Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community, 

As we continue to navigate the impact of immigration enforcement in our community, I want to share several updates with you. 

I remain in close connection with other metro charters and traditional public districts and our team is continually monitoring for any important shifts. At this time, we have had no federal agents on our property and have not received news of enforcement activity directed at TCGIS. However, out of an abundance of caution we have made a few changes. 

Festival of Cultures

The committee has decided, with feedback from the families that would table, to cancel this year’s festival. We regret having to make this decision. See you next year!

Drop off and Pick Up

Our admin team has split the duty of arrival and dismissal and will be an outside presence until further notice. Our admin team is up to date on our protocol should we have Immigration Enforcements on our doorstep. If your family needs an accommodation for this, please contact info@tcgis.org. 

Distance Learning and Attendance

As a reminder, TCGIS is its own district and not part of St. Paul Public Schools. At this time, we are not planning to move to a distance learning model. Families who have safety concerns may keep their children home and report the absence to the front office. These absences will be excused. We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you all informed of any changes. 

During this challenging time, I have been struck by the compassion and empathy and desire of our staff, students and families to help, though not surprised. This community is amazing and I’m always proud and happy to be part of it.  

Thank you for your continued trust and support. 

In solidarity, 

Elizabeth Zehnpfennig

Reminder: Early Release Day - Tomorrow, Jan 16th

This is a reminder that there is an Early Release Day on Friday, January 16th. Students will be dismissed at 12:45pm.

There is also No School on Monday, January 19th.

The front office will be closed at 1:30pm for a staff retreat. You can reach us via email at info@tcgis.org.

Festival of Cultures - Canceled 

We have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Festival of Cultures. This decision was made out of an abundance of caution, with the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families as our top priority. While we understand this event is meaningful to our school community and celebrates the rich diversity of our families, we believe this is the most responsible choice at this time. We appreciate your understanding and support, and we look forward to finding future opportunities to come together as a community in a safe and positive way. 

Urgent: Names in the Yearbook

Our Yearbook Team is working on the portrait pages of our yearbook. If you would like to have a different name printed than your child’s birth name or don’t want your child’s photo in the yearbook, then please fill out this form by tomorrow, Jan 16.

• Haven’t ordered a yearbook yet? Order one here!
• Want to get a grad ad for your 8th-grade student? Create one here!

Kinderclub February Booking and Seeking Donations

• Registration for February Kinderclub bookings (via Regpack) will be open January 10th–17th.

• Are your kids done with a fun game or Legos that still has lots to give? Bring them to the Kinderclub team! We are always looking for fun games to explore and giving a new home to those left over art supplies that still has potential to be used.

5/6 Volleyball Coach Wanted

We are looking for volleyball coaches for our spring season (February - May) for our 5th/6th grade and our 7th/8th grade teams. For more information, check out our website and our Athletics Handbook. We will begin reviewing candidates immediately after winter break. With questions, email Athletic Director Tabisz.

Please Be Mindful of Handicapped Parking Spot

Please be mindful of not parking in the handicapped spot in the TCGIS parking lot if you do not need it (or blocking the spot accidentally). We have members of our school community who do need to use the accessible parking. If you are legitimately using the handicapped parking, please be sure to have a placard visible in your vehicle.

Do You Know Someone Looking For a Great School?

TCGIS is hosting a Prospective Family Openhaus on January 28th and is now accepting RSVPs! If you know someone looking for a great school, please pass along this invite.

Parent Council Coffee

Last year, the Parent Council revised our charter to focus on community - building a strong connection between parents and care-takers while being a resource to all families and members of the TCGIS community. If you need the support of other parents in these challenging times, you can reach out at parent-council@tcgis.org. 

Our January coffee meetup will be at Karol Coffee right after drop-off on January 26th. Join us to get to know other parents from TCGIS and help build our supportive community.

Join Us for a Movie!

Join us for a FREE movie and pizza night at TCGIS. Our amazing kids are going through a LOT right now, just like we are. Let's give them an evening with friends and family at TCGIS as a reminder that even in tough times, we are a community and we band together.

• Friday January 26 at 6pm
• Sign up here so we know how much pizza to bring!

We are recruiting from our community for our very own PTO. Email us if you are looking for a massively appreciated way to help your school's community.

Cozy up for a Good Cause!

Support our PTO and snag an amazing last minute gift for your TCGIS student. Order an amazing TCGIS Loons fleece blanket and you'll give the gift of warm snuggles! 

Our PTO earns 50% of the amount raised, and that supports our teaching team at TCGIS by helping us to pay for pizza at conferences, coffee in the teachers' lounge all year long, and to bring treats during teacher appreciation week. Order yours today!

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!

TCGIS History Day Judges Needed!

Frau Schlee and Frau Braunmiller are in need of judges for TCGIS History Day 2026! The school contest will be held during the school day on Thursday, February 12. Judges will be needed the entire school day from 7:45am to around 3:15 pm. Breaks and snacks will be provided, but judges will be responsible for providing their own lunch. You do not need to be a Middle School parent, or have experience with history or History Day to be a judge! Everyone is welcome. Training materials and one virtual training session will be provided ahead of the contest. A background check is also required.

For any 6th-8th grade families worried about a conflict of interest; it will be arranged so you are not judging your own child. If you would like to be a judge, please email Frau Schlee. We need at least 16 judges this year, so thank you for considering this awesome opportunity to support our students!

Upcoming School Board & Committee Meetings

• Governance Committee moved to: Tue Jan 20, 2026 4.30-6pm Meets
• Board Meeting: Thur, Jan 22nd, 6:30-9:30pm in Room 100 or Zoom
• Finance Committee Meeting: Tue, Feb 3, 2026 6.30-8pm Meets
• Fundraising Committee Meeting: Tue, Feb 10, 2026 6.30-7.30pm Meets

German Robot Invasion!

Dunwoody College of Technology is hosting the 16th annual Autonomous Snowplow Competition, and we have our first team from Germany scheduled to compete, coming from the University of Stuttgart. You can come and cheer them on and see lots of cool robots in action! The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please check out our website

Dates:

• Fri 1/16 (Evening) - Poster Presentations and Welcome
• Sat 1/17 (All-day) - Main Competition Events, and Awards Ceremony

Location:

Dunwoody College of Technology

818 Dunwoody Boulevard

Minneapolis, MN 55403

MN Timberwolves + TCGIS

We’re excited to share a special ticket offer exclusively for the German Immersion School community. Watch Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves take on some of the top teams in the NBA with this discounted ticket opportunity.

How to Purchase Tickets:

Visit this site and enter promo Code: 25TCGIS26

With questions contact: MN Timberwolves, Jacob McGeorge (email and phone)

GAI Café

January 18 | 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Whether you come for the cake, the presentation, or simply to catch up with friends, we can’t wait to see you at the GAI Café!

This January, join Rev. John Matthews as we honor the remarkable life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This presentation will highlight Bonhoeffer’s formative year (1930–31) at Union Theological Seminary and his transformative experiences in Harlem, exploring how these encounters shaped his theological understanding of justice and his later resistance to Nazi racism. Pastor Matthews will also have books available for purchase at the event. Register here!

German Storytime

January 18 | 10:30-11:15 a.m. 

Join us for Storytime in German, now part of the monthly GAI Café! Parents of babies, toddlers, and young children can enjoy cake and coffee while meeting other families raising bilingual children. Bring your little ones for a fun and interactive storytime auf Deutsch! Together, we’ll explore German through lively stories and playful songs that spark imagination, build language skills, and celebrate culture. Free, registration required.

Jan 16 - Early Release Day

Jan 19 - No School



TCGIS Google Calendar