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Germany, Berlin
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Opened on October 11, 1960 as the German-American Community School, John F. Kennedy School Berlin began with two preparatory classes and both American and German students. In May 1962 the Verein, the Society of Parents and Friends of the German-American-Community School in Berlin, was founded. In April 1963 the school moved to Teltower Damm in Zehlendorf and, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, was renamed the John F. Kennedy School, German-American Community School. The Berlin state law applying to JFKS was adopted in 1964, the campus was expanded in 1970, and the school earned NEASC accreditation in 1985. Milestones include the first high school graduation in 1971 and the first Abitur graduation in 1972, the founding of the John F. Kennedy Friendship Center around 1983, and anniversaries such as the 50th in 2010 and the 60th in 2020.
The JFKS community is supported by the JFKS Verein, the Society of Parents and Friends of the John-F-Kennedy-School of Berlin e.V., a state-registered charitable organization. It has a 50-year history as an independent but integral part of the JFKS community and works closely with the administration, teachers, and students to maintain the educational and cultural environment of JFKS. The Verein raises funds through membership fees and various projects to supplement the Berlin Senate budget and support the bilingual, bicultural, and unique program at JFKS. The Verein also invites members to monthly meetings and volunteer opportunities to actively contribute to the school's community.
The JFKS Verein, Society of Parents and Friends of the John-F-Kennedy-School of Berlin e.V., is a state-registered charitable organization committed to supporting the program of excellence at JFKS. We are proud of our 50-year history as an independent but integral part of the JFKS community, working closely with the administration, teachers and students to maintain the educational and cultural environment of JFKS. The Verein was founded in 1962 shortly after the opening of the school by parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of JFKS. Its goal is to support the excellent learning environment at JFKS. To supplement the school budget provided by the Berlin Senate, the Verein raises funds through membership fees and a variety of projects, and these funds support the bilingual, bicultural and unique program at JFKS, thereby preparing students for success in a global world.
John F. Kennedy School Berlin is a public, K-12 German-American bilingual school in Berlin Steglitz-Zehlendorf, serving more than 1,600 students. The program combines a German curriculum with an American approach and offers Advanced Placement in the upper grades, enabling graduates to pursue either the German Abitur or a U.S. High School Diploma. From Elementary through Grade 6, instruction is bilingual, with daily integration of English and German; in Grades 7–12, instruction is balanced across languages, preparing students to graduate fluent in both. The campus at Teltower Damm hosts facilities, including a library serving both language programs, computer labs, a media center, and multiple gyms, plus a year-round rowing option and fields. Extracurriculars abound: Model United Nations, Suzuki violin, choirs, Odyssey of the Mind, and Scouting, alongside the JFK Friendship Center and Hort after-school care. The school emphasizes bicultural, international education and offers language electives such as French, Spanish, and Latin.
