FEBRUARY

6-10 - Scholastic Book Fair 

9 - 5 PM, Inclusivity Task Force meeting 

10 - 8 AM, Kaffeeklatsch

10 - 7th Grade Valentine Craft/Bake Sale - before and after school   

14 - Enrollment deadline 

16  - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

16 - 6 PM, Carnival of Cultures 

17 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher work day

20 - NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day

23 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

24 - 8 AM, Kaffeeklatsch

29 - Charter School Day at the Capitol 

29 - 6:30 PM, Board meeting

MARCH

1 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

6 - 6:30 PM, PTO Meeting

7 - 6:30 PM, State of the School

8 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

9 - 8 AM, Kaffeeklatsch

15 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

15 - Parent Teacher Conferences - PM ONLY (SCHOOL OPEN)

16 - Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL 

22 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

22 - 6:30 PM, Board Meeting

23 - 8 AM, Kaffeeklatsch

23 - 6:30 PM, PTO Game Night

29 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 

For the complete school calendar, click here.

This year's school board elections will take place on Friday, May 18th. We will be electing three new members to our nine-member board of directors. The board plays a crucial role in providing direction, vision and continuity for our growing school community. We hope that you will give serious consideration to volunteering for a board position, or will take the time to recommend someone who you think would be willing and able to support the school in this way. Please click here for more information about the TCGIS school board and the election process. 

Our Carnival of Cultures is on February 16th at St. Thomas More for kindergarten through fourth grade. We will be splitting these grades into two performances due to occupancy limits set by the fire code. Please plan for your child to arrive promptly according to their grade level and other group participation. Blumenkranz and other musical groups may be performing at a time different from their grade level. 

Schedule:

5:45 - Kids arrive for first performance: Kindergarten, First grade, Junior Blumenkranz and TCGIS Consort

6:00 - First performance begins: Kindergarten, First grade, Junior Blumenkranz and TCGIS Consort  

6:30 - Kids arrive for second performance: Second grade, Third grade, Fourth grade, Blumenkranz; Senior Strings should also stay for the 2nd performance

6:45 - Second performance begins: Second grade, Third grade, Fourth grade, Blumenkranz, Senior Strings   

Further information, as well as the complete schedule, can be found here.  

Families with children in multiple grades are welcome to stay for both performances. If your child is not performing, you are responsible for supervising them. We would like all of the students to be dressed nicely in concert attire. Please be sure your child is not wearing boots or shirts with writing.

St. Thomas More is located at 1065 Summit Ave, St. Paul. Parking is available behind the school. Please enter through the middle door.

We need your help to determine our re-enrollment rate next year. Pleaseclick here  to fill out our re-enrollment survey and let us know if your children will be returning to TCGIS next year.  

We will be giving the MCA Math Assessment online for the first time this year. There are many benefits to taking the test online:

1) The online test modifies the questions based on how students are performing. This feature prevents students from being exposed to many test questions for which they are unprepared. It also allows students who are excelling to respond to questions appropriately targeted at their level.

2) By using the online test, we have the opportunity to conduct multiple testing sessions, giving our students more than one chance to show off what they know. The highest scores will be reported to the state.

3) Online testing gives us immediate feedback on specific areas where both individuals and groups need additional instruction.

With the move to online testing, we have changed our testing dates in order to use the opportunities for retesting strategically. There will be three available testing windows for the math test. The first testing session will be used as a practice version to help students become more comfortable with the testing system. This also gives us the opportunity to see what instructional areas to focus on before the second testing window, when all students will take the test. The third testing window is available for specific situations where we can document that students have received instruction and show reasonable chances of succeeding in areas in which they did not succeed during the first two sessions.

Upcoming Testing Schedule:

March: Sprachdiplom - Grade 5  

March 19-22: MCA Math Testing Window #1 - Grades 3, 4, 6, 7 (Practice Test)

April 17-18: MCA Reading Test - Grades 3 - 7

April 23-26: MCA Math Testing Window #2 - Grades 3 - 7

May 8-9: MCA Science Test - Grade 5

May 14-15: MCA Math Testing Window #3 - Grades 3-7 (by referral only)

Looking for a fun family getaway this spring? Explore the great outdoors with your kids, tour Grand Marais, and spend time with other TCGIS families in a beautiful setting. Join us at East Bay Suites in downtown Grand Marais on Lake Superior's North Shore over the long weekend on March 16-18. East Bay Suites has Studio, 1, 2, & 3 bedroom beachfront condominiums with spectacular lake and village views. Each unit is fully furnished and most have full kitchens. Click here for more information on how to reserve rooms at a reduced TCGIS rate!