Get Ready

Checklist for New and Returning Families

Find important information about the start of the 2026-2027 school year, including upcoming deadlines, required forms, supply lists, mandatory summer reading, the August back-to-school schedule, and more. Please make sure to scroll all the way down.

If you have any questions, please email info@gisbos.org.

(Last updated: June 22, 2026)

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Academics

Get ready for school! Please find below a list of all items you will need for your child’s first day at GISB.

Students entering grades 5–12 are required to complete their assigned summer reading before the first day of school. This reading is an essential part of the curriculum and will be discussed in both German and English class at the beginning of the year.

Returning students have already received their copy of the book(s) at school. New students should purchase the book(s) online or email info@gisbos.org to check if a copy can be picked up at GISB in August.

Please make sure your child completes the reading in full—being prepared is key to a successful start. Happy reading!

The grade level refers to the grade your child will be entering in the 2026-2027 school year.

German Summer Reading List

These books will be part of the German curriculum after the summer break.

Grade 5: Andreas Steinhöfel: Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten (friendship, diversity, personal growth, respect, inclusion) 

Grade 6: Cornelia Funke: Herr der Diebe (friendship, adventure, fantasy) *An audio book can be used while the reading  

Grade 7: Michael Ende: Momo (fantasy, friendship, courage, classic book) 

Grade 8: Ursula Poznanski: Erebos (science fiction + thriller about a mysterious computer game)

Grade 9: Daniel Kehlmann: Die Vermessung der Welt (A witty satirical look at 19th-century science through two ecentric geniuses – the adventurous explorer Humboldt and the grumpy mathematician Gauss.)

Grade 10: Selection of Short Stories with Reading Assignment

Grade 11: Prepare a short presentation about a political, cultural, or social topic of your choice — details here.

Grade 12: Jenny Erpenbeck: Heimsuchung (Multigenerational novel on displacement, loss of homeland, guilt, and human transience in contrast to timeless nature)

English Summer Reading List

All returning students will receive their book before the end of the year. The Admission Office will have extra copies available for new students. These books can also be purchased on Amazon or, preferably, from a local bookseller. It is crucial that all students read the book, as they will discuss and write about it at the beginning of the academic year in September. Students who are not strong in English, or even those who are, are encouraged to listen to the audio version.

Grade 5: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Grade 6: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Grade 7:  Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Ghost is a realistic fiction book about a struggling youth who joins a track team and learns to face his problems. 

Grade 8: Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson
A memoir in verse chronicling her childhood in the 1960s and 70s as an African American growing up between South Carolina and New York, exploring themes of identity, family, and the Civil Rights Movement through accessible, emotionally charged poems.

Grade 9: Animal Farm, George Orwell
Animal Farm is an allegorical tale about a farm where animals rebel against humans to try to create a better society. 

Grade 10: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
A woman’s journey of self-discovery and empowerment in the rural South during the early twentieth century. 

Grade 11: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The absurdist, nonlinear work blends science fiction with historical facts, notably Vonnegut’s own experience as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany, during the Allied firebombing of that city in early 1945.

Grade 12: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon explores themes of love, sexuality, and identity through the journey of Milkman Dead, who seeks gold but finds history and purpose.

Families will be able to see their student’s class, teachers, and teacher’s email addresses in our student information system Educate starting August 17 at noon by clicking in the left menu on School, then Students, the name of the student, Schedule, and Courses.

Under School Directory, you will also find the list of all households. Here you can search by grade, by class, or keyword (such as town or zip code). Please note that you will only be able to see the households (with their students) that have agreed to publish some or all their information in the school directory. You can change your sharing preferences by accessing your account after clicking on your initials (in the right upper corner in Educate). The sharing preferences can be edited under the Household tab, where you can also verify and update your household information.

Note: Families can use ONE login for TADS and Educate using their email address. Please find the instructions for setting up a School Community ID here.

Visit the GISB calendar to review upcoming events and the 2026-2027 school calendar.

Here are some resources to keep your child engaged with the German language over the summer (Preschool – Grade 4).

Grades 5 & 6 will go to Red Gate Farm from September 28 – 30, 2026 — click here for the packing list.

Gades 7 & 8 will go to AMC’s (Appalachian Mountain Club) Cardigan Lodge this fall — click here for the packing list.

Forms and Household Information

All families will receive a school form for the 2026-2027 school year via email from TADS. This form needs to be completed by August 21, 2026. The form can also be found in the families’ TADS account (NOT Educate) under Forms.

Starting August 17, 2026, please review and update your household information logging in to your Educate account. You can access your household information by clicking on your initials in the top right-hand corner. Click on ‘Account’ and make changes as needed under the ‘Household’ (not the ‘User’) tab.

Please make changes by August 24, 2026 to ensure that we have the most accurate contact information on file.

Please note: New GISB families will not have access to their Educate accounts until August 17, 2026, as the system must first be updated to reflect the 2026-2027 school year.

You can access the 2026-2027 Student & Family Handbook here. Please take a moment to review it carefully.

As part of the enrollment contract, families grant GISB permission to use their child’s name, image, voice, and work in school publications, marketing materials, the website, and social media.

This release is valid for the 2026–2027 school year unless you choose to opt out by submitting the form below. The opt-out must be renewed annually.

Only complete the form if you wish to opt out: https://forms.gle/2dLf6jBKq17435An8

Health

The GISB Health Office uses an electronic health records program called Magnus Health. All documents for school entry (including your student’s immunization record and health form) must be uploaded to the Magnus Health Portal as soon as possible. Please reach out to the health office if you anticipate a delay in submitting the required documents.

German International School Boston must follow Massachusetts health regulations. Since these health requirements are quite detailed, it is important that you fill out all necessary sections within the health portal so that we can review your student’s health profile for completeness. Students who do not meet Massachusetts health requirements and do not complete and submit all required health documents may have a delayed start to  the school year. 

If you have any questions, please contact our health office at health@gisbos.org, or at 617-783-2600 ext 515.

The following forms and documents can be downloaded and printed as needed. Please note that a complete list of necessary health forms is available in Magnus Health, and all health information must be submitted via the secure Magnus Health Portal. Please do not email health forms to the health office.

*If your child will have a physical examination in the US, the camp/school form given by the medical provider is sufficient; you do not need to complete a separate Massachusetts School Health Record.

**Instead of using the Certificate of Immunization, you may also upload a copy of your child’s immunization booklet.

Lunch Program

GISB offers a daily hot lunch program in collaboration with our partner, STAR Academy, who prepares and serves daily meals for our students. Meals follow a healthy, well-balanced school menu and typically include a main dish, soup, and salad. Together, these components provide a complete meal that includes protein, grains, and vegetables, designed to support students’ nutrition, energy, and well-being throughout the school day.

Families can order lunches on a monthly basis, with ordering always taking place for the following month. This structure supports consistent meal planning while giving families clarity and flexibility. Find the sign-up link in the Weekly Update.

Sample menus are provided below, along with additional information about the program in our FAQs.

Community Events

We hope you’ll be joining us for one (or more!) of our upcoming events. These gatherings are a great way to meet other GISB families, connect with our community, and get ready for the new school year.

Everyone is welcome — new and returning families alike! We can’t wait to see you this summer!

We hope you’ll be joining us for one (or more!) of our upcoming events. These gatherings are a great way to meet other GISB families, connect with our community, and get ready for the new school year.

Everyone is welcome — new and returning families alike! We can’t wait to see you this summer!

Summer Events:

  • Saturday, July 25, 2026, 9:00–11:00 AM: Meet & Greet at Swissbakers – RSVP
  • Saturday, August 22, 2026, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM: Back-to-School Picnic at the Upper Campus – RSVP

✨ For more information about each of the events, please click here.

First Week of School

Please review the Back to School schedules for your student here:

Registration for the Meet & Greet time slots will be sent out the week of August 17.

Grades 1-12

Monday, August 24:

  • First Day of School for grades 2-12 and first day of ASP and Junior Student Life for grades 2 – 7.
  • No school for grade 1 students — child care available (8:30 – 12:00) – Sign-up here.

Tuesday, August 25:

  • No school for grade 1 students — child care available (8:30 – 12:00) – Sign-up here.

Wednesday, August 26:

  • Einschulungsfeier (First-Grade Celebration) at the Lower Campus – 1A & 1B
    • Photos: 9:00–10:00
    • Celebration: 10:00–11:00
  • First day of ASP for Grade 1

After-School Offerings

Registration for ASP (Preschool – Grade 3) and Junior Student Life (Grades 4–7), both offered daily until 6 PM, takes place during the enrollment process. If families wish to add or change days, please contact admissions@gisbos.org. Reductions in scheduled days are possible with written notice by May 1 for the first semester and December 1 for the second semester.

Senior Student Life (Grades 8–12) does not require registration.

Lower Campus: Optional enrichment classes, which can be taken in addition to the regular ASP, will be posted on Jumbula. Registration for these classes will open at a designated day and time in early July*.

Upper Campus: Optional enrichment classes, which complement the general Junior and Senior Student Life programming will open for registration in Jumbula in early August*.

*While registration will remain open throughout the summer, we recommend signing up early, as some offerings may fill quickly.

Stay Connected

Please note that our admission, health, and front offices will only have limited office hours in July. Should you have any urgent questions, please email info@gisbos.org.

Admission Office (email only: admissions@gisbos.org): 

  • July 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 8:00 to 11:00 am ET

International Student Program (email only: isp@gisbos.org): 

  • July 8, 15 and 22 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm ET 

Health Office (email only: health@gisbos.org):

  • July 8, 15, 22, 29 and August 5 and 12 from 9:00 to 11:00 am ET

Follow us on social media to see what is happening inside and outside our classrooms:

House for rent? Car for sale? Looking for a babysitter? Offering tutoring services? Find it or post it on the GISB Community Bulletin Board.

Are you headed somewhere exciting this summer? Show off your GISB spirit by sending us your ‘Where in the World is GISB’ photo featuring your GISB T-shirt, hat, sticker, or simply your smile! Email your photos to marketing@gisbos.org, and we’ll feature them on our social platforms!

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