ISSUE 574/March 28, 2024

Message from the Principal

Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community,

Today is an important day for TCGIS. Our teachers engaged in professional development around the topics of handwriting lessons, German curriculum, data organization and management. They met in the TCGIS mission-driven task forces for the Whole Child, Innovative Education and German Immersion. After a day of development, time in professional learning communities and in teams, the teachers will turn their work to conferences. Conferences is a great time to connect teachers to families and students. Thanks for partnering with us on your child’s education journey.

Gemeinsam sind wir stark! Together we are stronger.

Elizabeth Zehnpfennig, Principal

School News & Updates

Reminder: NO SCHOOL Tomorrow

This is a reminder that there is no school tomorrow, March 29th, for conferences.

Parent/Guardian - Teacher Conferences Tonight and Tomorrow!

Conference Dates:

Thursday, March 28, 4-7:30pm
Friday, March 29: 8:00am-3:30pm

Please click here for more information about the conferences.

Check the Lost & Found during Conferences!

When you are at TCGIS for conferences, please consider checking out the Lost & Found. It is full of winter wear, lunch boxes, and water bottles.

Capstone 2024 Pre-Depature Meeting Tonight: 7:30 pm, Cafeteria

The Class of 2024 Capstone group of parents and students will have their pre-departure meeting this evening, Thursday, March 28 from 7:30pm to 8:30 pm, in the cafeteria. Please bring your signed and notarized documents in their envelope to turn in. See you this evening!

March Board Meeting Recap

The TCGIS Board of Directors met last Thursday and recognized 23 students advancing to state in History Day and recognized volunteer organizers of recent community events. See the recognition slides here.

The board heard a presentation from the Special Education department and updates from the Executive Director on the budget process. The board approved the charter for the Playground Task Force and approved updates to policy 304 regarding the review of the Executive Director. The board also approved the Q3 report to our authorizer. We invite you to review the board packet, attend meetings, or watch the meeting recordings to stay informed on the work of the TCGIS board.

The Scholastic Book Fair is NEXT WEEK!

Save the date for the book fair April 1st-5th from 3:30 to 5 pm in Room 97.

Tornado/Severe Weather Drill Thursday, April 2nd

We will be conducting a tornado/severe weather drill on Thursday, April 2nd. This drill is to prepare everyone in the building in case of a tornado or other severe weather. The drill involves everyone moving into hallways and away from windows to be in as safe a place as possible should this weather occur.

E-Learning Lessons and Choice Boards

If we should need to use an e-learning day for inclement weather, you can find your child's lesson plans or choice boards for K-6 on our website under E-Learning Plan. 7th -8th graders lessons will be on Google Classroom on those days.

Busing Survey Results

The survey which gathered information about a possible schedule change to the start and end times for the school has been completed. Approximately 45% of survey respondents reported approval of a potential change to the school schedule, and 55% of respondents reported that the change would present a hardship on their family. As a result of this survey response, TCGIS will NOT be moving forward with a change in the school schedule at this time. Rather, the school will look at other alternatives for reducing transportation costs. Thank you for your input on this topic. Your feedback is extremely important to TCGIS and our decision making process.

Kinderclub Refund Update

Refunds for the March 25th snow day will be processed next week and are automatically credited to your Regpack account. Thank you!

Updated Attendance Policy

Updates to TCGIS’s Attendance Policy (503) were approved at the February school board meeting. Please be sure to review sections 4.1 and 4.2 for additional clarity on which reasons for absence are considered excused or unexcused and new information about half-day absences in elementary school. The policy remains in agreement with the attendance procedures outlined in the Family Handbook. If you have any questions, please email info@tcgis.org.

Re-Enrollment Survey for All Current TCGIS Families

Help us prepare for the 2024-25 school year by completing our re-enrollment survey! Please click here to fill out the survey by April 5th. If you have more than one student at TCGIS, please submit the form individually for each child in your family who is currently in grades K-7.

Filling out this form is not required in order to attend TCGIS next year but it is extremely helpful for the school. We gather information about returning and withdrawing students to plan our class compositions for the next year. We appreciate your participation; thank you in advance!

Intern Hosting Info-Night: Tue. April 2, 7:00pm

Curious about hosting an intern next school year - or in the future? Join Intern Program Director Katharina Schirg for a virtual Info-Night and learn more about supporting our robust and valuable Intern Program as a host family! Katharina begins matching host families with fall interns in May - so now is the time to learn more!

Tuesday, April 2nd, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Google Meet Link (also in the Google calendar )

All interested families should fill out this brief interest and r.s.v.p. form whether you can join the meeting April 2 or not.

Join the BIPOC affinity group at a Family-friendly MN Orchestra Concert

This community activity, organized by the BIPOC affinity group, is open for all TCGIS families and staff to join. We will attend the relaxed family-friendly MN Orchestra concert on April 7th at 2pm, featuring music from around the world. The concert is designed for audiences of all ages, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities. The performance is approximately 60 minutes. Pre-concert activities in the lobby include trying instruments, making art, creative movement and meeting MN Orchestra musicians!

Please purchase tickets on Infinite Campus to reserve your spot.

(Infinite Campus->School Store->Field trips) Adults are $12 and kids under 18 are free. Indicate how many free youth tickets you need. We will make reservations at Orchestra Hall based on the number of tickets purchased/reserved in Infinite Campus by Wednesday, April 3 at noon. Questions? Please contact Board Chair Julie Alkatout.

Meet the School Board Candidates Forum!

On Monday, April 15th in Room 100 (@ TCGIS) from 7-8:30PM, the Parent Council & PTO will be co-hosting a forum for everyone (parents, staff) to attend in order to "Meet the Candidates!" The spring election for the TCGIS School Board (Board of Directors) is coming up & this will be the perfect opportunity to meet the candidates! There will be light snacks & refreshments.

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 Tuesday, April 23rd! We will be hosting Omas and Opas for coffee, treats, Morgenkreis, and tours of our school. More details to follow. Stay tuned!

Looking for TCGIS Alumni to help with Middle School Competition

Do you know a German learner alumni in your family or circle of friends (sibling, other relatives, neighbor...) who would be happy to do an interview with one of our German students and participate in the first Alumni competition? Then don't hesitate and contact Frau Gillhoff as she will get interested TCGIS students in touch with former alumni. Click here for more information about the competition.

Spring Enrichment Classes Registration Open!

Registration for the spring session of Enrichment Classes is now open! The spring session of after school activities will run from April 15th to June 7th. We will be offering a wide range of new and returning activities. For a full list of classes, click here for the list.

Registration is via Infinite Campus. You will be able to register your children for classes and pay for them all online; when the class is full, it will close automatically. The registration deadline is Sunday, March 31st at 11:59 pm. If you have any questions, or are curious about leading an enrichment class at TCGIS, please email Andrew Mangan.

PTO News

It's that time of year when we need some new people on the PTO Board. We'll be posting more information and sending an email out looking for some great volunteers to join us. The PTO is super fun and we welcome everyone. This is definitely a "many hands make light work" situation and we can't wait to have you join us.
Greatest needs are a Treasurer, Fundraising, and Staff Appreciation. You can also get a friend to join you and tackle it as a team - it's much easier and more fun that way. Please stop one of us if you see us or email us and we'll be sending out more information soon.
The Gerten's Sale is closing tonight at 10pm! Get any last minute orders in now. Pick up will be May 10th after school. ID: 550

Volunteer Opportunities

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!

Scholastic Book Fair Volunteers

The English Team is looking for some parents to help us run the Scholastic Book Fair from April 1st-5th from 3:30 to 5 pm in Room 97. If you’d like to sign up, contact Rachael Schlee.

School Board (Schulvorstand) Announcements

Please consider joining the TCGIS Board of Directors!

We are still looking for individuals who are interested in serving on the TCGIS School Board. We will have four board members rolling off the board in June– one parent, one teacher, and two community members. At the May election, three new directors will be elected, with terms beginning at the June 27th Board meeting. Additional details are available here. You can find the application here. The deadline for applications is April 12.

Upcoming School Board & Committee Meetings

March Board Meeting: Thurs., March 21 - 6:30PM; Room 100/Zoom

Finance Meeting: Tues., April 2 - 6:30PM; Zoom

Fundraising Meeting: Wed., April 3 - 8:15AM; Google Meet

Governance Meeting: Mon., April 15 - 4:30PM; Google Meet

Communication Meeting: Tues., April 15 - 6PM; Zoom

Cmte of the Whole Meeting: Thurs., April 17 - 6:30PM; Room 310

April Board Meeting: Thurs., April 25 - 6:30PM; Room 100/Zoom

Community News

Register for Music Lessons with Vienna Community Arts!

Registration for spring music lessons with Vienna Community Arts is open now. Spring lessons begin the week of April 15. VCA studio is open during the summer for lessons at TCGIS, and for limited home lessons.

Contact Nancy or Herbert for more information or to register.

Apprenticeship and You–An Emerging Path to a Meaningful Career

Wednesday, April 10 | 6 PM

Increasingly more U.S. students and families are choosing apprenticeships as the debt-free, post-secondary education option leading to a rewarding and high paying career. Join us to learn more about local, national and international opportunities for both youth and adults seeking an alternative career path. Hear directly from apprenticeship directors at Bühler and ICATAP, and learn how apprenticeship can empower your future. Register here!

Intercultural Engagement Opportunities

The board’s Diversity & Belonging committee would like to highlight upcoming events in the Twin Cities as opportunities for intercultural engagement- one of our school’s core values. Click here to learn about highlighted events!