It is a distinct pleasure to once again be affiliated with the Twin Cities German Immersion School. Little did I know when I served on the board at the beginning of the school that I would later be stepping in as Interim Director, but when I first walked in the door last month, I was immediately impressed with the progress that has been made here on University Avenue since we first moved into the building. The staff and faculty have created a wonderful learning atmosphere for all the grades. I certainly appreciate the work that Director Fjelstad put into making TCGIS a well-respected learning environment.

I see my responsibilities for this intervening time between permanent directors as fitting primarily into a few specific areas: 

1)   Helping the faculty and staff, some of whom still need to be hired, prepare for the opening of school. In speaking with some of the staff, they feel that the school is very organized and even ahead of schedule in some areas, which is a great relief to all.

2)   Preparing to present the school community to the new director when he/she begins sometime in the fall. It is not my intention to make any sweeping changes or to initiate new programs which would take effect in the future, but instead to work to organize the director's office and the staff in such a way as to make the transition smooth and seamless.

My responsibilities begin on a part-time basis, but will change to full-time as we move closer to the beginning of the school year and the orientation of teachers. Enrollment looks good, particularly in the lower grades, and it is exciting to think about planning for the first "graduation" of the 8th-graders. Even with limited exposure to the recent workings in the school, I am confident that the graduates will be well-prepared to enter high school.

Thank you for your confidence in me and I look forward to working with parents, students, staff, faculty and the board in the months to come.

Interim Director, TCGIS