A Weekly Update for Families
In this issue...
Calling All Crafty Folk!
Kaffeeklatsch
News from the Jugendchor
Scrip is Back
Target: Take Charge of Education
Annual Executive Wine Dinner
Request for Art Supplies
Yahoo Parent Group
Safety Presentation
Gifted Services Testing Information
Seeking English to German Translator
MEA Kinderclub
In-Home Piano Lessons
Recital of German Music
Chinook Book
St. Paul Oktoberfest is October 9th
Auflauf Cook-Off and Community Dinner
UPDATED Parent Handbook Available
Elternbrief October 6, 2010
Dear Families,


We have recently published our 2009-2010 annual report on our website at Annual Report. The Report is a state required summary of the state of the school that provides an opportunity to look at the questions: Where have we come from as an organization? Where are we now? And most importantly, "Where are we headed?" As you know 2009 - 2010 was a year of growth and stabilization. Please let me or Parent Liaison to the Board, Eric Hauth-Schmid know if you have any questions. 
 

Please take note of the event "Talk Safety to Me!" presented by the Jacob Wetterling Foundation at TCGIS on October 18th at 6:30 PM.  This speaker presented at the community meeting in response to sex offenders living in the neighborhood and was recommended by the members of our community who were able to attend. Please register at Safety Workshop Presentation.
More information is below.


Frau Annika Fjelstad
Director
Twin Cities German Immersion School

afjelstad@tcgis.org
Kaffeeklatsch
Friday, October 8
After morning drop-off
Entry and cafeteria


St. Paul Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 9
12pm - 11pm
Klub Haus
1079 Rice Street


Auflauf Cook-Off
Friday, October 15
6pm - 8pm

Salvation Army
2727 Central Avenue NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418



Calling All Crafty Folk! 2nd Annual Craft and Bake Sale is November 19th and 20th

TCGIS PTO is looking for handmade craft donations and/or bake donations for our 2nd Annual Community Craft and Bake Sale. Watch for more details later in October.  Contact Heidi Zimmermann, hzimmermann22@yahoo.com, if you have any questions. The sale is scheduled for Friday,11/19 and Saturday, 11/20 at the school. Thank you!

Kaffeeklatsch

Please join us for Kaffeeklatsch this Friday, October 8th, in the school lobby and cafeteria! Coffee is $1 if you bring your own coffee mug, $1.25 for using paper cups. This is always a good opportunity to meet other parents and members of the school community while sipping a nice cup of coffee!
News from the Jugendchor

The Jugendchor is well on its way!

The students are studying hard but having lots of fun too.

The choir is learning stage protocol, choreography, and rhythm, as well as expanding their repertoire of German songs. Our choir rehearsals are all conducted in German.

We have a homogeneous group of 1st thru 3rd graders. Our next project will be a choir for 4th thru 6th graders, with a different focus and a more advanced repertoire.

The Jugendchor has already had an invitation from the Honorary Consul to sing at a community event in St. Paul.

We are looking forward to helping the choir students become good ambassadors of TCGIS!

Look for the choir at the GAI Open House, November 21, and at the Nikolaus Tag celebration on December 5.

If you would like more information about the Jugendchor,
Call Frau Nancy, Vienna Community Arts, at 651-773-9525.

Scrip is Back

It's time once again to start up the TCGIS Scrip program. Scrip is an easy way to funnel dollars toward TCGIS while making day-to-day purchases.

Families purchase gift cards for their favorite retailers, and those retailers
then donate back a percentage of the sale to TCGIS. Available retailers
include gas stations, grocery stores, drug stores, home improvement,
electronics, booksellers, restaurants, and many more.


Check out www.shopwithscrip.com for a complete retailer listing.

You may set up an account to order online. Instructions are available here. After you place your order, you will need to turn in the summary page along with your check (made out to TCGIS) to the office. This has been an easy way for the school to make over $1,000 per year. Check it out & put your everyday shopping dollars to work for the school! Orders will be due on the first Tuesday of each month (first order due October 5), for delivery the following Wednesday.  Feel free to contact our Scrip Coordinator, Deb Helmel, at debh@siewertcabinet.com with any questions.

Target: Take Charge of Education

We recently received a check for $2,139 from Target. This is a sign of not only Target's generosity, but of the effort of parents to sign up for the Take Charge of Education program. Target commits to give 1% of your purchase to the school of your choice.

You can support the school financially at no cost to you. Request a Target Red Card online or at the store and link your card number to our Target *School**# 122860*. This can be made either at the store or online.

One of the new benefits with the Red Card starting October 17th will be a 5% discount every time you shop with your Red Card. A 5% discount will be taken off your total balance due at the register, every time you shop with your Red Card. The Debit Card is free...no fees and the amount comes right out of your checking account. Easy, convenient, rewarding.

Another free way to support the school is through Office Depot. Mention our school *ID# 70212624* when you shop at Office Depot for office or school supplies, and the school will receive 5% credit back to use for free supplies.

Annual Executive German Wine Dinner

The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. (GACCoM) is pleased to host their Annual Executive German Wine Dinner.

Friday, November 12

Time:                       6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Location:                  InterContinental (Renaissance Ballroom)
                               505 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Table Sponsorship:   $2,000 Beerenauslese                
                               $1,800 Spaetlese
                               Both sponsorship levels include a table for 6.
Cost:                       $160 Members, $175 Non-Members

Enjoy a 7-course dinner, prepared by the Austrian Chef Kurt Mittelberger, paired with 7 German wines and a networking cocktail hour.

GACCoM is pleased to present this year's Wine Dinner at a new location - the beautiful Renaissance Ballroom at the InterContinental Chicago overlooking The Magnificent Mile� at night.

Register here!

Request for Art Supplies

PLEASE EAT MORE CEREAL!!! The K-3rd graders need 50 more cereal boxes for making lanterns in art class. These are for our Martinstag celebration in early November. I will gladly take the oatmeal boxes still, but we really need empty cereal boxes by Wednesday, 10/13!  Please bring boxes up to the art/science room on the second floor or have your child bring them to art class. Also, anyone who would be willing to help cut up boxes to prepare them for the students please email me. Thank you!

Frau Lenburg
Yahoo Parent Group

The TCGIS Yahoo group is an online discussion board where TCGIS parents can discuss latest developments at the school in an informal forum. The group is not sponsored by the school or the PTO. It can be a useful forum for sharing news and tips, asking questions, and gaining the perspective of other parents on the topics du jour. Just keep in mind that the Yahoo group is not a school-sponsored site, and so posting a concern or question there is not the equivalent of bringing it to the attention to the school board or the director.

To request membership, visit the URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tcgis/

and click on "Join this Group." The moderator, TCGIS parent Tim McGuire, will need to authorize your membership, which typically  happens within a day or so.
Safety Presentation

On Monday, October 18 the TCGIS PTO is welcoming staff from the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center at the school to present, "Talk Safety to Me!"

This 45-minute presentation for parents or caregivers answers the question, "How do I talk to my kids about personal safety?" Includes questions every parent should ask before choosing an afterschool program, activity or overnight visit at friend's house. If you have wondered about how you can effectively teach your children how to recognize a dangerous situation without scaring them, this presentation is for you!

Highlights:
  • Family Safety Night
  • What If games
  • Internet Safety
  • Personal Boundaries
  • Recognizing dangerous behaviors

For more information on the Jacob Wetterling resource center, visit them at www.jwrc.org.

To help us plan better for this presentation, please RSVP. You can also sign-up for free childcare through this link.

Gifted Services Testing Information

Attention parents of kindergarten through fifth grade students:

Gifted Services testing offered to Saint Paul private, parochial, homeschool and charter school students

Testing Sessions:

     5:30 pm                          Tuesday, November 30, 2010   
     9:00 am or 10:30 am        Saturday, December 4, 2010

Testing sessions are located at:
Center for Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development
St. Paul Public Schools
345 Plato Boulevard East, Suite 625
St. Paul, MN 55107

Pre-registration deadline is November 2, 2010

Click here for more information!
Seeking English to German Translator

***The Elternbrief will occasionally feature community activities. Please note that they are neither necessarily school-related nor recommended.***

From community member Barbara Claussen:

I am interested in engaging a German translator to translate a web page and some letters to German universities. I would like someone who is  a native German speaker who operates at a high academic level of language.

If you are interested, email Barbara Claussen.
MEA Kinderclub

Dear Kinderclub Families,

Kinderclub offers a full day program from the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on school release days at the rate of $35/day. You must be registered for Kinderclub and sign up your child's name by the deadline of Friday 10/15 so that we may staff and supply the curriculum appropriately. Kinderclub may close for a school release day if minimum enrollment numbers have not been met. I will notify you via email after 6 PM on Friday the 15th if Kinderclub will close for a school release day.  Please reference the School Release Payment Policy in the Family handbook for related payment information.
 
All billing is final after 10/15/10 any any unattended days will not be refunded. To sign up, click the link below and enter your child's name.  Check the appropriate day(s) that you wish your child to attend. Enter multiple children individually.


In-home Piano Lessons

***The Elternbrief will occasionally feature community activities. Please note that they are neither necessarily school-related nor recommended.***

Looking for in-home piano lessons? 

Who:  Elementary and early-intermediate (ages 5-early teen)
What: Individual private piano lessons focusing on performance, theory and technique.

Teacher has over 5+ years piano teaching experience, a 20+ year musical background and many years experience working with kids of all ages. 

Where: In-home lessons (prefer working with siblings too)
Why: To help your kids develop a passion for music and develop transferable skills
When: Thursdays and Fridays after school (after 2:30 p.m.)

Reasonable Rates: $25 for 30 minute, half hour in-home lessons (price includes transportation to your home)

Contact Emily Murrin at 218-340-3843 for more information.

Recital of German Music

"Ich liebe dich," a recital of German songs and arias, is coming to House of Hope Presbyterian Church on Saturday, October 16

Soprano - Sofia Ardalan
Pianist - Thomas Bartsch

Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 7 PM

House of Hope Presbyterian Church
797 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105

Questions? Contact Eva Heidmann.

The 2011 Blue Sky Guide Chinook Book is here! Buy yours now!

Back with a new name but the same great coupons and local, sustainable focus, this year's Chinook Book coupon collection is as useful as ever. Chinook Books arrive in the TCGIS front office this week. Please check them out and buy one - or more - to help support our school. 
 
Chinook Book, the original Blue Sky Guide, is full of coupons to help you save at local, sustainable businesses that promote healthy living in our community. Find hundreds of dollars in everyday savings with offers for:

●     Lunds/Byerly's
●     Kowalski's
●     Erik's Bike Shop
●     Science Museum
●     Bachman's
●     Frattallone's Ace Hardware
●     Bibelot
       and many, many more! 

To see a complete list, please visit: ChinookBook.net

The books cost $20 each, and we keep $10 per book in our school community! Our goal is to sell 100 and raise $1,000. Save money and support our school with Chinook Book.

Chinook Book has something for everyone. It makes a great gift, so pick up copies for you and a friend.

You can peruse this year's coupon book and pick up your copy in the front office at TCGIS. Checks are payable to the TCGIS PTO.

Questions? Contact Kate Olson at kathryn.a.olson@gmail.com.

St. Paul Oktoberfest is October 9th

The 2010 Saint Paul Oktoberfest is Saturday, October 9, from noon to 11 p.m. at the Klub Haus located at 1079 Rice Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Please visit www.saintpauloktoberfest.org for more information.
Auflauf Cook-off & Community Dinner
Get your recipes ready!

Mix, sauce, and layer up your finest at the second annual TCGIS Auflauf Cook-Off! It's competitive, hot-dish-style action as TCGIS cooks face off over their best recipes. Celebrity judges will be on hand to evaluate entries in several categories, including German Traditional (Auflauf), American Traditional (tater-tot optional), and Non-Traditional (Spicy/Vegetarian). When the judging is done, everyone will have a chance to dish up at this community dinner. This is a terrific family event - after dinner, children can run off steam in the incredible play area!

Tickets are on sale now- space is limited! Suggested ticket donation price: $8 - non-competing adults and $5 - competitors and kids over 5. The Cook-Off will be at the Salvation Army Community Center at 2727 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis. This is a nearly zero-waste, 99% recyclable, compostable eve
nt!
UPDATED Parent Handbook Available

Click here to access the most up-to-date version of the Parent Handbook. Included inside is essential information regarding school policies, contact information and calendar.

Even if you are a veteran community member, there a number of updates in the latest version, so be sure take a look.

If you can't access this .pdf document, hard copies are available at the office.
 
Elternbrief Submissions

Please have all articles pertinent to the TCGIS community submitted to the Elternbrief by Monday at 9 am prior to Wednesday publication. Submissions may be sent to aberge@tcgis.org.