April 13, 2017

May 18: School Board Meeting

May 19: K-8 Morning Circle & Kaffeeklatsch

May 26-29: No School

June 2: After School Activities End

June 4: Graduation Day

June 6: PTO Meeting

June 8: End of Year Picnic

Administrative Information

8th Grade Syrian Refugee Project for Capstone Experience 2017

Every school prides itself on student successes and special programs in its school. Here at TCGIS we are fortunate to be able to point to accomplishments in both areas. This year's group of students will be in Germany from May 5 to May 26 and have chosen to create a funding program in support of Syrian refugee children in Germany. Here are powerful images from refugees arriving in Europe in 2015-2016. The students appreciate any support you may feel comfortable or are able to afford in this act of student-student generosity. There is a box in the Front Office the students have created where anyone may place their support. Danke im Voraus!

A note from our 8th graders:

In less than a month the 8th graders will be traveling to Germany. Most of us will be staying in Borghorst, Germany where there are many refugees being resettled. We wanted to raise money for programs that support their transition. So far we have raised $428 through our bake sale at the PTO Rummage Sale, with a special thank you to Tübinger bakery for their contribution. We will be putting a donation box in the TCGIS office for additional donations. We hope we can help the refugees in Borghorst a lot and look forward to meeting them in person!

Vielen Dank from the 8th grade!

We are looking for

Playground Volunteers!

Physical activity has been proven to help improve student focus and learning in the classroom. This is why TCGIS is looking for volunteers to supervise an extra recess before school this spring. We need two volunteers per day. Volunteers would commit to a certain day (Monday, Tuesday...) for the entire month. If April does not work for your schedule please consider helping out in May. Please see the sign-up for additional information.

Street Parking Around TCGIS

We are aware that it can sometimes be difficult to find street parking around TCGIS and we are also aware that when it comes to parking, it's not always easy for our neighbors. With this in mind, we would greatly appreciate if parkers can leave some empty spaces in front of the houses on the Van Slyke side of the building. It means some extra steps to the building, but this small act would go a long way in fostering a positive relationship with our neighbors. Vielen Dank for your understanding!

Thank You for Making the Rummage Sale a Success

The PTO Rummage Sale was a smashing success! Thank you to everyone who contributed their stuff and/or their time to help with this community fundraiser. From set-up to sales to clean-up, our volunteers were absolutely amazing. Because of you, we raised over $3,200 in a single day. The eight-graders made over $400 that they will take to Germany for refugees. Any items not sold were donated to the Salvation Army and other charities. There were many positive comments from the outside community. Congratulations!

DUE FRIDAY:

Call for Nominations & Applications for the
TCGIS School Board

Find out how you can help our school, connect with our community, impact decisions and change. The work we do helps ensure that our school is able to provide a meaningful experience for our students. Click here to read more.

TCGIS PTO Spring Strudel Sale April 8-23!

Just in time for Mother's Day! Strudel is a type of layered filo pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savory is also common. They make great hostess gifts and easy dinners! There are ten delicious flavors to choose from, either savory (including two vegetarian options) or sweet. All strudel is made locally by Ruhland's Strudel Haus. The types available are listed on the auction website. The website will be open for ordering strudel from April 8 at 10am to April 23 at 9:00pm. The TCGIS PTO receives 30% of each strudel sale. You can access the auction website here .

Strudel pick up will be at TCGIS in the Lobby on Wednesday, May 10, 3:00 to 6:00 pm.

Mark Your Calendars for June 8!

Our last day of school is coming up fast! Mark your calendars for June 8 to celebrate our End of the Year Picnic! The picnic will be held at the Como Park Pavilions and will be from 11:30am-2:00pm. Are you interested in helping make this event a success? Keep your eyes out for information in future Elternbriefe!

NEW: Support our Intern Program through Order Lunches

Please join us in supporting this amazing program at TCGIS. Our Intern Program is an essential part of our German immersion school curriculum. Interns are trained in pedagogical practices at the university level with 1-5 years of study. Along with curricular enrichment, interns bring a young, dynamic energy to the classrooms, and valuable cultural expertise from German speaking countries.

May & June OrderWindow Opens Friday, April 14

It's time to place your last Bus, Kinderclub and Lunch/Milk order for the 2016-17 school year. Please l og on to our online store https://tcgis.orderlunches.com now and place your orders for all days until the last day of school. Please remember to select your needs on the May AND June calendar page. All orders are due by midnight on Monday, 4/21 .

If you need assistance with your Account Log-In information, please email us at [email protected] .

Inclusive Education at TCGIS

SEAC Meeting Monday, April 17 6:30-8:30pm Room 100

When many parents went to school, "Special Education" meant that room down the hall where severely disabled students went. That is not Special Education today. Students with many disabilities are an integral part of nearly every classroom at TCGIS.

Join the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) Monday, April 17 from 6:30-8:30pm in Room 100 to learn more about Special Education in the General Education Classroom, the benefits to all students from inclusive education, and the challenges to meeting all students' needs. Please RSVP here.

Severe Weather Awareness Week

Please click here to read about Severe Weather Awareness Week. This takes place April 17-21. TCGIS will be having a severe weather drill on April 20.

Playground Equipment After School

Teachers are trying their best to deliver consistent and clear rules about the end-of-day routine for pick-up. We are looking for you help in ensuring we have an efficient and smooth process. We are communicating the following expectations to students this week:

Be Safe - wait in designated area

Be Responsible - let an adult know when your ride has arrived, keep belongings with you

Be Respectful - say goodbye

Here is the complete PBIS behavior Matrix for this process. Students are learning this information in their morning circle this week.

This means all Middle School students are expected to wait on the aula steps for their ride to arrive from 3:15 - 3:30(15 minutes). It makes it difficult for staff to know which students are doing what when they are playing on the playground during dismissal.

Thanks so much for your support! We hope these efforts will help expedite the pick-up process!

Kind Regards,

Frau Morrissey & Frau Simon, Middle School Coordinators on behalf of all Middle School Teachers

GAI

GAI Announcements

Film Screening: Krabat

Saturday, May 6 at 10am - Free and Open to the Public

Screening is in German with English Subtitles

Estimated equivalent to PG-13 rating

Enjoy a spring movie outing with the whole family! On May 6 during Kaffeestube European Breakfast Cafe we will be screening the popular German fantasy-adventure film, Krabat. Adapted from the fantasy novel by German author Otfried Preußler, Krabat depicts the journey of a young man taken in as an apprentice to an old Mill Keeper, who teaches the boys who work for him sorcery at night. The plot thickens when it is found the master is extending his life and renewing his youth through deadly magic, which Krabat, his friends, and his love must avoid. It is an action-packed tale of magic, good and evil, and the power of love.

PTO

PTO Announcements

Click here to find out more about these upcoming events:

Strudel sale, April 8-23
PTO Meeting, April 11

How can you help the PTO next year? Please fill out this short survey to let us know your interests.