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| Elternbrief |
Weekly Newsletter for TCGIS Families March 1, 2012 | |
 | | Annika Fjelstad, TCGIS Director |
Dear Families,
World Savvy Challenge: Our Middle School students will represent our school at the World Savvy Challenge at Macalester College this weekend, where they will they present their research on topics surrounding sustainability: food, water, waste, climate, energy, or society. Teams of 3-7 students have been dedicating two hours a day to examining a critical question in relationship to these topics. Please follow the links for a schedule of events and a campus map. If you are a German speaker and would like to witness our students' work and support these projects, it is not too late to sign up as a judge. Click here for information about volunteering.
State of the School: We look forward to greeting you at the State of the School presentation next Wednesday, March 7th at 6:30 PM. Childcare will be provided--please see below for more details.
Save the Date: Save the date for the German American Chamber of Commerce's upcoming Wine Gala on Friday, April 27, 2012. Information and updates will be available at their website. Thank you for your support,
Annika Fjelstad
Director, TCGIS
651-492-7106, ext. 103
afjelstad@tcgis.org
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 Upcoming Dates
Save the Date 
MARCH 1 - 8:15 AM, Tour for prospective families 6 - 6 PM, PTO Meeting and Present Moment Parenting Presentation 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. |
Remember to Register for Parent/Teacher Conferences!
Registration open until March 15
Parent/teacher conferences will be held on the evening of Thursday, March 15 and during the day on Friday, March 16. Registration instructions and log-in information was sent to parents via e-mail earlier this week and is available upon request at the front desk. Please see the Registration Guidelines for more information.
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TCGIS Library Update
Thank you to all our library volunteers!
Library volunteers have toiled with awkward hardware and software to keep our library going. Thanks to funds set aside for the TCGIS Library, not only have we begun to expand the middle school collection, but we are also able to boast a new desktop computer and Library World software! This is a big improvement in our Library program, and it wouldn't be possible without the commitment of our library volunteers--thank you! Thank you also to others who have helped to make our library program possible: -Thanks to the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest - Minnesota Chapter, which last year hosted a fundraiser specifically for our library program! -Thanks to donors at last year's Maskenball who made targeted contributions to our library programs! |
Evening Childcare During State of the School
Wednesday, March 6th
Kinderclub will provide care on Wednesday, March 6th, 2012 from 6:15pm-7:45pm for the State of the School presentation. Childcare will be located in the Kinderclub room/Music Room downstairs. Cost is $5.00/child or $8.00/family. Siblings over the age of three can attend as long as the older sibling is present. Payment is due at drop-off --cash or check only, please! Checks should be made out to the Germanic-American Institute. Please contact Kinderclub Director Babett Larimer if you need care during this event so that we can staff accordingly. Please e-mail her at blarimer@gai-mn.org. |
Financial Assistance for Minnesota Kids to Learn German at Waldsee 2012
Concordia Language Villages summer programs
As you may know, Waldsee German Language Village, based in Bemidji, Minnesota, offers youth and family immersion programs in German language and culture. Hundreds of Minnesotans participate each year in these programs.
Concordia Language Villages and the State of Minnesota have partnered together to provide financial assistance for those Waldsee families who qualify for the state's free or reduced lunch program. This is a great opportunity to keep the German language and language-learning as a part of your child's life. Families who apply in time will receive $1,000 towards the cost of any Concordia Language Villages programs in the summer of 2012. That is more than 50% of the cost for the 2-week program and enough to cover all of the costs for a 1-week program at Waldsee!
To be a part of this program, please click here to read a detailed description of who is eligible and how to apply. Complete the application forms and send them to:
Cheryl Marvig
Concordia Language Villages
901 8th Street S.
Moorhead MN, 56562
If you have any questions, contact Cheryl Marvig at 1-800-222-4750 ext. 3472.
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Register for After School Activities
Forms available in the front office
Registration for Session 3 of After School Activities has begun! Please fill out a registration form (available in the front office) and turn it in by March 13th to register. Please click here for a list of the classes that we are offering this session. |
Kinderclub Care on School Release Day
Care offered on March 16
Kinderclub will be offering 8am-6pm care during the school release day for conferences (Friday, March 16). The cost is $35.00/per student. The deadline for sign-up is Thursday, March 8, in order to ensure adequate staffing and supplies, and to allow time for advance notice in the event that Kinderclub will not operate. Minimum enrollment is required. For more info, contact Babett Larimer, blarimer@gai-mn.org.
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PTO: Present Moment Parenting Presentation
Guest speaker at the March 6 PTO meeting
Please join us as we welcome a special speaker for the March 6th PTO meeting. Tina Feigal, M.S., Ed. is a former school psychologist who offers coaching in Present Moment Parenting. Tina considers herself a purveyor of hope ... even for kids with extreme behaviors! She specializes in placing the healing of behavior directly into the hands of adults who care for the children. Empowerment of parents, teachers, and childcare providers is Tina's passion--she brings out the best in adults, so that they can bring out the best in children. Learn more by clicking here.
The schedule for the PTO meeting on March 6 is as follows:
6:00 - 6:30 PTO Business Meeting 6:30 - 8:00 Presentation: Present Moment Parenting About Present Moment Parenting: The Way to Really Connect with Your Child
Ever wonder why typical parenting techniques don't work with some kids? Come and learn specific, hands-on, here-and-now methods for kids ages 2-18 whose behavior often doesn't improve with typical techniques. We'll lay aside "judge, blame and punish," which only makes the situation worse, and look at communication's effect on the child's body. A dramatically different approach for dramatically different results. Bring your questions! There will be plenty of time for Q&A!
Please RSVP by clicking here. Free childcare is provided. You must RSVP for child care.
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Scrip Update
Orders Due March 6th
Our next Scrip order is due March 6th, and will be ready for pickup by March 14th. Perhaps you've never participated in the school's Scrip program, and are ready to take a peek now that all the craziness of the holidays is done...check out the Scrip website for all the info! It's easy to sign up for a family account, and hundreds of retailers are donating a portion of sales back to TCGIS. You pay only the face value of the gift cards you purchase, and they are the same gift cards you would purchase from the retailer. Just make sure you use TCGIS's enrollment code when you sign up so we get credit for your purchases - our code is 4CA2AE9714L14. Place your order online, and bring a check (made out to TCGIS) to the office by March 6th - simple! We are closing in on $1,000 in Scrip proceeds for the school year - your purchase can help us get there! Feel free to contact the Scrip Coordinator, 6th-grade parent Deb Helmel, with any questions at debh@siewertcabinet.com. |
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments
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)
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Advertise in the TCGIS Yearbook
Proceeds go to 8th grade trip
Looking for a great way to make your business known? Parents, want to send a greeting to your favorite students? Well, here's your chance! You can buy space for advertising in the first ever TCGIS yearbook! Here's the deal: $50 for a whole page (8'' by 13''), $25 for half of a page, $13 for one fourth of a page, and $8 for one eighth of a page. What a bargain! If you're interested, please fill out a this form and turn it in to the front desk. If you have any questions please contact Molly Kalda at mkalda@tcgis.org. All proceeds from advertisement sales will directly benefit the 8th grade trip to Germany next year. |
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Educating Children for Informed and Active World Citizenship
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The Elternbrief is published electronically Thursdays throughout the school-year and on an as-needed basis at other times. Submissions are due by 3 PM on Tuesdays. Content printed at the discretion of the TCGIS administration.
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