Elternbrief

Weekly Newsletter for TCGIS Families

May 23th, 2013

 
In this Issue
:: Upcoming Events
:: Move to Excellence
:: End of Year Picnic
:: Day of Service
:: Yearbooks for Sale
:: Student Driven Recycling Program
:: Middle School Dance
:: Parent Portal Closed for Grading
:: Graduation Update
:: Book Sale Thanks!
:: Kinderclub Registration
Upcoming Events
Calendar
May

Tonight- Board Meeting 6:30-9:00 pm
24- Teacher Work Day No School for Students
27- Memorial Day No School for Students
31- Session 3 of After School Activities Ends

June

4- PTO Meeting 6:30 to 8:00 pm
6- TCGIS Annual Picnic at Como Park

First Grader Donates to Move to Excellence Campaign

"I wanted to help us move to our new school"

 

This morning, first grader Elaina Johnson decided that she wanted to help her school with their big moving project. She dug deep into her piggy bank and decided to give $15.62 to help support her school. Elaina proves that all of us can support our school and chip in to increase the quality of our new location. Your donation can contribute to our purchase of classroom desks, microscopes, planters for our garden, and much, much more. All donations will be collected through the school's GiveMN site ( http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Move-To-Excellence) and are 100% tax deductible. Thank you for your consideration and participation as we continue to Move to Excellence in a new home!
End of Year Picnic

Don't forget that the end of year Picnic is Thursday, June 6th. We're really excited to have a great time at Como Park and the zoo. Please read the following document for more info and a sign and return this permission form. Thanks! 
1st Annual Middle School Day of Service  Students and Teachers Clean Ramsey County Parks
 
On May 29th, the Middle School has planned our very first Annual Day of Service. This year, we have coordinated with Ramsey County Parks for students and teachers to work in mixed age groups to haul brush out of wooded areas and remove invasive plant material from specific locations within Indian Mounds Park. 
We are very excited for this opportunity for students to engage with their local community, work with students and teachers from different grades, be out in nature, and learn about Minnesota's prehistory. 
Many parents graciously volunteered to transport students on this date. We do have enough volunteers at this time. Thank you!

Please mark you calendar for this date. The Day of Service will last from 10-2:30 (all contained within the school day).
A permission slip will be sent home early next week, and will detail what to wear, what to pack, and other relevant information.

Yearbooks for Sale!
Buy your copy today at the Front Desk

The 2012-2013 school yearbook is here! Books cost $15 and all proceeds go towards the 2014 Capstone trip to Germany. Stop by the front desk and buy your copy before they are gone!

Student Driven Recycling Program 

 

Simon Kile (6th grade) has put together a more comprehensive recycling program for TCGIS. With only a little teacher assistance, he has found ways to make our school greener. Please be aware of the recent changes that have taken place in the way our school recycles.

 

Program highlights that have already begun:

  • The kids can now recycle Tetra Paks (milk cartons) during lunch

  • Yogurt cups are being recycled in the cafeteria

  • Lunch kits (like lunchables)

  • Energy bar and granola bar wrappers

  • Juice pouches

We are implementing a few more changes from now until the move, and our school gets money for each item recycled. We will have collections while we are packing, but feel free to add your own items from home. Items we will collect include:

  • Calculators

  • Other e-waste (phones, PDAs, MP3, keyboards, mice, etc.)

  • Scotch Tape rolls

  • Broken or used-up pens, markers and mechanical pencils (no wood please)

  • Colgate and other toothpaste tubes

  • Toothbrushes

  • Plastic bags/Ziplocs


Other items we are recycling:

  • U.S. Made Crayons
  • Binders
  • School Supplies (empty glue sticks/packages)

Thanks for recycling!
TCGIS Parent Survey
 

Each year the school board conducts a survey of parents of current students. This survey has been a very useful tool in understanding the TCGIS experience. Please look for the survey email in your inbox later this week.  


Note that each household will receive one survey link.  Please complete your household's survey at your earliest convenience, but not later than midnight on June 7, 2013:

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Thank you for your help.

Astrid Knott Johnson, Survey Administrator
Matt Schneider, Board Chair
Middle School Dance
Theme: Bad Taste

The Student Council is hosting a middle school dance May 31st at 5 pm in the Cafeteria. 

Date: May 31, 2013
Time: 5pm-9pm
Where: TCGIS Cafeteria
Theme: Bad Taste
Entry: $5

This is a potluck, and each class is responsible for the following:

5A: Fruit
5B: Candy
6: Chips/Snacks
7: Desserts 
8: Drinks in 2 liter bottles & cups

Bitte komm zum TCGIS Bad Taste Tanz und Potluck! Es wird Spiele, Tanzen und Essen geben! 
Zieh deine mismatched Kleider an und tanz!
Mehr infos über Essen und Getränke werden im Elternbrief greklärt.
Parent Portal Closed for Grading
Report Cards to be mailed out June 5th

Teachers are going to be working on Report Cards this weekend. Please note that current grades will not be visible in the Powerschool Parent Portal from May 23 to June 3rd until final grades and comments are entered. Report Cards will be sent home with students on June 5th, the day before the school-wide picnic at Como Park.
Graduation Update

Tickets will be handed out to 8th grade students today.  I have heard from a few students that they need more tickets.  Parents-please call or email Jane Hall-Dayle to request extra tickets at 651-492-7106 x 101 or jhalldayle@tcgis.org.  

Please let Jane know about how many people will be attending the reception only.  

We are so looking forward to celebrating graduation with you all!
Library Book Sale!
 
The Library Book Sale was a great success! Thanks to everyone who bought items! We raised $767 for the library. A special thanks goes out to Kimberly Feilmeyer, Alex Weeding, Jennifer Lehnen, Natalie Yaeger and all the other parents who helped prepare the books for sale, and covered the registers. Thanks also to everyone who donated materials, we couldn't have had a book sale without you.
New 2013/2014 Kinderclub Registration  
Forms Now Online!

All new registration forms for the coming school year are now online for your convenience at www.tcgis.org/kinderclub. 

You may submit completed forms via email to blarimer@gai-mn.org, via postal mail to GAI, Kinderclub Attn: Babett Larimer, 301 Summit Avenue, St.Paul, MN 55102, or via drop box at TCGIS front desk. 

Each registration must include two forms: 
- Kinderclub registration 
- Kinderclub Fee Payment Agreement

Please keep in mind that schedule changes can be accommodated up to 2 weeks prior to the desired date. That said, feel free to submit your registration early, so we can assess needed space and staffing. Individual schedules can be adjusted as needed as we get closer to the start of the school year!

 
Looking for something for your kids to do this Summer? 
Consider supporting these organizations that donated to the Maskenball Auction:  

Educating Children for Informed and Active World Citizenship

 


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.