Elternbrief
Issue: 246                               
May 19, 2016 
In This Issue

Quick Links
TCGIS Online Calendar
 Volunteer at TCGIS!
Take a look at current volunteer opportunities! If you are not yet a volunteer, but are interested in becoming one - please fill out an application here. Vielen Dank!
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Administrative Information
Congrats, Grads!
 
Last Sunday our twenty-six 8th graders and their families & friends celebrated their graduation from TCGIS. It was a wonderful celebration with moving speeches and time to celebrate the accomplishments of our 8th graders.

According to tradition, two awards were presented to two 8th graders: Molly Wilson for the Marcy Zachmeier-Ruh Award for the Promotion of German Language and Culture, and to Annabelle Hendrickson for the Mary-Fred Bausman-Watkins Award for Academic Achievement and World Citizenship.
We wish our 8th graders all the best for their Capstone trip to Germany next week, and wish them good luck on their high school adventures next year! Click picture to enlarge.
Last Chance to Vote in the Board Election

Board elections will take place May 15-20. Ballots will be distributed at pick-up and drop-off starting Friday morning. If you do not participate in pick-up and drop-off, you can pick up your ballot in the main office. Unfortunately, we cannot provide ballots to students to bring home.

Ballots will be collected in the pick-up and drop-off lanes between May 16-20, and can be dropped off in the main office during business hours by Friday at 4:45, or mailed (postmarked by Friday).

The board is a nine-person oversight body, and we are electing three positions. Our four candidates are:
  • Dianne Bell (parent)
  • Kristin Helling (parent)
  • Kelly Laudon (parent)
  • Andrew Thompson (community member)

Please read their full biographies here. For more information about board elections, click here for the FAQ!

You're Invited!

Please join us in wishing Ann the best of luck in her new role in the Cayman Islands on Friday, May 20 from 3:30-5:30pm. TCGIS will be hosting a themed open house "Island Style" to offer her our best wishes on her new adventure. All are welcome to join us in congratulating Ann and thanking her for all she has done to support the success of TCGIS. No childcare will be provided. We are looking for donations from families as follows: KA & B - strawberries (washed and cut), KC - Cantaloupe (precut), 1 A & B - grapes, 1C - Pineapple (chunked), 2 A&B - bananas, 2C - pineapple (chunked), 3 - Kiwi - (shaved), 4A - mandarin oranges, 4B- melon (precut), 5 - chips (any variety), 6 - goldfish, 7 - yellow lemonade mix. There will be volunteers collection donations during drop off. All dry leftovers will be used at the end of year picnic.  
 
Pull out your lei's, grass skirts, or your tropical shirts to ease Ann's transition from Minnesota to the Cayman Islands! Interested in volunteering? Click  here  to sign up!

Get Ready to Celebrate

It's time to celebrate an awesome year! Our annual End of the Year Picnic is from 11:30am-1:30pm on Thursday, June 9. To accommodate the growing size of our school we have chosen to simplify the menu for this year's picnic. We invite families to join for a lunch of hotdogs, fruits/veggies, chips, and cold treat! A suggested donation of $2/non-student is encouraged.

We're looking for volunteers to help make this event a big success. Click here to sign-up for a volunteer spot.
Please contact Lauren Kalish with any questions.
Family Potluck at Como Fire Pits
Hosted by TCGIS SEAC

All are welcome! Please join the Special Education Advisory Committee Monday, May 23 from 5:30-7:00 pm by the Como Park Fire Pits for our final SEAC event of the year.
We will have a potluck dinner, and roast some s'mores for dessert. The Como Park Playground, swings and sand are all nearby for the kids to enjoy.  Please RSVP here.
Library Books Due May 26

This is the last week for book checkout from the library. All books will be due in the library on Thursday, May 26 (end of next week). Librarian Sarah Dye will be sending out notices to let families know which books are still outstanding. Please contact Sarah at sdye@tcgis.org with questions. Thank you!
Early Morning Recess on Wednesdays and Fridays

Our early morning recess has been a huge hit! This recess is from 7:30 - 8:10am and is a time for kids to get some energy out before the start of the day. At 8:10 the kids head up to their classroom for Morgenkreis. So far we offer this on Wednesdays and Fridays, but would love to have it on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays! Please sign up here if you're interested!
*Please note: There was a mistake in last week's Elternbrief. The early morning recess is on Wednesdays and Fridays. Thank you!

TCGIS Rubik's Cube Team

The TCGIS Rubik's Cube Team took 1st place in the Team 2x2 competition this weekend.  Congratulations to the 2x2 Team: Ben Schneider, Mitch Gale, Jackson Koempel, Chloe Wick and Anders Vevang!

TCGIS was well represented in the solo events as well. Congratulations to Mitch Gale for 3rd place in the 2x2 AND 3x3 Solo! A special thank you and congratulations to Ben Schneider for starting our club this year and finishing 2nd in the solo 2x2! TCGIS is the #1 Rubik's Cube Team in the Twin Cities! 
4th & 5th Grade Transition Meeting Presentation

Parents & children in the 4th grade were invited to an afternoon question & information session about the transition to Middle School. If you weren't able to attend the meeting, please click here for the information that was presented.
Busing Update

What a success our first year with busing has been! Next year, the bus services will continue and possibly expand. A confirmation about a 3rd bus and route cannot occur until after the school budget is approved at the June board meeting.
Summer Band Lessons

Interested in taking summer band lessons? Click here for more information.
Parents, What Does the Intern Program Mean to You?
 
Recently all parents received a note from school about upcoming changes and opportunities within the Intern Program. This valuable program requires support from all stakeholders to be robust and sustainable. Please participate in this 8-question survey about what the program means to you, its impact on your students and ideas on how the whole parent community can play a vital and supportive role. 
 
Please respond by May 25. All responses anonymous. Thank you!
Don't Let Your Box Tops Expire

Many Box Tops are set to expire on June 1. Please don't let them go to waste! More Box Tops means more cash for our school! Don't forget to ask friends and family for their Box Tops too!
Sommercamp Update
  
Already registered?
Confirmation emails have been sent to all families who have registered using the online form. Payment information will be sent out  in May.

Not registered, but interested?
Come join dedicated and talented TCGIS staff for learning through creative play in the German language. Week-long camps run July 11 - 29, 2016.  Morning only OR full-day available. Click   here   for all details.   Contact   Frau Ruggles   with questions!
 
Registrations accepted until the last day of school, June 9, 2016.
PTO   
PTO Announcement 

Please click here for an update from the PTO. 

GAI  
GAI Announcement

Save the Date! Deutsche Tage 2016 - June 11&12 
Are you ready for the best of the Germanic-American Institute? With two full days of authentic German food, beer, live music, and vendors, the excitement over Deutsche Tage 2016 is already buzzing around the GAI.  New activities this year include a community mural, an interactive art map, social media scavenger hunt, performance by new German community choir Liederkranz, and new cultural demonstrations on both days. Plus, enjoy our returning favorites, such as our Bicyclists' Biergarten, Viennese Kaffeehaus, authentic Maypole dancers, and classic Fiaker carriage rides. Visit the GAI website for more info: www.gai-mn.org