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#GiveAtHomeMN Virtual Campaign to Benefit TCGIS
MAY 1 - MAY 8, 2020
TCGIS is joining forces with
GiveMN.org
in a weeklong virtual fundraising campaign to benefit Minnesota nonprofits and schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are grateful to be part of a generous community, and realize that not all can give during this uncertain time. But if you are able to make a donation, your gift will have a significant impact on our school now.
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No School for Planning Days: May 1 & May 4
Governor Tim Walz has extended the period of distance learning through the end of the school year.
Executive Order 20-41
orders schools to use May 1 (this Friday) and May 4 (next Monday) as planning days, and school will not be in session for those dates. These days are very important as we plan the remaining weeks of Equitable Distance Learning.
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| Message from the Director |
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Schöne Grüße von Herrn Anderson
As we conclude our fourth week of Distance Learning, Herr Anderson shares some thoughts about how we - TCGIS staff and families - are partners in our school's mission:
innovative education of the whole child through German immersion.
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School Board Announcements
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All-School Dress-Up Week Extended!
Thank you to everyone who has submitted photos of their dress-up week outfits so far! In order to allow more TCGIS community members to join in the fun, the virtual dress-up week has been
extended through next Wednesday, May 6th. Choose any day, up to and including the 6th, that works for you!
Here are details:
- Dress up any way you'd like: fancy, funny, scary, etc.
- Take a selfie or have someone take a photo of you all dressed up - families can do group shots!
- Upload your photo here by the end of the day on May 6th.
- We will compile all the photos submitted into a fun video for everyone to watch!
- Watch for a link to the video in the May 7th Elternbrief!
- Have fun seeing your friends and teachers and staff all dressed up to celebrate achieving our Fundraising milestone of $75,000!
And here is a sneak peak of some of the submissions we've received so far:
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Upcoming Committee Meetings
Here are the scheduled upcoming committee meetings. Please contact the committee chair for meeting login details. Meetings will be virtual until further notice.
April school board meeting: Tonight
Meeting ID: 756 6654 0970; password: 088289.
The School Board will recognize and thank Ashley Cooper, Heather Cooper, Brenna Gray, Clare Roney, Deb Verber, Annegret Theis, Kersten Reich, Candace Davis, Christine McKigney, Jenia Strom, Kate Mercer, Cindy Miller, Maureen Carlyle, Carrie Nelson, Kirsten Holmlund, Nancy Strege, Becky Deimel, Elizabeth Spafford, Nicolas Dornemann, Katharina Schirg, Alisha Hayes, Sarah Thies, and Missy Morrissey.
The Board packet is available
here.
School Board Election 2020
This year, the community will elect
FIVE board members
to each serve
a three year term
. Two open positions are designated for TCGIS teachers and one open position is designated for a community member.
The following nominees have been certified to appear on this year's Board ballot: Emily Albers, Dianne Bell, Megan Dayton, Kim Kulhanek, Silke Moeller, Missy Morrissey, and Debra Verber. Biographies of each nominee will be available in next week's Elternbrief.
With an eye to the future and in light of the COVID-19 closure of in-person school, the election for the Board of Directors will be done online. The dates for voting will be June 1 - 5, 2020. Details will follow in later communications.
The PTO and Parent Council are planning to host an online Meet the Candidates Forum on May 13th at 6:45 pm, with questions to begin no later than 7 pm. Stay tuned for details on how to join this virtual forum.
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All-School Updates: Important Links
Here are links to useful pages you may wish to bookmark for easy reference:
In case you missed any of the email updates in the last month, find them here:
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Yearbook Orders due May 8th
There is less than one month to order your yearbook! The price is $25 until May 8th. Order your yearbook today at
jostens.com!
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Health Office Update
Return of Medication (emergency and over-the-counter)
If your student had medication in their health file during this school year, Nicole Sveen and Monika Avery will have the medication available for pick up in the school office from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM on Monday, May 11th and Monday, May 18th.
- In case of a line please keep a safe distance of 6 feet.
- If the student's medication is not picked up it will be disposed of appropriately.
- If you have any questions, please contact Monika Avery at [email protected].
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Weekly Attendance Reminder
The next weekly attendance submission is due tomorrow, Friday May 1st. The weekly attendance form
will be available
Friday-Sunday
(it opens Friday morning 8 AM and closes 11:59 PM on Sunday). If your child has attended school everyday, you will have a simple yes/no option. If your child missed any days that week, you'll have the option to check off which days they were absent and a space to tell us the reason (required for accurate attendance reporting). If you forget to enter attendance, let the front office know by emailing
[email protected]
. The TCGIS website has been updated to reflect these changes.
If you would like to receive a weekly email reminder to enter attendance on Fridays, you can opt in to reminder emails by filling out a brief form
here.
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Checking in with the Parent Council
The parent council will meet again in May. If you have concerns about issues you'd like us to address, get in touch with your class's Parent Council representative.
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Construction Updates
There is no update this week, but construction continues. Stay tuned for new information next week!
Andy Nesset
TCGIS Facilities and Grounds
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Friday May 1st
From 3:00 to 4:30pm
Cars can pull up on Van Slyke, carpool pick up style, and they will NOT get out of their cars.
We will check the name and order and items will be dropped in their vehicle.
Classroom Art Auction Information!!!
Two weeks to go!
We are sad that the beautiful artwork wasn't able to be showcased during the Maskenball event this year. Last year, it was such a cool experience. Good news, though! You can still purchase your child's classroom art piece AND support our school at the same time! On Thursday, May 14th, the Art Auction will OPEN. So get ready to bid!
Here are some teasers:
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Community Events: Updates
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GAI: Spargelzeit and Online Classes
In celebration of spring and
Spargelzeit
in Germany, the GAI is offering asparagus recipes from members and staff. Guten Appetit! Find them at
gai-mn.org/Recipes
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Deutsch@home classes for adults
Registration is open | Classes begin in May
This new series is online-only. Conversation practice for beginners, o
r read and discuss Kurzgeschichten for intermediate level students. Register at
gai-mn.org/Deutsch@home
.
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Parent &
Family Resources
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AmazeWorks Webinars
AmazeWorks is a St. Paul-based organization that provides
anti-bias education curriculum, programs, and training for schools, and organizational and individual cultural assessments, consultation, and equity training for communities, nonprofits, municipalities, and for-profit businesses. Here are some upcoming webinars that may be of interest to the TCGIS community:
Discovering the Five Basic Needs:
Tuesday, May 5, 3:30 - 4:45
An introduction to William Glasser's model of the five basic needs as an important behavior management strategy. How can we better meet the needs of children to decrease unwanted behaviors, reduce conflict, and increase connection?
Who is Driving Your Behavior Car?:
Tuesday, May 12, 3:30 - 4:45
All behavior is purposeful. Humans act to get something or avoid something. We are driven by our actions, feelings, thoughts
, and physiology, but which one of those things is in control?
Reflecting On The Five Positions of Control:
Tuesday, May 19, 3:30 - 4:45
By understanding the five positions of control, caregivers can create daily structures that allow children to better manage their own behavior. This webinar will help caregivers guide their child
ren and youth in developing healthy self-management skills.
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Stress Management Resources at tcgis.org
In collaboration with school psychologist, Carol Mecklenburg, and our team of mental health providers and interns at TCGIS, Jessie Kember, Sydney Carlson and Danielle Becker, we have created a
resource page
for TCGIS families.
Resources include:
videos and apps for guided meditation, yoga and breathing exercises; tips for talking about the stress of the pandemic with children and teens; ideas for adapting daily life to these extraordinary circumstances; and many more.
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Family Resources
These and more resources can be found on
this page on our website:
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German Enrichment Resources
Looking for ways to keep your child(ren) engaged in German? Check out this
webpage with resources in various media and subject-areas. Check back often for the
Video des Tages!
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