District 88 welcomes students, staff from Germany

Top: During the Sept. 24 District 88 Board of Education meeting, the district welcomed students and staff members from Helmholtzschule in Frankfurt, Germany, who will visit Addison Trail and Willowbrook and tour Chicago through Oct. 8 as part of the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) – Student Exchange. Through the GAPP, pupils from District 88 also will have an opportunity to visit Germany in June 2019. Bottom: District 88 Board of Education President Donna Craft Cain (right) presents plaques and certificates to Helmholtzschule Principal Gerrit Ulmke (second from right) and teachers Jana Knopp (second from left) and Johannes Falter (third from left). Ulmke gave a plaque to District 88 as well.

At District 88, we embrace the diversity of our student body and communities as a strength for our schools. We have about 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented among our families, and almost half of the about 4,000 students at District 88 speak a language other than English at home.

We continuously provide opportunities for our students to experience other cultures, and from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8, we have the privilege to welcome and host 21 students, two teachers and the principal from Helmholtzschule in Frankfurt, Germany, as part of the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) – Student Exchange. That program provides information about cultural, social and political life in Germany through encouraging intercultural dialogue and enabling cultural involvement. Read more about the GAPP at www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/spr/eng/gap.html.

During their visit, the group members will shadow District 88 students, staff members and administrators, tour the buildings and view extracurricular activities such as athletic and performing arts events. They also will visit Chicago landmarks.

We welcomed the group during the Sept. 24 District 88 Board of Education meeting, where we presented Helmholtzschule Principal Gerrit Ulmke and teachers Johannes Falter and Jana Knopp with plaques and certificates in appreciation of their partnership. Watch the presentation at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/9492 (click on "German American Partnership Program").

Through the GAPP, pupils from Addison Trail and Willowbrook will have an opportunity to visit Germany in June 2019.

District 88 provides a comprehensive educational experience for all students, which includes a focus on cultural competency. Whether it’s traveling to Europe or hosting guests from abroad, those interactions teach students life lessons and help them develop a global mindset, and we look forward to more programs like the GAPP. Thank you for your continued support of District 88.

Respectfully,

Scott J. Helton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, DuPage High School District 88