Elternbrief
Issue: 184
January 15, 2015
In This Issue
Teacher Grading Day Tomorrow - No School!
Busing Information Session
No Name Calling Week 2015
Still Accepting Supply Donations
Are You an HR Professional?
Join the TCGIS Advisory Committee!
Social Hour is now K-8!
Take a Look at the 7th Grade German Fenster
Quidditch at TCGIS
SPED Parent Meet Up
February Lunch Orders Are Out
Enrollment is Open for the 2015-2016 School Year!
PTO Announcement
GAI Announcement

Quick Links
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Jan 16: Teacher Grading Day - No School

Jan 19: Martin Luther Kind Day - No School

Jan 21: Early Release

Jan 22: School Board Meeting

Jan 23: Afternoon PTO Kaffeeklatsch

Jan 30: K-8 Social Hour

Feb 6: Morning PTO Kaffeklatsch

Feb 13: Professional Learning Day - No School

Feb 16: Presidents' Day - No School

 

If you are a current volunteer or would like to become one, please visit our volunteer page, read the instructions and fill out the online application.
Click HERE!
Administrative Information
Reminder: No School Friday or Monday!
Friday, January 15, 2014
Don't forget, tomorrow is a Teacher Grading Day and Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day! There is no school on either of these days. Enjoy the long weekend!

Busing Information Session!
Thursday January 22, 2015
 
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on the Busing and Calendar Date/Time Survey. We had excellent community response. To provide an opportunity for community members to ask questions and get more information on the issues related to school busing, the School Board would like to hold a Busing Information Session next 
Thursday, January 22 from 5:30-6:30pm immediately before the official School Board meeting. Baby sitting will be provided and we will meet in Room 100.

Community members can park in the west Staff Parking Lot and come in the Staff entrance for this meeting as well as for the School Board meeting following the Busing Information Session. Danke!


No Name Calling Week 2015 - Celebrate Kindness!
January 20-23, 2015

The Social Climate Committee would like to announce the participation of TCGIS in the No Name Calling Week of 2015. TCGIS has participated in this state-wide effort in the past years to promote positive interactions and emotional safety at school, and to reduce and prevent name calling and bullying. The theme for this year is "Celebrate Kindness" and it will take place from January 20th to January 23rd.

Students  are encouraged to participate through different activities, such as
  • Classroom discussions and lessons to learn more about positive social interactions and bullying prevention 
  • Taking a pledge to refrain from name calling
  • First through third grade will also attend a puppet show by PACER during this week, called "Kids against bullying".
  • Participate in dress up days:
    • Tuesday: Red, white and blue - for United We Stand
    • Wednesday: Mismatched clothes - for appreciating our differences
    • Thursday: Favorite clothes and hat - for our self-esteem and self-identification
    • Friday: School spirit & school pride
Thanks for your support!

 

We Are Still Accepting Supply Donations!

Have you meant to drop off your supply donation but haven't gotten around to it? There is still time! Each year TCGIS asks for a supply donation from our families to help cover the extra costs of our German curriculum, including disposable "Heft" or workbooks purchased each year. The suggested donation is $75 per child. 

 

For all families that have already made a donation, we can't thank you enough! This donation makes it possible for TCGIS to provide our students with the best German materials available. If you would like to make a donation, please do so in the front office. We are so appreciative of your support!

 

Are You an HR Professional?
The TCGIS Board of Directors recently created a new subcommittee to provide oversight and develop policies concerning school personnel issues. The personnel committee is seeking a parent or community member with professional experience in employment law or human resource management to participate in the committee. Committee meetings will be held on a monthly basis.

If you have HR experience and would like to join the committee, please email the personnel committee chairperson, Kelly Laudon, at klaudon@tcgis.org to volunteer.

 

Now Taking Applications for the TCGIS Advisory Committee!                                

TCGIS is looking for parents, guardians, teachers and community members to serve on the TCGIS World's Best Workforce Advisory Committee. The Committee will meet at least two times a year to review academic standards and academic goals and measures. The school is looking to build a diverse Committee representing various grade level parents/guardians, teachers and support staff. Please find the application here. If you would like more information on the Advisory Committee, please see the Committee Charter here. Applications are due by Tuesday, February 17.

 

If you have questions or comments, please contact Ann Jurewicz at ajurewicz@tcgis.org or at 651-492-7106 

K-8 Social Hour
Friday, January 30, 2015
Our January social hour is now open to all families K-8! Join us for coffee and cookies and socializing in the foyer!
Friday, January 30, 2015
7:50-8:15am - parents/guardians gather in classrooms to visit with teachers and interns
8:15-8:30am - adults quietly observe Morning Circle
8:30-9:30am - gather in theCommons for coffee and parent/guardian connection
We look forward to seeing everyone who can make it!
German Immersion Fenster in the Foyer
This week the 7th graders have started the new German Immersion Fenster on the big TV screen in the entrance hall. The German Fenster provides the TCGIS community information from both inside the classroom and from the rest of the world. You can find news, commercials, a magazine and important events designed by students in their German classes. 

Please pop in and see what's happening in the German Immersion Community through the German Immersion Fenster, an idea copied from Subway trains in Berlin!
6-8 Grades Play Quidditch!

Adding to the Harry Potter excitement at TCGIS and to the ever-so popular Hogwarts student life activity, 6-8 grade got to test the wizards' game of Quidditch in Sport this week! Of course we can not fly on magical brooms like the Nimbus 2000, but Mr. Schmidt and the students found fun ways to adapt the game and make it as real as possible. There were super quick snitches, chasers, beaters, seekers and strong keepers - just like in the books! 

 

Special Education Parent Meet Up!
Monday, January 19 7:30-9:00pm
Please join members of the Special Ed Advisory Committee and other parents of SpEd students for an evening of conversation and community building.  Monday, January 19th from 7:30-9PM at the Como Park Grill, 1341 Pascal St N, St Paul, MN 55108.  The Como Park Grill has a full menu to order from if you so choose.  

Please RSVP to Jessica Chastek if you can join us: rubyrya@gmail.com or 651.726.4455
 (call or text).  

 

February Lunch Orders Due January 23!

Lunch order forms for February are in! Please find the regular lunch menu here and the gluten free menu here. Lunch orders are due in the front office by Friday, January 23. The menus can also be found on our website! 

Enrollment is Open for the 2015-2016 School Year!

Enrollment for the 2015-2016 school year is open. Please send us the application for your younger sibling as soon as possible if you have no done so already. Click here for the application form.

All families with new students joining the 2015-2016 school year must have turned in their application the latest by Thursday, February 12 - the day before the lottery. Preference is given to siblings, but the applications must still be turned in. Thank you!
PTO

PTO Announcement


 Find out what's going on in the PTO. Click here to read more about:

  • Kaffeeklatsch - Friday, January 9 at 8am
  • Maskenball update

REMINDER - There is no January PTO meeting. The next PTO meeting is February 10.

For the latest information, be sure to like our Facebook page

 

GAI
GAI Announcement

Shown in German with English subtitles, this 2005 Oscar nominee tells the heart-wrenching true story of the last days of Sophie Scholl, a German student and revolutionary who was active in die Weiße Rose (The White Rose), a Nazi resistance movement. 

If your kid's German skills are surpassing your own or you have kids too young / not enrolled at TCIGS, check out the GAI's German classes for adults and Samstagsschule (Saturday school) for kids. Registration ends soon so register today!