Greetings!
Willkommen to new and returning families to the 2011-2012 school year!
This year the PTO has chosen Family Volunteerism and Community Service as our theme. While many TCGIS parents and staff already volunteer in countless ways, the PTO encourages us all to take the opportunity to show our children the importance of community service as well. We have incorporated volunteerism into existing events, scheduling speakers for upcoming meetings, and bringing volunteer opportunities to the TCGIS community. We will start at this first meeting by collecting magazines and books for women at Women's Advocates. See below for more details.
We have also made it easier for you to volunteer with the PTO. Along with the school, we are now using VolunteerSpot to help us organize our volunteer opportunities. See below how you can get involved this fall.
Speaking of volunteering, I hope to see you at the September 6, PTO meeting, followed by Info Night and Meet the Board. Info Night is a great time to find out how your time and talents can best benefit TCGIS and to find something that may catch your interest.
Meeting documents:
September Agenda August Meeting Minutes Treasurer's Report will be available at the meeting
Please RSVP so we can effectively plan on how to set-up for the meeting. Also, use the RSVP to sign-up for FREE babysitting. Here's to another successful school year! 
Kari Swedberg PTO President (Elsie-2, Alma-K) 
(This is a different page from the TCGIS page - "like" both to keep informed!) |
 Collection of the Month:Used Books & Magazines |
As part of our Family Volunteerism and Community Service theme we will collect donations for area non-profits at each meeting. At the September meeting we will collect magazines and books for Women's Advocates, Inc.
Women's Advocates is a safe place where battered women and their children can escape domestic violence. In addition to providing shelter, Women's Advocates provides advocacy, personalized support (including mental health therapy and aftercare services), education, and resources for nearly 1,000 women and children every year. The first shelter in the nation for battered women and their children, Women's Advocates opened its doors in 1974. Women's Advocates welcomes women and children of all backgrounds and cultures. Women and children stay at the shelter anywhere from one night to three months.
We will be collecting the following at the meeting and in a box in the lobby all next week:
- Casual reading books. The women enjoy light novels that help to distract them from their problems and that they can read quickly. Teen literature is also popular.
- Magazines. Got a stack of magazines that you've read (or that you know you will never get to) recycle them here! Preferred magazines are celebrity/gossip, O, parenting magazines, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, etc.
- Children's books. Children's books in good shape are also appreciated!
Thank you for helping us make this new project successful!
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| Chinook Books on Sale Soon! |
 Chinook Books are better than ever! Chinook Books go on sale at TCGIS on Tuesday, September 6th. Buy yours at the front desk or at Info Night for $20 cash or check payable to TCGIS PTO. You save on purchases around town at local and sustainable businesses, and the TCGIS PTO keeps half the proceeds -- $10 from each book -- to support our school. Plus, this year's Chinook Book features 300 additional mobile coupons via the new Chinook Book mobile app included with each book. Questions? Contact Kate Olson at kathryn.a.olson@gmail.com or (651) 216-8680. |
| Info Night/Meet the Board |
Tuesday, September 6, 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Want to know about the school? Get involved? The various groups and committees at TCGIS will have tables set up so you can find out the function of each group, and discover where your talents may be of service. The same evening, parents will have a chance to meet the members of the school's Board of Directors in a casual setting. Can't wait or already know how you want to be involved? Check out the opportunities below.
There will be a short PTO meeting preceding the event at 6:30 PM. Sign-up for FREE babysitting!
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| Get in on the Action - Maskenball |
Volunteer for the Fourth Annual Maskenball Gala and Silent Auction
The Maskenball gala and silent auction is not only the PTO's biggest fundraiser to support our school, it is always a lot of fun, too. Even though February 2012 seems like a long way off, planning for the Maskenball starts now, and the 2012 Maskenball Committee chairs are already working to make sure that this year's Maskenball is as wonderful as ever. We need your help! If you want to volunteer to help plan the gala, organize the silent auction, or offer your assistance in some way large or small, please contact Kate Olson at kathryn.a.olson@gmail.com or Kami Blackwell Kinney at blackwell.kinney@juno.com or simply sign-up here and we will contact you with more information. Our first volunteer planning meeting is coming up in late September -- more details coming soon. |
| New Parents' Night Out |
Tuesday, September 20, 6:30 PM, Sweeney's, 96 N. Dale Street, St. Paul
Whether this is your first year or you are a seasoned Eltern, you are invited to attend "New Parents' Night Out." This casual, social gathering for adults is meant to allow parents to mingle without the constant tug on the pant leg. We all need a night of adult conversation once in a while!
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| Classroom Support Committee Update |
The PTO Classroom Support Committee is currently recruiting Elternkontakt (EKs) for the 2011-12 year. Ideally, we'd like to have two EKs for each K-4 classroom, one EK for each 5th-7th grade class, and one to serve the specialists (performing arts, sport, art, Spanish, English). Being an EK is a great opportunity for parents who don't speak German (not to mention those who do!) to get involved. Also, it is a wonderful way to get to know your child's teacher and parents of your child and their classmates. EKs serve as a point of communication between parents and teachers and assist in a variety of behind-the-scenes ways. If you are interested in volunteering in this capacity, please sign-up below or contact me.
(Lydia, 2B) |
| School Calendar's Now Available |
Didn't get your school calendar at last week's Open House? You can pick one up at the front desk or at Tuesday's PTO meeting. There is a $3 suggested donation to cover printing costs. If you choose to donate, just put your money in the PTO box at the front desk. Get one for home and work!
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| Get Your Recipes Ready! |
 | | Photos by Becca Dilley/Heavy Table |
The 3rd Annual Auflauf will be on Friday, October 14th. Once again it will be at the Salvation Army in northeast Minneapolis. Besides the Auflauf competition, we are introducing the "Non-Judgmental Dessert Buffet" for those who to want to contribute culinary delights without the pressure of heated competition. We have volunteer opportunities before the event (picking up supplies, making signs - more info coming soon) and for the night of Auflauf when we'll need helpers to set-up, serve food, monitor the play area, wrangle judges, greet people, and clean up. Sign-up below or contact Kari Swedberg, KariLSwedberg@gmail.com and/or Mickey Jurewicz-Grunheid, mickey.jurewicz7@gmail.com if interested.
Tickets will go on sale in late September. Be sure to get yours early as we sold out last year!
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| Volunteer Opportunities |
 We're now using VolunteerSpot, the leading time-saving online coordination tool, to help us organize our volunteer activities. We hope this will help us and you to organize more effectively. Please click the links below to learn more and sign up to help. Thanks for making a difference! Not sure what you want to do yet? Come to Info Night to learn more!
Elternkontakt (ongoing) - Get involved with your child's classroom!
Auflauf (October 14) - Auflauf has many volunteer opportunities that still allow you to enjoy the evening (and the food!)
Collection Coordinators (short-term) Pick a month to coordinate donations at monthly PTO meetings to be given to local nonprofits. Donations can include food, clothes, books, etc. See here for an example. Craft & Bake Sale (November 18 and/or 19) - Volunteers are needed to set-up and cashier on Friday afternoon and to cashier and take-down on Saturday. Sign-up here if you are interested. You will be contacted about a specific shift. PTO Meeting Set-Up (one-time) - Going to the meeting anyway? Why not come just twenty minutes earlier to help set-up. Spots available for meetings September - December.
Maskenball Planning or Auction Committee (ongoing through February) - Interested in finding out how you can be part of the largest fundraiser for the PTO. Sign-up here and we will send you more information. This is a great way to meet people and have fun!
Parent Outreach Committee (ongoing) - This committee is responsible for coordinating welcome programs for new school families; and organizing school-wide, community-oriented events. Classroom Support Committee (ongoing)- This committee is responsible for recruiting and training Elternkontakt from each class during every school year; coordinating volunteers for school-wide events as requested by the teachers and the administration; coordinating staff appreciation programs and activities; providing assistance with cultural differences in areas such as the celebration of holidays, and otherwise facilitating communication between classroom teachers and parents. Education Support Committee (ongoing)- This committee is responsible for assisting with promotional tours for prospective families and working in close cooperation with TCGIS administration and teachers to support, as needed, school-wide initiatives and curricular goals.
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| 2010 - 2011 Accomplishments |
While the TCGIS PTO continues to be a busy crew, it is important to stop and take look back to see what all of our hard work accomplishes. Last year we:
- Held wonderful community events where we:
- Served 29 different hot dishes to over 150 people at the Auflauf competition
- Danced the night away like movie stars at Maskenball
- Brought together families for game night at the school
- And many more!
- Raised over $21,272 through various fundraisers.
- Provided over $6,000 to the director and teachers for curriculum enhancements and classroom projects.
- Donated $7,500 to the school for Performing Arts program.
- Gave tours to 30 families to show off TCGIS to recruit new students.
- Brought in speakers on how to keep your kids safe(the Jacob Wetterling Foundation) and healthy (nutritionist Jennette Turner spoke on Kids, Food and Mood)
- Incorporated greening, last year's PTO theme, by using compostable or reusable service-ware at events, provided greening tips in the 2010-2011 calendar, and more!
Thank you to all of our wonderful parent volunteers! We know you are busy and appreciate the time you take to help us do so much. A special thank you to Gina Vader for her leadership during the 2010 - 2011 school year. Happy Retirement Gina!
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| Upcoming Dates | |
September 1, 8:00 AM
Welcome Back Kaffeeklatsch
September 2 & 4 NO SCHOOL
September 6, 6:30-8:00 PM PTO Meeting & Info Night
September 9, 8:00 AM Kaffeeklatsch Don't forget to bring your mug!
September 15, 6:30 PM
Curriculum Night
September 20, 6:30 PM
New Parents' Night Out
September 23, 8:00 AM Kaffeeklatsch
October 4
School Picture Day
October 4, 6:30 - 8:00 PM |
Welcome Back to School
Kaffeeklatsch | 
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Please us for coffee and chatting this Thursday, September 1. Coffee will be ready by 8:05. We will be outside in front of the school if the weather is nice, inside the lobby if not. Like last year, pricing is as follows, $1-with your own mug, $1.25-without a mug. All proceeds go to pay for coffee expenses for school events. Thank you for your support and we hope to see you on Thursday. Liebe Gruesse, Euer Kaffeeklatsch Committee
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| New Parent Field Guide | |
This guide has lots of little tidbits on school functions, including the PTO and it's committees, how to keep informed of school-wide happenings, and online resources, to name a few. It was recently updated and emailed out to new families. It offers great information whether you are a new or veteran TCIGS family. Read it here. If you would prefer a copy emailed to you, or a paper copy, please contact Krista Johnson at monk2miles@comcast.net.
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| October Speaker | At the October meeting we will welcome Jenny Friedman, PhD. Jenny is the author of The Busy Family's Guide to Volunteering: Doing Good Together and the Executive Director of Doing Good Together, a national non-profit with the mission to inspire and to help families volunteer.
Dr. Friedman will speak on how to weave volunteering into family life and how to raise caring kids.
More info soon! |
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| Bring in Your Box Tops | 
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TCGIS collects General Mills, Kimberly Clark, and Country Hearth bread "Box Tops for Education." Just cut the small coupon from the package before recycling and drop it in the big Campbell's soup can near the front desk. TCGIS receive 10 cents for every box top! Click here for a complete list of eligible products.
Help save volunteer time - please trim as close to the label as possible.
TCGIS also collects Kemps and Land O'Lakes milk caps, which earn 5 cents apiece. Please rinse the milk caps! They also go in the Campbell's soup can. Some schools raise thousands of dollars from these programs, and we can, too!
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