Elternbrief
Issue: 396             
January 9, 2020 
In This Issue

Quick Links
Buy TCGIS  Spiritwear from our 
TCGIS Online Calendar

Upcoming Events:
Like us on Facebook

Message from a Director
Frohes Neues Jahr! Happy New Year!

Welcome back to school! We hope you had a relaxing and fun winter break. This week's Videogruß is brought to you by Herr Mullins!

Videogruß vom Herrn Mullins 09. Januar 2020
Videogruß vom Herrn Mullins 09. Januar 2020
Fundraising for TCGIS
Are German children more self-reliant than ours? 
Come find out! 

January 29, 7:00-9:00 p.m., University of St. Thomas

Buy your $12 tickets to an evening with Sara Zaske,  author of Achtung Baby. 

Whether you read the book or not, it will be a thought-provoking evening that will shed light on German and American parenting and education methods. 

This community event is open to the public and a fundraiser for the TCGIS Annual FundIt is co-sponsored by TCGIS and the German Department at University of St. Thomas. 
Please spread the word to your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors! Our goal is to sell 300 tickets. 

Copies of Achtung Baby are available at TCGIS for a $20 donation to the TCGIS Annual Fund. Pick up or order your copy now.

 
School Board Announcements
Upcoming Committee Meetings

Governance Committee: Mon., Jan. 13, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Rm. 99
Communications & Diversity Outreach Committee: Tue., Jan. 14, 8:15-9:15am, Rm. 99
Workplace Culture and Innovative Education Committee: Rescheduled, TBD
Finance & Facilities Committee: Tuesday, January 21, 6:00 - 7:00pm, Rm. 99
Executive Committee: Thursday, January 23, 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Rm.  100
School Board Meeting: Thursday, January 30, 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Rm. 100

Nomination Committee
In preparation for the upcoming Board elections in the spring, TCGIS is required to form a Nominations Committee to consist of one Board director, one parent, and one staff member. To date we still need a staff and parent member. The time commitment is one in-person meeting and making a few phone calls or personal outreach. Please  contact Stephanie Forsland ( [email protected] ) if you are interested in serving the school in an impactful way!
School Information
Picture Re-take Day: Tuesday, January 14, 8:30-11:30 am

Who:  Any student who missed Picture Day or would like a retake photo*.
          8B Students will all need individual photos & a class photo taken.

Picture Day ID:  EVTWXTQWR

*If you purchased a photo package and would like for your student(s) to have their photo retaken, please send the original package with your student to return to Lifetouch during their retake. 

The 8B class will be having their individual and class photos taken since they were on a Capstone field trip on Oct. 3. The class photo will be promptly at 8:30am, so be sure you send your students to school on time!

We are in need of a parent volunteer for the morning! If you are free to help out from 8:30-11am, please email Nicole Sveen at  [email protected].

**Reminder** 
Students who have SPORT on Tuesday will be outside due to the SPORT room being used for photos. Please send outdoor clothing (hats, gloves, snow pants, snow boots, coats) for your child for SPORT that day!  
Parent Access to Grades and Comments Closed

Parent Portal access to student grades and comments will be closed from January 10th until January 22nd. This enables teachers time to post final grades and comments for fall semester. 
IMPORTANT: February Early-release Date CHANGE

February's early-release day has been changed  from Wednesday, Feb. 5  to  Thursday, Feburary 6. 

Due to the date of Minnesota's World Language Day at the Minnesota Zoo, February's early release day has been moved one day later.  Twin Cities German Immersion School participates in programing at the World Language Day at the Minnesota Zoo every year.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please mark your calendar and adjust your child's dismissal plan in Pikmykid. Thank you!
Busing Q & A with TCGIS and CSTMN

Please join TCGIS and CSTMN staff for a busing Q&A: 
January 22nd, 2019 at 6:30pm
Room 100 at TCGIS

CSTMN's Chief of Staff (Dillon LaHaye) and Directory of Charter Transportation (Cory Klabunde) will join us to communicate concerning our current busing contract. If you have any specific questions before please send them to  [email protected].

school-bus.jpg
Field Trip Chaperones and Background Check Forms

We are refining our background check procedure at TCGIS to better align with our school boad policy about volunteers on field trips and  in the classroom

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: 
  1. Fill out this Background Check Disclosure Form and read the
  2. 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 Nicole Sveen ([email protected]). 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 Nicole Sveen ([email protected]). In order to ensure we've received background checks from our provider before your next field trip, please submit your disclosure form by February 1. Thank you!
Construction Updates 

While we had our winter break and celebrations, the construction contractors made good progress on our new building. The foundations are poured and the backfill is mostly in place for now. We are ready for walls, and, at this time, the precast walls are scheduled for delivery by February 3. 

Here is the current construction timeline:   
  • Foundations and footing concrete work:  December 2019 - January 2020
  • Setting up walls and structural steel: January - February 2020
  • Roofing and exterior site work: March 2020
  • Interior construction work: March 2020 - July 2020
  • Final exterior site work (sidewalks, curbs, landscaping): April 2020-July 2020
  • Construction complete: August 2020
Andy Nesset 
Facilities and Grounds
Order a Yearbook Now and Save!

Y ou still have time to purchase a TCGIS  yearbook  for the lowest price this school year! 

For a limited time, buy your 
yearbook  for $17.50! Prices will increase at the end of January.

Go to  jostens.com  and search for Twin Cities German Immersion School. 
8th Grade Parents: a Yearbook Ad for your Grad

Celebrate your 2020 grad with a yearbook ad! Submissions are due by February 8, 2020.  Click here for more information.   
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. 
Thanks for your support!

Thanks to all of you (athletes, families, coaches and greater school community), we have reached our max capacity in the TCGIS track and cross-country program! All 45 uniforms are taken for this winter's indoor track season!

Running Club Cross-Country Outdoor Track Cross-Country Indoor Track
Spring 2018 Fall 2018 Spring 2019 Fall 2019 Winter
2019-2020
Total Athletes 15 27 31 39-40 45

Thanks for making this program a success!

TCGIS XC and T&F - Immer Sportlich
TCGIS XC and T&F - Immer Sportlich
Support TCGIS: Volunteer Opportunities
Next Week's Potluck Sign-ups: 5th grade and 7th Grade 

7th grade is hosting the final breakfast for our Fall Interns:  Monday, January 13 -  Sign-up here

5th grade is hosting the Staff Apprecation Luncheon on early-release Wednesday, January 15 -

Thank you in advance! 
Seeking Intern Host Families for 2020-21 School Year

As we get ready to bid our fall interns farewell next week, we hope you'll consider hosting an Intern  next  school year! 

We will need approx. 25 host families for the 2020-21 school year. We'll have about 12-15 interns each semester, 4-5 of whom will stay for the entire year. Here are some FAQs about hosting

If you are interested in learning more, or are ready to sign up, please fill out this short interest survey by February 1. Vielenk Dank! 


Donate Old Calendars to Art Class

Do you have any calendars from 2019 that you haven't gotten rid of yet? Frau Henry is looking for calendars that have LANDSCAPE photographs for an upcoming art project. Drop them off in the front office or in Room 301. 

contrasting-landscapes.jpg
Volunteer for the Scholastic Book Fair February 10 -13

Books
The Scholastic Book Fair will be February 10th-13th (Mon.-Thurs.); there is no school on that Friday. Volunteers help make this book fair possible! 

We need: 
  • 3-4 people to help set up the book fair on Friday, Feb. 7th 3:30-4:30.
  • An adult volunteer to supervise the middle schoolers each afternoon, Feb. 10-13th 3:30-5:30
  • 3-4 people to help pack up the book fair at 5:30 on Thursday, Feb. 13th.
Sign up to volunteer  here. Thank you! 
Wanted: Judges for our school History Day Competition

When: February 27th, 8:15 to 3:15
Full-day, 
morning and afternoon shifts available

Judging is a fantastic way to connect with students, support your community, and learn about history. Be a part of TCGIS students' successes as they learn and grow through History Day!

Contact Catie Jacobs ([email protected]) if interested or for more information. 
PTO Updates                                           
January Staff Appreciation & Intern Breakfast Sign-ups

Monday, Jan. 13th: 7th grade hosts the Intern breakfast. Sign-up here

Wednesday, Jan. 15th: 5th grade hosts early-release staff potluck.  Sign-up here
Save the Dates:

Thursday, Feb. 7th  PTO Meeting 6:30pm at TCGIS (meal + guest speaker TBD)!

Saturday, March 21st  - Maskenball at St. Paul Athletic Club (get your babysitters lined up! This will be a fun night!)
Local German Cultural Events
Urban Expeditions: Spotlight on Germany this Saturday

Landmark Center's popular Urban Expedition program, provides families with an opportunity to learn about the world right here in Saint Paul's backyard. In its 14 season, five individual programs will provided authentic cultural experiences that included music, dance, crafts and traditions from different destination countries. 

Saturday, January 11: 1:00-3:00 p.m. 
Kinder Karneval: Sunday, January 12 at the GAI