Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community, 

Spring is a time of change and growth. The leaves are at the very beginnings of budding, the flowers are beginning to poke through and the days are getting longer. Our students are also showing incredible growth - both academically and physically.  

April is the month that we begin to get ready for the next steps. The next few weeks contain many of these milestones. Our 4th graders and their families will join us for Welcome to Middle School night on Wednesday, April 23rd. 4th Grade Sport Sampler is occurring on the same day! Our 8th graders are invited to Central to their New Student Registration Night at Central on Thursday, April 24th. We will host Central counselors here the following week to assist in the actual registration process. These are big transitions and the more we can talk through them, the better students will adjust. 

TCGIS Board and Administration are also looking forward to the next 3-5 years and are beginning the work of the next Strategic Plan. Our first listening session is on May 7th and more information will be coming soon!  

Elizabeth Zehnpfennig, Executive Director

TCGIS Used Book Sale is TODAY!

TCGIS is hosting a used book sale on April 17 from 3–5 P.M. in the school atrium. Open to the public, the sale features German and English books of all levels. All items are donation-based (cash or card accepted), with proceeds benefiting the TCGIS library.

Coming to the book sale? Enter through the main door!

Wear it Proud Day is Tomorrow!

April is Neurodiversity Awareness month! Within the next two weeks, classes will focus on learning what Neurodiversity is and we have different focus areas for different grade levels.

On Friday, April 18th will be Wear It Proud Day: A day where students and staff wear the colors of neurodiversity (often represented by rainbow-colored infinity symbols). This can help foster a sense of unity and visibility. 

Summer Camp Registration is Closing on May 1st!

Have you registered your student for summer camps yet? Don't let them miss the fun this summer and register now! Registration is closing on May 1st.

Tell Grandparents and Loved Ones to Save the Date!

TCGIS grandparents, families and loved ones are invited to TCGIS for their very own Kaffeeklatsch in the morning of Friday, May 2nd! We will be hosting Omas and Opas for coffee, treats, Morgenkreis, tours of our school, and an MS assembly. Keep an eye out for postcards coming home that can be colored in and sent to loved ones! RSVP here!

This event is dedicated to our amazing grandparents and loved ones, but all others are invited to volunteer to help this event run smoothly!

Strategic Plan Listening Session: Wed., May 7, 2025 

This spring, the TCGIS Board of Directors and school leaders will begin work on TCGIS’s next 5-year strategic plan. We want to include as many voices as possible in this planning process, so please mark your calendar and join us on Wednesday, May 7 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in Room 100 at TCGIS for a listening session led by the Minnesota Association of School Boards. RSVP HERE. Can’t make it? Don’t worry! Surveys will be shared with all families later this spring. Keep an eye out for additional information later this month!  

Support TCGIS and Join the Craze!

Did you know TCGIS interns provide more than 8,500 hours of classroom instruction to our students each year? Fundraising makes this program possible! You can support the unique needs of our German immersion school by joining our Raise Craze spring campaign; register today! Simply invite your friends and family to support our school and students will pay it forward by sharing acts of kindness with our community (and have the chance to win fun incentives for their participation)! 

Food Service Survey SY24/25

We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback with this survey on how we can improve your meal experience at school. We will be sharing your feedback with our caterer Done Right Foods so they can take this into consideration when they prepare for SY 25/26 over the summer. Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Alex Weeding.

MCA Season is Underway

The MCAs (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) are administered state-wide each spring in grades 3-12. Assessments begin in March and go through the beginning of May. You can learn more about MCAs by reading this information from the Minnesota Department of Education. To learn more about MCAs at TCGIS click here.

Parent Council Update April 2025

The TCGIS Parent Council is an all-volunteer, elected organization that facilitates communication between families and TCGIS staff, teachers, and administration. Parents and care-givers can contact your class representative directly, or email us if you have questions or items you would like the Parent Council to address. Here is a link to the contact information and current openings for Parent Council, as well as an overview of the most recent meeting.

Host an Intern and Support TCGIS!

We’re excited to welcome nine amazing interns from mid-August to mid-January and are looking for five more host families to join our community. These interns support all K-8 classrooms at TCGIS, and hosting is essential to keeping this program going. Four families have already signed up—will you be one of the next? If you're interested in hosting this fall or in the future, please fill out the host family application or contact Claudia Müller with any questions.

Join the Board!

It’s that time of the year when the board is looking for candidates to serve for the next 3 years as TCGIS Board members! We are seeking 3 candidates to join us, beginning this June. Additionally, the The TCGIS Board is accepting applications or nominations for an appointment of a new parent, teacher or community member to serve the remainder of SY24-25 through SY26-27. Feel free to nominate yourself or someone else! Click HERE for more information or feel free to reach out to Emily Albers with questions!

Staff Appreciation Week is coming up May 5th-9th and we have some really great things planned. We'd love to get some fun baskets put together and staff will be able to enter a drawing for whichever baskets they would like. This is where we need your help! Please check out our Amazon wish list and if you want to or can, buy an item or a few that we can put in the baskets. Have it sent to the school, ATTN: PTO

Or if you would rather just make a monetary donation, you can do that here.

Our last Bingo & Pizza meeting of the year is coming on Saturday May 3rd. Join us for a quick conversation about our year, what we want to do next year, and pizza, bingo, and prizes! RSVP here so we know how much pizza to bring!

Note: If you don't see the calendar at the end of your Rundbrief, the message has been clipped and you must click "View entire message" to read the entire Rundbrief. Danke!

Help Out at the Grandparents Day Kaffeeklatsch!

Not a TCGIS Grandparent but want to join in on the fun? We need all hands on deck to be way-finders in the hallways to help folks find their classrooms, volunteers to work elevators, and more! Click here to sign up!

Help us plan TCGIS' 20th Anniversary Celebration!

This fall, TCGIS will proudly celebrate its 20th anniversary, and we’re planning a special celebration for the entire community! If you’re interested in joining the planning task force in any capacity, we’d love to have you. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to TCGIS, all commitment levels and experience are welcome. Fill out this form to get involved!

Upcoming School Board & Committee Meetings

• Mission Alignment Committee Meeting: Mon., April 21 at 7:30 p.m. Online
• TCGIS Board Meeting: Thurs., April 24 at 6:30 p.m. in TCGIS Room 100
• Strategic Planning Listening Session for TCGIS Parents, Guardians and Community: Wed., May 7 at 6:30 p.m. in TCGIS Room 100

German Language Summer Camp - 20% off this week only!

20% OFF this Week Only! Join us at Summer Camp for a week of fun, adventure, and German language immersion at the GAI! Campers will explore art, cooking, games, science, nature, and more—while learning German! 

• Ages 5-13
• Beginners to Bilingual Welcome
• Fun Activities & Experienced Staff
• Dates: July 7-August 8
• Location: GAI Haus

Sign up now and get 20% OFF through Sunday, April 13 at 5pm!

April 17 - Used Book Sale

April 18 - 6-8th Grade Family Coffee with the Principal

April 18 - Wear it Proud Day

May 2 - TCGIS Grandparents & Loved ones Kaffeeklatsch



TCGIS Google Calendar