ISSUE 596/October 31, 2024 | |
Message from the Executive Director | |
|
Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community,
Happy Halloween! Today is a great day to be a member of the TCGIS community. There are crafts, costumes, parades, and so much fun we don’t even miss the candy!
We transition to November tomorrow and will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month and will turn our SEL lessons to being thankful as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday. This feels like a good opportunity to give a shout out to the TCGIS BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) affinity group and all of the work they do to bring fun gatherings to foster community and positive relationships among the TCGIS BIPOC community members in order to increase connections and a sense of belong for our students, families and staff. Check out this page on our website for more information on how to join.
Have a safe and happy Halloween.
Elizabeth Zehnpfennig, Executive Director
| |
Reminder: No School Tomorrow, Nov. 1 | |
|
This is a reminder that there is no school Tomorrow (Nov.1) for a Teacher Professional Development Day.
| |
Fall Conference Sign-Ups Now Open | |
|
The Spring conference sign-ups opened Wednesday, October 30 and will run through Wednesday, November 13. Click here to read more about the conferences.
Conference Dates:
- Monday, November 25, 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- Tuesday, November 26: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Please contact info@tcgis.org with questions.
| Middle School Dance Tomorrow! | |
|
Our MS dance will be tomorrow, November 1st.
- 5th and 6th graders will have their dance from 6:00-7:15 pm.
- 7th and 8th graders will have their dance from 7:30-9:00 pm.
Tickets are available on Infinite Campus for $5.00. Snacks will be for sale by our Capstone students so students can bring a few dollars to buy a drink or treat.
Costumes are allowed and encouraged but must adhere to the same costume policies that we have at school:
- Articles of clothing shall comply with health & safety requirements
- Articles of clothing are not contrary to the School’s values
- Articles of clothing are not disruptive to the learning experience
- Students must be able to get into and out of their costumes without help for bathroom use
| |
Swag Store Reopens Tomorrow with NEW Items! | |
|
The TCGIS Swag store will reopen tomorrow with NEW items. We will be debuting some winter items and new youth items. We have also added some highly requested colors! The store will close on November 22 and the items will arrive BEFORE winter break. Click here tomorrow to order your TCGIS swag!
| |
In Need of Warm Clothes/Winter Gear/Hygiene Products? | |
|
Are your children are in need of warm clothing, winter gear or hygiene products? Reach out to Assistant Principal Catherine Radecki with your child's needs.
| |
Capstone Trip Scholarships Available from the GAI! | |
|
The Germanic-American Institute is excited to offer partial, needs-based scholarships for TCGIS students who are participating in the Capstone Trip in Spring 2025. Interested students and parents must submit the scholarship application. Deadline for applications is November 30, 2024. Click here to submit your application.
| |
|
Eighth grade students will be making Ofrendas in Spanish class beginning November 1 for Día de los Muertos, and we need 65 shoe boxes! Students can bring them to the Spanish classroom.
| |
|
MDE is requiring all school districts to adopt a Cell Phone policy by March 2024. TCGIS Administrators and Board Governance Committee are collecting input from our students, staff, and community as part of the policy creation process. With guidance from MESPA and MASSP, districts are encouraged to limit cell phone use during the school day. Click here to submit your input. See resources below for more pertinent information:
| |
TCGIS Coin Drive Coming Soon! | |
|
Münzen Matter at TCGIS! Last year, TCGIS students collected nearly $2,000 in coins to support our school during our Week of Generosity! We are excited to hold this FUNdrasier again this year in addition to our winter clothing collection and hygiene item drive to support Joseph’s Coat. The fun kicks off on November 11, so make plans to start gathering coins and items! More details coming soon.
| |
Join Us at St. Martinstag! | |
|
Join us on November 15th at 5:30 PM for a special evening! We’ll kick off with a short program featuring singing and a performance by the TCGIS band, followed by a reenactment of St. Martin’s story. Afterward, enjoy the lantern parade through the neighborhood, ending with the Capstone sale! This year, the Capstone Café will offer baked goods, hot dogs, and brats. Come enjoy some treats while supporting our 8th-grade trip to Germany in the spring!
| |
BIPOC Affinity Group November Gathering--Greater TCGIS Community is Welcome! | |
|
Please join us to celebrate "Friendsgiving" with the BIPOC group! We will meet in the school cafeteria from 5-7 pm on Saturday, November 16th. Please bring something to share--it can be as simple as a bag of chips, or as fancy as a roasted turkey. In keeping with our school's zero waste policy, please bring plates and silverware for your group. Click here to RSVP!
If you would like to be added to our group's email list, please contact Christine Chitambar.
| Support the Capstone Trip – Dine Out at The LowBrow! | |
|
Join us on Monday, November 18th, for a fun night out at The LowBrow in South Minneapolis (4244 Nicollet Ave, 55409). Enjoy a great meal with family and friends, and 10% of all sales will go directly to support the Capstone Trip! Check out their menu here and mark your calendar! Thank you for supporting our students!
| |
We are hiring! Become a Kinderclub Activity Leader! | |
|
We feel incredibly fortunate to have 10 amazing interns with us this year, who are enriching our classrooms and community in so many ways. Thank you for all that you do, liebe Interns! As we look forward to welcoming 12 new interns in the spring, we are still in need of host families. Get to know them here!
Now is the time to apply to host an intern for the spring semester!
Interested? Please complete the Host Family Application!
Questions? Email Claudia Müller for more info!
| |
Curriculum Advisory Committee is Seeking New Members | |
|
The Curriculum Advisory Committee is seeking 2 community members to provide active community participation in:
- Reviewing the school district instructional and curriculum plan, with emphasis on implementing the Minnesota Standards
- Identifying annual instruction and curriculum improvement goals for recommendation to the school board
- Advising the school board about development of the annual curriculum budget
If this is something you are interested in, please email Esther Neu.
| |
|
• There is NO Konzert Band after school on Oct. 31
• ALL band students, including all new 5th graders and beginners, are invited to attend Konzert Band after school on Nov. 7 and 14 from 3:30-4:30.
• The TCGIS Martinstag celebration is FRIDAY, NOV. 15 at 5:30pm. ALL band students are invited to participate. (it is not required) The band plays first or second; students are welcome to hang out with family when they are done, or go home. (more details on this will be in an email)
| |
TCGIS Athletics is Hiring! | |
|
TCGIS Athletics is hiring an Assistant/Co-Coach for Basketball this winter. If you are interested please check out the job description here.
| |
Parent Council Elections Are Open Through Oct. 31 | |
|
The waiting is over, the nominations are in. Please click here to vote for your Parent Council representatives for the 2024/25 school year. To learn more about the individuals on the ballot please check out the nominations list. At least half of the seats need volunteers, please check out the voting form and consider volunteering if your class has an open slot.
The new Parent Council will have their first meeting on November 8th with both the old and new representatives. We have some parents planning to rotate off and some parents hoping to stay and we look forward to continuing our momentum as we meet new council members.
If you have any questions about the ballot or the nominations form, please email the PC.
| |
Fall Auction Closes TOMORROW | |
Our fall auction is open but not for long! Come check out the great gatherings, gifts, and items donated by our community. Bidding on the auction is a great way to get to know people here at TCGIS and support our school at the same time. Bidding ends Friday, Nov. 1st! A big thank you to everyone who donated.
| |
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 is looking for adult volunteers or child-parent team volunteers interested in serving as a crossing guard from 7:50-8:10 and from 3:15-3:30. This is a great opportunity to connect with the community. If you are interested -- whether in one day a week or in daily -- please email Esther Neu.
| |
Come and Join the Mission of Alignment Committee! | |
|
A new board committee is gearing up this school year and
is looking for motivated individuals to join us - everyone is an asset!
The committee’s work will be focused on how our mission tenets are at work throughout our school. We’ll meet every other month, during which we’ll hear from school leaders, explore areas of opportunity and gather stakeholder feedback in support of our amazing school. If this opportunity piques your interest, mark your calendar for our first meeting on Nov. 18 in room 99 at 6:30 p.m. and reach out to Anna Miller for more info.
| |
School Board (Schulvorstand) Announcements
| |
Upcoming School Board & Committee Meetings | |
|
Committee of the Whole Meeting: Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at 6:30 pm in Rm 100
Governance Meeting: Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 at 4:30pm on Google Meet
Fundraising Meeting: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 at 12:30pm on Google Meet
Finance & Facilities Meeting: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 at 6:30pm on Zoom
| |
|
Saturday, November 2 | 10:30-11:15 AM
Please join for a fun-filled storytime auf deutsch. Children and their families will immerse themselves in stories, songs and activities that foster language skills. Free, but registration is required.
Please note: the storytime will be conducted in German and is geared towards children who have at least basic knowledge of the German language.
| |
Alumni from Concordia Language Villages | |
|
Were you part of the Concordia Language Villages community? If you’re over the age of 18 and have been a villager, counselor or staff member, CLV would love to hear from you!
We're creating an alumni database to stay in touch and keep you informed about future updates, programs and opportunities. By sharing your contact information, you'll help us strengthen our global Village network and ensure we can reach out to you with exciting news down the road. If you’re an alum, please take a moment to fill out this quick form.
It’s quick and easy and your participation will help us reconnect with past villagers and staff just like you! Thank you for being part of our incredible Village community. We look forward to staying connected!
| | | | |
