A Weekly Update for Families
In this issue...
Game Night a Success!
Host Families for Interns Wanted
Agenda for Next School Board Meeting
Kaffeeklatsch This Week
Scrip Update
Strudel Orders
PTO Meeting Update
Partnering with Germany for a Sustainable Future
Volunteer with GACC Gala
Summer English Activities
Glockenspiel Maifest
Summer Activities for Kids
Vienna Community Arts Summer Programs
GAI Summer Camp
ElternbriefApril 27, 2011

Dear Families,

 

Thursday, May 5th  11:00am to 12:45pm and 1:00 to 2:45pm

Teens Dance Performance  (Some 4th and 5th graders miss school)

Thursday, May 5th  6:00 PM Gala 2011 German American Chamber of Commerce Fundraiser for the School

Saturday, May 7th 12:30 to 2:15pm - Children Dance Performance Festival of Nations (Some 4th and 5th graders)  3:00 PM Maifest Performance at Glockenspiel

Tuesday, Wednesday May 10th and 11th MCA Science Tests -5th grade only

Saturday, May 21st 2:00 PM Performing Arts Performance

Saturday, May 21st 4:30?  Partnering with Germany for a Sustainable Future/ Germanic American Institute/ German American Chamber of Commerce Joint Event

Friday, May 27th NO SCHOOL Report Writing Day

Friday, June 10th Last Day of School

 

There are a number of opportunities coming up to see our kids in action in the community.  Twin Cities German Immersion students will be involved at the Festival of Nations at the Excel Center on Saturday May 7th in two different capacities.  Some 4th graders will be staffing the table for Germanic American Institute during the morning.  We're actually short of kids to represent us in the afternoon due to so many of the 4th graders also being active members of the dance troupe that is performing simultaneously.  If your family would like an opportunity to attend Festival of Nations we could use some additional students from grades 3 - 6 to staff the table in the afternoon. Please contact Herr Solakhau  if interested. You would help put a good face on what we do at school and get yourselves a free pass to enter Festival of Nations.

 

A group of our dancers will also be performing at the Festival of Nations between 12:15 and 2:00. Many thanks to Frau Breithaupt, Frau Halvorson and Herr Solakhau for their leadership for these activities.

 

The dance group will also be performing at the Maifest at the Glockenspiel restaurant at 3:00.  If you're interested in submitting an entry for the baking contest held as a fundraiser for the school there are entry forms at the front desk. 

 

If you've never been to the MayDay Parade at Powderhorn Park on the first Sunday of May you might want to check it out on May 1st at 1:00 PM on Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis between 26th and 34th Streets.  A few TCGIS families are also to be found there in their very best MayDay costumes. 

 

Happy Spring - once it finally decides to be spring, anyway.  Thanks for all you do for our community.


 

Frau Annika Fjelstad
Director
Twin Cities German Immersion School

[email protected]

Meet the TCGIS Board Candidates 
 Please join me in welcoming Gregor Adriany, Liane Gale, Matt
Schneider, and Marcus Sheire as candidates for the 3 open board
positions. You can click on this link to read their candidate
statements.

Mark your calendars for two opportunities to meet them in person and
to ask any questions you may have: this Friday's Kaffeeklatsch at 8:00
am at the school and the May 2 PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at the school,
where each candidate will give a short presentation. Finally, please
mark your calendars for the election itself on May 20. Thank you for
taking the time to support the governance and leadership of our
school.

Lisa Friedman,
TCGIS Board Secretary and Governance Chair

We Are Still Looking for Amity Intern Host Families for Next Year!    



As you might have noticed we are currently looking for host families for our next school year. We will have 24 Amity Interns coming over the course of the year and they all need a place to rest their head!

They are all looking forward to their visit to the school and to have a good

exchange and stay with their host families.

 

Dirk Jung will be joining us for the Fall semester from the University  of

Trier.  He studies English and Geography; and enjoys sports,  politics,

geography, cars and technology.  While growing up, his family  housed many American soldiers and their families who were stationed in Germany.

 

Stephanie Reinhard comes from the University of Bochum where she studies English and Philosophy.  She will be at TCGIS for the Fall semester.   Stephanie has a great interest in music, including piano, singing, and  musicals.  She also likes cooking and baking, reading and writing, and  working with younger children.

 

Please contact Darcy Rindelaub for more information! 

Agenda for the Next School Board Meeting   



The next school board meeting will be held this Thursday, April 28, at 6:30 pm at the school.  Please click here to see the agenda.

Kaffeeklatsch This Week
Scrip Update

Don't forget to place your May Scrip orders!  We are within $20 of making our goal of $1,000 for the year - can you help put us over the top?  Place your order online at www.shopwithscrip.com by May 3rd, and send your check in to the school office.  Orders are usually ready for pickup at school the following Wednesday (May 11th).  Father's Day, spring planting, and outdoor projects are just some of the ways to support our school through Scrip.  Hundreds of gift cards are available for retailers we all use each day - SuperAmerica, Cub, Rainbow, Target, Home Depot, amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and the list goes on...

 

If you are new to the program, please set up a family account at www.shopwithscrip.com, and use TCGIS's enrollment code to ensure we get credit for your purchases:  4CA2AE9714L14.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Deb Helmel, our Scrip Coordinator.


The Strudel are Coming!
The TCGIS PTO is sponsoring a spring sale of Ruhland's Strudel.  Restock your freezer with these elegant and delicious strudel while contributing funds to support our teachers and school.
 
Click here for the descriptions of each strudel.

PTO Meeting Update

Please note, the PTO meeting is 6:30 - 8:00 PM, May 2, not May 4 as was published in Monday's PTO newsletter. If you plan on attending, it is extremely helpful to us if you RSVP. This helps us plan for and arrange meeting space. Also, please use the RSVP link to sign-up for free babysitting by Friday, April 29. Meeting Documents:

P.S. Collecting Box Tops for Education or milk caps? Be sure to bring them to the meeting to get them prepped to send in.


Partnering with Germany for a Sustainable Future

Building on the success of last year's event, the Germanic-American Institute, Twin Cities German Immersion School, and German American Chamber of Commerce Midwest, Minnesota Chapter will again host a celebration and discussion centering on the German-American partnership in Minnesota.  Please see the flyer for more information about the various events to participate in that day!  

Volunteer at the GACC Gala

Volunteer At the GALA- Thursday May 5  50th Floor of the IDS Tower

1. Volunteer for an hour - 4:30- 5:30 pm

Help place flags on the dinner tables and GACC printed menus at the place settings in the banquet room.  Dress as you would like.

 

2. Volunteer for two hours - 5:00p.m.- 7:10 p.m.

Staff Registration Desk.  We need three individuals to pleasantly and efficiently greet and register guests to the Gala.  Required dress will be suit and tie, business attire.

 

3.  Volunteer for 2.5 hours at the GALA- 8:30 p.m.- 10 p.m. Assist at the Live Auction.

 

a. We need four individuals as spotters for attendees' bids during the live auction solicitation.  This will require rapid and good eye sight, clear communication of bids to the auctioneer and numbers to the recorders while standing in the banquet area amidst GALA guests.  Dress required will be white shirt, tie for men and black pants or skirt for the women.

b. We need two individuals to record the bid numbers spotters have positively identified. This will require legible recording of numbers on to paper held by a clip board, accurately capturing the number verbally told the recorder by two spotters.  Dress required will be white shirt, tie for men and black pants or skirt for the women.

 

Contact Nancy at [email protected] to volunteer at the GALA on May 5th.  THANK YOU! 


Summer English Activities

Frau Wallace encourages you to look into summer English enrichment opportunities covering students from K-7.  While these services are not provided through TCGIS, we wanted to let you know about programs and services available to you for free and/or fee based in our community.  If you would like to share a summer activity please spread the word by submitting a blurb to the Elternbrief. 

OPTION 1:  Summer School provided through your home district 

St Paul Public School Residents: 

St Paul Public Schools Summer Session for Students who reside in St Paul Public Schools District
for more information go to: extendedday.spps.org 

Minneapolis Public School Residents 

Go to school office nearest where you live to register.  That school will have the forms, transportation information and and other information you may need. 

Please see link for further information: summerschool.mpls.k12

OPTION 2:  YMCA 

YMCA's throughout the Twin Cities offer day camp types of programs for kids during the summer.  Some further information may be found at: http://www.ymcatwincities.org/summer-programs  

OPTION 3: CAMPS   

This article on Summer Camps appeared in Minnesota Monthly, March, 2011:  http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/March-2011/Summer-Camps-amp-Classes/

Includes camps that offer: academic, art, culture, music, outdoor activities, sports, etc.


This appeared in the Star Tribune as well: 
http://ww2.startribune.com/projects/maps/calendar/camp_guide_2011.html 
Glockenspiel Maifest

The Glockenspiel Restaurant on W. 7th in St. Paul is also interested in running a fundraiser for our school during their Maifest on May 7th. They would like to put on a baked goods contest.There will be 2 categories (Kuchen und Torten). The participants will bring their baked items to the Glockenspiel for judging. The first place of each group will (if willing to share their recipe) be featured at the Glockenspiel as the cake / torte for the month of June. The first 3 places will receive a gift Certificate to the Glockenspiel from us. The entry fee for the baked goods contest is $5.00 per entry, of which 100% will go to the school.  For further information please contact Marty Ziegel at 507-648-3388 or [email protected].

Click here to see the flyer!
Summer Activities for Kids 

Looking for something for your child(ren) to do this summer? Check out these fun camps and classes offered by some of our 2011 Maskenball donors. When you register, be sure to let them know you heard about them through TCGIS.

 

Sky Hawks Sports Camp

Articulture 

St. Paul Urban Tennis 

Macalester College Swimming Lessons  

GAI Summer Camps
Vienna Community Arts

 

Also be sure to check out information on an upcoming open house from Maskenball favorite, Evelyn's Bunzlau Pottery. Evelyn also sells German knives


Vienna Community Arts Summer Programs    

 

Waiting for the Train on University Ave.?

If you can't wait for the next light rail train, come to our "All Aboard! In St. Paul" railroad camps.  Vienna Community Arts teams up with the Minnesota Transportation Museum in June and July to offer two new exciting summer adventure camps for students ages 7-12.

Camp 1:  "All Aboard!  Great Train Explorations" from June 20-23.

Camp 2:  "All Aboard!  Working on the Railroad" from July 18-21.

Check out our flyers for details!  Here as attachments or located

in TCGIS lobby.   Contact Herbert/Nancy  651-773-9525.

[email protected].net or [email protected].net

 

 

Aardvark Arts

Hey!  Where's the Aardvark?  Somewhere in Herbert's studio. Come check out the summer adventure camps at VCA and find out just where that creature is.  Click here for the flyer. 

Aug. 1-4,  OZ!

Aug. 8-11  A Bug's Life

Aug. 15-18   Sounds of Salzburg

Contact Herbert/Nancy at Vienna Community Arts for details.

[email protected].net or [email protected].net

 

Summer Chor Opportunities!!!

Expand your vocal repertoire and perform community service during summer break.  Performances at area senior homes.

In session one "Americana!" we'll celebrate music of Stephen Foster,

Woody Guthrie, and more.       

June 21-July 12, Tues. 6pm to 7pm. Grade 2-7.

 

In session two "Favorite Musicals"  we will sing and choreograph numbers from Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Aladdin, Jungle Book, and Hansel & Gretel. July 19-Aug 9, Tues. 6pm to 7pm, Gr. 2-7.   Contact VCA at 651-773-9525 or [email protected].net   or [email protected].net

GAI Summer Camp  

Throughout the summer the GAI is offering week-long German language camps centered around different fun themes. For more information and to sign up please follow the link http://www.gai-mn.org/classes/sommer.html. If you use this .pdf form instead, please return the filled-out registration form to Amy Neeser at the GAI.
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 [email protected].