Elternbrief
Issue: 328                          
May 17, 2018 
In This Issue

Quick Links
TCGIS Online Calendar

Upcoming Events
Like us on Facebook

Administrative Information
ReminderOrder Window for Lunches/Milk, Bus, Kinderclub and Sommercamp Closes Monday, May 21!

Don't forget to place your order for the last few days of school in June! Please log on to our online store website Boonli starting Friday, 5/11, to place your child(ren)'s Bus, Kinderclub, Sommercamp and School Lunch/Milk order for JuneAll orders must be submitted by midnight on Monday, 05/21.
Action Required: Annual Student Registration Paperwork for 2018-19

At this time, we would like to ask all returning families to complete the required annual student registration  no later than  Friday, May 25th New this year: No more paper forms to fill out! We've implemented a new application called E-Collect , which is integrated with PowerSchool. This will allow you to complete all necessary registration documents online via your Parent Portal account. Please click here for more information.
Last Morgenkreis & Kaffeeklatsch of the Year

Save the Date!!  Thursday, May 24th, is the final Morgenkreis and Kaffeeklatsch of the school year! We'd like to extend a special invitation to "Oma and Opa" (Grandma and Grandpa) to come observe their grandchildren during Morgenkreis ( 8:15 - 8:35) and see German immersion instruction in action! (Your children should have brought home a special invitation for "Oma and Opa' in their backpacks this week!). Following Morgenkreis, parents and grandparents are invited to come mingle with other families at Kaffeeklatsch, where coffee and baked goods will be available. If you don't have an Oma and Opa nearby or able to attend, feel free to invite a special Auntie or Uncle to come!
Hotdog
Join Us for the Picnic - Buy Tickets Today!

We are gearing up for our End of the Year Picnic on Tuesday, June 12! This will be held at the Como Park Pavilions and will be from 11:30am-1:30pm. We invite all parents and non-student siblings to attend! If you plan on eating lunch with us, please be sure to
buy tickets here. If you'd like to read more about what's new at the picnic this year, please click here!
 
To help make this event a success, we need help from parent volunteers. Please  click here  to see what volunteer opportunities are available and to sign up today! Please email Lauren Kalish at  [email protected]  if you have any questions.
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 On Sale Now!

Head over to our Square store to buy your yearbook today! They will arrive at the school during the last week of May. Students or parents can pick up their yearbooks in the office, or at the End of the Year picnic. Buy yours today!

Congrats to Ariana Forsland (5c) for her artwork on the cover this year!
Service Learning Group Trip to Animal Shelter

In March, the Service Learning group organized a fund drive and made blankets and dogtoys for our local animal shelter (located just past Como Pool and the Como Park soccer fields).  The group just finished organizing and labeling all of the profits, with a grand total of around $36.00 in cash donations, five hand-knotted patchwork blankets and around eighty braided dog toys.  On May 4th, 2018 the group walked down to the shelter to drop off the profits personally. Next year, they plan on doing it again.
TCGIS Board Elections

Vote for THREE board members this year to serve three year terms . You may pick up and drop off your ballot packet before and after school in the carpool lines or in the TCGIS office May 14-18.   Read the board candidates bios here.  Watch the candidate forum from May 8.

If your child rides the bus, please feel free to  print your ballot and signature card. You will need to provide one smaller envelope (for your ballot) and one larger envelope (for the smaller SEALED envelope and signature card). We ask you do not send ballots to school with your child.
You may mail your ballot to TCGIS. Put both envelopes into a third, larger envelop for your vote to remain anonymous. Only 1 ballot per envelope.

For voting eligibility, procedures, and instructions, please visit Board Elections FAQ 2018.
All ballots must be dropped off (or postmarked) by 4:45 pm on Friday, May 18.
Only TWO More Weeks to Sign Up for Sommercamp!

TCGIS Sommercamp runs from July 16 - August 3 for incoming 3rd - 8th grades. Camps are filling up, so sign your child up today for a fun, week-long day camp with one of the following themes: 

- The Mystery Box
- What's so Great about Bees?

- Harry Potter Adventures 
- German Cinema

- Rock, Paper, Scissors
- Under the Circus Tent 

Campers speak German all day and receive a T-shirt with the Sommercamp logo.  Click here  for more information.   

Registration window closes on May 31. 
Early Morning Recess Volunteers Needed!

It's finally time! Early morning recess will start up in May pending enough parent volunteers. Please click here to read more information and sign up today!
GEMs Summer Camp -  Limited Space Available
 


Missy Morrissey (Middle School), Kim Kulhanek and Stephanie Mekacher (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 13th-17th.

Who: All students entering grades 1-6
What: GEMs Summer Math camp
Where: University of Minnesota, Vincent Hall
When:  August 13th-17th, 2018, from  9am-12pm.
Cost: $150 (daily snack provided)
Registration Deadline: June 12th, 2018
Returning Families: The curriculum will be different than last year's camp if you are interested in attending again! 


Contact Missy Morrissey at  [email protected] if you have any questions.
Understanding Dyslexia
May 21 6:30-8:30pm at TCGIS

Did you know as many as 1 in 5 students has a form of dyslexia?  In this session at TCGIS, John Alexander, MEd, Groves Academy Executive Director, will discuss what the latest research reveals about dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. He will define dyslexia and examine key variables for instruction including the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of intervention. Please RSVP to this event and let us know if you will need childcare. 
Mark Seeley at TCGIS! 

This week Mark Seeley from MPR visited TCGIS! He gave a presentation about weather and climate to some of the 5th grade science classes. He reported back that he was very impressed with the questions that our kiddos asked!
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].
Faculty Focus
For this week and each week until the end of this school year Herr Mullins will introduce our school community to a new faculty member we have at TCGIS this academic year. We have talented colleagues who have diverse experiences in their lives that assist them each and every day in serving the needs of your sons and daughters. Herr Mullins hopes you find this column inspiring as you read about our TCGIS Educators!

This week: Rachael Schlee from the Middle School Team.
PTO Announcements
Last PTO Meeting
Join us at the GAI  June 5th at 6:45 for the final PTO meeting of the year.  We will finalize and vote for the 2018-19 PTO budget.  Where do you want the money spent?

What does the PTO do & why do we need every parent's help?
Check out the  May PTO newsletter to learn more.  We are still looking for parents to help coordinate events for next year. 
GAI Announcements
FamilienKino - Join us Saturday, May 19 at 9:00am
  • Bilderbuchkino (picture book movie) for young children up to 8 yrsImages are projected while a book is read to the children; with activity break
  • Spielfilm (feature film) for older kids & teens - Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer ('The Flying Classroom' 2002) Updated film based on the classic story by Erich Kästner - Deutsch with English subtitles
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.