Elternbrief
Issue: 116 
August 8th, 2013 
In This Issue
Mark Your Calendar
Registration Forms
Supply Lists
Career Opportunities at the GAI
Construction Safety Meeting
Volunteer Help Needed
Open House
PTO Announcements
Transportation
Familienfest 2013
Neighborhood Transportation Picnics
Intern Host Families
Apply for Educational Benefits
New Teacher: Stephanie Michals
New Teacher: Hannah Matuszak
New Teacher: Kim Kulhanek
New Teacher: Heidi Schultz
New Teacher Feature: Tanja Schmitt
New Teacher Feature: Thomas Wegener
Familienfest- August 18, 2:00-5:00 pm
PTO Meeting- August 27, 6:30-8:00 pm
Construction Safety Meeting- August 28, 6:30-8:00pm
Open House- August 29, 6:30-8:00 pm

Registration Forms now available electronically
 
 
Dear Parents:
 
It's your favorite time of year again- time for back to school paperwork! We are trying something new this year and sending the forms out electronically. All returning students need to fill out the following forms:
 
To fill out the forms electronically, you must click the above link, download the document, fill out the form, save the document under your child's name and the title of the form (Example: Jurewicz, Ann Field Trip Form 2013-2014.doc) then send an email to [email protected] with the files attached. If you would prefer to print them out and send us a hard copy, please mail them to our new address:

1031 Como Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55103

You can always drop them off during the Open House as well. 
 
Just as a reminder, these forms are required for returning students only. New enrollments do not need to resubmit the forms.
 
We appreciate the time you take in filling these out. Please let the front desk know if you have any questions.

Thanks!
School Supply Lists

Please click the following links for your grade to view your supply lists

Career Opportunities with the GAI
Take a look at these new job opportunities at the Germanic American Institute

Quick Links
Dear TCGIS parents and community members, 

New School Update

New teachers have been arriving from Germany and our move into the new school building is starting next week!  Please understand, we are still in an active construction site and we cannot have any visitors on school grounds.  We promise everyone a full tour of the site at Open House on August 29th.

 

One important change is the Construction Safety Meeting has been changed to Wednesday, August 28th from 6:30-8pm so as not to conflict with the PTO meeting.

 

TCGIS has 21st Century Classrooms!

This year we are pleased to announce K-4 classrooms with have Smartboards when the complete construction project is done.  Middle school will have HDTV displays and 7th and 8th graders, with parent permission will have 1:1 Chromebooks.  All students will have a technology class to help them with 21st century skill development and career and college readiness.

 

Temporary Hooks instead of Lockers

Because of the timeline in our ongoing construction project, TCGIS is not able to install lockers until the entire construction project is complete.  Students will have hooks to hang clothes on in the hallways for first semester.  This is a temporary situation only.  By second semester, all students will be given lockers when we return from the winter break.  We greatly apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your flexibility and understanding.

 

The front office staff has been working their socks off for the school during this busy back-to-school preparation time.  If you have a chance, please give them a great big "Danke!" for all the hard work they do on behalf of the school.

 

Danke Sch�n Alles!

 

Ann Jurewicz

Executive Director

Construction Safety Meeting- Date ChangeConstruction
Wednesday, August 28th from 6:30-8:00 pm

The Administration and Welsh Construction invite the community to a construction meeting Wednesday, August 28th from 6:30-8pm for parents to go over the construction project and answer any questions parents have about safety and the start of school.

 

Looking for Volunteers

As we approach the start of the new year in our new home, TCGIS staff is looking volunteers to help with some projects to make the first day of school the best it can be. We're looking for people to help with landscaping and some outdoor projects, and some parents to help students and parents outside of the school during pick-up and drop-off for the first few days. We have other projects as well just waiting for the right volunteer. Please let Molly Kalda  know if you are available and help us get this year started off on the right foot!
Open HouseOpenHouse
Thursday, August 29th from 6:30-8:00 pm
 

We are kicking off our new school and new school year with a scheduled Open House program.  Parents and students will go straight to their homerooms to drop off school supplies and have a welcome from teachers.  All classes will then get to tour the new facility.  We will gather at various times by grade level (K-2), (3-4) and (5-8) for a welcome by the director!

 

We have new grade level colors to help orient children and parents and create special belonging and identification:

  • ORANGE = kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade
  • GREEN = 3rd grade and 4th grade
  • BLUE = 5th through 8th grades
PTO Announcements PTO
Join Us for the Next PTO Meeting and Keep an Eye Out for the PTO Calendar!
  
We'd love to have you join us for the next TCGIS PTO meeting on Tuesday, August 27 from 6:30-8:00pm at the GAI (Germanic-American Institute at 301 Summit Ave, St. Paul 55102). We will be discussing and voting on the 2013-14 PTO budget. The agenda and proposed budget will be sent via email one week prior to the meeting.

Back by popular demand: the handy TCGIS PTO calendar! Each TCGIS family will be mailed a complimentary copy, accompanied by a PTO Orientation Guide and information regarding PTO volunteer opportunities for the upcoming school year.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact PTO President Kami Blackwell Kinney at [email protected].


Transportation

New procedures in transportation, safety and security

 

We are very fortunate to be moving to the lovely southwest Como neighborhood with wonderful and supportive neighbors.  To keep up the best possible relationships with the Como community, we ask the TCGIS community to be respectful of the transportation and parking policies we set forth. Once school begins, we ask parents who want to gather at the school's entrance to park in the lots between Como Park Pool and McMurray Fields three blocks west of our school.

 

TCGIS has requested NO PARKING signs from the city of St. Paul during drop off and pick up both on Van Slyke Avenue (school side entrance) and Como Avenue (Aula side entrance).  We hope to guarantee quick and efficient drop off and pick up for the start of school.  Multiple TCGIS staff members with clearly identifiable clothing using our grade level colors will be on both sidewalks (Van Slyke and Como) to ensure safe drop off/pick up and entrance into the building.

 

  • Cars with students in grades K-3: please use Van Slyke Avenue  
  • Cars with students in grades 4-8: please use Como Avenue
  • Cars with a mixture of students in each set: please drop of all students with the youngest children (using Van Slyke Avenue) 

 

***Kindergarten parents only are allowed to enter the school with their children during our first week of school, but this is not required.

 

We will have more information on our Transportation and Safety Plan as the school year approaches.

Familienfest (Family Fest) Familienfest
Sunday, August 18, 2:00-5:00 pm
Free and Open to the Public
 
Germanic-American Institute
301 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN  55102

The Familienfest is an outdoor celebration for families! It includes a bouncy-house, model trains, face-painting, and picnic-style food at family-friendly prices. Grown-up activities include cold German beer and a casual, relaxed atmosphere on the GAI lawn.
All kindergarteners are invited to join in the "Schulanfang" (beginning of school) ceremony, honoring the beginning of their school careers.


In case of inclement weather, outdoor events will be canceled. Contact the GAI at 651.222.7027 or visit www.gai-mn.org for more information.
Neighborhood Transportation Picnics
Coming to a neighborhood near you!

The Transportation Committee will be hosting picnics in four Twin Cities neighborhoods. We invite you to meet your neighbors from the TCGIS community, enjoy a potluck, ask questions about pickup and drop-off routines, and even find a carpool!


We are hosting potlucks at the following neighborhoods:


August 19: Columbia Park in Nordeast Minneapolis (North/Nordeast Mpls)

August 20: Dr. Martin Luther King Park (South Minneapolis)

August 21: Powderhorn Park (Seward/South Minneapolis)

August 26: Weimholt Residence, 1799 Portland Ave. Saint Paul (Merriam/St. Paul)


Each picnic will run 6:00-8:00 pm; Info session at 7:00 pm. Please bring your own plates, utensils, and a dish to share. We will provide beverages.


Find our group by the blue balloons. Transportation Committee Chair Hunter Goetzman will be on hand to answer questions and to unveil an online carpool hub, created exclusively for TCGIS families.
Still need Host Families for Amity Interns!
Host an intern, enjoy multiple benefits
Christina

 

TCGIS is still seeking one family to host an Amity Intern for this fall 2013.  We are also still asking for families who could host Amity interns in the spring.  Benefits of hosting an intern:

        • Built in baby sitting!
        • Learn German from a native so your children don't talk about you behind your back!
        • Life long international friendships!
        • Free tutors for your children!
        • Enjoy a new cultural perspective! 
Application for Educational Benefits
A single form for need based scholarships could help
reduce numerous school expenses

The Minnesota Department of Education provides schools and parents with a form to help determine whether a student is eligible for educational benefits. This form is most often used to determine whether a family is eligible for free or reduced pricing on school lunches. TCGIS also uses this form to determine if a student is eligible for scholarships for Extended Kindergarten, field trips, after school activities, as well as school supply fee waivers or assistance, and more. If you would like to be considered for these scholarships, please fill out and return the 2013-2014 Application for Educational Benefits. This form must be filled out every year if you wish to be considered for these programs. Benefits do not roll over to the next school year, so if you received benefits last year, please apply again this year in order to receive benefits from these programs.   
New Teacher Feature: Stephanie Michals, Kindergarten
 
My name is Stephanie Michals and I'll be teaching in Kindergarten KA. I grew up in Keene, New Hampshire and moved to Minneapolis three years ago. I was always drawn to education as  my parents were both professors at the local college. I have my masters in the Art of Teaching from the University of New Hampshire. I have been able to teach a wide range of student, from preschool to college level. Growing up in a bilingual home, I learned the importance of learning a second language. My parents are both from Austria, and though I was born in America I have dual citizenship to Austria. I love snow! So come March when we still have three feet of snow, I will still be smiling! I am an avid skier and love everything outside. In my free time I am either going to the movies or playing board games with my husband, Mark, and friends. I am also in the Guinness Book of World Records, twice!  I am very excited for our upcoming school year! 

 

New Teacher Feature: Hannah Matuszak, 1st grade

Hello! My name is Hannah Matuszak and I'm thrilled to join the staff of TCGIS. I grew up in a bilingual household, my mother being a German native from Offenbach and may Dad an all- American New Yorker. I was born in Japan but moved to Germany with my family when I was five to start Kindergarten. My family moved to Minnesota after I finished 2nd grade at the Grundschule, where I stayed until my early teens. At the tender age of 16, I moved back to Germany to complete my Abitur at the Schillerschule Gymnasium in Frankfurt. It was here where I developed a deep passion for languages, which drove me to the University of Heidelberg to pursue my B.A. in translation studies for German, English and French.

After completing my studies I wanted to engage in a career path that would allow me to work with both languages and people. Teaching was my obvious choice. In support, I came back to Minnesota to pursue my teaching license and was blessed to find a spot with TCGIS!

I am a strong believer in the immersion teaching philosophy and, myself a product of it, am convinced it is the ultimate way to learn a foreign language! I am thrilled to begin teaching my first year with TCGIS and to work with you in helping your children grow and find new and exciting experiences throughout the school year!

New Teacher Feature: Kim Kulhanek, 1st grade

My name is Kim Kulhanek, and I am originally from Belleville, Michigan. I have a B.A. in German/Economics, an M.A. in German, and a background in finance - I didn't figure out that I wanted to teach until I was well into getting my Master's in German. Since I love lakes and Prince, among many other Minnesotan things, I moved with my boyfriend Jacob to Minneapolis last summer. My intention was to work as a paraprofessional at TCGIS while completing my K-12 teaching license, then teach high school German. However, after working with elementary-aged students in an immersion setting, I knew I wanted to teach at TCGIS. The community of teachers and parents is like none I've ever known before, and helping students develop an appreciation for a language that has given me so much is a perk that makes me happy to go to work every day. I am currently working on my M.Ed. at Hamline University and am very much looking forward to teaching first grade at TCGIS!
New Teacher Feature: Heidi Schultz, Science

 

You may know me as the ESL and German Support Teacher here since the early days of our school, but this year I get to work in my original field of study (Biology) and explore science with all the students in grades K- 6. I'll be working with classroom teachers in K-4 to teach Science (auf Deutsch) using our excellent FOSS experiment kits. For 5th and 6th grade, I will co-teach Science (NaWi) with Stephanie Lauenstein in a shared classroom. I'm very excited!  

I spent most of my childhood in Mound, Minnesota, but Berlin was my home for six years, and I graduated from a German-American bilingual high school (JFK Schule). I studied biology (especially ecology and entomology), Spanish and German, and cultural anthropology at Macalester and the Freie Universit�t Berlin. While living in Berlin, I got hooked on teaching English, eventually getting my M.Ed. in teaching ESL and German at the University of Minnesota.

The first five years of my teaching career were at Jefferson Elementary in Minneapolis, then at Folwell Middle School for eight years. Once I discovered charter schools, there was no going back a big district. I've taught at Avalon School and TCGIS since 2005, and I love them both.

My favorite things to do are watching creative people in action, being silly, riding roller-coasters, and traveling with my kids. I also love languages, music, weird foods, and all kinds of animals. My husband, Stefan, and I have three redheaded teenagers and two crazy little wiener dogs.

New Teacher Feature: Tanja Schmitt, 5th grade 

Hello, my name is Tanja Schmitt and I am from W�rzburg, Germany. W�rzburg is a beautiful city in the north of Bavaria and over 1300 years old. It's famous for its castles and wines.

For the past eight years I taught at the Armin Knab Gymnasium (grade 5-12) in Kitzingen. I love my job and am convinced that it's one of the most important ones in the world because we teachers help create the future by educating and helping raise children.

I'm very much looking forward to joining the TCGIS family and can't wait to meet my new students and colleagues. German is such a beautiful language and I'm proud to be one of the people who helps to share our language and culture with the world.

It's my first time in Minnesota and in the two days I've spent here, EVERYONE I met has warned my about the hard winters. That's a bit scary. So if you have any tips for me how to stay warm, don't hesitate to share! ;)

New Teacher Feature: Thomas Wegener, 5th grade

They say home is a place where you�re needed so I am home now though I�m far away. My name is Thomas and I was born and raised in a city called Magdeburg about 90 miles west from Berlin where I stayed from 1996-2002. But let�s start with the most important. I have two kids Liam (7 years old) and Mila (9 month old). Liam is going to attend TCGIS as well and he can�t wait to meet new friends.

I view myself as a world citizen and it is difficult for me to answer where I�m from. I got into teaching after I have tried a few other things before. Though it might sound silly to some people but one day a friend gave me a T-Shirt with a print: I touch the future I teach and my mind was made up. Now I will nothing less than touch Twin Cities' future through teaching. (:  In 2005 after my teachers training (Referendariat) in the city of Bremen my wife and I moved via Cape Town to Pretoria (South-Africa), where I picked up some English. (I told an officer at the Department of Social Security who asked me about my English that I am still trying to adjust to the American accent and he told me: "Oh, no we don�t have an accent." But don�t worry I will be very patient with your strong accent, if you are patient with me.) In 2007 we moved back to Germany  where I accepted a job in the City of Worms near to Mannheim/Heidelberg. I was enjoying my job since I could teach Philosophy again which is my second main subject besides German. After four years our wish to explore the world was rising again and I applied at the Central Office for Schools Abroad in Cologne. Eventually after six years in Worms I got offered the job at Twin Cities German Immersion School and to be honest before I accepted the Job offer we had to look up where Twin Cities are. Well we are quite scared about the winter but after two weeks being here we already fell in love with Saint Paul and its people. Apparently Minneapolis has got some nice people as well. We haven�t met any grumpy people yet though the officers at State Departments sometimes scare us as they are very serious and put up an unfriendly face but I suppose that's part of their job.

I cannot write anything funny about myself because it is always difficult to admit when you funny by accident. I sometimes forget appointments but that's probably not what Ann likes to hear. My wife provided me now with the latest technology so it should not happen anymore. People say I have a dry sense of humor but maybe you should contact my previous students and colleagues to find out more about that or wait till you meet me in person. I hope I could give you some relevant information about myself without being too relevant.

I am looking forward to meet the entire TCGIS community and I hope we can build up something great to make a difference.