In just two days, we will be electing three new board members. Please read through the candidates' statements included in this Elternbrief and on the TCGIS website. 

TCGIS voters will be able to cast their votes during an election day.

All parents or legal guardians and staff members are eligible to vote

in the election.

This Friday, the ballot box will be open at the school during the

following times:

At drop off - 7:45am to 9:00am

At lunch - 11:00am to 12:30pm

At pick up - 3:00pm - 6:00pm

Won't be here on election day or can't make it to the school while the

ballot box is open?

No problem. You can go to the TCGIS website and print and fill out a

proxy form.  The proxy form allows you to authorize somebody else to

cast your ballot for you.  Your proxy must bring the completed form to

the ballot box to be able to cast a ballot for you.  Ballots are available on the TCGIS website or at the school.  Ballots will also be available on voting day.

If you are unsure whether you are an eligible voter or not, please

check with Annie Berge or Andrea Zibble at the school

(info@germanschool-mn.org or 651-492-7106).

If you have questions about the use of the proxy form or the election

in general, you can contact Board Secretary Lisa Friedman at

lfriedman@uuma.org or 612-781-5182.

I can hardly believe that this is my last Art update until fall- it has truly been my pleasure to work with the TCGIS students this year.  I hope to do one more round of uploading student artwork to the school's Artsonia gallery at http://www.artsonia.com/schools/Twin561 in the next few weeks.  One thing to keep in mind this summer is that we always need empty gallon-sized plastic ice cream buckets in the Art room!

-- Frau Lenburg           alenburg@tcgis.org

Kindergarten  In Kindergarten we have been learning about the Native American artist Lucy Lewis who made amazing pots in the southwestern United States.  The students know that clay comes from the ground, and have made their own pinch pots like Lucy Lewis.  We just started making books about some of the things that artists do as a way of reviewing some of what we've learned this year.

First Grade  In first grade, students have finished making their own copies of the artist Paul Klee.  We also read the story of "Regenbogenfisch" and created our own Rainbow Fish collages with glittery scales.  Last week we worked together to make large fish collages.  In the next weeks we will be looking at some Chinese art and reviewing what we've learned about the Elements of Art.

Second Grade  The second graders have recently continued the theme of animals by creating portraits of African animals and small clay animal sculptures.  The African animals were framed using African-inspired stamps that the students made.  We are now studying the African-American artist Faith Ringgold and her "story quilts."  Every student is creating a square for a second grade (paper) story quilt inspired by her work.

Third Grade  The third graders have been observing flowers very carefully, drawing them on a large scale like the American artist Georgia O'Keeffe.  We have been discussing how artists have to make decisions to "frame" their pictures, figuring out what to put in the picture and what to leave out.  With our remaining time this year we will be making African rainsticks.

Fourth Grade  In fourth grade we have been learning about design.  Students explored the differences between "fine art" that hangs in museums, and designed items that are made to be used for a more practical purpose.  After discussions about product design, students designed cans for their own beverages last week.  In these last few weeks we will be learning about the paintings of the Aborigines of Australia.

Fifth Grade  In fifth grade recently we have been talking about artists who use their art to explore social issues and to express how they feel about problems they perceive in the world around them.  We explored Picasso's enormous painting "Guernica" and several examples from other artists.  The class is making plaster masks of their own faces, which they will then paint expressing an issue that has meaning to them.

Sixth Grade In sixth grade we have recently been studying Ancient Greece, especially the beautiful vase paintings.  The students have become acquainted with the various vase shapes and styles of painting.  Currently they are making their own small vases out of clay, inspired by these ancient vessels.

On Friday, May 20, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. we will be holding our third annual Community Plant Sale, featuring plants donated by our green-thumbed TCGIS gardeners. (The plant sale coincides with the used book sale, board elections, and strudel pick-up.)    

To donate to the sale, simply pot up some divisions from your garden and bring them to the school on Friday morning between 8:00 and 8:30, or at the start of the sale at 2:30. Please label your plant (masking tape works fine) if possible.  Everyone is welcome to shop at the sale, regardless of whether they donate plants.  If you would like to help during the plant swap, please email Leslie Watson.  Thanks!

There will be 14 new interns coming to our school this fall - please consider hosting one of these young people!  You can also look at their short introductions with pictures in the office.

Andreas Zeilnhofer will be coming from the University of Passau for a full year.

  He studies English and Economics and is looking forward to the opportunity to teach and make a difference in the classroom. He is interested in biking, hiking and skiing, as well as going to the movies, cooking and reading.   

For more information, please contact Darcy Rindelaub. 

Fifth Grade Performance