School News & Updates

It may sound like lofty language, but it perfectly captures where we stand as a school at the start of 2026. Just a few days ago, the members of our school association voted unanimously to take this bold step forward: to launch our new school model as a Recognized German School Abroad. With the active involvement of our entire community, we’ve achieved a great deal over the past nine months, and now we’re ready to move into implementation. GSA Board Members (left to right) Mr

Written by Grisela Marti on behalf of the Science Teachers at GESM Between 1901 and 2025, the Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry and Physics in Memory of Alfred Nobel were awarded to 635 men, while only 24 women received this prestigious recognition. These numbers illustrate a vast gender gap in laureates, particularly in chemistry and physics, where fewer than ten percent of all winners have been female. Marie Curie became the first women to receive a Nobel Pr

On February 12, GESM celebrated love, music, and community at our Valentine’s Day Concert! Organized by Grade 11 students, the event welcomed parents, teachers, students, and friends for an afternoon of dance and live music performances. Highlights included performances by our Grade 9, 11, and 12 rock bands, the Collaboration Period Performing Arts Group, GCSE Music students, and a special class performance by Grade 5D/6D. Guests also enjoyed food and drinks while soaking up

by John Stephany I recently had the opportunity to present at a yearly Middle School Leadership Conference, hosted by Saigon South International School and sponsored by EARCOS (East Asia Regional Council of Schools). The conference brought together middle school educators and leadership from across Southeast Asia and focused on The Power of Connection, creating a valuable space to share ideas, learn from one another, and reflect on how we best support students during these im

On February 4, Grade 1E led our latest PYP Assembly to celebrate the end of Unit 3: How We Express Ourselves. Focusing on the idea that people connect through stories, students presented short stage performances highlighting kindness, sharing, and other important values. Highlights included a lively reenactment of the Filipino folktale “Si Pagong at si Matsing” (The Turtle and the Monkey) and songs that tell stories in English, German, and Tagalog. The assembly was a joyful w

submitted by Florian Simmelbauer On Saturday, February 14, GESM’s Division 2 and Division 3 football teams fell short of winning the championships but competed with determination and performed strongly in the Manila International Schools’ Athletic Association (MISAA) tournament. The Division 3 (U‑11) team reached the finals but were defeated 8‑0 by The Beacon School, earning 2nd place overall and silver medals. The Division 2 (U‑14) squad lost 3‑1 in the semi-finals to Everes

Helau and Alaaf from GESM! Our campus came alive as the elementary students celebrated the German Karneval in a fun and creative way. Karneval, a traditional festival celebrated in many parts of Germany before Lent, is known for colorful costumes, parades, music, and lots of laughter. The children paraded across the school grounds in playful costumes, visited the administrative offices and hallways, and finally gathered in the auditorium for games, treats, and plenty of fun.

Last week, our kindergarteners had a wonderful opportunity to visit the homes of two of their classmates, Luke and Vidhaan. During these home visits, the children explored different spaces where their friends live, play, and spend time with their families. It was a special way for them to see how every home is unique and to learn about different ways families live. by Carmel Andrada: We started our home visit to Luke's by touring the different parts of his house. He showed us

submitted by Kathlene Juliano On February 1, 2026, four talented young gymnasts from GESM brought home an impressive collection of medals from the 4th LTSA Invitational, an accredited artistic gymnastics competition held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. The LTSA Invitational is a respected event in the gymnastics calendar that draws clubs and competitors from across the Philippines and beyond, featuring multiple age categories and apparatus events for artistic

by Maiya Aguila It was Fasching Day, and we all headed to Berlin where the excitement for our Karneval celebration began. We played lively games and sang cheerful songs such as the Blue Red Game, where we jumped to the color being called, and A Ram Sam Sam, Gute Laune, and Maus auf Weltraumreise, following the actions and movements together. During Yoga Freeze Dance, we froze in fun yoga poses like tree, triangle, warrior, dancer, waterfall, and chair, and for Polognäse, we f

by Jeffrey Troyer On Saturday February 7 th , GESM’s Basketball team kicked off their Manila International School Athletics Association season with a game at Held at the Beacon School court, eleven eager players started off in fine fashion by getting an early lead of 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. But a deep and strong SSM squad surged back to take a 7-point lead into the third quarter.  However, the GESM boys would not give up!  They fought back to secure a narrow th

by Nicole Javier Last Friday, our Pre-Primary students proudly celebrated a very special milestone, the 100th day of School! This joyful celebration marked 100 days of learning, friendships, discoveries, and growth since the beginning of the school year. The day began with creativity and excitement as the children proudly wore their 100 Days Hats, which they had prepared with great care and imagination. Each hat was unique, showing how every child celebrated reaching this imp

von Tina Barthel At the end of the first semester, Grade 4D of DESM went on a day trip to the LEGO® exhibition “Brickman Wonders of the World,”  which is currently on display in Manila. The exhibition features impressive LEGO replicas of iconic landmarks from around the globe. In addition to the fascinating displays, there were plenty of LEGO bricks available for hands-on building, a large collaborative LEGO mosaic that visitors could help create, and even a LEGO figure hunt

by Rebecca Gillen Grade 3E has been learning about heroes and how everyday people can make a positive difference in the lives of others. After welcoming real-life hero Kyle Javier, founder of the Tiny Blessings Foundation, into the classroom for an interview, Grade 3E were inspired to take action. Following his visit, students enthusiastically collected donations based on his suggestions, focusing on items that would truly help the children at Tiny Blessings. These included c

submitted by Rain Galvez On the morning of February 10, Grade 2E students of GESM took learning beyond the classroom with an exciting community walk to a nearby convenience store. The visit gave children a hands-on opportunity to practice real-world communication, teamwork, and decision-making skills. Inside the store, students observed how products are displayed, how advertisements influence choices, and how convenience stores serve the needs of the community. Polite greetin

by Julien Ferrandon, Academic Director, GESM On 22 January 2026, the Eurocampus community came together to celebrate the anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, signed 63 years ago. This landmark agreement laid the foundations for lasting friendship, reconciliation, and cooperation between France and Germany, and continues to shape their partnership today. This year’s celebration was especially meaningful. Throughout the day, students from both schools took part in a rich programme

On 22 January 2026, in celebration of the Élysée Treaty's 63rd anniversary, the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) hosted a special visit from two distinguished guests: German Ambassador Dr. Andreas Pfaffernoschke and French Ambassador H.E. Marie Fontanel, the official representative of France to the Philippines. The ambassadors were welcomed at the Eurocampus and given a guided tour of the day’s activities by GESM Academic Director M

On January 22, as part of celebrations for the Élysée Treaty anniversary, students from Grades 6 and up of the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) came together for a Franco-German Sports Day, marking the occasion through friendly competition and teamwork. The sports teachers organized mixed teams, forming four groups with students from both schools. Matches were played in four rounds of 10 minutes each, giving everyone multiple opport

Students from Grades 1 and 2 of the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) joined in the celebrations for the Élysée Treaty anniversary with a morning of outdoor activities designed to encourage teamwork and collaboration. On the school field, children competed in relay races organized in mixed GESM-LFM groups, giving them the opportunity to work together across schools while enjoying friendly competition. The second activity involved a l

As part of the activities marking the anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, students from Grades 3 to 5 of the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) came together for a joint musical activity. The students gathered in the Aula, where they were welcomed by the music teachers of both schools, supported by several older students holding musical instruments. Together, they worked on learning the European Hymn, singing it in both French and Germa

On January 22, 2026, preschool children from the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) came together to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, which symbolizes cooperation and friendship between Germany and France. The GESM preschoolers (Kiga-E, Kiga-D, Vorschule & Pre-Primary) and children from the LFM Maternelle  spent time together on the playground, using play as a natural way to get to know one another across languages and

Submitted by Vincent Mortillero We are proud to share that one of our Grade 7 students, Alessandro Puno, has been shortlisted for the Junior Scholars Essay Contest, an international competition organized by the Lumiere Education that received more than 1,000 essay submissions from 53 countries worldwide. This recognition highlights Alessandro’s ability to present original ideas, construct clear and compelling arguments, and support them with strong evidence. Being shortliste

Submitted by Florian Simmelbauer On January 17, the football teams of the German European School Manila (GESM) celebrated two impressive victories at the MISAA tournament. Both the Division 3 and Division 2 teams delivered excellent performances and were rewarded with well-deserved wins. The GESM Division 3 team secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory against Beacon International School in an exciting and competitive match. Showing determination until the final whistle, the team ea

The Cinematics Club -- a project by Grade 11 student Zoe for her CAS requirement -- is excited to announce the release of their first short film, "Where Time Slows". The short film was screened for the first time on December 17, the last school day of the calendar year. It featured the acting performances of several GESM students from different grade levels. "Where Time Slows" explores the theme of being constantly rushed, reminiscent of chasing the White Rabbit in Alice in W