A Weekly Update for Families
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| Elternbrief | November 24, 2010 |
 Dear Families,
Thanks We thanked you last week for the amazing show of support through Give to the Max Day, but some things deserve repetition. The final total of received and pledged gifts totaled $22,685. It is the spirit of community that makes this effort work: each giving as they are able. Thanks to those of you who sent our letter and information on to your relatives. Grandparents and other extended family are an important part of the network that sustains the quality of education we are able to provide at TCGIS.
Winter Weather We will send kids out for recess as much as possible. Please make sure to send children dressed to play in the snow and the cold.
We are also entering the season where one wonders about snow days and how information about those gets communicated. If we opt to close the school, we will list the information with KSTP (Channel 5) or kstp.com and WCCO (Channel 4) or at wcco.com. Through KSTP you can register to receive an email or a text message when our school is registered to be closed. To do so go to http://kstp.com/schoolalert and register. Twin Cities German Immersion School is listed as its own school. As a rule of thumb if Saint Paul Public Schools are closed we will also be closed.
Upcoming Dates
Dec 14th 1:00 PM Performance of Afterschool Activity Groups
Dec 15th 6:30 Middle School Meeting. (5th and 6th grade parents will receive more information under separate cover)
Late January (date TBA)Performing Arts Program showcase
Thursday, February 3rd State of the School
Have a very happy Thanksgiving. We'll look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday, November 29th.
Frau Annika Fjelstad
Director
Twin Cities German Immersion School
afjelstad@tcgis.org |
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Last Scrip Order before the Holidays
********DUE DECEMBER 7th************
Place your order online at www.shopwithscrip.com, and bring your check (payable to TCGIS) to the office.
For those of you hoping to support the school by purchasing your gift cards through Scrip, this order will be available for pickup on Wed. 12/15. There are hundreds of retailers for great gift ideas for everyone on your list - kids, grandparents, teachers, coworkers, babysitters (for suggestions, click HERE).
Several retailers are also offering special promotions at this time. For example, when you purchase a Land's End card (popular with our group), they will donate back 18% to the school! (If you haven't discovered the Land's End "Not Quite Perfect" store at HarMar Mall, it's a hidden treasure!) Or perhaps you happen to have an American Girl fan--they've just been added to Scrip and are offering an introductory contribution of 10% (good online or in stores). Click HERE for a full list of specials.
Ordering is easy - you just need to set up a Family Account at www.shopwithscrip.com. Just make sure you use TCGIS's enrollment code so we get credit for your order - enter 4CA2AE9714L14 when prompted. Thanks so much for helping support the school, and have a wonderful holiday season! Deb Helmel Scrip Coordinator debh@siewertcabinet.com
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Picture Retake Day December 8th
School pictures from Photographer's Guild went home in backpacks earlier this week. If you did NOT receive photos, or would like to order and forgot, please contact Nick at Photographer's Guild directly: photoguild@gmail.com or 651-646-4239.
If you are unhappy with your photos, retake day will be on December 8th. Please let us know if you are planning to get your pictures retaken, so we can get an idea of how long Photographer's Guild should schedule to be at TCGIS. If you'd rather have your pictures retaken before December 8th, feel free to contact Photographer's Guild to schedule a time to go into the studio on Snelling in St. Paul.
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Meet Laura Mayer, Amity Intern
Hello everyone! My name is Laura Mayer and I am the Amity intern in 6th grade. I am 24 years old and I live in Basel, Switzerland. I am studying English and Spanish at the University of Basel in order to become a secondary teacher. I enjoy teaching and I like the idea of teaching someone a new language in order to be able to communicate with people from different countries/cultures. In Switzerland, you need to have spent at least five months in an English-speaking country if you want to become an English teacher at a secondary school. That is the reason why I decided to apply to Amity for the Intern Teacher Program.
I think this program is the best opportunity to improve your teaching skills and your English. This has been a great experience for me so far. I was warmly welcomed into my host family, which made it very easy for me to settle into this country. My host parents, Andrew and Angela Thomas, have three children: Katherine, Cordelia and Lucy. Cordelia is a kindergartner at the German Immersion School. I feel totally integrated in the family and I am really thankful for everything they are doing for me.
At the German Immersion School, I am working with the 6th-graders and their teacher Cornelia Fritsche, from whom I have learned a lot. I teach German and mathematics, which I like very much. I also enjoy being the intern in the Spanish class; it never ceases to amaze me how fast children learn a new language. This motivates me even more to keep studying to become an English and Spanish teacher. I also like that the children learn everything in German at this school and therefore I think it is very good to also have some German or Swiss teachers or interns that can help these kids in their learning process.
This experience as an Amity intern is great because it will help me a lot in my future occupational career. I am also glad I got to come to Saint Paul and get to know the American culture, the school system and the people here.
This semester, TCGIS welcomed twelve interns from Germany and Switzerland into our classrooms. Ten of them are hosted by TCGIS families. Amity interns are vital to the success of our students and to our school. Consider hosting an intern in your home! More information from the Amity Committee to follow as the need arises.
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PTO Bake and Craft Sale a Big Success
The 2nd Annual Craft and Bake was a hit once again.
The sale raised a little over $1900.
Thanks to everyone who helped at the sale, donated items and took part in the event. Watch for more details and photos from the sale in the up coming PTO Newsletter.
Thanks again!
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After School Activity Sign-Up
After School Activities Sign-Up for the Winter Session (January 4 through March 14) is now open!
Click here for the list of After School Activities.
Click here for the TCGIS registration form.
Completed registration forms are due in the office by December 10th. There is a $5 per child registration fee payable to TCGIS (or you can include it in a check to the instructor). If you are only registering for a YMCA class, please make the check payable to TCGIS.
For questions or suggestions please contact Scot Stephenson at:
sstephenson@tcgis.org
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Announcing the PTO Winter Strudel Sale
The TCGIS PTO is pleased to once again offer Ruhland's Strudel - just in time for holiday entertaining! Information and an order form should be coming home in your student's backpack, and orders are due Thursday December 2. You can also see sale information by clicking here and here or by visiting the PTO website at http://tcgispto.org/ where you can also place online orders via the zencart. Strudel will be delivered to the school on Thursday December 16 and can be picked up between 3 and 5:30 pm in the parking lot.
Thanks!
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German Heritage Night with the Minnesota Timberwolves
First Annual German Heritage Night with the Minnesota Timberwolves
This special evening will be a chance to cheer for former NBA MVP and Germany's own Dirk Nowitzki!
It will be a fun and exciting evening of Timberwolves basketball and German culture.
A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Twin Cities German Immersion School.
WHEN: Monday, March 7, 2011 at 7:00pm WHERE: Target Center PRICE: $36 lower level seats ($40 regular) or $12 upper level seats ($15 regular)
German Heritage Night includes: - Early entry into the arena to watch the Mavericks warm-up
- A possible meet and greet with Dirk Nowitzki after the game (not guaranteed and subject to the approval and discretion of the Dallas Mavericks
- A post-game photo for the entire group
- Also, the first 40 kids to sign up get to high-five the players as they run onto the court before the game!
- A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Twin Cities German Immersion School
Click here to see the flyer!
For more information contact Jacob Widerschein, widerschein(at)timberwolves.com, 612.673.1282
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Sick kids? TCGIS Guidelines
Winter is upon us, and that means cold and flu season is, too!
Everyone is encouraged to wash their hands and cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze, but germs still spread.
If your child does catch a bug here a few guidelines for when it's ok to come back to school:
24 hours AFTER a fever has broken
24 hours AFTER the last time a child has vomited
Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday!
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St. Paul Parks and Recreation Ski and Snowboard Lessons
St. Paul Parks and Recreation will offer downhill and cross-country skiing lessons, as well as snowboard lessons, for kids and adults age 5 and up, at Como Ski Center.
Click here for full details.
For more information and/or registration, visit the website at www.stpaul.gov/parks.
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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.
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