A Weekly Update for Families
In this issue...
Please Return All Library Books
GAI Now Hiring
Chor in Review
Need: Boxes w/Lids
Kaffeeklatsch
TCGIS Green Callout and Update
Help Needed: School Picnic Clean-Up
Kinderstube
Macalester College World Cup Soccer Camp
Performing Arts Donation Drive
Calling All Scientists, World Travelers, Rock Guitarists and Philatelists!
Seeking Host Families
ElternbriefJune 1, 2011

Dear Families,

 

Do you need a reminder about what a big gift you are giving your child by enrolling him/her/them in an immersion program?  Read The Bilingual Advantage from the May 30th New York Times. 

 

The school year is nearly over and it's time to remember accomplishments of the year and start lists of things one wants to try out for next year.   Although there are many in both categories I want to give a brief summary of one in each category. 

 

Projects we're proud of  As a staff we set ourselves a goal of unifying a set of achievement goals that clearly identified what academic skills were to be accomplished at each grade level.  We went through a long process of working first in grade level teams and then in subject matter teams to look for repetition and gaps.  As a staff we're proud to have come up with a list that we think will serve both teachers and parents in knowing clear expectations.  We look forward to bringing these to the board and implementing a plan to share our work with parents.  We finish out our year with gratitude to teachers who went above and beyond looking at filling the needs in individual classrooms to help us unify as a school in setting and achieving joint goals. 

 

Projects we're looking forward to  We are proud to have just purchased a license to Atlas Rubicon an electronic curriculum mapping resources.  A lot of good work has been done over the years developing curriculum at individual grades and individual subject matters, but we've struggled with ways to keep all that good work organized, accessible and aligned.  Atlas Rubicon will keep our curriculum on a cloud so that updated versions are available to all staff all the time.  We will easily be able to do searches and see which concepts are being taught in which grades at which times.  We have assembled a core leadership team to acquaint ourselves over the summer and look forward to working with all staff to familiarize ourselves with this tool for curriculum development next fall. 

 

 

Thanks for all you do for the school and your children.

 

 

Frau Annika Fjelstad
Director
Twin Cities German Immersion School

[email protected]

Inclusivity Task Force
Monday, June 6th
TCGIS Conference Room 6:00 pm
Childcare provided.



 

Please Return All Library Books

 

Library volunteers are beginning to re-shelve books and double-check inventory.  Reminder letters and/or invoices will be sent to families to cover the cost of missing books, but please help us minimize this step by returning all books now.   

 

Returned books can be put on the cart sitting outside of the library door or they can be turned in at the front office.  The Library Committee is also working on establishing summer library hours, so please watch for details.  Thank you for your help!

GAI Now Hiring

 

The Germanic-American Institute is hiring for 2 positions to begin this fall: Kinderclub Director and Kaffeestube Manager. Contact Executive Director Jeana Anderson for the job description. 

Chor in Review 

 

We'd like to applaud the work of Chor members during the first part of 2011.  They sang for two weddings: one Royal, and one among the Commoners.  They gave a successful musical theatre performance at the Volksfair Event.

 

They shared some Germanic culture with other students at the Pizza Party Recital held at VCA studios, and they will perform again "A Musical Trip through German Lands" for the Deutsche Tage event.

 

Please show your support for the German Choirs in our community by coming out early, (Sunday, June 12 at 11:30) to enjoy their performances.

 

Our teaching philosophy at Vienna Community Arts is that performance is never the end goal.  Because we are primarily educators, above being performers, our focus is always on the educational process.

At VCA, we use choir, as well as our musical theatre program, as a vehicle for building a foundation of skills: music theory, reading, creative problem-solving and expression, discipline, performance techniques, and community building.

 

Students participate in intergenerational performances with the Volksfest Singers as well as family members.  As a result, they have acquired an impressive repertoire of traditional deutsche Lieder, classics from composers such as Beethoven and Wagner, and pop music from the Beatles and other modern songwriters.

 

In their efforts to celebrate and share Germanic culture with the community, our choir members have gained knowledge, poise, and confidence in creative expression.

 

Good Work! 

The Engelmayers of Vienna Community Arts

Need: Boxes w/Lids     

We would like to invite all parents to stop by our last Kaffeeklatsch this Friday!  


Freshly brewed coffee is usually ready by 8:05am. Grab a cup of coffee for your commute to work or stay around for some chatting with other parents! Coffee is $1 if you bring your own mug, or $1.25 should you need a paper cup. All proceeds of the Kaffeeklatsch events go to finance coffee for our teachers.
Last Kaffeeklatsch This Friday   

We would like to invite all parents to stop by our Kaffeeklatsch this Friday, April 8, 2011! 


Freshly brewed coffee is usually ready by 8:05am. Grab a cup of coffee for your commute to work or stay around for some chatting with other parents! Coffee is $1 if you bring your own mug, or $1.25 should you need a paper cup. All proceeds of the Kaffeeklatsch events go to finance coffee for our teachers.
TCGIS Green Callout and Update  

 

We will be hosting a meeting open to all interested parties to decide on an external umbrella organization that can help with guidance, resources and networking as we move forward with the TCGIS greening effort. The meeting will be on Wednesday, June 8 at 7p.m. at TCGIS. We look forward to working together for a more sustainable future!

 

One immediate task that needs to be accomplished is volunteering to be "Waste Marshals" during classroom cleanout.  Last year we had boxes for paper, plastic, metal, shoes, clothes, etc. and asked teachers what materials they'd like refreshed during the summer (filling glue bottles, sharpening pencils, sorting scissors, etc.).  This year we'd like to add volunteers who could help divert reusables/recyclables.  Since cleanout is approaching quickly please respond to the following doodle link this week if you can help with this

http://www.doodle.com/gg8v8npvwpap3bu2

or contact Elise Amel, 651-917-9192.

 

Help Needed: School Picnic Clean-Up 

The clean-up committee for our end of the school year picnic is still looking for volunteers. We need some hands cleaning up the park so we leave it the way we found it. Please contact Frau Rosenthal ([email protected]) or Frau Kile ([email protected]) with questions or to let us know that you are available. Vielen Dank!


Kinderstube  
KINDERSTUBE ST PAUL OPEN HOUSE-SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 12-4 PM DURING DEUTSCHER TAG AT THE GAI.
  • AGES 3-6
  • AFFORDABLE TUITION
  • FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
  • LOCATION IN ST PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 651-353-5147 OR VISIT

WWW.KINDERSTUBEPRESCHOOL.ORG


Macalester College World Cup Soccer Camp 

Location: Macalester College Stadium

Date: June 27-July 7, 2011

Morning Session: 9:00am to 12:30pm

Afternoon Session: 1:30pm to 5:00pm

Cost: $89.95

For Boys and Girls going into grades 6, 7 and 8.

 

Click here to see the whole flier! 

Calling All Scientists, World Travelers, Rock Guitarists, and Philatelists!

Do you or does someone you know have some interesting or unique skills or experiences you might be willing to share with TCGIS kids?  If so, please complete the TCGIS Classroom Enrichment Talent and Resource Survey:   http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R72YZLJ

We are collecting this information for our TCGIS teachers, who will use it as they plan classroom enrichment activities for next year. The information will not be shared with anyone other than TCGIS staff. Please feel free to forward this survey to any friends or families who might be willing to help support TCGIS kids' learning in this way. Thank you!

--The PTO Education Support Committee (Leslie Watson, Ursula Hargens, Lisa Friedman, Julie Elias, Chris Weimholt and Anna Botz) 
HOST FAMILIES NEEDED 


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

 
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].