Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft! / Dear TCGIS community,

TCGIS alumna Tia Ruh is an example of how sometimes, things come full circle in a beautiful and meaningful way. Tia, the daughter of TCGIS co-founder Marcy Zachmeier-Ruh, was among TCGIS’s first students and one of its first graduates. She went on to study German in college and is now a German teacher herself! Read her inspiring story here.

Herzlich

Kirsten

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 see the full email. Danke!

We are delighted to confirm that St. Martin's Day (Martinstag) celebration will take place this evening, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the gym.

Here are the details:

• Enter through the ground-level doors facing Como Ave. The gym is downstairs from that entrance. 
• In the gym there will be a short performance of St. Martin's Day music. 
• Then we will parade singing through the neighborhood around the school with lanterns! (Just singing and walking is also fine. Lanterns are not a requirement - just fun!)  
• After the lantern parade, warm-up with tasty treats from the Capstone Bake Sale in the cafeteria. Please note that all food must stay in the cafeteria or outside.

Reminders:

• Frau Lenburg will have small lights for sale ($.50 each) in the gym for anyone needing a light for their lantern (cash only).
• Enjoy snacks and treats at the Capstone Bakesale in the cafeteria after the parade; cash and credit cards accepted. This fundrasier supports the 8th grade Capstone exchange trip to Germany in May/June.

Please note: All students must be accompanied by (and must stay with) a responsible adult throughout the event. 

Martinstag (St. Martin's Day) commemorates the generosity of St. Martin, a 4th century soldier who cut his cloak in half and shared it with a destitute man dressed only in rags and freezing on the street. St. Martin’s selfless act has lived on for centuries, serving as a timeless reminder of the power of kindness and generosity. 

Martinstag is a fitting kick-off to our Fall Fundraising Campaign in support of the TCGIS Annual Fund. TCGIS is a community abundant in both kindness and generosity, and we are a thriving school because of it. From now through Give to the Max Day next Thursday, we will show you how your gifts to the TCGIS Annual Fund help our school do more by funding programs that are unique to our German immersion school. 

All families and friends of TCGIS are invited to participate as they are able. Please know that all gifts are appreciated and all gifts make a difference for our school.

Kinderclub registration opens November 10th at 8am and closes on November 17th at 6pm. Please log in and book your spots. If you are new to Kinderclub, please email Michaela Bromenschenkel.

Kinderclub is hosting their first Parent's Night Out on December 3rd, from 4pm-7pm. (Pizza provided) Please log in to Popsicle and book your spot! An email will go out to all registered parents the week before the event.

Any questions can be emailed to Michaela Bromenschenkel.

Our lost and found will be emptied next Thursday, November 17th. If your student is missing something, please check the lost and found before then. It is located at the bottom of the stairs by the West entrance (Parking lot). Please remember to label your student(s)' clothing and lunch items. This helps us return items to their owner.

About a month ago we had a survey out for family-caregiver support groups. Thanks for the interest in support groups. We will start this year with the PBIS at Home Family/Caregiver Support group. Please click here for more information and sign up.

National School Psychology Week

This week is National School Psychology Week and I would like to provide some information about what a school psychologist does. School Psychologists support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach. They are experts in learning, behavior, mental health and school systems. The attached two page 'job description' from the National Association of School Psychologists gives a more complete picture. This year's theme for National School Psychology Week is "Together we Shine" putting the focus on community, hope, and a shared vision for a more equitable and inclusive future for all children. -Carol Mecklenburg, School Psychologist

The next BIPOC affinity group gathering is this Saturday, November 12, 1pm-3pm. Where: Goldy’s Gameroom in in the Student Union; Address: 300 Washington Ave. SE Minneapolis. Parking at the Weisman Art Museum is a good option, and a 2 minute walk away. Museum parking is at 333 East River Pkwy, MPLS. Each game is $3 and shoe rental is $2. Please RSVP to help the organizers.

We are still seeking families for 5 interns!

Curious about hosting? We can connect you with current and past host families who can answer your specific questions, family to family. Email Katharina Schirg to be connected with a current or fomer host family! Ready to host? Fill out the Host Family Application this weekend. We begin matching interns with families this month. See who is coming here!

We are updating our Google spreadsheet of tutors. If you are interested in being listed as a tutor on our list, please email Mary Zimmerman.

The next Parent Council meeting is scheduled for November 14th via Zoom. You can reach the Parent Council at parent-council@tcgis.org with any comments or concerns or you can contact your specific classroom representatives. Click here for contact information for each rep and the latest PC update.

Now that picture day is over, our Yearbook class will start working on the portrait pages soon. On the portrait pages we will print a picture of your child, along with their first and last name. If you want to have a different name than your child's birth name printed, then please fill out this survey by Friday, November 25th. You don’t have to fill it out if you want to have your child’s birth name printed in the yearbook. Thank you!

You haven’t bought a Yearbook yet? Order one here or get a recognition ad for your 8th grader!

Looking for inspiration and wondering how to get involved in volunteerism at TCGIS? Flip through the volunteer recognition slides from the board of directors meetings from last year to see the range of ways our community supports the school through volunteerism!

We are looking for a parent volunteer who works with SEO and Google Analytics to help us improve our online presence and make it easier for families to find TCGIS when searching for a school. If interested, please email Mary Zimmerman. 

We are in search of one or two parent photographers who will take photos of students and staff during the school day to help build our visual library for use on the website and in recruitment efforts. If interested, please email Mary Zimmerman.

The November Bus Donation window is now open. Please log on to our online IC School Store. Please log into your Infinite Campus Parent portal using this link: In the upper left corner, click on the drop down menu and scroll down to "School Store". Select "Bus Donations" and then the menu "November ‘22 Bus Donations". Select your student's name in the "Recipient" field, select an Option and then "Add to Cart". You will then be asked to set up your preferred payment method to finish the payment. Questions? Please contact us at ordering@tcgis.org.

A quick reminder from Kinderclub and the Front Office: Students who are not picked up by 3:45 will be added as drop-ins to Kinderclub for the afternoon at the standard drop-in fee of $20.

Will you have a NEW student in 2023-24?

Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year is now open! If you have a NEW student who will attend TCGIS in the 2023-2024 school year, please submit an application for admission online or by sending a paper application. The enrollment window is open until the deadline on February 15, 2023. Siblings of currently-attending TCGIS students receive sibling preference for enrollment; for more information about TCGIS' enrollment process, please visit our enrollment webpage. Please direct any questions to enrollment@tcgis.org. Currently-enrolled students do not need to reapply.

You can help prospective families find and learn more about our excellent school and welcoming community when you leave a brief review on sites like Google or GreatSchools.org. Sharing what you love about TCGIS online is a great way to help more families find our wonderful school, especially now as the application window has opened for 2023/24!

Thank you so much for your generous number of shoe donations! We have a huge number of tennis shoes for our students to use and I am so thankful! 

There are a few sizes that I do not have yet, so I will continue to take donations when you have them. The sizes that are most needed are: children's 10 & 13, youth 5, and sizes that range between 6-10 for middle school students. This is where sizing starts going by Men's & Women's, but I will take any donations you may have. Make sure they are appropriate indoor tennis shoes.  Thank you!

At the October meeting, the TCGIS board was honored to have Amy Brendmoen, St. Paul City Council President, conduct the oath of office for 2 board members. Director Kwon Dobbs and Director Kruizenga committed to the moral and legal obligations of the role of school board director. TCGIS Board members are honored to serve the TCGIS community in this volunteer capacity. Regular meetings of the board are held the last Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm in Room 100. We look forward to seeing you!

Diversity & Belonging Meeting Tues., Nov. 15, 4PM; Zoom

Board Meeting Thurs., Nov. 30, 6:30PM; Room 100; Zoom

Finance Meeting Tues., Dec. 6, 6:30PM; Zoom

Fundraising Meeting Wed., Dec. 7, 8:30AM; Room 97; Zoom

No Board Meeting in December

Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4

11 AM to 4 PM both days

The GAI's annual Open Haus returns with a new name, Christmas in Germany. New this year for kids is an alpaca petting zoo! We'll also have the German model trains and crafts in the ballroom. Meet St. Nikolaus in front of the Haus from noon to 2 p.m. both days. Food and drink will be sold outdoors, Weihnachtsmarkt style. Find all the details here.

November 16

University of St. Thomas

Honor Hannah Arendt's response to the Eichmann Trial by watching von Trotta's 2012 biographical drama, directed by Margarethe von Trotta and starring Barbara Sukowa as Hannah Arendt. It centers on Arendt's response to the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann, which she covered for The New Yorker. The movie will be introduced by Dr. Christensen. Click here more information.

November 20-December 15

University of St. Thomas

Between 1939 and 1945, the Germans and their accomplices murdered six million Jews, intent on destroying Jewish life and culture. The perpetrators of the Holocaust sought to erase all traces of their genocidal crime. This exhibition presents the real-life stories of several Jewish academics who resisted the Germans and their collaborators by documenting and, collecting and securing evidence of the crimes committed against the Jewish people during the Holocaust. This exhibition is free and open to the public. Find more information here. 

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

TCGIS has built a list of local university/college students interested in virtual private tutoring in German for TCGIS students. We update this Google spreadsheet of tutors regularly. Learn more here.

November 10: St. Martinstag Lantern Parade (Tonight!)

November 12: BIPOC Affinity Gathering

November 21 & 22: Fall conferences

December 3: Parent's Night Out

December 3 & 4: GAI's Christmas in Germany



TCGIS Google Calendar