Elternbrief
Issue: 365                         
April 18, 2019 
In This Issue

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Buy TCGIS Spiritwear from our new online store!
TCGIS Online Calendar

Upcoming Events
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Administrative Information
Reminder: May Order Window for Lunches/Milk and Kinderclub Closes Sunday, April 21!

Don't forget to place your order for May! 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, 4/21.

For any questions regarding our online store website (e.g. forgotten username/password, payment questions, etc.), please contact us at  [email protected]
City Council Hearing Dates Announced

Now that the petition for an EAW has been denied we are ready to address City Council regarding the school's historic designation and approval of our site plan and variance requests.  Please mark your calendars for these important dates.  Times are unknown as of yet, but will be communicated as soon as we received them:
-  MAY 15:  Public Hearing regarding Local Designation at City Council
-  JUNE 5:  Site plan and variance appeals at City Council 

If you have not yet sent in a letter AGAINST historic designation and FOR support of our site plan and variances, please do so!  You are still able to make your voice heard.  Here are the emails of city council members by Ward:
Ward 1 Dai Thao  [email protected]
Ward 2 Rebecca Noecker  [email protected]
Ward 3 Chris Tolbert  [email protected]
Ward 4 Mitra Jalali Nelson  [email protected]
Ward 5 Amy Brendmoen  [email protected]
Ward 6 Kassim Busuri  [email protected]
Ward 7 Jane Prince  [email protected]
Call for Nominations & Applications for the 
TCGIS School Board

By serving on the School Board, YOU can help our school, strengthen connections within our community, and make important decisions. The work of the Board ensures that TCGIS provides a meaningful education and experience for all students.

This year, the community will elect THREE board members to serve three year terms. We seek any interested persons (parents, teachers, and community members), especially those with experience in board governance, financial compliance, marketing and development, legal matters, or education.

If you are interested in serving or would like to nominate someone to serve, all details and forms are attached in the links below. You do not need to be nominated to apply.

If you have questions or want to talk to a current board member about the role, responsibilities, and expectations, feel free to contact any of the  current Board members. Send your nominations or applications to  Stephanie Forsland ([email protected]) .

Important Dates:
April 18 : All nominations and applications due by 4:45 pm.
Send via email to   [email protected] or drop off in the school office.
May 8, 7:30-8:30, Room 100: Meet the Candidates Forum
May 13-17: Board elections, drop off all ballots by 4:45 pm on Friday, May 17.

Board Elections FAQ 2019 (including detailed timeline)
Congratulations to our Parents Who Won in the D10 Board Election This Week!  


4 TCGIS parents ran for positions in the D10 election this week.  Parent Amanda Rohrer will represent Sub-District 2 (the subdistrict that TCGIS is in) and parent Debra Verber won at-large.  We are grateful to Lisa Linnell and to Mike Michelson for running in this election as well and for their willingness to have served the community.  
TCGIS Yearbooks on Sale

Order your yearbooks now through May 10  for $20.00! Yearbook orders can be made via the  online store. From  May 11 to the end of school year, yearbook prices increase to   $25.00 and can only be paid in cash at the Front Office.  Yearbooks are often sold out before the end of the year, so please order ahead!

New this year: There will be a ticket system in place for students to receive their yearbook order this year. Students who have ordered their yearbook will receive a Jahrbuchkarte (yearbook ticket) which they can exchange in the Front Office for a yearbook. More information about will be announced to parents and community in upcoming Elternbrief newsletter in May. 
Please Attend Last Kaffeeklatsch of the Year on May 3 with Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL) District: 41B

Rep. Kunesh-Podein is Vice Chair of the Minnesota House Education Policy Committee and was visited by Ted Anderson and parent Sue Burke-Westacott during the Charter School Lobby Day at the Capitol in March. Ted and Sue discussed the charter school funding and other issues with her. We are thrilled that she accepted our invitation to attend our last Kaffeeklatsch of the year. We are excited to showcase our great school to her as an example of a successful and thriving public charter school. This is a great opportunity for all parents to meet a member of the Education Policy Committee and make your voices heard regarding school funding inequity and other issues concerning charter schools.  
Save the Date For These TCGIS Fundraisers! 

Please mark your calendars for these TCGIS fundraising events:

Saturday, April 27th: 4-8 pm. Burgers und Bier Family Fundraiser at  Half Time Rec. Half Time Rec is located on Front Avenue just a few blocks from school and is happy to support TCGIS. Half Time Rec offers several games, such as indoor bocce ball. Special for TCGIS will be a German game called " Hammerschlagen"! 

They're offering TCGIS discounted burger baskets (voted Best Burger by City Pages in 2015) and beer at cost. TCGIS keeps proceeds from all keg sales (not food). Buy your $10 wristband at the door good for unlimited beer. Consider walking, carpooling, or taking an Uber/Lyft. Please don't drink and drive.

**Can you help out? If you are able to help at all with selling wristbands or in general we could use your help st this event! Please contact Dianne Bell at [email protected] if you are available**

Sunday, May 5th:  6-9 pm. Family Fundraiser at  Urban Forage Winery and Cider House, 3016 East Lake Street in Minneapolis.  Owned by TCGIS parents Jeff and Zita Geitler and featuring a kid-friendly tap room, Urban Forage makes cider, mead and wine on site in small batches from locally sourced fruit, flowers and honey. Urban Forage is generously offering TCGIS  all proceeds  from cider sales that evening! Bring the kids!  

Parent Colin Kreuziger will play an acoustic guitar set for entertainment. Please help us support the Zeitlers who are supporting TCGIS!  And please don't drink and drive.
Upcoming Scholastic Book Fair - Please Volunteer!
 
Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming up! All purchases benefit TCGIS. This will take place  April 29 - May 3 from  3:30pm to 5:30pm in  Room 100.

Would you like to volunteer?
If you love books and have some free time, please  sign up to volunteer at the Book Fair for a 2-hour shift after school, or to help set up or breakdown the Book Fair.
GEMs Summer Camp Registration - NOW OPEN!


Missy Morrissey (Middle School) and Kim Kulhanek (Elementary School) are offering a summer MATH camp for girls with support from the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics Student Chapter at the University of Minnesota during the week of August 12th-16th. 

Registration Form  - Please complete for each child registered.

Who: All students entering grades 1-6
What:  GEMs Summer Math camp
Where: University of Minnesota, Vincent Hall
When: August 12th-16th, 2018, from 9am-12pm.
Cost: $150 (daily snack provided)

Contact Missy Morrissey at  [email protected] if you have any questions!
Board Announcements
The Board is reviewing the transportation policy and a proposal to require payment for bussing, with an exemption for those students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. One option charges for bus transportation by all students who live more than two miles from the school (per MN Statute 123B.37), and the other charges students whose permanent resident is not in St. Paul or in designated parts of Minneapolis. If this issue is important to your family, please join us at the next Governance Committee meeting, May 13 at 6:30 pm in Room 99 or contact Stephanie Forsland ( [email protected]) or Ted Anderson. 

Board Meeting Dates:
  • Facility Committee meetingApril 23, 2019 at 6:00 PM, Room 99
  • Fundraising & Development Committee meetingApril, 26, 2019 at 8:15 AM, Room 308
  • Board meetingApril 30, 2019 at 6:30 PM, Room 100
PTO Announcements
PTO Important Dates
Thursday May 2nd - 6:30pm  PTO Meeting at school
Friday May 3rd - 8:30am PTO Sponsored Kaffee Klatsch 
Sunday May 19th - PTO Retreat. Details TBA

Strudel and Plant Pickup is Thursday May 2nd after school! 

PTO Opportunities
Secretary: This person will be in charge of setting Meeting Agendas and recording Meeting Minutes. Attendance at each PTO Meeting will be an important part of this job.

In addition, we are looking for interested individuals for  co-chairing specific fundraising events. If you are looking for a smaller time commitment, then this is for you!
Please come to our next PTO Meeting on May 2nd to get your name on the ballot!

GAI Announcements
Saturday, April 20 @ 10:30am (rain or shine)
Join us on the GAI lawn! 
The German Osterhase  (Easter Bunny) visits each year and brings eggs filled with candy and tokens. Exchange tokens for fun prizes and toys at our Osterladen  (Easter store). After the hunt, paint some eggs and try some fun Easter crafts. 

Saturday, April 27; 10:30am to 1:00pm
Join us at the Haus for kid-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Day! 
Activity stations will include flower seed bombs, compost bags, making a dirt cup and learning about soil, Earth bingo (auf deutsch !), trash sorting like a German, and an outdoor scavenger hunt!   

Weekly camps from June 17 to August 23 on site at the GAI
Most camps are for children 7-9 yrs   
NEW THIS YEAR: Intro to German for 5-9 yrs and German & Science for 10-13 yrs

*Kinderstube German Immersion Preschool is hiring part- and/or full-time Assistant and Lead Teachers at its Minneapolis location, for employment beginning in July/August 2019! If you are interested, please click here for more information.