.m. to noon (high school hours may differ)

iii.

Season

September through May

iv.

Terms

Fall and spring semesters

v.

Format

In person, plus online sessions for High School II and Special Interest classes

vi.

Campuses

Novato, with our full catalog of traditional Saturday classes, and Santa Rosa, with Special Interest classes on varying days and times.

vii.

No-class dates

See the school calendar

Ch. 3

Classes

We group children and teens by language level as well as age, and we aim to keep no more than three years of age difference in a class. Adults choose the level that fits them, and we help new students find the right class.

Pre-K & K

Pre-K & Kindergarten
Ages 4 to 5 · All levels welcome
A playful first approach to German through poems, games, songs, storybooks and art projects, on themes such as family, animals, colors and the seasons.

Children & Teens

Elementary I
Grades 1 to 2 · All levels welcome
Learning by doing: games, crafts, songs and rhymes, then first words and sentences read and written in German.
Elementary II
Grades 3 to 4 · Intermediate or higher
Students build vocabulary and conversation, develop reading and writing, and gain first insights into German grammar.
Elementary III
Grades 4 to 6 · Intermediate or higher
Listening, speaking, reading and writing, with stories students write in German and project-based learning about German-speaking countries. Goal: Internationale Vergleichsarbeit A1
Middle School Exam Prep
Middle school · Intermediate or higher
Taught entirely in German: fluent everyday conversation, oral reports, and more complex texts and audio. Goal: Vergleichsarbeit A2 and the AATG National German Exam
High School I Exam Prep
High school · Advanced
Taught entirely in German: exam skills in the first half of the morning, then Lesestunde, our Book Club, with German literature. Goal: DSD I and the AP German Exam
High School II Exam Prep
High school · Advanced, after DSD I or equivalent · Also online one weekday evening, 60 minutes · Hybrid
A three-semester program (fall, spring, fall): students take the AP German exam in grade 10 or 11 and the DSD II exam the following fall.

Ch. 4

A Class Day

Most traditional Saturday classes run from 9:30 to noon, with a short break in the middle of the morning.

Arrival

Pre-K and K children gather downstairs by their class sign, and their teacher leads them upstairs. Older students go straight to class.

9:30

Classes begin

Classes begin, taught in German as much as possible.

10:45

Break

Break until 11:00 (Pre-K and K from 10:30). Our Pausetisch offers snacks, coffee and tea for $1 an item.

Noon

Pickup

Pick-up at the front entrance. Pre-K and K children stay together with their teacher until a parent arrives.

Every week

Parents and family of adult students are welcome to join us for coffee and conversation while classes are in session.

Ch. 5

Exams & Milestones

Students can take recognized German exams from upper elementary school through high school, and our classes prepare them for each one.

Internationale Vergleichsarbeit A1
For older elementary students, ages 9 to 11, in spring. Students receive a star certificate (Sternchenzeugnis) at the end of the school year.
Internationale Vergleichsarbeit A2
For middle school students, ages 12 and up, in spring. It prepares them for the Deutsches Sprachdiplom.
Deutsches Sprachdiplom I (DSD I)
Level B1, given in spring, for students aged 14 to 16. It qualifies a student to apply to a Studienkolleg at a German university.
Deutsches Sprachdiplom II (DSD II)
Level B2/C1, usually taken in the fall of junior or senior year. It fulfills the language requirement to apply to a German university.
AP German Language and Culture
Given in May at a designated high school. We prepare students for it in our high school classes.
AATG National German Exam
Levels 2 to 4 for middle and high school students, given at our school in December or January at no cost to the student.

Ch. 6

The Campus

Our Novato campus is in central Novato at 1370 South Novato Boulevard, on the corner of Rowland Boulevard. We lease classroom space there from Marin Christian Academy at New Life Christian Center and offer our full catalog of traditional Saturday classes for children and adults. Our Santa Rosa campus leases classroom space from Santa Rosa Christian Church at 1315 Pacific Avenue and holds our adult Special Interest classes. Both campuses offer convenient parking.

Ch. 7

Community & Events

Traditional events fill our school year for students and their families. We parade with lanterns at Laternenfest, sing German Christmas songs at our booth at the Christkindlmarkt in Petaluma, and end the year with student presentations and a German lunch at the Abschlussfeier.

Laternenfest lantern paradeChristkindlmarkt in PetalumaWinterfestFasching/KarnevalOsterfestRegional DayAbschlussfeierSchultüten traditions

Ch. 8

Tuition & Fees

Tuition

Traditional Saturday classes, Fall 2026$585 per semester

Fees

Registration fee$50 per semester

Materials fee (some classes)up to $25

Payment is made online after you choose classes. We can also help you enroll and accept cash or check in person.

We keep tuition low for every student, so we do not offer an additional sibling discount.

As a nonprofit, we are supported by registration, fundraisers, tax-deductible donations and grants.

Ch. 9

Registration

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open through our online course catalog. Even after the year has started, students can still join a class.

i.

Registration opens

Open now for the 2026-2027 school year

ii.

Classes start

Fall semester 2026 began September 12

iii.

Try a class

Call or email us first to let us know you are coming. Then visit our classes for one morning and sign up if it is a good fit. Our staff will show you the school and introduce our teachers.

iv.

Placement

Children and teens are placed by language level and age. Our staff help each new student find the right class.

Register online

Find your school

Find your school

The Story

When We Meet

Days

Hours

Season

Terms

Format

Campuses

No-class dates

Classes

Pre-K & K

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Children & Teens

Elementary I

Elementary II

Elementary III

Middle School Exam Prep

High School I Exam Prep

High School II Exam Prep

A Class Day

Exams & Milestones

Internationale Vergleichsarbeit A1

Internationale Vergleichsarbeit A2

Deutsches Sprachdiplom I (DSD I)

Deutsches Sprachdiplom II (DSD II)

AP German Language and Culture

AATG National German Exam

The Campus

Community & Events

Tuition & Fees

Registration

Registration opens

Classes start

Try a class

Placement

Adults

Adult Beginner I

Adult Beginner II

Adult Intermediate

Adult Advanced

Santa Rosa Special Interest Class