Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community, 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. TCGIS participates in this endeavor by including important anti-bullying lessons in our classrooms and advisories, educating and providing resources to those students who feel they are being bullied.

Our Gay Straight Alliance kicked things off last week by hosting Ally Week and getting signatures of students pledging to be allies for our LGBTQ+ students. They also created signs that hang in classrooms and offices declaring staff as allies. One hangs proudly outside my office. Thanks to our GSA advisors for leading students in this great support for our students. 

TCGIS social workers Diana Erwin and Kerstin Foss will be partnering with our dean of students, Catherine Radecki, to bring this to our classrooms this October. Our elementary students work through our Second Step curriculum’s bullying unit and our Middle School students tackle it by defining bullying and giving tools to students who experience it and what a bystander can do to help. Our Middle School students will also make pledges to stop bullying. 

As an administration we take bullying very seriously. Reports of bullying that land on our desks are investigated and dealt with according to our bullying prohibition policy. On the school’s website you can find a bullying report form for students to use to report bullying. In every instance of bullying, there are bullies, victims, and bystanders. Your child could fall into any of these categories. The most important thing you can do is talk to your child about bullying. Teach him or her that it is unacceptable, and that all people should be treated kindly and respectfully. Also, teach your child that if he sees bullying or is being bullied he should tell you or another trusted adult- then you can work together on a plan to stop the bullying.

Together we can make TCGIS a safe place for our children, 

Elizabeth Zehnpfennig, Principal

Get ready to smile - picture day is quickly approaching! Jostens will be here on Tuesday, Oct 10 to take student photos. Retake Day will be held on Thursday, November 16. Please click here for more information. 

We are also looking for 4 volunteers (2 in the morning / 2 in the afternoon) to help guide students and make sure they are looking picture ready! Sign up to volunteer here!

Please find resources for you as a parent/caregiver on TCGIS Student and Wellness website.  And click here for bullying awareness & prevention resources for parents.

This year we will have a cover contest for our 23/24 yearbook! The theme of our yearbook is "European Specialties" which could include the German/Austrian/Swiss etc. colors, typical German food, holidays, celebrations... The winner will get a free yearbook! All entries must be turned in by Oct 23. Encourage your child to participate! 

If you would like to purchase a yearbook, use the QR Code or click here!

PTO 5K and Fun Run This Weekend!

The 5K and Fun Run is this weekend! It's not too late to sign up. Join us Sunday, October 8th for a great run around Como park and lake. Sign up here

Frau Lenburg is still collecting empty cereal boxes and round oatmeal boxes until Fall Break! The Kindergarten through 3rd grade students will start making lanterns in art class next week for Martinstag, and we still need 65 boxes. Students can bring them to their classroom, the art room, or the office. Any adults interested in helping to prepare the boxes (an at home cutting project) can reach out to Frau Lenburg at alenburg@tcgis.org.

November 9th at 5:30 PM

We will begin with a short program of singing and a performance by the TCGIS band. After that, we will have a reenactment of St. Martin's story which will be followed by the lantern parade through the neighborhood and end with the Capstone bake sale!

All TCGIS winter sports (basketball, indoor track-and-field, and Nordic skiing) will begin the week of Monday, November 27 (team practices and competitions). Weekly update emails will start up 1-2 weeks before the start of the season. Sign up for our winter sports on Oct. 1-15 on Infinite Campus (school store). For more information, please check out our winter sports slideshow. With questions, please contact Athletic Coordinator Tabisz.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the Parent Council election! The results are in, please click here to find your class representative for Parent Council.  

The first 2023-24 Parent Council meeting is Monday, Oct. 9th. Please feel free to contact your representative with any feedback or questions you might have for the Parent Council.

The Fall/Winter Plant sale is live! Get your winter greens, poinsettias, wreaths, and more here. Enter code 550

Host a Table at our annual Trick or Treat event and make so many kids happy! You can dress up and decorate a table and pass out candy or treats. October 28th from 1-3. Sign up here!

The Fall Auction is back! And right now we're looking for your amazing donations! Bring on your gift baskets, crafts, art, event tickets, parties, classes and whatever else you can come up with! More information and forms here 

Great Stuff here Great Gatherings here

Please email us at auctiontcgispto@gmail.com with any questions. 

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!

Saturday, October 7th 2:00-5:30

Paige Yurczyk will be hosting a TCGIS Swag booth and would love it if 2 people could join her. Sign up here!

Our TCGIS community garden is part of the D10 community garden, which will also have a booth there. One of the D10 gardeners plans to demonstrate how to make sauerkraut!

Katharina Schirg will be there hosting our Swag booth on Sunday, October 8th from 10 am - 12:30 pm and would love it if 2 people could join her! If you would like to volunteer - you can do so here! 

We are looking for 4 volunteers (2 in the morning / 2 in the afternoon) to help guide students and make sure they are looking picture ready! Sign up to volunteer here!

At last week’s board meeting, the board created a task force to develop a process to have student representatives as liaisons to the board. The goal is to have student representatives provide insight from a student lens, and to support and enhance the Board's understanding of student issues and how students experience their education. The task force will share more information when the details are determined regarding how TCGIS middle school students and TCGIS alumni in high school could become involved.

Fundraising Meeting: Wed., Oct. 11, 8:30AM; Room 99 or Google Meet

Cmte of the Whole: Thurs., Oct. 12 - 6:30PM

Communications Meeting: Oct. 23 6pm

Board Meeting: Thurs., Oct. 26 - 6:30PM; Room 100 or Zoom

Governance Meeting: Mon., Nov. 9 (date change) 4:30PM; Google Meet

Twin Cities Film Festival Premieres Teachers Lounge (German Language Film) (PG-13)

Twin Cities Film Fest, a nationally recognized film festival with over 140 film premieres from across the country is premiering the German language Oscar Contender, The Teachers Lounge (Das Lehrerzimmer) on Wednesday Oct 27th @ 7:30pm (Showplace ICON Theaters in St. Louis Park).

Watch the trailer here! Learn more about the film here!

Friday, October 20 | 6–8 PM

Just in time for the cool fall weather, sommelier and German Wine Ambassador Amy Waller is back at the GAI to walk us through the exciting (and delicious) world of German red wine grapes. We’ll explore the diverse spectrum of German red grapes including Lemberger, Spätburgunder, and Trollinger. Buy tickets at gaimn.org/redwine

German for Lunch Konversation: Short courses for adults

Register now at https://bit.ly/465ypU1, begins October 10 and 12! Boost your fluency in German during your lunch break! You will engage in conversations with other learners about current topics and everyday life so you can use new vocabulary and structures. Your instructor will introduce topics and give you tools to speak more confidently. Online via Zoom.

• German for Lunch: Advanced Beginners Conversation (levels A2.2 to B1.1)
• 6 Tuesdays | noon to 1 PM | October 10–November 14
• German for Lunch: Intermediate Conversation (levels B1+ to B2)
• 6 Thursdays | noon to 1 PM | October to 12–November 16

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!

Sport teachers would like to remind parents to print or download the ABC Day Rotation Calendar. With winter around the corner, it is important that your student is dressed appropriately for sport.

Now that we’re all settling into the routine of the new school year, this is a quick reminder to review the attendance guidelines listed in the 2023-2024 Family Handbook (pages 12-14). TCGIS follows the Minnesota state guidelines for excused and unexcused absences/tardies.

The following reasons for absence/tardiness are excused:

• Illness
• Medical appointments
• Religious holidays
• Funerals
• Extreme family emergencies
• Pre-approved family vacation days (each student has 5 per school year)

If you have any questions or concerns about your child(ren)’s attendance, please email info@tcgis.org.

October 8: PTO 5k and Fun Run

October 10: Picture Day

October 16-20: Fall & MEA Break

October 26: PTO Auction Opens

October 26: Board Meeting 6:30 pm Room 100 or Zoom

October 28: PTO Trick or Treat Event



TCGIS Google Calendar