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| Elternbrief |
Weekly Newsletter for TCGIS Families May 3, 2012 | |
 | | Annika Fjelstad, TCGIS Director |
Dear Families,
Lots of good news to report this week:
Poetry competition: Last Friday was a day to be proud of our academic program as we watched our middle-schoolers recite classic poetry in German, Spanish and English during the "Be A Muse'd" poetry competition. Click here for a list of winning entrants.
Festival of Nations: Many TCGIS students will be performing this week at the Festival of Nations (May 3-6), both with our own German and Austrian dance troupe "Blumenkranz," and with the Ukrainian dance group. Click here for performance times. If you attend, please wear your spirit wear to help us spread the word about all of the great arts programs available at TCGIS.
New teachers for next year - support needed! We have made some very successful hires for teaching positions next year--see below for an introduction to these new faces. We have three teachers who will arrive in August, and we need volunteers to help them get oriented to the cities. We need volunteers to pick them up from the airport, host them for the first week, and help them find apartments, buy cars, and get settled in the Twin Cities. Please let me know if you are wiling to serve on a support committee for orienting new teachers. This is a vital way to support the school.
"Protecting Your Online Footprint": Please join us at the Internet Safety workshop at 6:30 on May 10th. Learn about the electronic communications used by teens and about the potential impact on students if these mediums are misused. The school is proud to co-sponsor this workshop with the PTO. Please see below for more details.
Box tops really do pay off: We have several new balls for recess that were obtained free of cost thanks to all of those box tops we collected over the years. Thank you to Lisa Antony-Thomas for organizing this program and to all the families whose box top contributions added up to some much-needed recess equipment.
Thanks for all you do to support your children and the school.
Annika Fjelstad
Director, TCGIS
651-492-7106, ext. 103
[email protected]
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 Upcoming Dates
Save the Date 
MAY 8-9 - MCA Science 10 - 6:30 PM, Internet safety training 11 - 8 AM, Kaffeeklatsch 18 - School Board election 18 - 2:00 - 5:30 PM, Used Book Sale 18 - 3:45 PM, Beginning violin class information session 22 - 6:30 PM, Board meeting 25 - Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL 28 - Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL JUNE 5 - 6:30 PM, PTO meeting 7 - End-of-the-Year Picnic and last day of school! For the complete school calendar, click here. |
Protecting Your Online Footprint
Internet safety training for students (grades 5-8) and their parents
TCGIS and the TCGIS PTO are pleased to sponsor "Protecting Your Online Footprint," a presentation by the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. This presentation is s uggested for grades 5-12 with parents and caregivers. Teens will learn about the importance of making healthy choices both online and with cell phones. Online risks and dangers will be discussed so that youth are aware of behaviors that should trigger warning flags. Risky behaviors, including sexting and cyberbullying, will also be covered.
The presentation also addresses positive ways students can use the Internet to advocate for each other. This training is designed to help initiate conversations at home about using technology in a positive way while giving families tools to make healthy decisions online.
The presentation will take place at TCGIS on May 10 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. While the presentation is aimed at 5th graders and up with their parents, parents of children in younger grades are also welcome to attend. The PTO will provide free babysitting for kids younger than 5th grade. In order to help us plan for adequate seating and to sign up for babysitting, please click here to register.
The presentation will be conducted by Alison Feigh.
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Festival of Nations Performances
TCGIS students performing in the Austrian, German, and Ukrainian Programs
The Festival of Nations takes place at the River Centre in St. Paul. Join us on Friday and Saturday to see TCGIS students perform:
May 4
12:00pm, Ukrainian Dance Group
2:00pm, Ukrainian Dance Group
May 5
11:00am, Blumenkranz: Austrian program- Allemanda, L�ndler, Walzer
11:30am, Ukrainian Dance Group
11:45am, Blumenkranz: German program- Hamburger Promenade, Rheinl�nder, Tramplan-Polka
12:30pm, Ukrainian Dance Group
12:40pm, Jr. Blumenkranz: German program- Gardetanz / Dshingis Khan
1:30pm - Jr. Blumenkranz: Austrian program- Besentanz/Siebensprung
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Used Book Sale
Collecting donations May 7th - 11th
 Our annual Used Book Sale will be held on Friday, May 18th, 2:00 - 5:30 PM. We are looking for donations of gently used children's books, games, CD's and DVD's (English or German), as well as newer books for adults. Drop-off will be during the week of May 7th - 11th in the front office. All proceeds of the Book Sale will go to the Library Fund to help buy new books for the library. If you are interested in helping out during the sale on May 18th, please contact Alexandra Weeding at [email protected], or Heidi Zimmermann at [email protected].
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Math MCA Score Reports Available
Pick up your child's report at the front office
Grades 3-7 have successfully completed the MCA Math testing. Score reports are available at the front desk, and can be picked up by a parent or legal guardian. If score reports are not picked up by Friday, May 4, they will be mailed home.
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Pre-Order Your Yearbook Today!
TCGIS yearbook coming soon
The yearbooks  will be coming soon! Stop by the office and pre-order your copy today. Cost is $15 and all proceeds go towards the 8th grade Capstone Experience. Yearbooks will be distributed to the classroom teachers on May 17th. Additional yearbooks will be available for sale after school on May 17th. |
Full-Day Kinderclub Offered on May 25
All-day child care for school release day
We are offering full day Kinderclub care for the teacher work day on May 25. Please sign up here if you would like your child to attend Kinderclub during the hours of 8am - 6pm on May 25th. Please sign up by Thursday, May 17th. Late and last-minute sign-up is based on availability and will incur a late fee. |
Be A muse'd
TCGIS Poetry Competition
Since April was National Poetry month, the middle school teachers were inspired to organize a poetry contest. Last Friday we held our first Poetry Olympics, "Be A Muse'd," performed by the middle school. This event was a huge success. The audience heard both classics written by renowned authors and original pieces by our middle school students. Thank you to all of our organizers, judges and participants!
Poetry Contest Winners:
-Nele Roth: "Der Handschuh" by Friedrich Schiller -Sylvia Elias, Olivia Bruhn, and Lola Rubens: "Eureka" by Jack Prelutsky -Emily Schoonover and Demian Reith: "Ich Bin Krank (Das Heisst Ich Muss Kotzen)" by Demian Reith -Martin Kocher, Visual Poetry: "Rotten Luck" by Martin Kocher -Anna Weimholt and Claudia Feilmeyer: "I'd Rather See the Moon" by Anna Weimholt and Claudia Feilmeyer -Hanna Mulholland: "Bloke on a Slope" by Hannah Mulholland |
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End-of-the-Year Picnic!
Sign up for food and for volunteer opportunities
 Please check your youngest child's backpack for an orange sign-up sheet for this year's end-of-the-year picnic! Each TCGIS student will receive one hot dog free of charge (vegetarian options will be available). You may use the sign-up sheet to order extra hot dogs for siblings, family, or guests for $1 each. The form also includes a volunteer sign-up. Please let us know if you are able to  help out! Turn in your form to the front office by Thursday, May 23rd--only one form per family please. If you lose your form, you may find a copy attached here.
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2012 TCGIS Board Election
Friday, May 18
On Friday, May 18 we will be electing three new members to the TCGIS Board. We are excited to announce that we have three well-qualified candidates running this year. Please read through the candidates' statements, available here and on the TCGIS website. All parents or legal guardians and staff members are eligible to vote in the election. On May 18th, the ballot box will be open at the school during the following times: - At drop off - 7:45am to 9:00am
- At pick up - 3:00pm to 4:30pm
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 to fill out a proxy form. The proxy form allows you to authorize someone 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 will be available soon on the TCGIS website and at the school. Ballots will also be available on voting day. If you are unsure whether you are an eligible voter, please check with the front office ([email protected] or 651-492-7106), where we have a list of all eligible voters. If you have questions about the use of the proxy form or the election in general, please contact Board Vice Chair Kimberly Koempel at [email protected] or 651-414-0304. |
Beginning Violin Class Information Session
Friday, May 18th at 3:45 PM, KG - 1st Grade
 On Friday, May 18th at 3:45pm we will have an information session regarding an after-school beginning strings class to be offered next fall for Kindergarten and 1st grade students. Leif Petersen, the strings group instructor, will talk briefly about the philosophy and curriculum of the class as well as more practical considerations such as instrument rental and time commitments.
This meeting is for students AND parents. Please attend if you have ever considered starting your child on the violin! The presentation will be followed by music from the TCGIS string ensemble and some Q&A time. Leif Petersen will also be available afterward to answer questions one-on-one. Please contact Leif Petersen with any questions: [email protected], (206) 719-1372. |
Facilities Committee Update
Possible future sites for TCGIS
The Facilities Committee has been working hard compiling the results from the facilities survey and pursuing our options regarding future locations for TCGIS. We would like to share these results with you and give you an update on the next steps. Please click here for the full update. |
New Teachers Coming to TCGIS
Help us welcome these new members of our community
We will have the pleasure of expanding our Kindergarten teaching team by two staff members next year as we add a third Kindergarten, and we wish Frau Eufinger well as she plans to spend next year at home with her expected new baby. Frau Stefanie Schultz has worked for 14 years in Hessen, Germany at a "Vorschule," a program that prepares students who need extra support for first grade. Frau Julia Helten has taught in the lower elementary grades in Berlin for 4 years and brings unbridled enthusiasm and energy to her new position. They will join Frau Heindl for our new Kindergarten class team. Frau Carolin Bindert will join Frau Michelle Knoll on the third grade team, as we sadly wish Frau Yvonne Kuhn well as she returns to Germany next year. Frau Bindert is a native German speaker who lives locally and has her Minnesota elementary teaching license from Hamline University. She has been working with 5th and 6th grades in the Minneapolis Public Schools and we're thrilled to bring her focus and enthusiasm to the halls of TCGIS. Frau Silvia Roth will be partnering with current middle school teacher Frau Khrisslyn Goodman to teach 5th grade. Frau Roth has taught English and German for 10 years at the 5th and 6th grade levels in a Gesamtschule in B�blingen. A Gesamtschule closely parallels our school model, teaching all levels in one program as we do in the states. We were very impressed with Frau Roth's skills and insight on meeting the needs of each individual. |
Summer at Kinderstube German Immersion Preschool
Register for summer preschool program
Kinderstube German Immersion Preschool is now accepting registrations for the summer program that runs from June 11th to August 24th. Kinderstube is a fully licensed program for children ages 33 months to Kindergarten. Kinderstube is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Full-time and part-time options are available. Please contact Kinderstube with any questions or to schedule a tour: 651-353-5147, or [email protected]. |
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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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