Elternbrief

Amy Lenburg demonstrated TCGIS's commitment to our school mission and connected to Como neighbors in a very special way celebrating International Peace Day last week. On Friday, September 20th students made "pinwheels for peace" expressing their hopes and visions for peace. Elementary students gathered in the play area outside the Aula for a singing assembly to start the day off. They then placed their pinwheels in the front lawn of the school along Van Slyke, and at the end of the day, individual pinwheels were placed in the neighbors yards to spread those hopes and visions. It was a beautiful celebration and enjoyed by everyone involved. Please see the video of the event here!

A Fond Farewell to Frau Jane Hall-Dayle and Paul Carlson

It is with great sadness the school sees the departure of two wonderful staff members of the school. We want to deeply thank Frau Jane Hall-Dayle for her service as Assistant Director and wish her the best of luck in her new position with St. Paul Public Schools. We also congratulate Paul Carlson for his promotion at Apple Computers and will look forward to his continued expertise as an on-going member of the TCGIS technology committee. Please feel free to congratulate and thank Paul and Jane, and please offer your support to our office staff and we move through this transition.

"Where's the office?"

Several parents have recently come to the school to drop off forms and had some difficulty finding the office. The office is located on the Garden Level (1st floor). It is the first door on the left if you are entering the main entrance of the school. At the main entrance door there is a doorbell with a video feed which allows us to identify anyone who is entering the building.

Please see this image for further explanation.

PowerSchool Parent Portal and Gradebook

TCGIS is making significant enhancements to the PowerSchool system making the information more streamlined and offering greater detail on academic progress and attendance. With the move into the new school and the enhancements we are scheduling, we respectfully request your patience as we prepare the system. We expect to open the PowerSchool portal by Friday, October 11th and thank you for your understanding.

Curriculum Night, October 3rd, 2013

1st through 4th grade parents: Please come to school Thursday, October 3rd from 5:30-6:45 pm. You will meet in your child's classroom and hear the overview of the school year from the homeroom teacher, including the curriculum plan. The teachers will present for 35 minutes from 5:30-6:05 and again from 6:10-6:45 so parents with students in multiple grades can see multiple teachers.

5th through 8th grade parents: Please come to school Thursday, October 3rd from 7:00-8:15 pm. You will meet in your child's homeroom classroom and then hear from the various subject teachers for your child, including curriculum.

Babysitting will be provided in the Cafeteria at no charge from 5:30-8:30. We hope this evening will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the school and make connections with others in the TCGIS community.

Full Scale Recycling Comes to TCGIS!

It is with great pleasure we announce that TCGIS has full scale recycling of cans, bottles, glass, metal, office paper, cardboard and newspaper! You will see at the far end of the play area near the Aula the large black bins marked for this recycling, next to the blue dumpsters for trash. Please inform yourselves and your children of these different receptacles for maximum efficiency. We are also exploring composting opportunities!

Danke Schön Alle!

Ann Jurewicz

Executive Director

Construction Update

Why aren't we hearing the loud rumbling grind of heavy machinery? Why isn't the dust flying for Phase II of the construction project?

As many of you may have noticed, the construction project is currently on hold. A number of unexpected circumstances have delayed the work:

During excavations, house foundations buried under the ground had to be removed.
When the "break through" sections of the Aula were made, a large cement construction beam was found under the floor of the main chamber, requiring a re-design by the architects. These re-designs must then be submitted to the city for approval.
Costs associated with these "unforeseen" situations require a revision of the budget before Phase II can begin.

The good news is this is giving the teachers and students the chance to settle into our new site and develop practices and routines while it is relatively quiet and calm. We hope to work out the kinks in some of our needs before the rain and snow come.

In preparation for a longer transition period, the school is planning to do the following:

Clear the Aula of all storage so the full area is available for teachers, students and extra curricular activities and events.
Seek to install lockers for all students before the need for heavy clothing and boots arises.
Remove the stone gravel from the playground area and get a more appropriate playground base material for inclement weather.
Clear group learning areas and provide extra storage for teachers and students.

The good news is that many parents and teachers have commented on how happy the students are and believe that living in a "real school" has generated a lot of this positive energy. Teachers have really pulled together to make the school a wonderful learning environment under trying circumstances and it is a testament to their professionalism and quality talent. We ask the community continue sending positive feedback to everyone on the TCGIS staff for their hard work and request you support us in any way you can as we look to launching Phase II construction very, very soon. We anticipate a final construction completion by mid-March. Thank you for your support in this venture as we develop a fantastic permanent home for TCGIS.

Sincerely,

Ann Jurewicz

Executive Director

Picture Day

Tuesday, October 1st!

Picture Day is just around the corner! You should have received a picture day form in your child's back pack earlier this week. Please include your payment by check or cash and have your child bring in the envelope (one per student) in on or before picture day on October 1.

For more information about the company, please visit their website.

Orders can be made online here:

https://sales.enstromstudios.com/entercodeG.aspx - using the access code 371871

School Board Monthly Meeting (Tonight)

Please see the link for a detailed agenda for the September School Board Meeting

Special Education Advisory Committee

Parents of Students receiving Special Education Services

We invite you to join our Special Education Advisory Committee. Your input is important. Your commitment will be attending a few short meetings throughout the year. Anyone interested should contact info@tcgis.org.

Thanks for your support.

The Sped Team

Cereal and Oatmeal Boxes

Please bring in your cereal boxes and round oatmeal boxes! Frau Lenburg will be needing them in October to make lanterns with the Kindergarten through third graders for the annual Martinstag celebration. At last count she still needs 15 oatmeal boxes and 160 cereal boxes. Additionally, anyone interested in helping to prepare the boxes for the art classes can email Frau Lenburg directly at alenburg@tcgis.org. Empty boxes can be brought to the office or sent to the classroom with your student. Danke!

PTO Meet-Ups

The PTO Meet-Up Committee is creating lots of opportunities to foster the TCGIS sense of community!

Family BBQ/Potluck at the Como Park playground! Sunday, September 29, 4-6 pm. RSVP at this link: http://tinyurl.com/m6y35jw.

Parents-Only Meet-Up at O'Gara's! Monday, September 30, 7 pm. RSVP & questions, contact Krista Ostrom: krista@hotujec.com.

Walk around Lake Como: Tuesdays at 2:30 pm, Wednesdays at 8:30 am, Thursdays at 2:30 pm. Meet at entrance to Black Bear Crossings.

Como Playground: Playtime following afternoon pick up on Friday, September 27 & Wednesday, October 2. The Como Playground is off Midway Parkway across from Como Town.

Auflauf Cook-Off is SOLD OUT!

The Auflauf planning committee will be in contact with registrants regarding further details. Feel free to contact Nancy Dilts with questions: dilts_nancy@hotmail.com.

Maskenball 2014

Save the Date and Pick the Theme

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We want YOU to help pick this year's theme. The Maskenball Committee has narrowed the field to three party ideas:

Black & White - Think all things B&W like pandas, dominoes, and Oreos. Tropical Vacation - Think palm trees, luaus, and sandy beaches.

Happy Days - Think 1950's, The Fonz, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis.

Click here to vote now! Be sure to click-n-drag the themes in the order of your preference. Voting closes at Midnight TONIGHT. We will announce the winning theme at Auflauf on October 11th.

Maskenball is a chance for the grown-ups to mingle, dance, and be merry! Follow the Maskenball 2014 Event Facebook page as details emerge.

Want to join the fun, learn more about Maskenball, know the theme before everyone else, or just hang out? Come to our next planning session this Saturday, September 28th, 10 am at Black Bear Crossings near school. RSVP to tcgismaskenball@gmail.com.

Substitute Teachers Wanted!

Interested in helping out at school? Why not try substitute teaching! German fluency is preferred, but not required. Those interested must have a four-year degree. If you are interested, please contact Molly at mkalda@tcgis.org for more information. Thank you!

Five-Course Winetasting at the GAI

Who: Germanic-American Institute

What: Five-Course Wine Tasting Dinner

Where: 301 Summit Avenue, St. Paul

When: October 26, 2013

Time: 6:00pm

Price: $85 for GAI members,
$100 for non-members

Join us October 26 for the Five-Course Winetasting Dinner, the GAI's annual gala-style fundraiser. This year's proceeds will go toward the Haus renovation project, which helps us maintain our historic Summit Avenue mansion.

Katrin Erdmann, the GAI's Director of Event Services, has put together a delectable menu, featuring herb-crusted pork tenderloin and pan-fried semolina dumplings. Wine expert Jennifer Chou, of The Savvy Grape, will educate guests about each of the five European wines accompanying the meal. Ambient music will be provided by classical guitarist Jim Falbo

throughout the event.

NEW THIS YEAR: Guests are invited to participate in the optional cigars and cognac available for purchase following the dinner.

Reservations can be made online from our website: www.gai-mn.org.

Prepayment by check or credit card by Monday, October 21

is required. Parties of six or more may reserve a private table by contacting the office at 651.222.7027. Once the office has received your payment, we will send your tickets via postal mail, or we may hold them at the door. Please provide us with your mailing address upon reservation.