Middle School

Every year in March our 8th graders travel to Austria for the annual 8th grade ski trip. 

Approximately 130+ students and 14 teachers will spend almost two weeks in the ski area Hochfügen in Zillertal/Austria. We depart by bus from JFKS early on Sunday morning and will return to JFKS on a Friday afternoon. 

This trip is a fantastic opportunity where students practice their team-building, communication, organization skills and where they, of course, learn to SKI! 

It's always a memorable trip for our 8th grade students. 

Students in 9th grade take part in a two-week internship (Betriebspraktikum) to gain real-world experience. This usually happens in the first weeks of March. Every student has to write a report on the internship (4 pages). The report will be graded by the German teacher and is part of the German grade. 

In the 10^th grade, students have the opportunity to participate in a language exchange with French or Spanish students. They gain innumerable benefits from immersion in the language and culture of the Spanish capital of Madrid or French cities like Orsay and also form lasting friendships with new peers.  Students will attend classes in the partner school while staying with host families. 

In the 10th Grade, students additionally prepare for the MSA - Mittlere Schulabschluss. Germany's secondary school certificate obtained after grade ten, the MSA validates an extended general education and serves as a vital milestone for career or academic progression.

Students generally sit for centralized examinations in core subjects, including German, mathematics, and English, alongside a presentation or oral exam. Earning the MSA opens two main pathways: entering a dual vocational training program (Ausbildung) or advancing to the upper secondary level to pursue the Abitur (university entrance qualification).

JFKS sophomores can join a three-week exchange with Trinity High School in Euless, Texas, part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Both GAPP-designated schools have partnered since 2011 to foster German-American understanding. Students meet weekly with a coordinator throughout the year to prepare. In spring, JFKS students stay with host families, attend Trinity classes, and join themed field trips (e.g., JFK and the Cold War, German immigration to Texas), including visits like the University of Texas at Arlington. In June, American partners visit Berlin for three weeks, attending JFKS classes and taking excursions to Dresden and the Baltic Sea.