Elternbrief
Issue: 377                        
August 1, 2019 
In This Issue

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Summer Greetings from TCGIS
Building Update

On Sunday afternoon, the TCGIS Board hosted a Farewell Open House to provide the opportunity for closure for all neighbors, school families, past parishioners and the greater community. We had over 100 people attend and many expressed gratitude for the opportunity. 

The Board thanks Cindy Miller and Ellen Thompson for helping organize the event, and Colin Kreuziger for performing acoustic guitar during the open house. 

We acknowledge that the building is special to many people in the TCGIS community as well as the greater community, and that the demolition will be extremely difficult. We respect the right of those who continue to protest, and ask our community to maintain respectful personal interactions with those in opposition. Please refrain from engaging with them on social media. The poor online conduct of some vocal opponents is not the standard we hold for ourselves. 

Salvage of interior materials such as organ pipes, doors, and marble molding began this week, and preparations are on track to begin the demolition sometime next week. We've asked the contractor to retain some bricks and tiles for use in a tribute, such as a little free library made of the materials. 3D laser scans and drone videos were made by generous community volunteers to document the architecture of the building. These large data files can be used to create accurate replicas for a tribute, such as a bronze sculpture of the former church.

Through all the controversy of the last year, we always kept the needs of the kids in mind. It was a difficult decision to replace the Aula, and it was not made lightly by the Board. This truly was the only viable option to meet the space needs within the budget of our public charter school. We ask for your continued support as we embark on the project, and the patience to remember that we will ultimately have an excellent school facility to fulfill our mission, "the education of the whole child through German immersion."

Julie Alkatout
Chair, TCGIS Board of Directors
School Board Announcements
Introducing New Community Board Members

The TCGIS Board of Directors seated 2 new community board members last week. We are thrilled to indroduce Sam Imbo and Silke Moeller, and have asked them to fill the role of staff liaisons for the board. As staff liaisons, they will attend staff council meetings and ensure the board is well connected to TCGIS teachers and staff. We look forward to their contributions to the school board and thank them for volunteering.
Seeking New Teacher Board Member

The board voted to add a 2nd teacher board member position and is currently accepting  applications for the one year appointment. If interested, please submit your application by August 15th. Please email any  current board member with questions.
Upcoming Board and Committee Meetings

All board and committee meetings are open to the public and we encourage attendance and participation. Please check the  online school calendar for possible date changes. Board meetings are also posted on the TCGIS YouTube channel
  • Facilities Committee - August 13, 6:00 pm, Room 99
  • Finance Committee - August 20, 6:30 pm, Room 99
  • Executive Committee - August 21, 6:30 pm, Room 100
  • Board meeting - August 28, 6:30 pm, Room 100
  • Fundraising and Development Committee - Sept. 3, 8:15am, Room 308
  • Governance Committee - Sept. 9, 3:30pm, Room 99 
School Information
Back to School Night: Thursday, August 22

Mark your calendars for a fun and exciting back-to-school evening here at TCGIS from 6:30-8:00pm. Come meet your child(ren)'s teachers and interns, drop off school supplies, learn about the PTO and other volunteer opportunities, grab a calendar, and reconnect with friends! Note: teacher assignments will be communicated to families on Monday, Aug. 19.
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September Elections for Parent Council  
 
The TCGIS Parent Council seeks class representatives for the upcoming school year. The Parent Council is a group of parents that communicates on behalf of parents to the school administration. It functions much like the Student Council and Staff Council, which each bring community concerns to the school on behalf of their constituencies. The Parent Council is separate from the TCGIS Parent-Teacher Organization, which is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting TCGIS and fundraising.  
 
Nominations will be accepted starting Aug. 22 at Back to School night. Parent Council representatives will have a table at Back to School night to answer questions about the election and the council's mission. Nominations will be collected until Sept. 16. The election will be held from Sept. 19 to 29, with results announced Oct. 1. 

Look for more details on how to nominate someone and how to vote in upcoming issues of the Elternbrief. 

In the meantime, please feel free to submit any concerns to your Parent Council representative. If you're unsure of who that person is, or how to contact them, please email [email protected] and we will connect you with your Parent Council representative.
Kinderclub Registration 

If you plan to use Kinderclub for before- or after-school care, or during early-release and school-free days, please   to register in Kinderclub for the 2019-20 school year
by tomorrow Fri. Aug. 2

After you have completed the registration form by Aug. 2, Kinderclub Director Michaela Bromenschenkel will email you the required forms and add the registration fee to your child(ren)'s Boonli account, so that you may begin booking Kinderclub for August when the order-window opens in Boonli on Monday, Aug. 4; the registration fee will be $40 for the first student and $10 for each additional sibling. 

Please note: Kinderclub prices have changed for the 2019-20 school year; f or updated prices and general information on before-and-after school care, please review the updated  Kinderclub Handbook If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, please email Michaela Bromenschenkel so she can adjust the prices accordingly for your family.
Ordering School Lunches + Milk and Kinderclub Care 

Starting this Monday, Aug. 4th, please log in to  Boonliour online store, and place your child(ren)'s Kinderclub and School Lunch/Milk order for August & September. The order window opens 
Aug 4th and o rders are due by midnight 
on Sunday, August 18th

Due to the removal of the cafeteria along with the Aula, we will be offering a more limited lunch selection: one regular lunch and one cold lunch. 

If your family is new to our online store, please click  here for more information on the Boonli website, how to "Register" for an account and how to navigate the site. Please note the school password needed during the registration process is  TCGIS1.

If you are a returning family,  please use the same username + password information that you have used last school year. If you need assistance with your account login, please email us at  [email protected].

Please note: School bus seats are not ordered in Boonli. More information about busing will follow within the next weeks.
Application for Free and Reduced Lunch Program

Please find the  information and instruction letter and the  application form for the Free and Reduced Lunch program for the 2019-2020 school year. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year, however in order to receive free/reduced school lunches for the first day of school, please submit your application form no later than Aug. 11, 2019. Forms may be emailed to Alex Weeding ( [email protected]) or dropped off at the front office. 

If you have any questions or need help, please don't hesitate to email Alex Weeding at  [email protected] or call the front office: 651- 492-7106.
School Bus Updates

We are pleased to offer school bus transportation to TCGIS students again this coming school year. We have reduced the number of routes from 5 to 4 routes, but have not reduced the number of stops, rather we have reallocated some stops to a different route. 

Please review this Google map of bus stops to identify which stop and route your child(ren) will use in the 2019-20 school year.  

Then, please indicate which bus stop your child(ren) will use in the 2019-20 school year on this 2019-20 Bus and Kinderclub Registration Form  by Friday, Aug. 2. (Busing and Kinderclub registration use the same form because many families use them in conjunction.)

In mid-August we will send all busing families the updated forms for permission to ride, the behavior agreement, and donation options; please be sure to complete the registration form so that you receive this important and time-sensitive information! 

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2019-20 Registration Process for Returning Students

All registration forms for returning students will be made available in mid-August. The registration process will largely entail reviewing and updating existing forms online. You'll receive an email in August when it's time to log into PowerSchool for annual registration.
2019-20 School Supply Lists Available

School supply lists are now available for 2019-2020. Click here to access the folder with supply lists by grade level; c lass/teacher assignments will be communicated to families later in August. Individual supplies can be brought by your student on the first day of school; shared classroom supplies can be brought to Back-to-School night, Aug. 22. 

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Do you have marketing doo-dads to donate?

Do you work for a business that has a marketing closet full of stuff that nobody wants?! We will take your stress balls, earbuds, computer mice, fancy pens and pencils, frisbees, and other fun stuff to use as student rewards for our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program at TCGIS! We also use $5 Target gift cards for our middle school students. Staff choose from $10 Target/Amazon/Caribou gift cards or a prime parking spot in our lot. [Food is never used as a reward per TCGIS school policy.]

You can drop off these items at the PBIS table during our Family Back to School Night on August 22. If you have any questions, please contact Michael White, PBIS Coach.  
TCGIS Cross-Country Registration is OPEN!

Here is  our 2019 Cross-Country Letter with all the details about our upcoming season.
Register  early to guarantee a spot on the team!  Registration  closes Thursday, Aug. 15th!

We are proud to offer something new this fall:  USATF Membership. All TCGIS cross-country runners will be registered USATF youth athletes. This allows them to register and compete at USATF events in Minnesota and nationwide for the rest of 2019. We will compete at a few of these meets as a team, as well. USATF membership in 2020 will be connected to TCGIS track registration.

New to the calendar: we are officially in a conference with Yinghua Academy and a few other private and charter schools, which will add a few smaller meets to our schedule. Additionally, our 7th and 8th graders will be competing at one of the largest meets in the nation: the  Milaca Mega Meet!

We look forward to seeing you at our pre-season practices starting  August 12th!

   
Summer Fun 
TCGIS Alumni Reunion Potluck: August 19

Please join us for the 4th Annual TCGIS Alumni Reunion Potluck Picnic!  

When:  Monday, August 19th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Where: The GAI Lawn at  301 Summit Avenue St Paul, MN 55102
Who: All former students and families, staff, and friends of TCGIS welcome. 
 
Please R.S.V.P. to the Evite here and check out the "What to Bring" list for the potluck; families bring their own plates, silverware and beverages. 
2019 Summer Art Challenge #2

Are you looking for something different to do?  Suffering from Minecraft malaise?  Is your Fortnite fizzling, your Pokemon Go going stale?  Check out  Frau Lenburg's Summer Art Challenge #2 for a chance to stretch your creative muscles!
Summer Office Hours

The Front Office will have limited hours during the summer:
  • August 1 - 9: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm 
  • August 12: regular hours return, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
If you'd like to make an appointment with an Administrator, please contact the office during the above times or email the Administrator directly. 

Have a wonderful rest of the summer!
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Wir wünschen allen noch einen schönen August!
PTO Updates
Summer Play Dates

Come to one or all - no need to RSVP - just show up! 
See  this list of all our parent-planned summer play dates. Email parent 
Becky Deimel for questions. 

Upcoming playdates:
  • August 13, 9:00-11:00 am, Mendakota Community Park
  • August 18, 3:00-5:00 pm, TCGIS playground
Stay up to date with the PTO on our Facebook page throughout summer!! 


PTO Kick-off Meeting: Sept. 5

Join us for the PTO kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 5th at 6:30pm at TCGIS!
Bring yourself or the whole family, because we'll have a meal and take a look at our calendar for the year and new happenings and opportunities. 
Save the Date: Sat., September 21st 
2nd Annual Twin Cities Oktoberfest Fun Run


This is a family-friendly event that's open to the public. Proceeds benefit the TCGIS PTO. Tickets coming soon. Follow updates here.

News from the GAI    
Summer Fun & Classes at the GAI

Saturdays, June 15-August 17 | 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Summer Saturdays are for coffee and German Kuchen baked and served by the GAI Damenklub. Join us 
on the porch and in the dining room for this sweet summer tradition. 
 
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FALL SESSIONWe offer classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. Both daytime and evening options are available.
 
Samstagsschule for kids & teens  
Samstagsschule (Saturday School) is a fun way for young kids through pre-teens to begin or continue learning German.
 
NOW OFFERING ADVANCED CLASSES FOR TCGIS ALUMNI: German for Teens c lasses are scheduled Saturday morning / afternoon beginning in September. 
Save the Date: St. Paul Oktoberfest

Mark your calendars for a fun weekend at the GAI's St. Paul Oktoberfest, Sept. 13 + 14 at Schmidt Brewery.