German-American School Manhattan - Elementary School

German-American School Manhattan operates two Tribeca campuses: GSM Kita Preschool & Kindergarten at 85 Warren Street and GSM Dual Immersion Elementary School at 74 Warren Street. It is described as a Premier Tribeca Location with access via most subway lines. The Kita campus is at 85 Warren St and the Elementary campus is at 74 Warren St, New York, NY 10007.

The program serves children from age 2 through 5th grade. GSM Kita Preschool & Kindergarten serves ages 3–5 (2 years German immersion) and GSM Dual Immersion Elementary School serves Grades 1–5.

Bilingual IB World School (Preschool and Lower School) in Manhattan.

Subjects are taught in German and English by native speakers; teachers address each child's individual needs with attention to language level and developmental skills.

GSM is a bilingual IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) offered for Preschool (2s–4s) through Grade 5, with two campuses at 85 Warren Street (Kita Preschool) and 74 Warren Street (Dual Immersion Elementary). The curriculum blends German grade-level competencies with New York State Education standards and is aligned with IB principles. After establishing a solid bilingual foundation in kindergarten, instruction in grades 1–5 is split evenly between German and English, with native German teachers guiding German reading, writing, math, social studies, and ethics and native English teachers guiding English reading, writing, social studies, science, and math. Art, music, and movement are taught in both languages, and Spanish is introduced in Grade 3. Classes are small (maximum 20 students per class) to support personalized instruction, reflection, independence, and collaboration within an inquiry-based learning framework. The Kita/Preschool program (ages 2–4) uses a bilingual approach to early childhood learning. The school operates across two campuses: Kita Preschool at 85 Warren Street and Dual Immersion Elementary at 74 Warren Street.

Class sizes are small. Maximum class size is 20 students per the Academics page; another page notes a maximum of 16 with an average of 12.

GSM is child-centered and international, fostering a joyful learning environment and shaping learners to be knowledgeable, caring, and responsible global citizens. GSM cultivates a culture of empathy and open-mindedness and promotes cultural diversity and critical thinking within a safe learning community. Students are encouraged to take mindful actions as part of their education. The language departments collaborate to support socio-emotional well-being as an essential element of the bilingual learning experience.

GSM uses dual immersion with content-based instruction in German and English. It welcomes students with no prior German knowledge and integrates English Language Arts with the German curriculum. The school aligns instruction with international standards through its bilingual model.

GSM emphasizes socio-emotional well-being as part of its mission and approach. It promotes empathy, open-mindedness, and a safe learning community where students are encouraged to act mindfully. The bilingual program supports well-being through collaborative teaching and a focus on student welfare.

GSM published a reopening plan for 2020 detailing safety, health monitoring, social distancing, PPE, and a sick policy to protect students and staff. The plan describes health monitoring, enhanced cleaning, and communication with families, with remote learning options if needed.

1. Apply: Request our application form any time. You will be asked to include the birth certificate, report cards of prior schools and a $200 application fee. Enrollment is rolling for the 2025/26 school year for Preschool through Grade 5.

2. Interviews & Playdates: For Grade 1 or higher, schedule an interview with the child and parent(s)/guardian(s). The interview should be scheduled after submitting the application two days prior. Please request an appointment from the admissions team. Prior knowledge of German is not a prerequisite for admissions K-2; students with strong academic records can be admitted without German language into Grades 3-5. For Preschool or Kindergarten (ages 2-4), open-format playdates are offered; playdates typically occur on Tue/Thu/Fri at 4 PM.

3. Acceptance: Acceptance letters of preferred admissions are sent starting December 1. Families sign the school contract and pay the first installment to reserve a spot (first come first served).

4. Admissions Timetable: For the 2026-27 admissions season, two cycles are used: Early Admissions for siblings and partner-school students; Regular Admissions across all grades. Application Submission Deadline: December 1; Acceptance Notification Date: December 15. Rolling admissions apply for the current year.

5. Current Admissions: We are currently accepting applications for the 2025/26 school year for GSM bilingual Kita Preschool (ages 2-4), GSM bilingual Kindergarten (age 5), and GSM Dual Immersion Elementary School (grades 1-5); interviews are required for the elementary.

6. Open Houses & Tours: In-person open house tours are held at 74 & 85 Warren Streets. Spring tour season includes dates such as 3/5, 3/9, 3/12, 3/26; sign up for open houses online. Virtual Zoom tours are available; community playdates are scheduled on dates such as 3/12, 4/16, 5/14, 6/11; sign up for playdates online.

7. Tuition & Financial Information: Tuition for School Year 2025/26: Preschool & PreK $35,500/year; Preschool half-day 3 days/week $32,500/year; Elementary K-5 $42,500/year. Financial aid is available to qualifying families through SSS.

GSM offers financial aid to qualifying families through SSS.