Elternbrief
Issue: 331                          
June 7, 2018 
In This Issue

Join us for lunch at the End of the Year Picnic!

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Administrative Information
MN United at the Picnic!!

Have you heard the news?! A Minnesota United player will be at our End of the Year Picnic! This is an awesome opportunity to get your jerseys or scarves signed, so be sure to bring your gear! 

The picnic is on Tuesday, June 12, at the Como Park Pavilions from 11:30-1:30. 

Safety Reminders for the Picnic
  • Don't forget to check your kids out: If you are planning to leave with your child/ren right from the picnic please check out with either their homeroom teacher (applicable to K-4 only) OR with the front office staff. They will be set up at tables along the perimeter of the picnic.
  • Early dismissal: If you do not join us for the picnic, dismissal is from 2:15pm-2:30pm. If your student is riding the bus, be sure to check the adjusted schedule here. 
  • Medication and yearbook pick up: Be sure to grab any medication from Jennifer Lehnen and Louise Brask. If you ordered a yearbook you will also be able to pick it up at that time.
Family Challenge to Close the Fundraising Gap!

Thanks to your donations we're only $20,000 from our $100,000 fundraising goal which will help us fund teachers & staff professional development! We're challenging TCGIS families to ask THREE friends and family members to donate to TCGIS so they too can sport a cool TCGIS car magnet!! Simply point them to our  TCGIS Online Square Store. You can pick up magnets on behalf of your friends and family at the end of year picnic. Donation can also be made AT THE PICNIC for magnets, while they last.  Make sure you have a magnet for each vehicle in your household!! 





Does Your Employer Match Charitable Giving?
Help TCGIS close its fundraising gap quicker! See if your employer matches charitable donations. It's an easy way to turn a $100 donation into $200! Check to see if your employer offers a matching program here.
School Supplies 2018-19 - No Bulk Order!

Lengthy discussions throughout the year have made it clear that our office staff does not have the capacity to manage all of the materials centrally and that the importance of this to teachers was at best, mixed. With that in mind, please expect to check your child's grade level supply list and take it you your favorite school supply store...


Send any questions you may have to the Front Office at   [email protected]
Facility Committee Update

This week a small group of neighbors, parents, teachers and board members met in a neighbor's home to share dinner and engage in casual dialogue about TCGIS's building plans. Other casual, small group meetings are being planned to continue the constructive, thoughtful dialogue. If you are interested in participating or hosting a meeting or dinner, please contact Chris Weimholt ( [email protected] ).
 
As many people are aware, the facilities committee is actively investigating a newly identified option for addressing our current needs. While the specific details remain confidential due to school policy and possible negotiations, we expect reports and information regarding expense models, site possibilities and constraints, etc very soon.  Our goal is to complete due diligence by late June. We will provide updates as soon as they are reliable. In the meantime, we ask people to refrain from open speculation to prevent any negative impact on possible negotiations. Please direct any questions from the media or other interested people to [email protected]

Upcoming facility committee meeting:  June 12th, 2018 6:00 PM,  Room 99

Agenda:
  • Updates on safer routes to school
  • Feedback from brainstorming session with neighbors and parents

The facility committee typically meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month in room 99 at 6:00 PM.  The meetings are open to the public.

TCGIS Track Team

The TCGIS Track Team competed at the Twin Cities in Motion Kids' Races in late May. All of our runners did an excellent job, earning PRs (personal records) in their respective races. In response to our participation, Twin Cities in Motion sent us a gift card of $250 to Dick's Sporting Goods for the use in our school's fitness programs. Congrats to all the runners! And please, come cheer on our runners and their friends at the TCGIS Picnic at 11:30 AM in their last race of the season!
Thank You to our Picnic Sponsors

We would like to thank our picnic sponsors: TCGIS PTO, Audi St. Paul, Larry Mohr, President of the German American Chamber of Commerce, MN Chapter, and Dr. Stefanie Bauer, Life Ripples. 

Thank you for your support! 
Yearbooks and Spiritwear Available Now!

The 2017-2018 yearbooks are here! Head over to our Square store to buy your yearbook today! Students or parents can pick up their yearbooks in the office, or at the End of the Year picnic.

ADDITIONALLY: If you placed an order for Spiritwear we have your items!! Please swing by the front office to pick up your order!
Lots of Donations for Syrian Refugees in Germany!

The 8th graders are currently on their Capstone trip to Germany. As in the last 2 years, with the students came a check to Germany with donations for the many Syrian refugees currently living there and being supported among others by our exchange school in Borghorst (Realschule Borghorst). 

The donations were collected by our Service Learning group through bake sales ($225.52) and also through students of the 5th & 6th grade who hosted the Entrepreneurs Day 2016 and 2017 ($363.05) and decided to donate their money to the Syrian refugees.

Together the students raised  $588.57 which was handed over to the Syrian Refugee Organization on June 4, 2018.  Service Learning would like to thank all parents, teachers and students who donated and took part in these fundraisers. Thank you!
Summer Playdates - Let's Get Together this Summer!

Join other TCGIS families for some playtime with friends at a variety of local parks. There will be two meetings per month for the whole summer.  Come to one or all- no RSVP needed!

Mark your calendars:
  • June 15 9:30am-11:30am Tamarak Nature center - 5287 Otter Lake Rd., White Bear Township. (Has water features for play)
  • June 24 5:30pm-7:30pm Mattocks Park - 450 S Davern St., St. Paul
  • July 13 6pm-8pm Brackett Park - 2728 S. 39th Ave., Mpls. (Has a splash pad)
  • July 30 9am-11am Hyland Play Area (Chutes and Ladders) - 10145 Bush Lake Rd, Bloomington
  • August 17 6pm-8pm TCGIS playground - 1031 Como Ave, St Paul
  • August 22 9am-11am Mendakota Community Park - 2171 Dodd Rd, Mendota Heights
*Siblings are always welcome!
Contact Becky Deimel with any questions at [email protected]
Mom of Wyatt (4th) and Bennett (2 nd )
Band Information for Summer

Band information, including summer lessons, and what to do if you have a current 4-7th grader interested in band. Click here to check out Krista Johnson's website!
Free Meals Over the Summer

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides nutritious meals and healthy activities for children during the summer months when school-year nutrition and exercise programs are unavailable. In Minnesota, more than 100 sponsors operate more than 475 SFSP sites, serving 1.7 million meals per year.

Looking for a meal site? Use these resources to find an SFSP site near you:
  • Download the Summer Eats Minnesota app to your phone or device.
  • Call the 2-1-1 Hotline or from cell phones - Twin Cities Metro Area: 651-291-0211, Greater Minnesota: 800-543-7709, TTY: 651-291-8440.
  • Call the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-Hungry or 1-877-8-HAMBRE, available from Monday to Friday9 a.m.-9 p.m., Central Time.
  • Text "Summer Meals" to 97779. Spanish speakers, text "Verano" to 97779.
Scholarships Available for Waldsee German Immersion Summer Camp

There is still time to apply for scholarships to attend Waldsee, the German immersion summer camp through the Concordia Language Villages! Click here to read about eligibility and other details. If you have any questions about the camp, feel free to reach out to Lauren Kalish at [email protected]

Looking to get a discount in sending their students up to Waldsee, or any of the Language Villlages? Concordia Language Villages is looking for people to work transportation in the Twin Cities this summer. After working 80 hours over the course of the summer you will earn a 10% discount for a future camper. Click here to look at the job posting! If you have any questions, email Eric Gandrud at [email protected].
PTO Announcements
PTO Budget for 2018-19
The budget is finalized!  Check it out  here

Winner of the Airline Gift Card
PTO randomly selected a current teacher to win a $1,200 airline gift card.  The winner is Herr Tabisz!

Fall Fun Run
Save the date.  Sept 30, 2018 will be the first Octoberfest themed family fun run around Como Lake. 
GAI Announcements
Summer German Language Camps start June 18 - Camps are filling up! Reserve your spot now!
Topics include Geography, Science, Arts & Crafts, Mysteries & Magic, Writing, Baking & Cooking, and more. Teachers and children will speak, hear, sing and create in German. 

Mark your calendars - Deutsche Tage 2018 Saturday, June 9 and Sunday June 10  Deutsche Tage
Celebrating 60 years! Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow ...   A great way to participate at the event is to  VOLUNTEER