Our Mission
Portland Kinderschule's mission is to create confident, happy, bilingual children who are prepared to start kindergarten through a German immersion, culturally rich, and cooperative preschool experience.
Our Story
Founded in 2005, Portland Kinderschule has spent the past two decades providing a warm, German immersion environment for hundreds of young learners. Established by a group of dedicated parents, our school thrives on the strength of its cooperative model—where families work together, form lasting friendships, and support one another. We are more than just a preschool; we are a close-knit community, actively involved in nurturing not only our own children’s growth, but also the growth of each other’s children.
Our Teachers
Frau Gerlinde
Senior Teacher
“You laugh, you cry, and you work harder than you ever thought you could. Sometimes you try to change the world and sometimes you try to just make it through the day. My heart is full of joy and my mind is packed with memories of children who have touched my life. Living my life with my eyes wide open and loving what I am doing feels like a blessing.”
Frau Susann
SENIOR Teacher
"I believe empathy is the key to social and emotional learning. Acknowledging and allowing all feelings, big and small, is what preschool should be all about. It is a crucial time to become comfortable amongst others and the stepping stone for future learning and happiness.”
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is rooted in the traditional Deutscher Kindergarten. Our dedicated teachers guide a four-hour program with a creative, flexible approach tailored to the needs of each child in our multi-age setting. We encourage every child to grow at their own pace and in their own way. In Portland Kinderschule’s warm and caring environment, children build trust, embrace new experiences, and develop important social skills—learning to compromise, draw on their inner resources, and solve problems with confidence.
Both German and non-German speakers are immersed in the language and culture through daily routines, songs, stories, and interactions with peers, parents, and teachers. Language learning begins with understanding and, over time, blossoms into natural speech. Many of our graduates continue their German studies at Sophie Scholl Schule or other German immersion programs.