Elternbrief for February 13, 2020

The event you've been waiting for is back! Join us at the TCGIS PTO Maskenball, an adults-only formal dance hosted this year at the gorgeous Saint Paul Athletic Club.

Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 7:00pm
Invite and tickets for purchase coming soon!
Dress: Formal/Black Tie. A themed costume is also encouraged, but not required.
There will be dancing, beats provided by DJ Lubbert, appetizers, a full cash bar, and wonderful ambiance at the Saint Paul Athletic Club.
Included again this year: Silent and art auction! Come ready to bid on your child(ren)'s art auction class project along with many amazing donated experiences and packages!

Visit tcgismaskenball.org/ to learn more!

School Board Announcements

Upcoming Committee Meetings

Anyone can volunteer on a board committee. Help us build a school together!

RESCHEDULED: Governance & Leadership Development Committee Meeting: TUESDAY, February 18, 3:45pm - 4:30pm, Room 308 (Note room change)

Finance & Facilities Committee: Tue, February 18, 6pm - 7pm, Room 99

Executive Committee: Thu, February 20, 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Room 100

Board Meeting: Thu, February 27, 6:30pm - 8:00pm, Room 100

School Information

The First Day of 2020-2021 School Year: August 31

The school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year is in the process of being finalized, but the first day of school has been determined:

Grades 1-8 will start on Monday, August 31
Kindergarten will start on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Once the calendar is finalized, it will be shared on our website and in the Elternbrief. Thank you for your patience!

Construction Updates

The construction company has made good progress in setting up the precast walls. We've had decent weather which has helped keep everything on schedule. Due to the cold spell Thursday and Friday this week, they will not be able to finish setting panels this week, so they expect to finish that Monday or Tuesday.

The crane was moved onto Como Avenue yesterday. Fortunately they were able to keep it close enough to the site to keep one lane open along Como Ave.

The next phase will involve delivery, setting and welding the steel components of the building. This process will begin around February 27 and will take about 2-3 weeks to complete.

Andy Nesset

TCGIS Facilities and Grounds

Reminder: March Order Window for Lunches/Milk and Kinderclub Closes Midnight Sunday, Feb. 16

Don't forget to place your order for March (including Kinderclub for Spring Break 3/30 - 4/3)! Please log on to our online store website Boonli to place your child's Kinderclub and School Lunch/ Milk order. Please make sure to check out your cart to successfully place an order.

All orders must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, 2/16/2020.

For any questions regarding our online store website (e.g. forgotten username/password, payment questions, etc.), please contact us at ordering@tcgis.org .

TCGIS Winners in the 2019 Kreativwettbewerb

We are excited to announce that TCGIS students did very well in the 2019 ZfA Kreativwettbewerb! The Kreativwettbewerb (creative competition) is an annual competition for student projects about the German culture and/or language. It is sponsored by the ZfA (Central Agency for Schools Abroad) which also conducts the DSD language diploma. Students can participate in the competition as individuals or in groups. Our middle schoolers (5th-7th graders) participate annually in May.

Yesterday we held a ceremony to announce the winning students and student groups for the 2019 competition and distribute their prizes. Typically the prizes are Amazon gift cards (ranging from $20-$200 per student) but this year - for the first time - three of our students were awarded iPads for finishing in 3rd and 1st place!

7th Grade Winners (pictured from top left, clockwise)

10th Place, video submission: Ciara, Ariana, Annie, Jaya

3rd Place, short story submission: Emma

1st Place, short story submission: Leonie

3rd Place, short story submission: Gwen

8th Grade Winners (pictured from top)

2nd Place, video submission: Noa, Sam, Finn, Malik, Spencer

7th Place, video submission: Nathaniel, Eric

4th Place, poetry submission: Ellie

We are so proud of all of our students who participate in this annual competition! If you'd like to read this year's winning individual submissions from 7th graders Emma, Gwen, Leonie and 8th grader Ellie, click here . If we receive permission to share the student videos, we will share them next week!

Spring Conference Sign-up Opens Tue. Feb. 25, 8:00 pm

Conference Dates

Thursday, March 12 4:00pm-7:30pm

Friday, March 13 8:10am-3:30pm

All families will receive a Constant Contact email with sign-up information at 8pm CT (when the window opens) on Tuesday, February 25.

Elementary School Conferences

Conferences this year will remain the same for Elementary School families. The Fall Conference sign-up window opens Tuesday, February 25 at 8pm CT and runs through March 10 at 8pm CT.

Prior to conference scheduling, be sure to make a list of all of the teachers you would like to meet with (the scheduler does not provide this) as well as a list of times that you would like to attend.

Middle School Conferences

Conferences for Middle School families will be Open Conferences for all Academic Teachers. Open Conferences allows parents of older students the flexibility of attending conferences if they feel the need to meet with a specific teacher. You are welcome to come anytime during the hours of conferences to have a 10 minute unscheduled conference with any academic teacher at a time that works best for you.

If you would like to meet with a Specialist (Art, Drama, Sport, Tech), you will need to sign-up for a 10 minute conference slot once the sign-up window opens on Tuesday, February 25 at 8pm CT.

Questions? Please email the Front Office: info@tcgis.org .

Parent Council Update: February 2020

Parent Council met on Feb. 10, 2020. Here are some of the topics we discussed:

Middle school conferences parent survey results

Results were generally positive; families reported they had adequate time to talk with teachers.
Teachers said they were able to see more parents, including those who have been unable to sign up in the past, and experience a less overwhelming and more relaxed environment.
The Middle School Coordinators will share their survey results with the Middle School parents via email.

Presentation by Julie Alkatout: School Board Chair

The Board is focused on teacher retention and Julie presented the material that was shared in the 2/6 Elternbrief. Parent Council plans to ask the Administration and Staff councils for specific ideas about how parents can best support our teachers and staff.

School calendar discussion

We discussed the school calendar with administration and parents with regard to professional development, fall break, school history, Kinderclub, diversity and inclusion, and working families.
The number of school hours is mandated by state law and the number and timing of professional development hours were determined with teacher input.
The Survey Subcommittee plans to collect broad parent input on the school calendar via a parent survey distributed after Spring Break.
The Calendar for the 20/21 school year is being finalized and should be released soon.

As always, please email your Parent Council representative or the full parent council at parent-council@tcgis.org.

6th Grade Families: Waldsee Trip

The final payment for Waldsee should be turned in by Friday, February 28th, if you haven't paid in full ($450). This can be done via Boonli or by check, made out to TCGIS.

If paying with check, please label it with your child's name and make sure it is either placed in Frau Albers' mailbox in the front office or that your child hands it straight to Frau Albers. Please email Emily Albers ( ealbers@tcgis.org) with questions. Danke!

Mausmünzen Gewinner: February 11

The selected students have shown exemplary behavior at TCGIS during the school day and are representing their class and grade level.

Meistermäuse have demonstrated to staff one or more of the following praised traits: Sicherheit (safety), Verantwortung (responsibility), Respekt (respect), and Freundlichkeit (kindness).

May they continue to make our school a better place!

KA - Name and photo withheld by request; 1A - Bjorn; 2A - Fifi; 3C - Eloise;

4C - Theo; 5B - Lula; 7A - Ciaran; Staff - Frau Powell

TCGIS Outdoor Track-and-Field

Registration for the TCGIS Outdoor Track-and-Field will be open from Feb. 15 - 29, and the season will begin on Monday, March 16. Please, register early! We reached our maximum number of athletes for indoor track, and we expect to see a similar number of registrations for outdoor track.

Regarding the calendar : Practices are set for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Most of the meets and races are still based on last year's calendar. We have not yet been able to confirm all of the meets. We will let you know once we have confirmed those meets.

With questions, please contact Herr Tabisz.

Summer Running, Jumping, Throwing at TCGIS

We are offering some off-season summer training and meets (open to current 4th graders through current 8th graders). This is a great opportunity for current 4th graders to get to know other middle schoolers, for 8th graders to prep for high school cross-country, and for everyone to get some great exercise and have fun with friends over break. Some practices will only be for TCGIS athletes, and for other practices, we will join Mill City Running and Track Thursdays. We will also participate in the USATF Summer Track Meets and in the University of Minnesota Cross-Country and Track-and-Field Camp.

Registration will open on February 15, and registration will remain open until we reach our maximum number of athletes. It costs $50 to participate in all of the practices and meets. The University of Minnesota XC and T&F Camp is NOT included in this, and registration must be done separately through the camp. More details about the camp are forthcoming.

Regarding the calendar: We have not yet been able to confirm the summer meets. The current dates on based on the meet dates from last summer. We will let you know once we have confirmed those meets. All practices will take place from 6 PM until 7:30 PM. Locations will vary and be in parks around the Twin Cities.

With questions, please contact Herr Tabisz.

Parent Resources

Do you have a late bus?

If you have transportation concerns about a late bus before or after the front office is open (7:30am-4pm on school days), please contact Collaborative Transportation directly at 612-808-8868. If you call the office before or after hours you will reach KinderClub who will not have any updates on busing.
Vielen Dank!

Parent Powerschool Report Card Instructions

We are now officially in the second semester of the 2019-20 school year! To see the written progress of your student, please click on this link to find information on how to view/print your child's report card. Kindergar ten report cards were emailed out to parents this week.

Reminder: 2020-2021 Enrollment is Open

Parents with incoming siblings of currently-enrolled TCGIS students: please remember to submit an application for sibling enrollment.

Please visit the TCGIS website under the prospective parents tab to find our 2020-2021 application online.

Field Trip Chaperones and Background Check Forms

If you (or a grandparent/relative) may chaperone a field trip with your child(ren)'s class this spring, and have not turned in a Background Check form within the last two years, please do the following:

Fill out this Background Check Disclosure Form and read the
Statement of Rights
Turn in the Disclosure Form to the Front Office with payment ($20/adult)

The cost for background checks if $20 / adult and can be paid with cash, check or in Boonli.

Parents for whom the $20 fee would present an obstacle to chaperoning: please email the Front Office ( info@tcgis.org). We also welcome donations towards the $20 fee for parents who may otherwise not be able to afford it.

Background checks will be considered valid for 3 years. If you're not sure if a background check you submitted in the past is still valid, please email the Front Office (info@tcgis.org).

PTO Updates

Maskenball 2020 - Seeking Sponsors & Volunteers

We need your help in organizing and identifying sponsors for the biggest party of the year!

Have experience or enjoy organizing events?
Do you know community supporters in the Twin Cities area?
Interested in being part of community of parents who are passionate about our school?
Desire to volunteer with a large or small impact? All time commitments are welcomed!

Email our M askenball chair Ashley Clayton at maskenballtcgis@gmail.com for any questions!

Box Tops

It's that time again - get your Box Top submissions in before March 1st. Thanks!!

News from the GAI

Summer Camp at the GAI: Registration Now Open!

The 2020 GAI German Summer Camp program for children will take p lace June 22 - August 28 at the GAI. Each camp will last one week (M-F) and is centered around a fun, highly-interactive theme . (TCGIS families can register at 'member' rates.)

Click here for details and to register.