Quick summary of key school information
School details
| Number of students |
110 |
| Number of nationalities represented in the school |
We currently have 25 different nationalities represented at our school. |
| Most common nationality |
German, Canadian |
| Ratio of local students to international students |
75:25 |
| Native English and German speaking teachers |
Yes |
| Language support for students not fluent in English and German |
Language support classes in English, German and French are included in tuition and take place through the week in individual learning sessions or groups. |
| Additional language classes offered by the school |
French |
| Max. number of students per class |
16 |
| Average number of students per class |
15 |
| Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
No |
| Use of technology in the classroom |
While we work with state-of-the-art technology, we facilitate our classes with an intentional use of digital devices. |
| Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
Yes, we use virtual classroom technologies in order to continue learning at all times, also during a pandemic. |
| Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
No, we offer ethics classes |
| External examinations or assessments available |
IB Diploma, German Känguru Test in Mathematics, DSD I and DSD II (German proficiency test), EQAO, |
| Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Supervised homework time is scheduled in the afternoon so that homework is completed by the time students are headed home. |
| Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation |
100% |
| Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
Limited support. |
| Entry evaluation for students |
As part of the enrolment process we ask for report cards and depending on those we test students on their language and math abilities. |
| Waiting list |
Yes, for our kindergarten program. |
| Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
No deadline. |
| Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes |
| School start time |
7:45 |
| School finish time |
13:15 Parents have the choice of picking up their children then or enrolling them in the afterschool program and picking them up when they finish work. |
| Supervised care before/after school |
Extended care to 17:30. |
| School bus service available |
No |
| School provided lunches |
Yes, we partner with the Lunch Lady Program twice a week, a Pizza Day and a weekly lunch program for the entire school, where we have lunch together as a school community. |
| Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
We are aware of our students' food restrictions and special diets and accommodate alternatives in collaboration with the parents at our events and lunch programs. |
| Uniform required |
Yes |
| Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
Co-curriculars and clubs are wildly popular. GIST recognizes and encourages the varied talents and interests of all of its students. GIST's clubs centre on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), plus fine arts, music, and athletics. Clubs have included the following: Lego Robotics, Arts, Piano, Softball, Coding, Needlepoint, Woodworking, French, Cooking, Chess, Drama, Star Wars Arts, and Martial Arts. New club offerings are posted for each new term. |
| Sports activities included |
Physical education |
| Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
No |
| Facilities at the school |
Science lab, library |
| Sports facilities at the school |
Gym |
| Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
The German International School Toronto is a private, co-educational, German immersion school which provides students with a unique international perspective by combining the best of both the Canadian and German curricula. The GIST offers an outstanding multi-lingual education in German, English and French. Students are confident language-users who write poems in French and participate in Canadian writing contests. |
| Teaching approach of the school |
The GIST follows a state of the art school curriculum, which combines the accelerated and competency-based German curriculum and the highly respected Ontario Curriculum to a superior blend. |